Marginal Argument Structure constructions: the [V the Ntaboo-wordout of]-construction in Post-colonial Englishes

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Hoffmann
Keyword(s):  
Empirical Evidence ◽  
Dynamic Model ◽  
Argument Structure ◽  
Global English ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Taboo Word ◽  
Post Colonial ◽  
Human Event

AbstractArgument Structure constructions – abstract, schematic constructions that are considered to encode basic human event construals – have received considerable attention in the constructionist literature. At the same time, languages sometimes also possess what can be considered Marginal Argument constructions that are partly lexically filled and considerably more specialized in meaning, such as the V the Ntaboo-wordout of-construction. The present study focusses on the latter construction drawing on the Corpus of Web-based Global English (GloWbE). In particular, it provides empirical evidence that the productivity of the verb slot can be shown to correlate positively with the phase of a variety in the Dynamic Model.

The way-construction in World Englishes*

2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-32 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Brunner ◽  
Thomas Hoffmann
Keyword(s):  
Dynamic Model ◽  
Empirical Analysis ◽  
Argument Structure ◽  
World Englishes ◽  
Web Based ◽  
The Way

Abstract The way-construction (e.g. He sang his way into our hearts) is a highly idiomatic English Argument Structure construction. Apart from a brief discussion in Davies and Fuchs (2015: 13), however, no study has looked at the construction in World Englishes. Drawing on more than 14,000 tokens from the Corpus of Global Web-Based English (GloWbE), we present the first in-depth empirical analysis of the construction across various types of World Englishes. Our results provide support for Hoffmann’s (2014) claim of the correlation of Dynamic Model stage (Schneider 2003, 2007) and constructional productivity: the overall frequency of the construction as well as the productivity of the verbal, nominal, and prepositional slots of the construction correlate positively with a variety’s phase in the Dynamic Model. Moreover, it turns out that the less entrenched a variety is according to the Dynamic Model, the stronger is its tendency to select specific prototypical, or frequent, fillers in the constructional slots. Finally, we find no evidence for the reliteralisation hypothesis, i.e. that less advanced varieties exhibit a preference for concrete verbs or nouns.

Into-causatives in World Englishes

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Brunner
Keyword(s):  
Dynamic Model ◽  
World Englishes ◽  
Frequency Variation ◽  
Global English ◽  
Web Based ◽  
British English ◽  
Usage Patterns ◽  
Linguistic Evolution ◽  
Causative Construction

Abstract The paper analyses the frequency and use of the relatively rare, yet highly productive into-causative construction in twenty varieties of English on the basis of the 1.9-billion word Corpus of Web-based Global English (GloWbE; Davies 2013)1 and Schneider’s (2007) Dynamic Model. It hypothesises differences in frequency, variation in the preference for particularly frequent fillers as well as productivity differences in line with Schneider’s stages of linguistic evolution. However, it shows that only frequency differences reflect the Dynamic Model; with regard to the preference for frequent realisations and productivity, postcolonial varieties turn out to be very similar to British English. These results come as a surprise against the background of similar studies of the way-construction, where all of these effects have been documented convincingly. It is argued that the properties of into-causatives themselves (e.g. their idiomatic and semantic simplicity) might contribute to their more native-like usage patterns in postcolonial varieties of English.

Argument structure licensing and Englishhave

2011 ◽  
Vol 48 (1) ◽  
pp. 71-105 ◽  
Author(s):  
KYUMIN KIM
Keyword(s):  
Empirical Evidence ◽  
Argument Structure ◽  
Syntactic Structure ◽  
Causative Constructions ◽  
Theoretical Claim ◽  
Possessive Constructions ◽  
Typological Classification

This paper provides a unified syntactic account of the distribution of Englishhavein causative constructions (e.g.John had Mary read a book) and experiencer constructions (e.g.John had the student walk out of his classroom). It is argued thathaveis realized in the context of anapplicative head(Appl) and an event-introducer v, regardless of the type of v.Haveis spelled out in the causative when Appl merges under vCAUSE, and in the experiencer construction when Appl merges under vBE. This proposal is extended tohavein possessive constructions (e.g.John has a hat/a brother):haveis realized in the context of vBEand Appl. The proposed account provides empirical evidence for expanding the distribution of Appl: (i) a causative can take ApplP as a complement, which was absent in Pylkkänen's (2008) typological classification, and (ii) Appl can merge above Voice, contrary to Pylkkänen's analysis in which Appl is argued to always merge below VoiceP, never above. Moreover, the proposed account supports the theoretical claim that argument structure is licensed by functional syntactic structure; in particular, it shows that the relevant functional heads are not aspectual heads, but Appl and v.

scholarly journals Finding Web-Based Anxiety Interventions on the World Wide Web: A Scoping Review

2016 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. e14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miriam Thiel Ashford ◽  
Ellinor K Olander ◽  
Susan Ayers
Keyword(s):  
Empirical Evidence ◽  
Intervention Program ◽  
Research Evidence ◽  
Treatment Plan ◽  
Intervention Programs ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Presentation Modes ◽  
Published Evidence ◽  
Program Characteristics ◽  
The Web

Background One relatively new and increasingly popular approach of increasing access to treatment is Web-based intervention programs. The advantage of Web-based approaches is the accessibility, affordability, and anonymity of potentially evidence-based treatment. Despite much research evidence on the effectiveness of Web-based interventions for anxiety found in the literature, little is known about what is publically available for potential consumers on the Web. Objective Our aim was to explore what a consumer searching the Web for Web-based intervention options for anxiety-related issues might find. The objectives were to identify currently publically available Web-based intervention programs for anxiety and to synthesize and review these in terms of (1) website characteristics such as credibility and accessibility; (2) intervention program characteristics such as intervention focus, design, and presentation modes; (3) therapeutic elements employed; and (4) published evidence of efficacy. Methods Web keyword searches were carried out on three major search engines (Google, Bing, and Yahoo—UK platforms). For each search, the first 25 hyperlinks were screened for eligible programs. Included were programs that were designed for anxiety symptoms, currently publically accessible on the Web, had an online component, a structured treatment plan, and were available in English. Data were extracted for website characteristics, program characteristics, therapeutic characteristics, as well as empirical evidence. Programs were also evaluated using a 16-point rating tool. Results The search resulted in 34 programs that were eligible for review. A wide variety of programs for anxiety, including specific anxiety disorders, and anxiety in combination with stress, depression, or anger were identified and based predominantly on cognitive behavioral therapy techniques. The majority of websites were rated as credible, secure, and free of advertisement. The majority required users to register and/or to pay a program access fee. Half of the programs offered some form of paid therapist or professional support. Programs varied in treatment length and number of modules and employed a variety of presentation modes. Relatively few programs had published research evidence of the intervention’s efficacy. Conclusions This review represents a snapshot of available Web-based intervention programs for anxiety that could be found by consumers in March 2015. The consumer is confronted with a diversity of programs, which makes it difficult to identify an appropriate program. Limited reports and existence of empirical evidence for efficacy make it even more challenging to identify credible and reliable programs. This highlights the need for consistent guidelines and standards on developing, providing, and evaluating Web-based interventions and platforms with reliable up-to-date information for professionals and consumers about the characteristics, quality, and accessibility of Web-based interventions.

A Framework for the Development of an Accredited Web-Based Computer Information Systems Degree

2003 ◽  
pp. 21-33
Author(s):  
Kathy S. Lassila ◽  
Kris Howell
Keyword(s):  
Information Systems ◽  
Empirical Evidence ◽  
Key Factors ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Online Delivery ◽  
Certificate Programs ◽  
Computer Information Systems ◽  
Baccalaureate Programs ◽  
Recent Innovation ◽  
The Web

The Web-based delivery of online IS baccalaureate programs is a recent innovation. While IS researchers have identified a number of key factors related to the effective online delivery of individual courses, little empirical evidence exists to suggest “best practices” in the development and delivery of a complete four-year IS online degree program. This chapter examines and synthesizes IS education criteria from two sources: the Computer Sciences Accreditation Commission, which recently established criteria for accrediting programs in information systems, and the Regional Accrediting Commissions, which issued guidelines for the evaluation of electronically offered degree and certificate programs. The result is a set of guidelines that act as a framework for the development of online baccalaureate programs in computer information systems that addresses both IS and online accreditation requirements.

scholarly journals MOBILE GIS: A TOOL FOR INFORMAL SETTLEMENT OCCUPANCY AUDIT TO IMPROVE INTEGRATED HUMAN SETTLEMENT IMPLEMENTATION IN EKURHULENI, SOUTH AFRICA

2016 ◽  
Vol XLI-B2 ◽  
pp. 735-740
Author(s):  
B. T. Mokoena ◽  
W. Musakwa
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Informal Settlement ◽  
Time Data ◽  
Gauteng Province ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Post Colonial ◽  
Mobile Gis ◽  
Economic Information ◽  
Housing Options ◽  
Evidence Based Decision Making

Upgrading and relocating people in informal settlements requires consistent commitment, good strategies and systems so as to improve the lives of those who live in them. In South Africa, in order to allocate subsidised housing to beneficiaries of an informal settlement, beneficiary administration needs to be completed to determine the number of people who qualify for a subsidised house. Conventional methods of occupancy audits are often unreliable, cumbersome and non-spatial. Accordingly, this study proposes the use of mobile GIS to conduct these audits to provide up-to-date, accurate, comprehensive and real-time data so as to facilitate the development of integrated human settlements. An occupancy audit was subsequently completed for one of the communities in the Ekurhuleni municipality, Gauteng province, using web-based mobile GIS as a solution to providing smart information through evidence based decision making. Fieldworkers accessed the off-line capturing module on a mobile device recording GPS coordinates, socio-economic information and photographs. The results of this audit indicated that only 56.86% of the households residing within the community could potentially benefit from receiving a subsidised house. Integrated residential development, which includes fully and partially subsidised housing, serviced stands and some fully bonded housing opportunities, would then be key to adequately providing access to suitable housing options within a project in a post-colonial South Africa, creating new post-1994 neighbourhoods, in line with policy. The use of mobile GIS therefore needs to be extended to other informal settlement upgrading projects in South Africa.

Analyzing the active audience: Reluctant, reactive, fearful, or lazy? Forms and motives of participation in mainstream journalism

Journalism ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 20 (6) ◽  
pp. 827-847 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lia-Paschalia Spyridou
Keyword(s):  
Empirical Evidence ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Journalism Studies ◽  
Active Involvement ◽  
Active Audience ◽  
Participatory Journalism ◽  
Technological Affordances ◽  
Different Levels ◽  
Creative Effort ◽  
Do So

Participation has become a key issue in contemporary journalism studies, yet research on how the participatory space is being appropriated by users is rather limited. This article attempts a methodological contribution by offering a way to analyze participatory journalism in reference to variant participatory affordances enabling different levels of creative effort, control, and editorial permeability. To do so, it understands participation as the active involvement of users, and makes an analytical connection among technological affordances, motivations, and contextual factors. The article offers empirical evidence challenging both cyber-optimist and cyber-pessimist assumptions about participation. Drawing on insights from a web-based survey, it is argued that the ‘reluctant audience’ paradigm may be interpreted in terms of the ‘lazy audience’ and the ‘fearful audience’, which seem to coexist along with the ‘reactive audience’.

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