Metaphoric Power as a Culturally Determined Characteristic of Discourse

In the process of intercultural communication, it is important not only to identify the features of the communicative behavior of representatives of a certain ethnic group, but also to comprehend their nature. Research in cognitive linguistics can help meet this challenge by expanding the understanding of the relationship between language, culture and thinking. One of the tools for rethinking this relationship is metaphor as a cognitive phenomenon, reflecting the culturally conditioned experience of human interaction with the outside world in linguistic form. The purpose of the article is to study metaphoricity as a culturally specific characteristic of discourse. The key method used in the research was the complex analysis of metaphoricity of discourse aimed at the comprehensive study of the functioning of metaphorical models in the text. The method is based on the calculation of a set of indices: the strength of the metaphor (according to K. de Landtsheer), the functional typology of metaphors, the external and internal metaphoric power of the text. The material of the research included texts representing political, official and mass media discourses in Russian, Chinese and English, with a total of 255,119 words. The metaphoricity of the texts was determined by calculating the indices, which made it possible to quantitatively measure the intensity, density and dominant functions of the metaphor. As a result of calculating the indices, it turned out that the metaphoricity of texts attributed to the same type of discourse in different languages, while united by common pragmatic and extralinguistic characteristics, differs: texts in Chinese have a higher density of metaphors. It was revealed that this dependence is culturally determined. It is concluded that the higher density of metaphors in the Chinese language is explained by the specifics of the Chinese linguaculture represented in different aspects of the language, as well as the construction of Chinese discourse. Its specific features are first of all determined by the syllabic type of the Chinese language and the verbal-syllabic type of hieroglyphic writing, and, secondly, by the peculiarities of Chinese cultural thinking. The increased metaphoricity of discourses in Chinese also correlates with the collectivist type of Chinese culture and its long-term orientation.

The Image of China in the Linguistic-Informational Model of Modern Media Discourse (Based on Russian and Chinese Mass Media)

This article analyses the linguistic-informational model of the representation of the image of China in Russian and Chinese media discourse today. When screening Russian and Chinese sources, the authors applied contextual analysis (with an emphasis on the implicit content of the country’s media image), descriptive method, method of cultural interpretation, and content analysis. In the current situation of information and psychological wars (term by A.P. Skovorodnikov), using the image of a country becomes the starting point in the mass media matrix of the onomastic concept for accentuating the perception of the geopolitical toponym (geopolitonym). For the first time, the authors propose the notion of a mass media matrix of an onomastic concept for understanding the cognitive side of media images of geopolitonymic objects. The geopolitonym China does not just form a virtual image of the country in media discourse, but also acts as a multidimensional construct of the linguistic worldview in the producer–recipient system. In onomastics, the geopolitonym traditionally denotes names of countries, regions, and significant historical areas that have an impact on human awareness in a civilizational context. The media image of a country is a topologically-oriented multi-layer model of the territory for the recipients of the media discourse. The authors clarify O.N. Sorokina’s concept of the information model, highlighting the linguistic component that was and remains the leading one in media discourse. Furthermore, the authors introduce the concepts of linguoinforneme and linguistic-informational step from the point of view of the structure of the linguistic-informational model. The linguistic-informational model, according to the authors’ suggestion, is implemented in linguoinfornemes using the strategy of linguistic-informational steps. The linguoinforneme constructs a media image of the country in a certain accentological assessment, based on social demand. We found that china’s media image is presented in Russian media discourse in a variety of ways, being implemented in evaluative linguoinfornemes. The country’s media image in Chinese media is constructed based on the traditions of hieroglyphic writing. The authors show what the mythologized/realistic perception of the image of China is based on, how it is conditioned by the tasks of the Communist Party of China, how it is related to the strategies of Russian-Chinese cooperation, and how it affects intercultural communication.

THE ROLE OF THE GLOBAL READING METHOD IN THE PROCESS OF STUDYING UKRAINIAN AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE

The article offers experimental material on methods of teaching global reading to foreign students, which was used by teachers-speakers of Vinnytsia National Technical University. Global reading involves presenting the student with a whole word and I is designed for visual perception and the ability to memorize visual information. In this way, the foreign student does not read the word in letters, but perceives it as a picture. The student reads in Ukrainian at once in words. However, unlike an image that depicts a particular object, it contains a generalized representation of the object, that is, it has a certain meaning. It was found that this method is especially helpful for students who use the hieroglyphic writing system in their native language.During the traditional analytical-synthetic reading, the student must first learn sounds, letters, then sequential compound reading and finally – merged reading of words. Learning to read analytically is often associated with difficulties, as it involves visual perception, concentration, and analytical-synthetic mental activity. As a result students spend more time and effort.First, students read familiar tokens that start with different letters, from short to long. Then move from words to phrases, and then from phrases to reading texts. The page can contain 2–3 sentences in large font. Up to 20 such sentences should be read per day. Since foreign students enter universities after studying the Ukrainian language, it is desirable that these sentences (texts) should be of a scientific style.Global reading should not be limited just to demonstrating and naming picture words. Tasks can be varied and carried out in the form of a game. The article gives examples of games and tasks that were used in our work with foreign students in order to consolidate knowledge.The advantages of using the method of global reading in the process of learning Ukrainian as a foreign language are established. This method helps students understand language as a holistic system and observe the paradigmatic relationship between its units, more quickly master reading, enrich vocabulary, take an active part in the learning process. Students’ own results significantly motivate them to learn the language, as they notice it from the first days of study, and the opportunity to use knowledge in learning and life.Key words: foreign student, second foreign language, non-traditional methods, flash-cards, game forms. У статті запропоновано експериментальний матеріал із методики навчання іноземних студентів гло-бального читання, який використали викладачі-мовники Вінницького національного технічного універси-тету.Глобальне читання передбачає представлення студентові цілого слова й розраховане на зорове сприй-няття та здатність до запам’ятовування візуальної інформації. У такий спосіб іноземний студент не читає слово по буквах, а сприймає його як картинку й читає українською мовою одразу словами. Однак на відміну від зображення, на якому представлено якийсь конкретний предмет, воно містить узагальнене уявлення про об’єкт, тобто має певне значення. З’ясовано, що цей метод особливо ефективно допомагає студентам, в яких у рідній мові використовують ієрогліфічну систему письма.Під час традиційного аналітико-синтетичного читання студент повинен спочатку засвоїти звуки, букви, потім послідовне поскладове читання та врешті – злите читання слів. Навчання аналітичного читання нерідко пов’язане з труднощами, оскільки передбачає і зорове сприйняття, і концентрацію уваги, й аналітико-синтетичну розумову діяльність. У результаті студенти витрачають більше часу й зусиль.Спочатку студенти читають відомі їм лексеми, які починаються з різних літер, від коротких до довших. Потім переходять від слів до фраз, а далі від фраз до читання текстів. На сторінці може бути розміщено 2–3 речення шрифтом великого розміру. За день студенту варто прочитати до 20 таких речень. Оскільки іноземні студенти після вивчення української мови вступають до університетів, то бажано, щоб ці речення (тексти) були наукового стилю.Глобальне читання не варто обмежувати демонстрацією та називанням слів, відтворених на флешкартках. Завдання можна урізноманітнити й проводити в ігровій формі. У статті наведено приклади ігор і завдань, які використовували в нашій роботі з іноземними студентами з метою закріплення знань.Установлено переваги використання методу глобального читання в процесі вивчення української мови як іноземної. Цей метод сприяє тому, що іноземні студенти розуміють мову як цілісну систему й спостерігають парадигматичні відношення між її одиницями, швидше опановують читання, збагачують словниковий запас, беруть активну участь у процесі навчання. Значно мотивують до вивчення мови власні результати, які студенти помічають уже з перших днів навчання, та можливості використати знання в навчанні й житті.Ключові слова: іноземний студент, друга іноземна мова, нетрадиційні методи, флешкартки, ігрові форми.

The iconic performativity of Chinese mantic diagrams

The article traces and discusses the philosophically significant consequences of the rootedness of the ancient Chinese thought in the original iconicity of Chinese hieroglyphic writing. The phenomenon of performativity is investigated on the Chinese material. In the course of the study, a fundamental methodological difference between performative statements and performative declarations is introduced. In light of the proposed difference, a pronounced performative declarativeness of the famous Confucian concept of zhengming (“correcting of names”) is revealed. This rarely studied aspect of the “correcting of names” should not be confused with the currently well-known performative naming implied by the setting to zhengming. The main result of the proposed methodological distinctions and exegetical analysis is the identification of the non-verbal prototype of the concept of zhengming (the hexagram “Family”). The paradigmatic nature of the prototype of the hexagram graphics in relation to the verbal formulation, which endows the performative status of the original visual image with the verbal explication of this image, allows the author to generalize this particular observation to the fundamental final hypothesis according to which the performative effectiveness of the word is secondary in comparison with the initial performativity of the mantic diagrammatism.

Epigraphic notes on the aleph-sign (Gardiner G1) in the second half of the Eighteenth Dynasty

The paper proposes to consider the hieroglyphic writing of the aleph-sign (Gardiner G1) in royal monumental architecture as a dating criterion. A certain epigraphic feature of the sign appears to be particularly characteristic of the second half of the Eighteenth Dynasty and the beginning of the Nineteenth Dynasty. The characteristics of the sign are discussed mainly in reference to the renewal texts, concluding with some remarks on the chronology of the restorations of reliefs in the Hatshepsut temple at Deir el-Bahari.

METHODS OF TEACHING HIEROGLYPHIC WRITING AT AN EARLY AGE

In recent years, there has been a steady increase of interest in learning the Chinese language, starting from an early age. However, the learning process at the initial stages is fraught with many difficulties, one of which is associated with memorizing a pictorial element – a hieroglyph. The present study is relevant due to the lack of studies on the methods of teaching hieroglyphic writing to preschoolers and younger students. The aim of the work is to create a productive system for teaching Chinese characters at tender age. The present article examines the difficulties arising in the study of Chinese writing, the special aspects of the study of hieroglyphic writing by preschoolers and younger schoolchildren, as well as proposes some methods of teaching hieroglyphics in this age group. The conducted research made it possible to formulate some conclusions. Due to the multidimensionality of the Chinese language, which distinguishes it from the Romance languages, the study of hieroglyphics in the classroom is not prevalent, giving way to the development of children’s oral speech skills. However, even in limited conditions, the teacher needs to lay the foundation for the formulation of graphic skills, etymological and structural analysis of hieroglyphs, relying on game forms of information presentation. Teaching hieroglyphic writing to children at an early age is a complex process which is associated, on the one hand, with the characteristic features of the Chinese language, and, on the other hand, with the psychoemotional features of children of this age group. To address the issues that arise during the learning process, a number of methods are proposed which could contribute to a deeper acquisition of hieroglyphic material. To increase the motivation to study, the teacher should, taking into account the specific situation, combine various approaches to teaching hieroglyphic writing. Further detailed discussions with Chinese teachers, as well as the development of teaching aids and recommendations for both preschoolers and primary schoolchildren are extremely important for creating a comprehensive and effective system of hieroglyphics teaching to children at an early age.

Using AR-technology for mastering hieroglyphics as an approach to informatization of learning Chinese language in school

Problem and goal. Methods are proposed for solving the problem of searching for information technologies, which, due to new approaches to information visualization, can increase the efficiency of students mastering hieroglyphics - one of the main and most difficult to study components of Chinese language learning systems. As a way to solve this problem, the application of augmented reality technology can be proposed, provided that the means and forms of its effective use are found in the framework of teaching the Chinese language in school. The aim of the study described in the article was the development and experimental confirmation of the effectiveness of approaches to teaching students in school hieroglyphic writing and the semantic interpretation of hieroglyphs based on the use of augmented reality tools. Methodology. A practical study was carried out on the basis of the formation of the experimental (63 people) and control (71 people) groups of students in grades 5 and 6. Schoolchildren of the experimental group were trained using augmented reality tools, hieroglyph markers, a specially selected collection of 3D models and developed tasks for comparing hieroglyphs and their semantic meanings, searching for hieroglyphics by their meanings, developing 3D models for visualizing the meanings of hieroglyphs. The analysis of the level of lexical skills of schoolchildren in terms of comparing hieroglyphs and their semantic values was carried out using integral indicators using methods of mathematical statistics. Results. It is shown that the proposed approach to using augmented reality technologies in the framework of teaching the Chinese language at school is effective. It is justified to create and develop collections of electronic versions of hieroglyphs and virtual objects that reflect the meaning of the main hieroglyphs studied at school. An effective method is when the students themselves are involved in such developments. Such approaches can play a significant role in informatization of educational systems for schoolchildren, as well as in establishing additional interdisciplinary ties. Conclusion. The effectiveness of the proposed approaches to the development of systems for preparing schoolchildren to study hieroglyphics in the framework of teaching the Chinese language based on the use of augmented reality technology has been experimentally confirmed. During the study, schoolchildren of the 5th and 6th grades showed an increased level of lexical skills in terms of comparing hieroglyphs and their semantic meanings, searching and writing hieroglyphs for a given semantic value.

Scripts

Egyptian writing comprises a variety of structurally and historically related scripts (hieroglyphic, hieratic, demotic), distributed according to historically shifting spheres of use. Egyptian scripts are mixed systems that represent both meaning and sound of language, allowing for a remarkable variety of historically changing spelling patterns. In relation to its enduring pictorial commitment, hieroglyphic writing had major aesthetic and sacralizing functions. Beyond its defining function of representing speech, Egyptian writing was also used to express non-linguistic dimensions of meaning. This chapter discusses categories of signs, different types of spellings of words, the roles played by determinatives and classifiers, and the nature of linear hieroglyphs, hieratic, abnormal hieratic and demotic. It also considers cultural contacts and influences on the various Egyptian scripts, and the eventual process of their obsolescence.