Degemination in Emirati Pidgin Arabic: A Sociolinguistic Perspective

This study examines the production of geminates in Emirati Pidgin Arabic (EPA) spoken by blue-collar workers in the United Arab Emirates. A simple naming test was designed to test the production of geminates to determine whether the EPA speakers would produce a geminated or degeminated phoneme. Following that, a semi-structured interview was conducted with a subset of the study cohort to obtain the participants’ own explanation of where they degeminated the consonants. Our findings suggest that the exercising of this choice functions as a sociolinguistic strategy, akin to the one observed by Labov in his study of Martha’s Vineyard. In particular, our findings show that speakers of EPA are inclined to degeminate consonantal geminates to establish themselves as members of a particular social group. The reasons for wanting to achieve this aim were given as follows: to claim privileges only available to members of this group (such as employment); and to distinguish themselves from the dominant cultural group. The study concludes that degemination in EPA has developed into a sociolinguistic solidarity marker.

Explanatory models, illness, and treatment experiences of patients with psychosis using the services of traditional and faith healers in three African countries: Similarities and discontinuities

As part of formative studies to design a program of collaborative care for persons with psychosis, we explored personal experience and lay attributions of illness as well as treatment among persons who had recently received care at traditional and faith healers’ (TFHs) facilities in three cultural groups in Sub-Saharan Africa. A purposive sample of 85 individuals in Ibadan (Nigeria), Kumasi (Ghana), and Nairobi (Kenya) were interviewed. Data was inductively explored for themes and analysis was informed by the Framework Method. Across the three sites, illness experiences featured suffering and disability in different life domains. Predominant causal attribution was supernatural, even when biological causation was also acknowledged. Prayer and rituals, steeped in traditional spiritual beliefs, were prominent both in traditional faith healing settings as well as those of Christianity and Islam. Concurrent or consecutive use of TFHs and conventional medical services was common. TFHs provided services that appear to meet the therapeutic goals of their patients even when harmful treatment practices were employed. Cultural and linguistic differences did not obscure the commonality of a core set of beliefs and practices across these three groups. This similarity of core worldviews across diverse cultural settings means that a collaborative approach designed in one cultural group would, with adaptations to reflect differences in context, be applicable in another cultural group. Studies of patients’ experience of illness and care are useful in designing and implementing collaborations between biomedical and TFH services as a way of scaling up services and improving the outcome of psychosis.

FUNCTIONAL POTENTIAL OF FILM REVIEW AS EPITEXT: LINGUOPRAGMATIC, AXIOLOGICAL, LINGUOCULTURAL ASPECTS

Постановка задачи. Статья посвящена изучению рецензий к кинофильмам, которые будучи многоплановым явлением, представляют актуальный объект исследования. Трактуемая как эпитекст, кинорецензия обнаруживает себя конститутивным элементом системы кинотекста, включающей фильм, трейлеры, афиши, комментарии кинокритиков, отзывы зрительской аудитории, рекламные буклеты и пр. Подобный подход обладает определенной релевантностью и новизной. Результаты. Эпитекст понимается как составной элемент паратекста (суммарно с перитекстом), нацеленный на комментирование основного текста - кинофильма. Именно эпитекстовые элементы позволяют считать образуемый кинотекст холистической системой. Лингвокультурный потенциал рецензии выражается в отражении принадлежности к определенной культуре, что обуславливает представление информации в форме культурных кодов, дешифруемых аудиторией как носителями той же культуры, что и автор рецензии. Невозможность распознать тот или иной культурный код или неверная его трактовка ведёт к невозможности достичь прагматической цели рецензии - не только информировать о выходе картины в прокат, но и воздействовать на читателя, формируя мнение относительно кинофильма. При этом реализуется рекламная и агитационная функции рецензии - автор стремится «переманить» аудиторию на свою сторону, призывая посмотреть фильм или не тратить на него своё время. Выводы. Реализация обозначенных функций, равно как и стремление убедить читателя в валидности представляемой информации требует от автора рецензии четкости и скрупулезного подбора способов самоидентификации. Авторская идентичность в тексте рецензии воплощается в форме оценочных суждений. Следовательно, именно последние, опираясь и отражая культурный пласт, к которому принадлежит автор, позволяют выстроить прагматику рецензии, создавая определенный когнитивный фон на основании имеющейся у аудитории когнитивной базы. В то же время функционал рецензии предполагает конструирование и демонстрацию авторского видения проблематики кинокартины, исходя из ценностных смыслов, транслируемых рецензентом как индивидуальным, так и социальным адресантом. Данная функция так же реализуется посредством маркеров оценки. Problem Statement. The article regards specific features of film reviews being a relevant subject of research. Seen as an epitext a review serves as a cinema text constituent. The latter includes the film itself, trailers, posters, advertisements, critical comments. Such an approach proves of principal importance and novelty. Results. Epitext is considered as a paratext constituent together with peritext and aims at commenting the main text meaning the film. It is the epitext that contributes to the cinema text designed functioning as a holistic system. Linguocultural potential of review is reflected in the latter belonging to certain culture, which determines the information presented in the form of cultural codes for the audience as representatives of the same cultural group to decode. The code that proves impossible to decode or triggers misunderstandings adds to inability to reach the pragmatic aim of a review which is not only to inform the reader about the film release but also to impact them, forming their opinion about the film. It is how the advertising and promotional functions are realized - the author tends to «lure» the audience, persuading to watch the film or, on the contrary, not to waste time on it. Conclusion. The functions enlisted to be realized along with an attempt to prove the information presented is relevant call for the reviewer to be clear and scrupulous in selecting self-identification options. The author’s identity takes the form of evaluative structures. The latter reflecting and relying on the author’s cultural background contribute to the pragmatic potential of the review structuring the cultural context taking into account the audience’s cultural background. Moreover, the review designs and demonstrates the author’s view of the film plot in concordance with the value system communicated by the reviewer as an individual as well as social addresser. The latter function is also realized due to evaluation markers.

A Tale of Place

<p>The purpose of this research is to develop a cultural centre for Paraparaumu College that will aim to counter the number of students leaving school without any formal qualifications. The need for such a centre, with particular reference to Māori, was identified with the publishing of the 2013 census, which saw a third of Māori aged 15 years and over make up this demographic. While this number has decreased in comparison to earlier census results, this percentage still sits high above the national average. From the standpoint of Māori, the reason for this statistic has been speculated by many theorists claiming Māori disconnection from their ancestral roots and the assimilation into European culture as a potential cause. Yet, while the Māori arts and language have declined in terms of common practice, the prevalence of western society is an aspect of life that modern-day youth have become accustomed to. Therefore, it is proposed that the medium of interior architecture can serve as a tool to explore the notion of culture and identity in the built environment. While the success of Māori students is of particular interest to this investigation, the issues outlined are not exclusive to this cultural group. As such, this research will seek to generate a physical form that will pay homage to the unique blend of cultures that make up the Kapiti region as a means to anchor the building to its environment. Additionally, as a nation of people who have travelled to this land, the overarching theme of journey will serve as the basis with which the subject of identity in architecture will be explored. It is hoped that by establishing a strong sense of identity this will service the student in a way that a standardised education system may fail.</p>

A Tale of Place

<p>The purpose of this research is to develop a cultural centre for Paraparaumu College that will aim to counter the number of students leaving school without any formal qualifications. The need for such a centre, with particular reference to Māori, was identified with the publishing of the 2013 census, which saw a third of Māori aged 15 years and over make up this demographic. While this number has decreased in comparison to earlier census results, this percentage still sits high above the national average. From the standpoint of Māori, the reason for this statistic has been speculated by many theorists claiming Māori disconnection from their ancestral roots and the assimilation into European culture as a potential cause. Yet, while the Māori arts and language have declined in terms of common practice, the prevalence of western society is an aspect of life that modern-day youth have become accustomed to. Therefore, it is proposed that the medium of interior architecture can serve as a tool to explore the notion of culture and identity in the built environment. While the success of Māori students is of particular interest to this investigation, the issues outlined are not exclusive to this cultural group. As such, this research will seek to generate a physical form that will pay homage to the unique blend of cultures that make up the Kapiti region as a means to anchor the building to its environment. Additionally, as a nation of people who have travelled to this land, the overarching theme of journey will serve as the basis with which the subject of identity in architecture will be explored. It is hoped that by establishing a strong sense of identity this will service the student in a way that a standardised education system may fail.</p>

Introduction

All around the world and throughout known history, human beings have come together to dance, sing, chant, give thanks, mark changes in life, or celebrate communal achievements. These activities always entail the performance of closely stipulated actions, often using unusual artefacts or displaying distinctive hairstyles, clothing, or body decorations. Each cultural group acts as a vast repository of unique rules for how to do these things. In this introductory chapter, the aim is to capture some the diversity of cultural rituals, survey various efforts to explain that diversity, and introduce the theory of modes of religiosity around which the book as a whole is constructed.

Undo Caves Multi-staged Karstic System and Temporary Camp of the Neanderthal Hunters

In Georgia, a strong foundation for scientific study of this period was developed in 1930-ies. Since then more than 500 Paleolithic sites were identified The frequency of paleolithic sites on the territory of Georgia was determined by geographic position of Georgia itself, as it is situated at the crossroads of Africa, Asia and Europe According to some archaeologists the archaeological evidence demonstrates the different local-cultural groups. Despite the small territory we have at least 5 local-cultural versions in the Middle Palaeolithic singled out with us four out of which are represented in the Rioni-Kvirila basin (Fig ). Most quantity of levallois industries were recovered in Imereti region (Western Georgia). 1. Drouchula,-Kudaro Local-cultural group.Mousterian assemblages characterized by blades and elongated points, as recovered in Drouchula, Tsona,Kudaro and other sites, resemble the “Tabun D-type” and Hummallian entities in the Levant.Unfortunatly, we have not the dates from this sites, but we assume that they are younger than Levantian “Tabun-D type”; at the same time, this industry has some similarities with the Northern-Caucasus Miqoqian industries , as well. 2. Tsutskhvati caves Local-cultural group. Multi-stage cave system characterized by the industry which resemble the Zagros region, but there are some differences-the non-Levalloias industry of Tsutskhvati is denticulated; 3. Tskaltsitela local-cultural group- Levalloiasian, denticulated industry (by M.Nioradze); 4. Tsopi Local-cultural.The industry of Tsopi site differs from above mentioned sites by the high quantity of the tools of Quina and Demi-Quina type; 5. Tskhinvali local-cultural group (according to v. Lubin)-Levalois, Unretouched industry. Another type of industry is represented I Ortvala Klde, Djieti open-air site etc.- Mousterian assemblages such as in Ortvala Klde demonstrates similarities with the Middle Paleolithic industries of Anatolia, the Zagros region-recurrent Levallois big number of the convergent tools. Most of the local-cultural groups and the sites are discovered in Western Georgia (Imereti Region) A first evidence of the Middle Paleolithic hunters temporary camp which, possibly has been used as place for some kind of rituals and where is represented a first evidence of the cave rock-art in Georgia has been determined in Rion-Kvirila basin as well. This is a cave-site named “Undo Cave”. Recently, we discovered some other cave-sites near Undo Cave. This fact gave a reason to consider Undo Cave as a one of the caves of Multi-staged cave system which doesn’t belong to any above mentioned groups.

Entering Into the Story: Implications for Emergent Literacy

In this article we explore the ways in which three young children from a non-mainstream cultural group created stories with the assistance of their caregivers and siblings in the social contexts of their homes. We assert that these children’s oral narrations show us important dimensions of early experience with decontextualized content as practiced in their families that may offer suggestions for analysis of culturally sensitive experiences with literacy for all children. The dimensions we highlight are the tangibility of the elements around which the story is created, the interlocutor support children receive for beginning and continuing their stories, and the interaction between the storytelling process and the child’s self-interest. These three dimensions illustrate how children “enter” into stories and storytelling and broaden our understanding for fostering culturally sustaining pedagogy within schools.

Songs of Dissent and Consciousness: Pronouncements of the Bauls of Rural Bengal

Bauls, the wandering minstrels of rural Bengal (of both Bangladesh and India), are a socio-religiously marginalized cultural group. While the ritualistic practices and spiritual discourses of the Bauls have received scholarly attention, scholarship on Bauls’ songs about material and communicative adversities and their emancipatory visions is lacking. Bauls’ performances and discourses are precursors to envisioning alternative emancipatory possibilities that question dominant intolerances, oppressions, and exploitations. This article documents and reflects on the works of two contemporary Bauls—Shah Abdul Karim and Manimohan Das. Through their songs and performances, they (i) question the power structure and legitimize the sufferings and struggles of the downtrodden, and (ii) seek to raise societal consciousness in imagining a free and just society.

Selecting for Celibacy: Cultural Evolution and the Puzzling Case of Buddhist Celibacy

<p>Buddhist celibacy provides an example of religious behaviour which appears puzzling from the vantage point of genetic selection, but whose maintenance can be partially explained because of the dynamics of cultural selection. In this thesis, I examine how and why celibacy is maintained and perpetuated within Buddhism and how this relates to the explanations cultural selection offers for costs within groups. I argue that celibacy is adaptive because it divides Buddhist communities into two parts, stimulating innate tendencies towards in-group cooperation without the need for an outside group. Because Buddhist celibates are also materially non-productive their presence necessitates increased cooperative behaviours in lay communities. I argue that the endurance of the parts of Buddhist traditions which are necessary to maintaining celibate practise provides evidence that cultural selection has shaped the tradition to perpetuate and reinforce celibacy, a behaviour which is adaptive because it promotes cooperative behaviours within a divided cultural group. Celibacy increases the cultural fitness of Buddhist communities.</p>