scholarly journals Stories of Words, Words as Stories. Some lexico-statistically based Reflections on the Meaning Unit in Spoken Language

2016 ◽  
Vol 75 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Eleonora Massa
Keyword(s):  
Spoken Language ◽  
Foreign Languages ◽  
Basic Unit ◽  
Theoretical Discussion ◽  
Form Of Life ◽  
Concrete Nouns ◽  
Language User ◽  
Statistical Surveys ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Basic Content

This paper develops a theoretical discussion about the definition of the unit of content in spoken language. The issue originates from the applicative field of corpus-based lexico-statistical surveys, which are traditionally and prevalently used to optimize and standardize the programs for the vocabulary didactics of foreign languages. The main critical limitation of lexico-statistical inquiries can be identified in their impossibility to determine a representative threshold of the basic content lexicon of a language or, put otherwise, the most important words referring to the concrete things that are spoken about. Beyond the threshold of the most recurring 1,000 lexemes, in fact, words virtually show low and irregular as well as semi-equivalent probabilities to recur in spoken texts. The lexico-statistical applications that have followed aim exactly at overcoming this limitation. Albeit through different methodologies, the various approaches conceive in fact the basic content lexicon as made up by the most frequent or used concrete substantives of a language. From time to time, either limited or particularly extensive series of concrete nouns have been compiled: however, these nouns are de facto subject to sporadic and irregular trends of recur-rence values in spoken texts and are likely to be encountered very rarely by the language user in actual spoken utterances. The discussion on basic spoken contents simply ends up in a theoretical flaw and in a mere representational paradox, because it investigates and describes exactly what is not constitutive of the examined phenomenon. The consideration of the very semiotic peculiarity of spoken language constitutes the premise of an alternative definition of its meaning unit. The things that are talked about are in fact expressed only sporadically, because they are embedded in the situational context wherein they are shared – and mostly reiterated – by the conversation partners. More than with a dis-crete lexical element, the unit of spoken content seems to be identifiable with the holistic con-versational practice that is instead regularly carried out by the speakers within likely ordinary frames of experience; consequently it seems to be closer to a basic unit in the “practice of meaning” than to an isolated meaning constituent. As the habitudinary modality of construct-ing, inhabiting and sharing our everyday form of life, the meaning unit in spoken language rather unveils as a narrative unit, for reasons that this paper explores in details. Such an alter-native theoretical vision is dealt with in the final part of the contribution, which also outlines further issues related to the possibilities of both its representation and its didactic usability.

The Oral Dimension

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Francis Kornicki
Keyword(s):  
East Asia ◽  
Spoken Language ◽  
Foreign Languages ◽  
Chinese Characters ◽  
Limited Extent ◽  
Chinese Origin ◽  
Chinese Texts

This chapter first examines the oral dimension of the dissemination of Sinitic texts in East Asia. Although a few individuals who had spent many years in China or who were of Chinese origin were able to read Chinese texts in some form of Chinese pronunciation, this was not the case even for most members of the elites, for few spent much time in China. In most societies, conventional pronunciations developed for Chinese characters and these conformed to local phonologies. The first stage of vernacularization, therefore, was in the oral domain. Conversely, however, since there was no common spoken language like Latin, opportunities for intellectual exchange with people from other societies were limited. The remainder of this chapter, therefore, examines the limited extent to which interpreters were trained and other people learned spoken foreign languages. The chapter concludes with an examination of brush conversation, a written substitute for oral conversation.

scholarly journals Problemy z granicami wypowiedzeń w polszczyźnie mówionej – uwagi wstępne

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michał Szczyszek
Keyword(s):  
Spoken Language ◽  
Specific Task ◽  
The Real ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Task Oriented ◽  
Theoretical Reflection ◽  
Innovative Concept

The article discusses the problems associated with segmented into separate sentences the stream of spoken language. There are both: theoretical problems (what is utterance?, what are its boundaries?, what are the theoretical proposals for the segmentation of utterances?), and practical problems (where is the real border between the two utterances in spoken language?, what criteria of segmentation stream of spoken language can be used?). The language material – which is the basis for the research presented in this article – comes from twenty task-oriented dialogue sessions with the participation of forty speakers performing a specific task. As a result of the analysis, based on available positions and theoretical reflection I managed to develop a tool for syntactical segmentation of the stream of spoken language. This tool can be presented in the form of a new (innovative) concept of definition of the utterance.

Alternatieve consumptie als vorm van politieke participatie ? : Een onderzoek naar de politieke motivatie voor het lidmaatschap van Voedselteams in Vlaanderen

Res Publica ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 46 (1) ◽  
pp. 33-55
Author(s):  
Marleen Baetens ◽  
Marc Hooghe
Keyword(s):  
Political Participation ◽  
Political System ◽  
The Political ◽  
Political Consumerism ◽  
Form Of Life ◽  
Grass Roots ◽  
Onderzoek Naar ◽  
General Decline ◽  
Full Form ◽  
Definition Of

Despite the fact that various authors have expressed concern about a general decline of civic engagement in Western societies, other indicators portray a transition from traditional and formal participation formats to more informal participation forms. This replacement thesis, however, entails the question whether these new forms can still be regarded as a form of political participation. The Alternative Food Circles in Belgium can be considered as a typical grass-roots example of 'political consumerism', which is portrayed as a contemporary alternative for institutionalised politics. In a member survey, 163 members of the Circles were questioned about their motives to participate. They clearly paid little attention to influencing the political system, but notions of solidarity and social change were clearl y present. This form of political consumerism therefore cannot be considered a full form of political participation (using an institutionalist definition of 'politics'), but it clearly is a form of 'life style politics' (Giddens).

Formation of Invariants of Research Competence of Students

2018 ◽  
pp. 342-362
Author(s):  
Mariam Iliazova
Keyword(s):  
Professional Competence ◽  
Basic Unit ◽  
Professional Activity ◽  
Contextual Approach ◽  
Pedagogical Model ◽  
Invariant Structure ◽  
Research Competence ◽  
Research Competency ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Definition Of

Professional competence is based on the invariant, which is a systemic and structural education that contains five interrelated components: axiological, motivational, individual-psychological, instrumental, conative. There is no universally accepted notion of “competence” and “competency”. There is no scientifically grounded definition of e invariant structure of competence of the subject of professional activity. The question remains of a productive pedagogical model containing a system of didactic conditions and modern pedagogical technologies that are adequate for the purpose of forming invariants of research competence of student. The basis for the development of such a model was the theory of contextual education by A. A. Verbitskiy. The basic unit of content here is the learning situation, which is a problematic nature. The system of such situations may be based on a situational and contextual approach to the formation of invariants of the research competency of student.

Motherese by any other name: Mother-infant communication in non-hominin mammals

2004 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 519-520
Author(s):  
John D. Newman
Keyword(s):  
Frontal Lobe ◽  
Neural Substrates ◽  
Spoken Language ◽  
Limbic Cortex ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Vocal Interactions

The definition of motherese is extended to infant-directed vocalizations in non-hominin mammals. In many species, vocal interactions between mothers and their infants are common. The neural substrates mediating these interactions include the rostral limbic cortex of the frontal lobe. Spoken language may have arisen from hominin females vocalizing to their infants.

Regional and indigenous identities in the high north: enacting social boundaries

Polar Record ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 48 (3) ◽  
pp. 229-235 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sidsel Saugestad
Keyword(s):  
Coming Out ◽  
The State ◽  
The Other ◽  
Social Boundaries ◽  
Cultural Tradition ◽  
Theoretical Discussion ◽  
The North ◽  
Communicative Strategies ◽  
Time And Being ◽  
Definition Of

ABSTRACTThis paper addresses two processes of social and cultural mobilisation. The first example is a regional movement, as manifested in social and cultural expressions of a north Norwegian identity that was particularly marked in the 1970s and early 80s. The other is the Saami movement, coming out strongly at about the same time, and being part of a global process of indigenous mobilisation. It is argued that although they are similar in the way they articulate a sense of identity and belonging in contrast to an overarching and encompassing state, they are different in their stated objectives, in their relation to the state and the type of achievements gained. The north Norwegian regional movement strived for inclusion into a wider national cultural tradition, and integration has been achieved by broadening the definition of what is considered Norwegian culture. The objective of the Saami movement was the opposite: to gain recognition as a people with a distinct culture, different from but equal in value with the Norwegian culture. The article is introduced by a theoretical discussion of the issues involved, framing the analysis of communicative strategies.

Based on Basic Combat Capability Unit (BCCU) Amphibious Assault Ship Carrier-Based Aircraft Configuration Program Generation Method

2013 ◽  
Vol 677 ◽  
pp. 517-522
Author(s):  
Yong Tao Yu ◽  
Ying Ding
Keyword(s):  
Evaluation Model ◽  
Program Assessment ◽  
Basic Unit ◽  
Fuzzy Decision ◽  
Basic Definition ◽  
Ahp Method ◽  
Program Generation ◽  
Operational Characteristics ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
The Greedy Algorithm

How scientific and rational and efficient configuration of the amphibious assault ship carrier-based aircraft involves many complex factors, according to research job based on the theory of basic combat capability unit (BCCU) carrier-based aircraft configuration. First analysis of the carrier-based aircraft operational characteristics, the basic definition of carrier-based aircraft combat capability unit concept; second, analysis of the typical tasks threats of carrier-based aircraft proposed and quantified the task completed indicators and priority; build the basic unit of the carrier-based aircraft mission capability fuzzy decision evaluation model based on AHP method again, the mission capability of the amphibious assault ship carrier-based aircraft configuration program assessment; finally, we use the greedy algorithm for the efficient generation of carrier-based aircraft configuration program.

Vague Language That Is Rarely VagueP: A Case Study of “Thing” in L1 and L2 Discourse

2012 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-28 ◽  
Author(s):  
Denise Gassner
Keyword(s):  
Employment Interview ◽  
Interview Data ◽  
Special Focus ◽  
Theoretical Discussion ◽  
Job Interviews ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
L1 And L2 ◽  
Vague Language ◽  
Two Populations

This paper investigates the use of “vague language” (Channell, 1994) in English L1 and L2 speaker discourse. In particular, the item “thing”, which is used about 2.5 times more often by the L1 than the L2 speakers, is analysed in job interviews in Australia. Since “thing” has been termed “vague language” this paper will first provide a theoretical discussion of the notion of vagueness with a special focus on “thing”. The discussion of vagueness is mainly based on the “underdeterminacy thesis” (Carston, 1988, 2002; Atlas, 2005) and is, thus, closely linked to explicature construction and the notion of saturation. The theoretical discussion will lead to a definition of vagueness as a pragmatic hearer based phenomenon (vaguenessP) which will be applied to an analysis of “thing” in the L1 and L2 employment interview data collected. The analysis will show that “thing” is used differently by the two populations with regards to the notion of vaguenessPbut also with respect to the saturation requirement of this item. While the analysis shows that “thing” is not inherently vagueP, some instances of “thing” in the L2 data do seem to introduce the phenomenon of vaguenessP. Furthermore, the preference of L1 and L2 speakers for different saturation processes has an influence on the effect achieved by “thing”.

On the Multi-modality, Materially and Contingency of Organization Discourse

2007 ◽  
Vol 28 (6) ◽  
pp. 931-946 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rick Iedema
Keyword(s):  
Research Agenda ◽  
Meaning Making ◽  
A Priori ◽  
Alternative View ◽  
Review Of The Literature ◽  
Design Technology ◽  
Form Of Life ◽  
Discourse Studies ◽  
Historically Situated ◽  
Definition Of

This essay considers the ways that organizational discourse studies have deployed the concept `discourse'. A review of the literature reveals conceptual ambiguities in the definition of `discourse', as well as pre-analytical distinctions that are imposed between discourse, action and text, and between discourse, beliefs and material practices. The paper suggests that such a priori analytical categories risk tying the researcher to an inflexible research agenda, ruling out engaging with organizational specifics and emergent aspects of practice. The essay argues for an alternative view of discourse that centres on the following three arguments: discourse is not limited to language but also includes image, design, technology and other modes of meaning making; discourse and materiality co-emerge; and discourse manifests a specific, historically situated form of life.

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