ABSTRACT. This study aims to investigate students' collocational competence by examining the relationship between the knowledge of lexical collocation among them. The respondents were 30 students of Universiti Malaysia Kelantan (UMK). A lexical collocation test (LCT) was constructed to gauge the knowledge of collocation, while a speaking proficiency test (SPT) adopted from the IELTS was administered to determine the students' level of speaking proficiency. Both variables were then correlated. The result indicates that there was no significant correlation between the knowledge of collocation and speaking proficiency among the respondents. Based on the findings, it is revealed that exposure to the target language plays a vital role in language acquisition. Exposure to collocations in particular would enable the learners to speak more fluently and sound more native-like. INTRODUCTIONThe ultimate goal of learning a language is to be able to communicate effectively. In realizing communicative competence, comprehensibility of a speaker's speech production must be taken into account. As a rule of thumb, it is essential for non-native speakers to emulate the way native speakers use their language as a benchmark in reaching that goal. Native-like competence is characterized by speakers' ability to use a target language in a way that is natural and considered acceptable by the native speakers. It is one of the features of this native-likeness. Collocation is made up of word combinations which are naturally and frequently used by native speakers. Collocation plays an important role in language acquisition as it helps learners improve their communication skills and also helps them achieve native-like competence [11,13]. Collocation along with other types of prefabricated chunks or ready-made expressions consisting of word combinations that are repeatedly used by native speakers is said to contribute 58.6% and 52.3% to the composition of both their spoken and written discourses respectively [7]. This is reflective of the significance of acquiring word combinations in order to achieve the level of language competence of the native speakers of the target language. Along the same line, Schmitt (2004) reports that these formulaic sequences are extensively used in discourse and set the non-native speakers apart from native speakers in language proficiency.The level of English proficiency among UMK students still leaves a lot to be desired and deserves considerable attention. Their performance in the university English papers and Malaysian University English Test (MUET) often demonstrates some problems. One of the difficulties which could be identified besides poor grammar is students' struggle in producing acceptable word combinations or collocations, which is deemed vital for them to acquire a good command of English. These word combinations which are considered part of lexical chunks will help learners engage in communication more effectively and fluently [12]. Similarly, Hill (2000) maintains that one of the main reasons lead...

Effective interpersonal communication between patients and the medical practitioners has always been the medium for information exchange between both parties. This qualitative research is conducted to determine how the medical practitioners react to the patients' complaints in any given medical interaction settings. The data for the entire research were obtained through indepth interviews, conducted with six informants. The purposive sampling method was utilized to determine the appropriate informants to be chosen with the traits of a psychiatric patient diagnosed with any psychiatric complication. The data were analysed by deriving themes from the in-depth interviews using thematic analysis method. The data acquired from the informants have contributed to a few themes which have indicated the medical practitioners' reaction to the patients' complaints. Based on the findings, the researcher has concluded that the medical practitioners involved in treating the informants were not responsive enough to the patients' complaint.

ABSTRACT. This qualitative study focuses on the semantical interpretation of the post-electoral newspaper reporting in gaining the legitimacy from the citizens. The study is being addressed through two research questions: 1) what are the semantical interpretation of the newspaper articles' headlines in the mainstream and the oppositions' newspapers? 2) What are the issues highlighted in the newspaper during the post-electoral period of the 13th General Election? The data for the entire research were obtained through the mainstream newspapers which are Utusan Malaysia, Kosmo and Harian Metro and also the opposition's newspaper represented by Harakah. The data were also collected based on the newspapers that were published after the Election Day has ended. However, the newspapers were not collected daily as the researcher has chosen a few newspapers that contained the traits of having portrayed electoral campaign. The data were analysed using the thematic analysis by deriving themes from the content analysis of the newspapers. The findings were divided into two sections which are semantical interpretations of newspaper articles' headlines during post-electoral period and issues highlighted in the political campaigns. The researcher has come to a conclusion that both mainstream and opposition based newspapers were portraying improper political headlines during the post-electoral period.