Overcoming awkwardness

As Chinese people engaged with the Australian cultural scene in recent years, two posts about its humour attracted considerable attention from netizens in the People’s Republic of China. The post authors believed that their firsthand accounts of events demonstrated how Australians used humour to overcome awkward situations and regarded this as an essential national characteristic. In each case, other interpretations were possible if cultural factors had been taken into account, including the contemporary culture of China, Putonghua language usage and the Anglo-centrism that is common to cross-cultural studies. This exploratory generalist textual study concludes that the authors’ interpretations were largely determined by their cultural bias and by traditional regard for ‘face’ and politeness, and reflect the fact that, ultimately, the extent of cross-cultural communication is governed by international politics.

The Concept of “Miracle in a Fiery Furnace” in Byzantium and Its Later Reminiscences

Introduction. The article discusses the motive of a “miracle in a fiery furnace”, based on the story of the Three Holy Children in the Book of Daniel. Methods. The study provides a comparative analysis of the Biblical topos about the trial by fire in Byzantine, Western European and Eastern sources. A semiotic approach of textual study is used. Analysis. In Byzantine hagiography and hymnography, the plot of the “Three Holy Children” was interpreted as a prototype of the Incarnation, so, the sacred situation was reproduced in new historical conditions. In the Lives of Bishops of Cherson, the plot about miracle in the furnace is used for construction the local sacred history. Similar motives are found in the narratives about the baptism of Rus, such as Vita Basilii (the fifth book of Theophanes Continuatus), Vita beati Romualdi by Petrus Damiani, Historia de predicatione episcopi Brunonis. In narrative about conversion of Özbeg Khan to Islam, literary plot was connected with shamanistic representations about the holy fire. Results. The Biblical topos of the “fiery furnace” underwent a semantic transformation within the framework of various discourses. It was used in Byzantine texts for constructing the Christian Identity, while was enhanced by Turkic mythology in Muslim tradition.

Epics about Dobryna Nikitich and Alyosha Popovich in School Study

The article is devoted to a little-studied methodological problem – the study of epics about Dobryna Nikitich and Alyosha Popovich at the lessons of Russian literature in a secondary school. The urgency of this problem lies in the fact that the considered epic stories about Dobryna Nikitich and Alyosha Popovich are still not sufficiently comprehended taking into account the achievements of modern methodological science, the advanced experience of teachers of Russian literature. As you know, epic epics are usually divided into two main cycles: Kiev and Novgorod. For the Kiev cycle of epics, images of three heroes are characteristic - Ilya Muromets, Dobrynya Nikitich and Alyosha Popovich. The named heroes are inseparable in the popular perception. In many epic plots, all three heroes, in difficult battles with the enemies of the Russian land, act together, help each other out. Possessing many similar features, at the same time, each of them is endowed with its own individual and personal qualities, in many respects complement and enrich each other. However, the program on Russian literature for general secondary schools for textual study from the Kiev cycle recommended only epics about Ilya Muromets. As for the epics about Dobryna Nikitich and Alyosha Popovich, they are not provided for by the program for textual study. In this regard, teachers of literature do not consider the study of these epics or limit themselves to a brief retelling of their content. But in the epics about Dobryna Nikitich and Alyosha Popovich, no less vivid and expressive images of heroes are created – the defenders of the Russian land. Acquaintance of schoolchildren with their images, plots and motives will significantly expand the schoolchildren’s ideas about the Kiev cycle of epics, about their differences from Novgorod ones. Based on the foregoing, the author of the article, using the example of studying the epics “Dobryna and the Serpent”, “Alyosha Popovich and Tugarin”, gives the teacher of literature scientifically substantiated, experimentally verified methodological recommendations for their effective study.

Women’s Labor Force Success in Hong Kong

International migration occurs because population growth does not match the job opportunities and availability. This issue has increased labor migration abroad. International migration as a workforce is dominated by female migrant workers or Tenaga Kerja Wanita (TKW). Women in their development want to actualize themselves by having transitional roles as workers who actively earn money for their families. During this time, news and research are still around the protection and problems TKI / TKW has experienced. Only a few studies have focused on the TKI / TKW’s success during their work. This research is qualitative using the textual study method by analyzing secondary data from various related literature and former TKW interviews. Empirical data showed that the factors leading to Hong Kong’s success were caused by the Hong Kong and Indonesian governments’ policies. They protected the workers’ rights and support to self-actualize, and female workers began to join the organization. Thus, women had more insight, freedom, and confidence to work in Hong Kong.

The study of the epics of the Novgorod cycle in the lessons of Russian literature in high school

In the context of improving school literary education at the present stage, it is of great importance to familiarize students with the spiritual values of world and domestic literature and folklore. In this connection, the study of the epic epos in the school course of literary education is very important. In it, the Russian people poetically correctly portrayed the heroic story of their life, expressed their aspirations, thoughts and hopes, worldly wisdom. Considering the enormous educational and upbringing significance of the epic epos, in the article the author provides methods and techniques tested in the real pedagogical process that contribute to the creative perception of epics, taking into account their genre specificity, the originality of artistic and poetic structures. The ways and methods of work recommended in the article are built taking into account the requirements of modern educational technologies and implemented on the example of studying the epic “Volga and Mikula Selyaninovich”. The author devotes 2 hours to study the epics of the Novgorod cycle. In this regard, the article provides a methodological system of the teacher’s work with a detailed description of the stages of each lesson. The first lesson is devoted to solving the following tasks: to expand the students’ ideas about the epic epic; to determine the thematic difference between Novgorod epics and Kiev ones; to give an overview of the content of the epics about Sadko and Vasily Buslaev. In the process of presenting the material, the teacher widely draws on the texts of the named epics. The second lesson is devoted to the textual study of the epic “Volga and Mikula”. In his introductory remarks, the teacher talks about the time of the formation of the epic, about the problems that worried the people. The lesson ends with work on artistic and poetic means, the originality of epic vocabulary. The relevance of the problem under study is due to the lack of a well-thought-out system for modeling lessons for the study of epics using information technology. The scientific novelty of the work lies in the fact that in it this problem is subjected to methodological comprehension, taking into account the requirements of modern educational technologies.

THE TRANSLATION OF AL-’ISTICĀRAH AL-TAMTHīLIYYAH IN THE ’AḤADīTH OF RASULULLAH S.A.W

The translation is a process of copying information contained in the source text into the recipient's source as description, interpretation, and explanation. The field of translation has undergone a drastic process of modernization in line with the development of science and technology. Studies related to the translation of hadith are still insufficient. Furthermore, the development of language is constantly changing according to current changes and society's need for hadith which is becoming more prominent due to the increasing religious awareness. In addition, the position of the hadith of the Prophet SAW, which is jawamic al-kalim has a special and distinctive language feature that requires expertise in the translation of its meaning. This study will attempt to analyze the translation of al-’Isticārah al-Tamthīliyyah in some selected hadiths from the book Riyāḍ al- Ṣāliḥīn by using the method of textual study. Among the purpose of the analysis is to take a closer look at the translation methodology of al-’Isticārah al-Tamthīliyyah used by the translator of the book Riyāḍ al- Ṣāliḥīn published by JAKIM. The findings of this study can be concluded that the translator translates the content of the hadiths studied based on the text outwardly without emphasizing the metaphorical aspect of al-’Isticārah al-Tamthīliyyah and the purpose of the parable is made. It can be categorized as a literal translation. In this case, the author believes that the translation of al-’Isticārah al-Tamthīliyyah of the source language to the target language, especially Arabic to Malay necessary to explain the meaning of the balaghah to explain the purpose of the parable is made so that the readers of the translation be able to understand the implied meaning clearly. The explanation can be used as a footnote on each relevant translation. In addition, the translator's understanding of the elements of metaphor in the original culture is an important factor in producing a quality translation. It is hoped that the findings of this study will contribute to the development of hadith translation in Malaysia and help readers of the translation of the book Riyāḍ al-Ṣāliḥīn in understanding the meaning of hadith clearly.

Introductions

This issue contains papers delivered over a period of five years at the annual International Jewish-Christian Bible Week held at Haus Ohrbeck, Osnabrück, Germany. Each year during the opening evening I offered a ten-minute introduction to the texts that we would be studying. This article includes the introductions to each of the five sets of texts that were studied: Kohelet (Ecclesiastes), 2015; Psalms 107–118, 2016; Mishlei (Proverbs), 2017; selected passages marking the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Week, 2018; Psalms 119–134, 2019. They include general overviews of specific passages, and sometimes questions that might be addressed in the daily study groups that are held during the Week. Each was intended, according to the nature of the texts, to provide a welcome to the more than one hundred participants attending the Week and establish something of the unique character of the programme of textual study and interfaith dialogue.

Moments of (Re)vision: Thomas Hardy Making Amends

Considered far less critically rewarding resources than those of the author’s prose, the manuscripts of Thomas Hardy’s verse have long been neglected. This essay seeks, in part, to challenge the ways in which we attribute significance to such documents, attempting a close textual study of the ‘fair’ copy of Moments of Vision (1917) – a late draft of the volume only minimally revised. The collection is one which invites us to attend to the hitherto overlooked, and in remaining attentive to the seemingly minor alterations of the manuscript itself, I work to uncover Hardy’s attempt to address an oversight of his own. Focusing upon the poems penned for Emma following her death, I read them against the narrative which has traditionally surrounded them: one of a re-visioning of a period of discontent. The manuscript’s revisions are rather those which work against the initial impulse to smooth over animosity, striving consistently to paint a harsher version of events, and to acknowledge differences now past alteration. The way in which an endlessly mutable form allows for reflection upon an ‘immutable’ division holds central focus, as I trace the ways in which this tension complicates the long-established view of the Emma verses as an ‘expiation’. I suggest, rather, that in keeping with a much wider sensibility found running through Hardy’s verse, these revisions work to undermine his attempt to offer the famously neglected Emma a long overdue attention; they are amendments, in short, which problematize the very possibility of amends.

A Qur’anic Approach to Family Institution: A Textual Study

Contemporary state and society is evolved shape of family unit. All societies deeply respected this fundamental brick in the course of human civilization. Particularly, Muslim society has completely different ideology and structure regarding family. After individual, this divinely inspired institution has a prominent place in Muslim society. Quranic Studies being basic source of Islamic injunctions granted detailed regulations of this unit. It stated minutely rights and duties of family members to achieve its preliminary communal objective. All human civilizations recognized the marriage as established form of human relationship based on human instincts. Islam denied so-called heaven and unbroken status of marriage but introduced a mediated application of law. It is hour to study Islamic ideal concept of marriage and divorce especially in qur’anic debate. The study in hand will explore the status of family institution in Muslim society. It will highlighted the eligibility of marriage, maintenance, gender equality and dower matters. This paper will provide some suggestions for further modifications in matrimonial laws of Pakistan. It will pave the way to better understand the legal aspect of family in Quranic verses.