Linguistic Typology

Author(s):  
Anders Holmberg

Linguistic typology is a research program that aims to describe and understand linguistic variation, distinguishing between properties which are shared across languages for historical reasons and properties shared for other reasons to do with ‘the nature of language.’ The preferred method is comparison of very large numbers of languages, sampled so as to control for genealogical and areal biases. The preferred mode of explanation is in terms of functional rather than formal notions. This chapter discusses the history of the research program, from Greenbergian universals to the present-day greater focus on probabilistic correlations between linguistic properties, with particular attention given to areal features. Some problems and shortcomings of this generally very successful research program are discussed, including problems of methodology and use of data, with special focus on its flagship WALS database. The relation between typology and generative linguistics and their relation to universal grammar is discussed.

This is the first book in English dedicated to the actress and director Tanaka Kinuyo. Praised as amongst the greatest actors in the history of Japanese cinema, Tanaka’s career spanned the industrial development of cinema - from silent to sound, monochrome to colour. Alongside featuring in films by Ozu, Mizoguchi, Naruse and Kurosawa, Tanaka was also the only Japanese woman filmmaker between 1953 and 1962, and her films tackled distinctly feminine topics such as prostitution and breast cancer. Because her career overlaps with a transformative period in Japan, especially for women, this close analysis of her fascinating life and work offers new perspectives into the Japanese history of women and classical era of national cinema. The first half of the book focuses on Tanaka as actress and analyses the elements and meanings associated with her star image, and her powerful embodiment of diverse, at times contradictory, ideological discourses. The second half is dedicated to Tanaka as director and explores her public image as filmmaker and her depiction of gender and sexuality against the national history in order to reflect on her role and style as author. With a special focus on the melodrama genre and on the sociopolitical and economic contexts of film production, the book offers a revision of theories of stardom, authorship, and women’s cinema. In examining Tanaka’s iconic reification of femininities in relation to politics, national identity, and memory, the chapters shed light on the cultural construction of female subjectivity and sexuality in Japanese popular culture.


2018 ◽  
Vol 18 (10) ◽  
pp. 857-880 ◽  
Author(s):  
Salma E. Ahmed ◽  
Nahid Awad ◽  
Vinod Paul ◽  
Hesham G. Moussa ◽  
Ghaleb A. Husseini

Conventional chemotherapeutics lack the specificity and controllability, thus may poison healthy cells while attempting to kill cancerous ones. Newly developed nano-drug delivery systems have shown promise in delivering anti-tumor agents with enhanced stability, durability and overall performance; especially when used along with targeting and triggering techniques. This work traces back the history of chemotherapy, addressing the main challenges that have encouraged the medical researchers to seek a sanctuary in nanotechnological-based drug delivery systems that are grafted with appropriate targeting techniques and drug release mechanisms. A special focus will be directed to acoustically triggered liposomes encapsulating doxorubicin.


Biomedicines ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (7) ◽  
pp. 808
Author(s):  
Laura Pérez-Lago ◽  
Teresa Aldámiz-Echevarría ◽  
Rita García-Martínez ◽  
Leire Pérez-Latorre ◽  
Marta Herranz ◽  
...  

A successful Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variant, B.1.1.7, has recently been reported in the UK, causing global alarm. Most likely, the new variant emerged in a persistently infected patient, justifying a special focus on these cases. Our aim in this study was to explore certain clinical profiles involving severe immunosuppression that may help explain the prolonged persistence of viable viruses. We present three severely immunosuppressed cases (A, B, and C) with a history of lymphoma and prolonged SARS-CoV-2 shedding (2, 4, and 6 months), two of whom finally died. Whole-genome sequencing of 9 and 10 specimens from Cases A and B revealed extensive within-patient acquisition of diversity, 12 and 28 new single nucleotide polymorphisms, respectively, which suggests ongoing SARS-CoV-2 replication. This diversity was not observed for Case C after analysing 5 sequential nasopharyngeal specimens and one plasma specimen, and was only observed in one bronchoaspirate specimen, although viral viability was still considered based on constant low Ct values throughout the disease and recovery of the virus in cell cultures. The acquired viral diversity in Cases A and B followed different dynamics. For Case A, new single nucleotide polymorphisms were quickly fixed (13–15 days) after emerging as minority variants, while for Case B, higher diversity was observed at a slower emergence: fixation pace (1–2 months). Slower SARS-CoV-2 evolutionary pace was observed for Case A following the administration of hyperimmune plasma. This work adds knowledge on SARS-CoV-2 prolonged shedding in severely immunocompromised patients and demonstrates viral viability, noteworthy acquired intra-patient diversity, and different SARS-CoV-2 evolutionary dynamics in persistent cases.


1975 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 459-476 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Frasure ◽  
Allan Kornberg

We began by reviewing the history of agency and by describing the two major parties' procedures for recruiting and training agents. Not surprisingly, the perceptions that agents have of their roles is not entirely congruent with official perceptions. Approximately 20 per cent of the agents of both parties felt that the performance of various representational functions was the most important part of their job although these tasks are not included in official job descriptions. Moreover, although a majority of the agents in each party believed that their most important job was to build and maintain constituency organizations capable of winning elections, the majority of their time was not spent on this task. Conservative agents seemingly spent a disproportionate amount of time doing routine office work, whereas over 40 per cent of the Labour agents spent much of their time trying to raise the funds that paid their salaries. Large numbers of agents in both parties agreed that raising money in their constituencies was a difficult and largely unrewarding task.


2020 ◽  
Vol 39 (3) ◽  
pp. 357-374
Author(s):  
Evelina Leivada

Abstract This work examines the nature of the so-called “mid-level generalizations of generative linguistics” (MLGs). In 2015, Generative Syntax in the 21st Century: The Road Ahead was organized. One of the consensus points that emerged related to the need for establishing a canon, the absence of which was argued to be a major challenge for the field, raising issues of interdisciplinarity and interaction. Addressing this challenge, one of the outcomes of this conference was a list of MLGs. These refer to results that are well established and uncontroversially accepted. The aim of the present work is to embed some MLGs into a broader perspective. I take the Cinque hierarchies for adverbs and adjectives and the Final-over-Final Constraint as case studies in order to determine their experimental robustness. It is showed that at least some MLGs face problems of inadequacy when tapped into through rigorous testing, because they rule out data that are actually attested. I then discuss the nature of some MLGs and show that in their watered-down versions, they do hold and can be derived from general cognitive/computational biases. This voids the need to cast them as language-specific principles, in line with the Chomskyan urge to approach Universal Grammar from below.


2021 ◽  
pp. 103985622110142
Author(s):  
Phil Maude

Objective: To examine the history of Fremantle, Western Australia’s first purpose-built asylum. Method: A range of primary sources were consulted. Results: Fremantle was opened in 1865 to house inmates away from the populace and for the most part under the care of Dr HC Barnett. Attendants as well as inmates were occupied with work roles that kept the asylum functioning cost effectively. Conclusion: Within 15 years, the structure was neglected and overcrowded. Changes to the Penal Servitude Act limiting convict transportation, petty crime and a need to manage its proliferation resulted in large numbers of people being incarcerated at Fremantle.


Think ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (60) ◽  
pp. 5-20
Author(s):  
Anna Marmodoro

The debate over whether and how philosophers of today may usefully engage with philosophers of the past is nearly as old as the history of philosophy itself. Does the study of the history of philosophy train or corrupt the budding philosopher's mind? Why study the history of philosophy? And, how to study the history of philosophy? I discuss some mainstream approaches to the study of the history of philosophy (with special focus on ancient philosophy), before explicating the one I adopt and commend.


2021 ◽  
pp. 384-393
Author(s):  
Olga Viktorovna Gavrilova

This article discusses a very well-known and frequently used technique for an implementation of a variety of artistic projects - a collage created by means of information technology. The article tells about using collage in higher education for teaching graphics, in particular, raster editors. Graphics editors such as Adobe Photoshop or GIMP are included in the Computer Science and Information Technology program. Students get the opportunity to create graphic images regardless of their prior art education. The introduction of the topic "Creating a collage by means of a raster editor" introduces a creative element into IT disciplines and develops the student's associative thinking at the level of brain functioning. As a rule, raster editors are used to edit an image, not to create it. Therefore, preparation for these classes encourages students to search for the necessary visual material on the Internet. In order to obtain more personal images, a deep study of photography techniques is required. It is also useful to study the history of photo and film collages, their texture and structure. The scope of the collage use is various. This is psychology, teaching foreign languages and, of course, fine arts. Advertising posters that we see in large numbers in the media and transport are also collages. The article traces the history of collage creation from ancient Egyptian history to modern advertising products. It is especially interesting to study the time when collage became a conscious technique. This is a great layer of avant-garde art.


PEDIATRICS ◽  
1983 ◽  
Vol 71 (2) ◽  
pp. 250-252
Author(s):  
K. B. Waites ◽  
M. B. Brown ◽  
S. Stagno ◽  
J. Schachter ◽  
S. Greenberg ◽  
...  

A 10-year-old girl with a 1-year history of lower genitourinary tract symptoms suggestive of bacterial infection but with numerous negative urine cultures was referred to the University of Alabama urology clinic after empirical treatment with multiple antibiotics failed to resolve her symptoms. An extensive urologic evaluation revealed no structural or physiologic abnormalities, but an exudative vaginitis was noted and large numbers of Ureaplasma urealyticum and Mycoplasma hominis were isolated from the lower genital tract. Cultures for Chlamydia, viruses, and routine bacterial pathogens were negative. After initiation of tetracycline therapy, symptoms resolved and subsequent cultures for mycoplasmas were negative. In addition, a seroconversion was noted for M hominis but not for U urealyticum. Chlamydia serology was negative. It was later learned that the patient had been sexually molested just prior to the onset of symptoms. This case illustrates the necessity of early consideration of a mycoplasmal etiology in the patient with persistent genitourinary symptoms and no obvious bacterial pathogen, or in the patient whose condition is refractory to routine antibiotic therapy.


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