Journal of Universal Language

About Journal of Universal Language

The Sejong University Language Research Institute was established in 1996 under the name "World Language Research Institute," following a visionary proposal by its founder, Dr. Myung-Gun Choo. The institute has since been dedicated to addressing linguistic imbalances and the resulting social inequalities through its research and initiatives. The Journal of Universal Language is an international research journal and it is published by the Language Research Institute at Sejong University biannually. The goal of the Journal of Universal Language is to foster, present, and disseminate interdisciplinary research concentrating on universal languages. Language barriers have long played a major role in social and political conflicts around the world, and we believe that the development of a universal language is the key to easing tensions. We welcome theoretical and empirical papers that explore various dimensions of natural languages and the need for a universal language. In this regard, the JUL is multidisciplinary in nature and invites scholars from different fields, including but not limited to general, applied, and interdisciplinary linguistics, language policy, terminology, artificial languages, philosophy, sociology, psychology, anthropology, history, law, politics, religion, translation, economics, and business.
About Language Research Institute, Sejong University

The Language Research Institute at Sejong University was founded for theoretical and practical research on various modes of language usage as well as to provide a forum for discussions on the nature of language. The institute is particularly interested in the development of a universal language and its related fields. The institute also offers an opportunity for the exchange of ideas between researchers of various view points by holding seminars on language-related areas including general linguistics, artificial languages, and universality in language.
Article

Sep 30, 2026

Translanguaging, Linguistic Inequality, and the Policy–Practice Gap in Multilingual Urban Classrooms

Maduabuchi Sennen Agbo, Ali Evbayiro

Journal of Universal Language 2026;27(2):1-34.
https://doi.org/10.22425/jul.2026.27.2.1

Language barriers remain a source of unequal learning opportunities in multilingual societies. Most Nigerian code-switching studies focus on communities where one indigenous language dominates, reporting that code-switching supports learning. Little is known about how this works in linguistically heterogeneous cities. This study investigates translanguaging, code-switching, and teaching practice in Benin City, Nigeria, where pupils speaking Edo, Nigerian Pidgin, English, Esan, Igbo, and Yoruba share Primary 6 classrooms. Engaging 50 teachers an...
Article

Sep 30, 2026

A Morphological Typology of Address Terms in the West-Rift Southern Cushitic Languages

Phaustini Bayo, Chrispina Alphonce

Journal of Universal Language 2026;27(2):35-73.
https://doi.org/10.22425/jul.2026.27.2.35

This study analysed the morphological structures of address terms in the West-Rift Southern Cushitic branch. The study employed a qualitative research approach, and data were collected through elicitation interviews and a documentary review. Interviews were conducted with native speakers of the West-Rift languages to obtain address terms for detailed morphological analysis, while additional terms were collected from documents containing address terms in the West-Rift languages. These qualitative data were analysed using a thematic method. The f...
Article

Sep 30, 2026

A PCA-Based Pseudotime Approach to Syntactic Complexity Development in L2 Writing

Wonbin Kim

Journal of Universal Language 2026;27(2):75-102.
https://doi.org/10.22425/jul.2026.27.2.75

This study aims to construct a pseudo-developmental axis for examining developmental patterns in syntactic complexity and investigate how different subdimensions of syntactic complexity develop along this inferred axis. To this end, it measured 14 syntactic complexity indices from essays written by Asian learners of English and native speakers in the International Corpus Network of Asian Learners of English. Principal component analysis was applied to four theoretically selected syntactic complexity indices to construct a continuous development...
Article

Sep 30, 2026

Cutting and Breaking Events in Uzbek and English: Boundary Location in Lexical Typology

Matluba Ortikova

Journal of Universal Language 2026;27(2):103-143.
https://doi.org/10.22425/jul.2026.27.2.103

Languages may share the same inventory of lexical categories within a semantic domain yet draw the internal boundaries of those categories in different places. This study examines that possibility in the domain of cutting and breaking events, comparing Uzbek and English through a domain-based contrastive analysis of verb behaviour across instrumentality, material compatibility, and result configuration. The Uzbek data derive from native-speaker elicitation, the English from the documented lexical-semantic record. Following Evans’s distinction...

CURRENT ISSUE: Sep 2026, Vol. 27 , No. 2

Article Translanguaging, Linguistic Inequality, and the Policy–Practice Gap in Multilingual Urban Classrooms Maduabuchi Sennen Agbo, Ali Evbayiro Journal of Universal Language 2026;27(2):1-34. https://doi.org/10.22425/jul.2026.27.2.1 HTML PDF PubReader	Article A Morphological Typology of Address Terms in the West-Rift Southern Cushitic Languages Phaustini Bayo, Chrispina Alphonce Journal of Universal Language 2026;27(2):35-73. https://doi.org/10.22425/jul.2026.27.2.35 HTML PDF PubReader
Article A PCA-Based Pseudotime Approach to Syntactic Complexity Development in L2 Writing Wonbin Kim Journal of Universal Language 2026;27(2):75-102. https://doi.org/10.22425/jul.2026.27.2.75 HTML PDF PubReader	Article Cutting and Breaking Events in Uzbek and English: Boundary Location in Lexical Typology Matluba Ortikova Journal of Universal Language 2026;27(2):103-143. https://doi.org/10.22425/jul.2026.27.2.103 HTML PDF PubReader

MOST READ ARTICLE

Article Language Preference as a Precursor to Displacement and Extinction in Nigeria: The Roles of English Language and Nigerian Pidgin Joseph Babasola Osoba, Tajudeen Afolabi Alebiosu Journal of Universal Language 2016;17(2):111-143. https://doi.org/10.22425/jul.2016.17.2.111 HTML PDF PubReader Last 3 months views: 1513	Article Evaluating the Potential of a Unified Hausa-Igbo-Yoruba Language to Ease Language Related Social and Political Conflicts in Nigeria Olusegun Oladele Jegede Journal of Universal Language 2024;25(2):51-92. https://doi.org/10.22425/jul.2024.25.2.51 HTML PDF PubReader Last 3 months views: 1316
Article Multilingualism, Social Inequality, and the Need for a Universal Language Sunyoung Park Journal of Universal Language 2023;24(1):77-93. https://doi.org/10.22425/jul.2023.24.1.77 HTML PDF PubReader Last 3 months views: 1313	Article Hypotheses on the Diachronic Development of the Akan Language Group Emmanuel Nicholas Abakah Journal of Universal Language 2016;17(1):1-51. https://doi.org/10.22425/jul.2016.17.1.1 HTML PDF PubReader Last 3 months views: 1262
Article Analysis of Discourse in Nigerian Pidgin Joseph Babasola Osoba Journal of Universal Language 2015;16(1):131-159. https://doi.org/10.22425/jul.2015.16.1.131 HTML PDF PubReader Last 3 months views: 1184	Article Typology of Lexical Choices in Nigerian Pidgin Political Headlines: Evidence from BBC News Maria Mbursa Salihu, Ijudigal Clement Satumari, Amina Salisu Aliyu Journal of Universal Language 2026;27(1):99-143. https://doi.org/10.22425/jul.2026.27.1.99 HTML PDF PubReader Last 3 months views: 1127
Article What is It? Haiyong Liu Journal of Universal Language 2025;26(1):101-132. https://doi.org/10.22425/jul.2025.26.1.101 HTML PDF PubReader Last 3 months views: 1120	Article Morphological Features of Nigerian Pidgin in the Football Commentary Adesoji Babalola Journal of Universal Language 2021;22(1):27-64. https://doi.org/10.22425/jul.2021.22.1.27 HTML PDF PubReader Last 3 months views: 1090

MOST CITED ARTICLE

Article The Fall and Rise of Universals on Relativization Mark De Vries Journal of Universal Language 2005;6(1):125-157. https://doi.org/10.22425/jul.2005.6.1.125 HTML PDF PubReader Cited by 18	Article AI Chatbots and Linguistic Injustice Sunyoung Park Journal of Universal Language 2024;25(1):99-119. https://doi.org/10.22425/jul.2024.25.1.99 HTML PDF PubReader Cited by 17
Article Subject–verb Inversion in Greek: Implications for Head Movement and Typology George Kotzoglou Journal of Universal Language 2006;7(1):91-137. https://doi.org/10.22425/jul.2006.7.1.91 HTML PDF PubReader Cited by 13	Article The European Union’s Need for an International Auxiliary Language Federico Gobbo Journal of Universal Language 2005;6(1):1-28. https://doi.org/10.22425/jul.2005.6.1.1 HTML PDF PubReader Cited by 12
Article Multilingualism, Social Inequality, and the Need for a Universal Language Sunyoung Park Journal of Universal Language 2023;24(1):77-93. https://doi.org/10.22425/jul.2023.24.1.77 HTML PDF PubReader Cited by 12	Article A Comparison of Unish Grammar with Esperanto Dong-Young Lee Journal of Universal Language 2002;3(2):57-74. https://doi.org/10.22425/jul.2002.3.2.57 HTML PDF PubReader Cited by 11
Article Language Preference as a Precursor to Displacement and Extinction in Nigeria: The Roles of English Language and Nigerian Pidgin Joseph Babasola Osoba, Tajudeen Afolabi Alebiosu Journal of Universal Language 2016;17(2):111-143. https://doi.org/10.22425/jul.2016.17.2.111 HTML PDF PubReader Cited by 11	Article A Typological Study of Tonal Systems of Japanese and Prinmi: Towards a Definition of Pitch-accent Languages Picus Sizhi Ding Journal of Universal Language 2006;7(2):1-35. https://doi.org/10.22425/jul.2006.7.2.1 HTML PDF PubReader Cited by 10