Multimodality and transculturalism in a proposal of a LIBRAS didactic material for hearing people

From the officialization of Brazilian Sign Language (Libras), the deaf person acquires the right to be recognized as a bilingual individual and to ensure this condition, hearing professionals from different areas start to learn Libras, which is even established as a mandatory subject for graduation in some Brazilian higher education courses. Thus, discussions involving the language teaching process, the production of didactic materials, transculturalism and multimodality are necessary for this political and sociolinguistically complex context. From a qualitative research, the objective of this article was to discuss the multimodality and transculturalism present in a proposal for a didactic material to teach Libras in a course involving hearing professionals in the healthcare area. For this purpose, the constructed material considered as legitimate resources the writing of Portuguese, illustrations and photographs of Libras signs, as well as access to videos with different speakers of that language from the scanning of the QR Code incorporated in the material. It is understood that all these elements need to be addressed in an integrated way in the learning of Libras by hearing people, as they constitute the reading of the contemporary world, in which visual and digital resources are also part of the language.

Cross Cultural Adaptation and Validation of Italian Version of the Leeds Assessment of Neuropathic Symptoms and Signs Scale and Pain DETECT Questionnaire for the Distinction between Nociceptive and Neuropathic Pain

Objective. This study aimed to validate Italian versions of Leeds Assessment of Neuropathic Symptoms and Signs (LANSS) scale and Pain DETECT questionnaire (PD-Q) and evaluate the ability of these questionnaires to discriminate between nociceptive and neuropathic pain. Design. Multicenter prospective validation cohort study. Subjects and Setting. One hundred patients were included with a diagnosis formulated by a specialist in outpatient settings (50 affected by knee osteoarthritis as nociceptive pain and 50 affected by trigeminal or postherpetic neuralgia as neuropathic pain). Methods. The Italian versions of both questionnaires according to Italian cultural characteristics were performed according to the following steps: (1) translation of the questionnaires from English into Italian; (2) review by a bilingual individual for consistency; (3) proposed version after a mail round between experts; (4) backward translation; (5) comparison with the original English version by the experts; (6) approved version of the questionnaires. One hundred patients were enrolled and completed the two questionnaires administered by a specialist or blinded nursing staff, at the baseline and after 24/48 hours. Internal consistency, stability, validity, and discriminative power were analyzed. Results. Statistically significant differences were reported about the ability of both questionnaires to discriminate between patients affected by neuropathic or nociceptive pain. Internal consistency for the Italian version of the LANSS was 0.76, and for PD-Q, it was 0.80, assessed by Cronbach’s α; LANSS showed a good test-retest reliability with an ICC of 0.76, and PD-Q showed a high test-retest reliability with an ICC of 0.96. For interrater reliability, there was a concordance rate of 83.3% between reference diagnosis and LANSS (Cohen’s kappa = 0.67, CI 95% 0.52–0.75). Conclusions. This study validated the Italian versions of LANSS and PD-Q as reliable instruments with good psychometric characteristics, for pain evaluation, discriminating between nociceptive and neuropathic pain. Our findings were similar to those observed in the original study. Furthermore, we have reported the test-retest reliability for both questionnaires, not addressed in original validation studies.

Translator’s Personality Shaping: Competence Approach

The aim of the article is to highlight the role of psycholinguistic factors in shaping the linguistic personality of the translator and in developing the translator’s professional competence. The research method is based on the notions of the linguistic personality of the translator (LPT) and comprehensive professional competence of the translator (CPCT). LPT is defined as the sum total of language abilities, skills, and language behaviour of a bilingual individual, determined inter alia, by socio-cultural and psycho-cognitive conditions of formation/development of his or her personality. CPCT is treated as a complex of interrelated subcompetences that includes such components: abilities, knowledge, language behaviour and skills. The procedure of research proceeds from the postulate that LPT becomes apparent in translation decisions, style, language priorities, forms of speech activity, aims and guidelines of the translator. The development possibilities of LPT and CPCT are studied on the basis of such empirical methods: a) observation of novice translators’ work with the non-standard translation commissions that presuppose creativity, research and text-creating competences; b) psycholinguistic analysis of translation decisions; c) identification of the deviations that occur in understanding of the translator’s task. Findings. The paper demonstrates the development possibilities of LPT and CPCT by means of orienting the academic process to the purposeful acquisition of all the subcompetences: from language and cross-cultural ones through translator, research and technological ones even to socio-communicative and personality ones, i.e. by orienting academic aims to the formation of CPCT. It presents the work on a German-Ukrainian translation textbook that is based on the theory of functional translation by Ch. Nord and is directed at fostering those academic aims, which progressively lead to the shaping of CPCT. The paper analyzes the results of the textbook’s approbation on the basis of exercises offered in the textbook. Conclusions. It is proven that the progression of academic aims is an important aspect of translators’ training. These aims presuppose gradual development of all the translator’s subcompetences, personality subcompetence, in particular, and take into consideration all four components of CPCT that are equally relevant for the successful performance of contemporary translators on the labour market.

A Reading Model from the Perspective of Japanese Orthography: Connectionist Approach to the Hypothesis of Granularity and Transparency

This study presents a computer simulation model of reading in Japanese syllabic kana and morphographic kanji. The model was based on the simulation model developed by Harm and Seidenberg for reading in English. The purpose of building the current model was to verify the validity of the hypothesis of granularity and transparency (HGT) postulated by Wydell and Butterworth, focusing on the granularity dimension. The HGT was developed in order to explain the behavioral dissociation between excellent reading skills in Japanese and poor reading skills in English of an English–Japanese bilingual individual as well as the relatively low incidence of developmental dyslexia in Japan. The current model was successful in simulating the granularity dimension of the HGT. The study also identified several limitations, which need to be addressed in future research.

A Cross-Cultural Validation of a Quality of Life Measure Using the Simple Measure of the Impact of Lupus Erythematosus in Youngsters (SMILEY©) among Filipino Pediatric Lupus Patients

Background: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is one of the most common autoimmune disorders in women of childbearing age. Simple Measure of Impact of Lupus Erythematosus in Youngsters (SMILEY) is the only health related quality of life (HRQOL) tool for pediatric SLE, which has been translated into many languages but is not yet available in Filipino. Objective: The primary objective of this study was to develop a Filipino translation of the SMILEY and to test the validity and reliability of this translation. Methodology: The SMILEY was translated into Filipino by a bilingual individual and back-translated by another bilingual individual blinded from the original English version. The translation was evaluated for content validity by a panel of experts and subjected to pilot testing. In the pilot, the SMILEY, together with the previously validated Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PEDSQL) 4.0 Generic Core Scale were administered to pediatric lupus patients and their parents on two separate occasions: a baseline and a re-test seven to fourteen days apart. Tests for convergent validity, internal consistency, and test-retest reliability were performed. Results: A total of fifty children and their parents were recruited. The mean age was 15.38±2.62 years (range 8-18 years), mean education level was high school. The mean duration of SLE was 28 months (range 1-81 months). Subjects found the questionnaires to be relevant, easy to understand and to answer. The validity of the SMILEY was demonstrated in terms of content validity, convergent validity, internal consistency, and test-retest reliability. Age, socioeconomic status and educational attainment did not significantly impact the scores. The difference between scores reported by children and parents was significant with SMILEY Total (p=0.0214), effect on Social Life (p=0.0000), and PEDSQL Physical Function (p=0.0460), with children reporting higher scores for these domains compared to their parents. Conclusion: SMILEY is a brief, easy to understand, valid and reliable tool for assessing specific HRQOL in pediatric SLE. It will be useful in providing better care, understanding and may offer critical information regarding the effect of SLE in the quality of life of our pediatric lupus patients. It will help physician understands the needs of their patient not only on treatment of the specific disease but as well as the impact of the treatment on their daily lives.