Epidemics from the population perspective

Many epidemics consist in individuals spreading infection to others. From the population perspective, they also have population characteristics important in modeling, explaining and intervening in epidemics. I analyze epidemiology’s contemporary population perspective through the example of epidemics by examining two central principles attributed to Geoffrey Rose: a distinction between the causes of cases and the causes of incidence, and between ‘high-risk’ and ‘population’ strategies of prevention. Both principles require revision or clarification to capture the sense in which they describe distinct perspectives on the same phenomenon (such as an epidemic), each perspective capturing a different level of contrastive analysis.

A CONTRASTIVE ANALYSIS OF RELATIVE CLAUSE GRAMMAR IN BOTH ARABIC AND ENGLISH

A CONTRASTIVE ANALYSIS OF RELATIVE CLAUSE GRAMMAR IN BOTH ARABIC AND ENGLISH

Synonym in Malay and Arabic: A Comparative Study in the Aspect of Definition and Importance

The study discusses synonym in Malay and Arabic with a general focus on its definition and importance. In addition to that, this study also aims to observe the differences and similarities that exist in both languages when it comes to defining or determining the definition of synonym done by Malay and Arabic scholars and the need of synonyms for both languages and nations. This study is a descriptive literature review that is using contrastive analysis. The result of the study shows that Malay and Arabic differ in selecting the basis for synonyms in the aspect of definition but both languages put ‘the similarity in general meaning’ as the main criteria in determining two synonymous words. On the other hand, the importance of synonym in Malay and Arabic is not much different. In Arabic, however, the need for synonym seems to be more apparent in the literary field especially in poetry that emphasizes qafiah and verse. On the contrary, the need for synonym in Malay is more significant when it comes to maintaining the manners and politeness in speech.

Getting the Full Picture in English and Spanish?

Drawing on the mental model theory of fictional characters (Schneider, 2001) applied to audio description (Fresno, 2016), this paper examines the audio description (AD) of characters in English and Spanish for the Netflix series Élite. The study is based on the premise that semantic descriptions of characters, rather than merely visual descriptions of physical traits, contribute to a better understanding of the narrative complexities of a film, favour AD users’ memory, and reduce cognitive effort (Fresno et al., 2016). This contrastive analysis shows how pertinent description of action movements and appearances together with lexical accuracy can trigger helpful semantic meanings that reveal characters’ psychological features. Because Élite is a thriller in which the majority of the characters are murder suspects, accessing all types of information about them is essential to fully understand the plot. In addition, this analysis indicates that the English AD emphasizes certain character attributes which are absent from the Spanish AD, a distinction that influences the semantic domains, filmic cohesion and coherence of the narrative. This finding underscores the fact that cross-linguistic and cultural differences actually affect the reception of a fictional character by AD users (Orero, 2008; Mazur & Chmiel, 2012) and consequently, their appreciation and enjoyment of the program in question. Lay summary This paper examines the audio description (AD) of characters in English and Spanish for the Netflix series Élite. Based on previous studies (Fresno, 2014; Fresno, 2016), this analysis shows that not only physical traits, but also the description of action movements and looks can trigger helpful semantic inferences that reveal crucial characters’ psychological features. Because Élite is a thriller in which most of the characters are murder suspects, grasping all types of information about them is essential to fully understand the plot. In addition, this paper indicates that the English AD emphasizes certain character attributes which are absent in the Spanish AD. This finding underscores the fact that cross-linguistic and cultural differences actually affect the reception of a fictional character by AD users (Orero, 2008; Mazur & Chmiel, 2012) and consequently, their appreciation and enjoyment of the show in question.

Metaphors Used to Communicate the Coronavirus State of Emergency in the United Kingdom and Spain: A Contrastive Analysis

Since it emerged in China at the beginning of 2020, the COVID-19 virus has spread to almost every country in the world. In response to the health and economic crisis triggered by the pandemic, political legislators were forced to declare a state of national emergency in an effort to stem the spread of the coronavirus. Following a critical discourse approach to metaphor analysis, this study examines the metaphors employed by the British and Spanish Prime Ministers in their declarations of the state of emergency. The results support the view that metaphor is a double-edged sword in times of crisis: it is not only used to help people to face the coronavirus pandemic, to instil courage and hope; it also serves as a strategy of positive self-presentation whereby political actors try hard to avoid criticism and gain the approval of public opinion.

ЛЕКСИКО-СТИЛІСТИЧНІ ОЗНАКИ КОНФЕСІЙНОЇ СФЕРИ В АНГЛІЙСЬКІЙ ТА УКРАЇНСЬКІЙ МОВАХ: ЗІСТАВНИЙ АСПЕКТ (ЧАСТИНА 2)

The paper deals with the contrastive analysis of the Ukrainian (Ivan Ohiyenko) and English (King James Bible) translations of the Old Testament (Genesis, Chapter 1) with the purpose to establish their comparative lexical and stylistic features. The assessment of the stylistic devices in the Ukrainian (UTT) and English (ETT) target texts proves a high degree of their similarity. There is a considerable parallelism in the use of repetition, paraphrase, aphorisms, generic nouns, stylistically coloured lexemes, rhetorical address and homogenous elements’ structure. The polysyndeton is a distinctive feature of both texts as well as gradation and a systematic use of archaic or unusual words. The dissimilarities of the two texts include alliterative repetition in verse 10, a double-focus repetition and a weakened polysyndeton in verse 29 in ETT, repetition in ETT (verses 14-15) which appeared to be impossible in UTT due to the specifi c structure used there and the strengthened verb repetition in the refrain of each period in UTT. Other distinctions include a systematic use of the state verb (be) in ETT, whereas the UTT utilizes a range of dynamic verbs indicating the transition from one state to another; the use of two monotypic metaphors in ETT, as compared to neutral lexemes in UTT; or, conversely, the ETT counterpart of an elevated style word is stylistically neutral in UTT. Another divergence is the use of parceling in ETT, which shifts the stylistic emphasis to the parceled fragment, while in the UTT the preference is given to the double synonymic structure; the use of archaism, metaphor and synecdoche in ETT whereas they are absent in UTT. Other unilaterally used stylistic devices include personifi cation in ETT versus alliteration and assonance in UTT; the use of an infi nitive stricture in ETT and a verbal noun in UTT to render purpose; greater variability of attributes (prepositional, postpositional, subordinate clauses), as well as lexical stylistic means in UTT; greater phonetic and lexical diversity of generalizing attributes in UTT. Overall, a somewhat greater variety of lexical stylistic means in UTT may be assumed, although it can hardly be regarded as the latter’s advantage because the standards of stylistic acceptability substantially vary in diff erent languages and cultures. The scope of further research is outlined. Key words: English and Ukrainian languages, Bible (Genesis), comparative stylistics, comparative lexicology, confessional style, teaching translation and interpreting, comparative lexical and stylistic analysis, lexical and stylistic features.

РОДИНА-PATRIA in Russian and Spanish Verbal Associative Networks

The specific national characteristics of stimulus Homeland in Russian and Spanish verbal associative network are described in this article. The contrastive analysis of one of the basic word-model-points, inherent to the Russian and Spanish native speakers, is being investigated for the first time. The qualitative indicators of the performed analysis constitute a kind of thesaurus of the associative norms of the Russian and Spanish languages and, together with the quantitative ones, can be the subject of linguo-psychological comparative analysis and provide additional information about the associative norms, structure, linguistic ability and national character of the speakers of the given language and culture.The theme may be interesting for specialists not only in philology, but also in psychology, sociology, culturology, mass media, commercial advertizing and other spheres connected with human activity.

RETROSPECTIVE CONTRASTIVE ANALYSIS OF BARACK OBAMA’S AND OLUSEGUN OBASANJO’S POLITICAL COMMUNICATION FEATURES AND STYLES

Governments make calculated human capital commitment to political communication because of its indispensability and effectiveness as a veritable tool, which underlies and is underlined by massive government investment in public communication. Presidential communication is rooted in, influenced, and limited by, usually, certain written codes. This study examined why, when, and how two presidents said what they said, and why they did or not do as said. Thesis problem was unravelling how features and styles of two presidents facilitated their political communication and public policies. Study fitted into two models, using two political communication theories: mainly ‘Aristotelian Political Rhetoric;’ Walter Fisher’s ‘the Narrative Paradigm’ as theoretical guides. Using original communications of two presidents, this comparative and historical study bridged the sparse scholarship on comparative presidential political communication. Data were obtained from purposively selected sample population, collated, analysed and interpreted, deploying multiple instruments, majorly content and discourse analyses chosen for their effectiveness at measuring predetermined variables. Selected published presidential communications 178 and 158 each all totaling 336 obtained from secondary sources formed the sample population. Findings of study revealed both presidents were largely more dissimilar than otherwise. Their backgrounds reflected, not dominated their communications. As communicators, they were urban-romanticisers, but rural-jilters, promoting rural exclusion, and accessibility to selected urban congregations. Obama’s presidential communication was delivered using peculiar styles, like Olusegun Obasanjo’s, both relying on diverse notable features. Conclusively, presidential political communication should be additional statutory responsibility of presidents to legally guarantee accountability, and practical democracy. Presidential communication system must be deconstructed and reconstructed to promote professional speech-making, and polity-connected presidential political communication.