Reassessing the Legacy of Aspects

Noam Chomsky’s Aspects inspired many scholars to think in new ways about grammatical structures of languages. But was it really a landmark achievement? Two linguists debate its contributions.

Rozmówki polsko-hiszpańskie. Problemy językowe i próby ich przezwyciężenia podejmowane przez polskich uczestników hiszpańskiej wojny o niepodległość w świetle materiałów wspomnieniowych

The article presents selected mechanisms of communication between the Polish participants of the Napoleonic campaign in 1808–1812 and the local population behind the Pyrenees. The sources of information were the memoirs of Polish soldiers fighting on the Iberian Peninsula in the Grande Armée. Even though a significant part of the memoirs focuses on the military aspects of the participation of Poles in the Peninsular War, several do provide a whole spectrum of information about the daily lives of soldiers on foreign ground and many observations regarding the customs of their brothers in arms – mainly the French – as well as the local population. Among the fragments devoted to the non-military aspects of their stay on the Iberian Peninsula, the remarks on the attempts at communication – both verbal and non-verbal – between Poles and Spaniards seem to be particularly interesting. The purpose of this article is to explain why, in many situations, efficient communication could not take place in an intermediary language (French) and how the Polish soldiers dealt with lexical and grammatical structures in the previously unknown Spanish language. It is worth pointing out that language transfer is clearly noticeable – both from the native language of the soldiers (Polish) and from French, which most of Napoleonic soldiers learnt as their first Romance language.

Jazyk a krajina v antropologickém výzkumu

Language is a key element in the perception, formation, and reproduc- tion of landscapes and group boundaries. It is effective in at least three dimensions, namely, the inner/cognitive, the outward/appropriative, and the collective/identitarian. The inner dimension refers to the fact that our perception of landscape and our spatial cognition are determined, to a large extent, by the linguistic terms and grammatical structures specific to our language. The outward dimension refers to the capacity of language to project linguistically- and culturally-determined understandings into the physical world and create and appropriate places and landscapes by the act of naming. Finally, the collective dimension points to the importance of the linguistic delimitation of landscapes and their association with group identities. The article summarizes crucial recent findings in all three of the aforementioned dimensions and suggests possibilities for further research

Bilingual speech in Jaru–Kriol conversations: Codeswitching, codemixing, and grammatical fusion

Aims and objectives: Language contact in the Yaruman community of Western Australia has led to prevalent bilingual practices between the endangered language Jaru and the creole language Kriol. This study examines ordinary conversations in the community and investigates whether the observable bilingual practices are interactionally relevant, and whether codemixing has led to the emergence of a conventionalised mixed language. Approach: The research is based on a qualitative analysis of bilingual speech in natural conversation. The approach combines the methodological framework of interactional linguistics with an analysis of the grammatical structures of conversational data. Data and analysis: The analysed data consist of two hours and thirty minutes of transcribed video recordings, comprising 13 casual multi-party conversations involving all generations in the Yaruman community. The recordings were made using lapel microphones and two high-definition cameras. Findings: Bilingual Jaru–Kriol speakers use codeswitching as an interactional resource for a range of conversational activities. In many cases, however, speakers’ code choices are not interactionally relevant. Instead, codemixing is often oriented to as a normative way of speaking and participants exploit their full linguistic repertoire by relatively freely combining elements from both languages. There are also signs of morphological fusion in the mixed speech of younger Jaru speakers, who more frequently combine Kriol verb structure and Jaru nominal morphology. However, this morphological split is not fully conventionalised and variation is still substantial. Originality: The bilingual speech continuum is supported by the analysis of conversational data in a situation of language shift. This article shows that fusion involving core grammatical categories can occur among a subgroup of speakers without developing into a community-wide mixed language. Significance: The study contributes to a better understanding of community bilingualism and bilingual practices in a situation of language shift. It demonstrates how codeswitching, codemixing, and grammatical fusion can co-exist in a bilingual community.

تراكيب نحوية في الجملة الاسمية والفعلية ودلالتها في سورة (المؤمنون)

يدخل هذا البحث ضمن مجال الدراسات اللغوية، وتحديدًا النحوية والدلالية. إذ اختص بدراسة الجملة الاسمية والفعلية ودلالتها في سورة (المؤمنون)، واستنباط دلالات هذه التراكيب، واعتمدت فيه منهج الاستقراء التحليلي: إذ يستقري الباحث تراكيب الجملة الاسمية والفعلية في سورة المؤمنون، ثم يعمد إلى تحليلها وبيان دلالتها المعنوية . يهدف هذا البحث إلى تسليط الضوء على القيم الدلالية الكامنة في الجملة الاسمية والفعلية في بناء التركيب النحوي، ومحاولة استجلاء المعاني الدلالية المختلفة في الجملة الاسمية والفعلية في حقل التطبيق من القرآن الكريم . إنّ دراسة التركيب النحوي واستقراء دلالته في القرآن الكريم أنجع وسيلة لفهم كلام الله – سبحانه وتعالى- أتمّ فهم، إذ تتكشف أمام الباحث لطائف لغوية ومعنوية عند الوقوف على كلّ تركيب . ودراسة تراكيب الجملة الاسمية والفعلية في سورة واحدة من سور القرآن تعمّق إدراك القارئ لبديع النظم القرآني، فيلاحظ اختلاف التراكيب ظاهرًا، واتّفاقها في الدلالة باطنًا، وذلك يعزّز المعنى المنشود من مجيء هذا النظم خاصة . الكلمات الدالة: التركيب النحوي، الجملة الاسمية والجملة الفعلية، دلالة الجملة الاسمية والفعلية. Abstract This is one of researches which comes within the field of linguistic studies, specifically grammatical and semantic. The research is specialized in the study of the semantic values inherent in the grammatical structure of some nominal and adverbial sentences, and devising the meanings of these semantic structures, I adopted the method of analytical induction. The researcher extrapolates the grammatical structures in some nominal and adverbial sentences in Surat Al-Muminun, and then proceed to analyze them، and statement its linguistic indication. The aim of this research is to shed light on the semantic values inherent in the grammatical structure of some nominal and adverbial sentences, and a trial to elucidate the different semantic meanings of different linguistic methods in the application field of the Holy Quran. The study of the grammatical structure and the extrapolation of its indication in the Holy Quran is the most effective method to understand the words of God – Glory be to him – the best understanding, As the researcher unfolds before the linguistic and moral groups when standing on each structure. The study of the grammatical structures in some nominal and adverbial sentences in one Surah of the Qur'an, deepening the reader's awareness of the Exquisite pronunciation of the Qur'anic composing, it is noted the different structures virtually and their agreed in indication inwardly. This reinforces the desired meaning from coming jurisdiction of these exquisite words without another. Kew words: grammatical structures, nominal and adverbial sentences, semantic values.

Synthesis of sign and speech in a New Zealand Sign Language-target session: Oral channel variation of hearing bimodal bilingual children of Deaf parents

<p>This thesis investigates the uniquely “bimodal” bilingual language production of some of the New Zealand Deaf community’s youngest members—hearing and cochlear-implanted Deaf children who have Deaf signing parents. These bimodal bilinguals (aged 4-9 years old) are native users of two typologically different languages (New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) and English), and two modalities (visual-manual and auditory-oral). The primary focus of this study is the variation found in the oral channel produced by these bimodal bilingual children, during a sign-target session (i.e. a signed conversation with a Deaf interlocutor), involving a game designed to elicit location and motion descriptions alongside a sociolinguistic interview. The findings of this study are three-fold. Firstly, the variation of audible and visual volumes of the oral channel (the spoken modality) between and within participants’ language sessions is described. Notably, audible volume ranges from voiceless, whispered, and fully-voiced productions. Audible volume is found to have an inverse relationship with visual volume, in that reduced auditory cues reflect an increase in visual cues used for clarification. Additionally, a lowered audible volume (whispers or voiceless mouthings) is associated with reduced English, aligning with some NZSL grammatical structures, while full-voice is associated with intact English grammatical structures. Transfer in the opposite direction is also evident during descriptions of a motion event, in that English structures for encoding ‘path’ surface in the manual channel (the signed modality). Bidirectional transfer also occurs simultaneously, where structures of both languages surface in both linguistic channels. Secondly, the coordination of the oral and manual channels during descriptions of location and motion is described. Notably, the linguistic channels are tightly temporally synchronised in the coordination of meaning. The oral channel can function gesturally by modifying or emphasising meaning in the manual channel; a similar function to co-speech gesture used by hearing users of spoken languages. Thirdly, this thesis details the children’s attitudes towards their use of NZSL and English, highlighting their sensitivity to the uniqueness of their heritage language, the movement between Deaf and hearing worlds and associated languages, and their role in passing on their sign language to other hearing people. Their Deaf/Coda and hearing cultural identification is found to be entangled in use of both oral and manual channels. The oral channel is multifaceted in the ways it functions for both the bimodal bilingual child and their Deaf interlocutor, and thus operates at the intersection of language, cognition and culture. Bimodal bilinguals’ use of the oral channel is influenced by the contact situation that exists between Deaf and hearing communities, the cognitive cost of language suppression, and the interactional setting. This study contributes to growing global research conducted on the language production of bimodal bilinguals. It provides preliminary insight into oral channel features of young native NZSL users as a way of better understanding bimodal bilingual language development, the connections between audiological status and language, the interplay of codes across linguistic channels, and the role that modality plays in shaping meaning across all human languages.</p>

Synthesis of sign and speech in a New Zealand Sign Language-target session: Oral channel variation of hearing bimodal bilingual children of Deaf parents

<p>This thesis investigates the uniquely “bimodal” bilingual language production of some of the New Zealand Deaf community’s youngest members—hearing and cochlear-implanted Deaf children who have Deaf signing parents. These bimodal bilinguals (aged 4-9 years old) are native users of two typologically different languages (New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) and English), and two modalities (visual-manual and auditory-oral). The primary focus of this study is the variation found in the oral channel produced by these bimodal bilingual children, during a sign-target session (i.e. a signed conversation with a Deaf interlocutor), involving a game designed to elicit location and motion descriptions alongside a sociolinguistic interview. The findings of this study are three-fold. Firstly, the variation of audible and visual volumes of the oral channel (the spoken modality) between and within participants’ language sessions is described. Notably, audible volume ranges from voiceless, whispered, and fully-voiced productions. Audible volume is found to have an inverse relationship with visual volume, in that reduced auditory cues reflect an increase in visual cues used for clarification. Additionally, a lowered audible volume (whispers or voiceless mouthings) is associated with reduced English, aligning with some NZSL grammatical structures, while full-voice is associated with intact English grammatical structures. Transfer in the opposite direction is also evident during descriptions of a motion event, in that English structures for encoding ‘path’ surface in the manual channel (the signed modality). Bidirectional transfer also occurs simultaneously, where structures of both languages surface in both linguistic channels. Secondly, the coordination of the oral and manual channels during descriptions of location and motion is described. Notably, the linguistic channels are tightly temporally synchronised in the coordination of meaning. The oral channel can function gesturally by modifying or emphasising meaning in the manual channel; a similar function to co-speech gesture used by hearing users of spoken languages. Thirdly, this thesis details the children’s attitudes towards their use of NZSL and English, highlighting their sensitivity to the uniqueness of their heritage language, the movement between Deaf and hearing worlds and associated languages, and their role in passing on their sign language to other hearing people. Their Deaf/Coda and hearing cultural identification is found to be entangled in use of both oral and manual channels. The oral channel is multifaceted in the ways it functions for both the bimodal bilingual child and their Deaf interlocutor, and thus operates at the intersection of language, cognition and culture. Bimodal bilinguals’ use of the oral channel is influenced by the contact situation that exists between Deaf and hearing communities, the cognitive cost of language suppression, and the interactional setting. This study contributes to growing global research conducted on the language production of bimodal bilinguals. It provides preliminary insight into oral channel features of young native NZSL users as a way of better understanding bimodal bilingual language development, the connections between audiological status and language, the interplay of codes across linguistic channels, and the role that modality plays in shaping meaning across all human languages.</p>

He kōpara e kō nei i te ata / Māori language socialisation and acquisition by two bilingual children: A case-study approach

<p>This thesis investigates natural Māori language socialisation and acquisition by two under-three-year-old children within bilingual settings in Aotearoa New Zealand, in which they were learning two languages simultaneously – te reo Māori (Māori language), the endangered indigenous heritage language, and English, a dominant world language. The thesis explores how Māori language socialisation occurred for the two children, and documents the emergence of Māori grammatical structures in their productive language. In this longitudinal, qualitative case-study, data were gathered by regularly video-recording the children while they interacted with their families. Analysis of input- and productive-language data revealed that whereas English was the principal ambient language for both children at home and in the community, the language used directly with Child 1 was predominantly Māori, and with Child 2 was predominantly English. Analysis confirmed that Child 1 chose Māori as a principal first productive language, while Child 2 chose English. Since the focus of the study was on te reo Māori, data gathered from Child 1 across 39 months were analysed from a language socialisation perspective. Wortham’s (2005) notion of “socialisation trajectory” was used to trace four “trajectories” as the child progressed towards cultural communicative practices such as the pūkana ‘wide eyes’ form of eye-talk, and towards kinship roles. She navigated, and sometimes diverged from, the expectations and guidance of her extended family (whānau), while accumulating participant roles and whānau values and responsibilities. Each trajectory was closely interwoven with the others, and also with the child’s language-acquisition trajectory, and thus contributed to her becoming an L1-Māori speaker. Linguistic analysis of the child’s “first words”, “first combinations” and “first sentences” revealed the emergence of Māori grammatical structures in her productive language, and led to a new “Phrasal acquisition of te reo Māori” hypothesis. The findings direct attention to the important contribution, not only of the language environment but also of a rich, many-faceted process of cultural socialisation, in enabling a child to become a proficient communicator within her whānau and an L1-speaker of te reo Māori. The findings therefore contribute to a deeper and broader understanding of natural socialisation and acquisition of te reo Māori, and also carry important implications for the revitalisation of this, and other, endangered languages of the world.</p>

He kōpara e kō nei i te ata / Māori language socialisation and acquisition by two bilingual children: A case-study approach

<p>This thesis investigates natural Māori language socialisation and acquisition by two under-three-year-old children within bilingual settings in Aotearoa New Zealand, in which they were learning two languages simultaneously – te reo Māori (Māori language), the endangered indigenous heritage language, and English, a dominant world language. The thesis explores how Māori language socialisation occurred for the two children, and documents the emergence of Māori grammatical structures in their productive language. In this longitudinal, qualitative case-study, data were gathered by regularly video-recording the children while they interacted with their families. Analysis of input- and productive-language data revealed that whereas English was the principal ambient language for both children at home and in the community, the language used directly with Child 1 was predominantly Māori, and with Child 2 was predominantly English. Analysis confirmed that Child 1 chose Māori as a principal first productive language, while Child 2 chose English. Since the focus of the study was on te reo Māori, data gathered from Child 1 across 39 months were analysed from a language socialisation perspective. Wortham’s (2005) notion of “socialisation trajectory” was used to trace four “trajectories” as the child progressed towards cultural communicative practices such as the pūkana ‘wide eyes’ form of eye-talk, and towards kinship roles. She navigated, and sometimes diverged from, the expectations and guidance of her extended family (whānau), while accumulating participant roles and whānau values and responsibilities. Each trajectory was closely interwoven with the others, and also with the child’s language-acquisition trajectory, and thus contributed to her becoming an L1-Māori speaker. Linguistic analysis of the child’s “first words”, “first combinations” and “first sentences” revealed the emergence of Māori grammatical structures in her productive language, and led to a new “Phrasal acquisition of te reo Māori” hypothesis. The findings direct attention to the important contribution, not only of the language environment but also of a rich, many-faceted process of cultural socialisation, in enabling a child to become a proficient communicator within her whānau and an L1-speaker of te reo Māori. The findings therefore contribute to a deeper and broader understanding of natural socialisation and acquisition of te reo Māori, and also carry important implications for the revitalisation of this, and other, endangered languages of the world.</p>

Teaching grammar in context and multilingual environment

Multilingual environment has always been characteristic to Georgian reality. Today, due to current political or economic changes multilingualism has impacted the various fields including education. In this respect, Tbilisi State University is no exception, where the number of multilingual classes of ESL students of Azeri, Armenian and Georgian nationality is increasing. This process is accompanied by new challenges posed to the acquisition of the English language. The necessity of tackling these problems imposes responsibilities on English teachers, who are constantly engaged in the search for appropriate strategies and approaches fostering the proper learning process. Having a good command of a foreign language implies the acquisition of new language items and the development of all the skills and sub skills that cannot be achieved without knowing grammar as an important component for developing the receptive and productive skills. The paper aims at finding the efficient ways of teaching grammar in multilingual environment. For this purpose, the problems related to learning grammatical structures are identified and analyzed and their solutions are suggested. Reviewing the advantages and drawbacks of applying various approaches and strategies, the paper singles out teaching grammar in context and supports its utilization in the multilingual classroom with the findings demonstrated by the experiment conducted. The paper presents scholarly viewpoints regarding the above mentioned issues, inferences and concludes that the proper strategies, methods and approaches to teaching grammar should be determined considering the peculiarities of multilingual classroom so as to achieve the favourable learning outcomes.