A crosslinguistic study of some extended uses of what-based interrogative expressions in Chinese, English, and Korean

2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 137-173 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heeju Lee ◽  
Danjie Su ◽  
Hongyin Tao
Keyword(s):  
Mandarin Chinese ◽  
Comparative Studies ◽  
Epistemic Stance ◽  
Coding Scheme ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Telephone Calls ◽  
Interactive Account ◽  
Interactive Discourse

Abstract Interrogative pronouns such as what in English, shenme in Mandarin Chinese, and mwe/mwusun in Korean all have developed extended uses beyond interrogation. Such uses may include filling a gap in conversation, softening a speaker’s epistemic stance, and indicating strong emotions such as surprises or incredulity. Yet there is little research dealing with crosslinguistic patterns with large corpora of interactive discourse data. In this paper, we investigate the extended uses based on corpora of multiple telephone calls from the three languages. We show that eight categories of extended use can be identified in the corpora and that most of the extended uses tend to fall in the negative territory. We provide a pragmatic interactive account for this phenomenon and hope that the taxonomy and coding scheme developed here can serve as a starting point for future crosslinguistic and corpus-based comparative studies of what-like tokens as well as of the discourse pragmatic uses of other interrogative forms.

A study of repeat-formatted repair initiations in Mandarin Chinese conversation

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 158-186
Author(s):  
Lihong Quan ◽  
Jinlong Ma
Keyword(s):  
Conversation Analysis ◽  
Mandarin Chinese ◽  
Main Research ◽  
Epistemic Stance ◽  
Research Findings

Abstract Using the methodology of Conversation Analysis (or CA), this study examines three types of other-initiated repair initiators (henceforth OIs) that repeats some element in the trouble-source (henceforth repeats) in Chinese conversation: repeats suffixed with question particles ma (吗), repeats suffixed with question particles a (啊), and question-intonated repeats. It attempts to explore the differences between these typical formats, in terms of their forms/functions and the epistemic stance of the speaker who initiates repair. The main research findings indicate that question-intonated repeat implements an understanding check while repeat suffixed with question particles (ma or a) tends to serve different functions, in that, ma-suffixed repeat is inquiry-implicated while a-suffixed repeat contributes to constructing surprise, (dis)agreement or (dis)belief.

Scribal Practices in Arabic Manuscripts from Ethiopia: The ʿAjamization of Scribal Practices in Fuṣḥā and ʿAjamī Manuscripts from Harar

2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 144-170 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara Fani
Keyword(s):  
Nineteenth Century ◽  
Comparative Studies ◽  
Early Nineteenth Century ◽  
Islamic World ◽  
Reference Models ◽  
Starting Point

This paper focuses on Arabic scribal practices in a corpus of Ethiopian Islamic manuscripts from the region of Harar ascribed to the period from the eighteenth to the early nineteenth century. Two different aspects will be considered, namely the characteristic realization of specific graphemes and the methods for the justification of the text. The observations take into account the perceived sacred dimension of the texts, from copies of the Qurʾān to ʿAjamī works, and the different level of standardization of their written manifestations. This approach is intended to highlight the results of the cultural interplay between the scribal models acquired and their local reinterpretation in order to identify reference models and determine the criteria at the base of the processes of ʿAjamization of these scribal practices. I hope that the characteristics described in this article will represent the starting point for comparative studies of scribal practices between different Ethiopian regions and with other regions of the Islamic world.

Un lexique-grammaire du football

2006 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 275-311
Author(s):  
Argyro Moustaki ◽  
Aspasia Dimitriadi
Keyword(s):  
Comparative Studies ◽  
Greek Language ◽  
Simple Sentence ◽  
Automatic Translation ◽  
Compound Nouns ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Point Of Departure ◽  
Selection Of

Taking as a starting point one of P. Sabatier’s work on the Lexicon-Grammar of football, we present the phrases we have established and translated for the Greek language (Ph-foot). We have retained the classes of objects established by P. Sabatier for French. For the Greek study our point of departure is a selection of 600 sentences. We have established not only a lexicon-grammar but also a list of classes of objects and compound nouns of this vocabulary. The aim of this analysis was to describe morphosyntactic similarities as well as differences between simple sentence constructions and compound nouns in both languages. This study will serve as a basis for future comparative studies wich will ultimately serve to support automatic translation.

scholarly journals Exploratory analysis of the position of Chinese cities as international tourism hubs: product destination versus business environment internationalization

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiang Feng ◽  
Ben Derudder ◽  
Xiaochuan Zhu ◽  
Haixia Zhou
Keyword(s):  
Comparative Studies ◽  
Mainland China ◽  
Business Environment ◽  
Chinese Economy ◽  
Exploratory Analysis ◽  
Three Dimensions ◽  
International Tourism ◽  
Tourism Sector ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Space Economy

This paper measures the level of tourism internationalization of 50 major cities in Mainland China by analyzing their connectivity as international tourism hubs. A typology of cities is presented based on a comparison of their ‘product destination internationalization’ and ‘business environment internationalization’ in the tourism sector. Results are interpreted in the context of three dimensions of the internationalization of the Chinese economy: the imbalanced development of the space-economy; the uneven impact of policy plans and mechanisms; and the imprint of spatio-political hierarchies. We discuss how this study can be complemented with research using other spatial imageries, and used as the starting point for further comparative studies on tourism internationalization in other geographical contexts.

Telephone openings in Samoan

2000 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 95-107 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ainslie So’o ◽  
Anthony J. Liddicoat
Keyword(s):  
North American ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Different Types ◽  
North American Data ◽  
Telephone Calls ◽  
Opening Section

Abstract Many studies of telephone interaction have concentrated on the opening sequences of telephone calls using the model developed by Schegloff (1968, 1979, 1986) using North American data as a starting point. This study uses this model as a starting point to examine telephone openings in Samoa. A comparison between Samoan telephone calls shows many similarities with Schegloff’s model, but also shows that some features of the interaction are culturally variable. These variations are primarily variations in the frequency and distribution of activities within the opening section, rather than a difference in type. In particular, Samoan telephone openings are typified by a reduced use of greetings, different types of phatic moves and less reciprocity.

scholarly journals Visualising urban gentrification and displacement in Greater London

2019 ◽  
Vol 52 (5) ◽  
pp. 819-824
Author(s):  
Yuerong Zhang ◽  
Karen Chapple ◽  
Mengqiu Cao ◽  
Adam Dennett ◽  
Duncan Smith
Keyword(s):  
Comparative Studies ◽  
Census Data ◽  
Source Code ◽  
North West ◽  
Contentious Issue ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
The World ◽  
Neighbourhood Level ◽  
Thematic Data

Gentrification has long been a contentious issue which has prompted debate among scholars due to variations in its location, timing, context and types of measurements used. Therefore, it is worth seeking a simple and effective approach to measure the processes of gentrification, which enables comparative studies to be conducted across different cities around the world. Using six sets of thematic data from 2001 and 2011 at the neighbourhood level, this study proposes five types of gentrification and displacement by using Chapple and Zuk’s theoretical framework. London was selected as a case study. The results show that gentrification was sweeping in many ways during the 2000s in London, particularly in Inner East London. Some areas in North West London are identified as vulnerable neighbourhoods at risk of displacement and gentrification. Furthermore, it was found that most of the neighbourhoods experiencing ongoing displacement are concentrated in Outer London and Inner South London. The typology provides a useful starting point for planners and policymakers to gain deeper insights into the progress of gentrification in London. Additionally, this work can serve as an example to illustrate the potential for using similar types of open source code and census data to estimate the degree of gentrification in other cities.

Analyse Contrastive des Formes Être Prép X en Français et en Roumain

1995 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 289-324
Author(s):  
Anda-Irina Rădulescu
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Comparative Studies ◽  
Romance Languages ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
The Future

Taking as a starting point one of Maurice Gross' items on the constructions be Prep X, we have tried to maintain the same classes he established for French in Romanian and see what differences appear between these two Romance languages. The translation we offer was made word for word whenever that was possible; if not, we use the equivalent to preserve the sense. Opened to different applications, our work aims at finding various ways of converting and transmitting information in a foreign language, as well as serving as a basis for ulterior comparative studies enabling the future automatic translations by computers.

Inference-embedded yes/no interrogatives in Mandarin Chinese conversation

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hui Guo ◽  
Yaxin Wu
Keyword(s):  
Conversation Analysis ◽  
Mandarin Chinese ◽  
Research Method ◽  
Epistemic Stance ◽  
State Of Affairs

In talk-in-interaction, the details of the design of a yes/no interrogative (YNI) index the speaker’s epistemic stance about the issue in question. Adopting conversation analysis as the research method, the present study examines the interactional deployment of inference-embedded YNIs in Mandarin Chinese. The analysis of the turn designs and sequential environments of these interrogatives, as well as the design of the responses to them, indicates that a sequence organisation is engendered in and through the production of inference-embedded YNIs. Since the recipient has epistemic primacy over what is questioned, the questioner’s inference embedded in YNIs may be congruent or incongruent with the recipient’s own state of affairs. In this respect, the questioner’ s inference may be right or wrong. If the recipient finds that the inference is wrong, he or she has the responsibility to execute correction of the questioner’s wrong inference. Indeed, the recipient does display his/her treatment of the inference as wrong through correction. It is through such reflexive connection between the production (action formation) and the interpretation (action ascription) of the YNI that the inference-embedded YNI is treated as a practice for projecting a correction of what is inferred to the question recipient.

A Group Technology Based Representation for Product Portfolios

2005 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert L. Jordan ◽  
Mike Van Wie ◽  
Robert B. Stone ◽  
Jiachuan Wang ◽  
Janis Terpenny
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Algorithms ◽  
Group Technology ◽  
Function Form ◽  
Design Data ◽  
Coding Scheme ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Line Work ◽  
Portfolio Design ◽  
Product Portfolios

Repository based applications for portfolio design offer the potential for leveraging archived design data with computational searches. Toward the development of such search tools, we present a representation for product portfolios that is an extension of an existing Group Technology (GT) coding scheme. Relevance to portfolio design is treated with a case study example of a hand held grinder design. Results of this work provide a numerical coding representation that captures function, form, material and manufacturing data for systems. This extends the current GT line work by combining these four types of design data and clarifying the use of the functional basis in a GT code. The results serve as a useful starting point for the development of portfolio design algorithms, such as genetic algorithms, that account for this combination of design information.

Can familiarity lessen the effect of locality? A case study of Mandarin Chinese subjects and the following adverbials

2015 ◽  
Vol 51 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chunshan Xu ◽  
Haitao Liu
Keyword(s):  
Mandarin Chinese ◽  
Word Frequency ◽  
Information Structure ◽  
Activation Level ◽  
New Information ◽  
Information Status ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Chinese Subjects

AbstractThis paper explores the relation between familiarity of Chinese subjects and the syntactic distance. We propose two hypotheses: (1) contextually given Mandarin Chinese subjects are more likely to be used with long intervening adverbials than contextually new subjects; and (2) subjects with higher word frequency are more likely to be followed by long adverbials than those with lower word frequency. The data from two Mandarin Chinese treebanks provide supportive evidence for the first hypothesis, but not the second. Cognitively, this is probably due to the possibility that contextual givenness, which reflects familiarity, may lessen the effect of locality by increasing the activation level (the accessibility) of the subject and rendering these subjects less susceptible to the memory decay caused by the adverbials intervening between them and the predicate verbs. Subjects are usually the starting point of a sentence, which has a default given–new information structure. Therefore, when organizing a sentence, we are dominantly concerned with the information status (contextual givenness) relative to previous context when choosing the subjects, which may partly accounts for the observed irrelevance between word frequency and the use of adverbials. A sentence is structured based on the information status of the subjects, not their word frequency.

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