How Languages Work

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carol Genetti

Language is a sophisticated tool which we use to communicate in a multitude of ways. Updated and expanded in its second edition, this book introduces language and linguistics - presenting language in all its amazing complexity while systematically guiding you through the basics. The reader will emerge with an appreciation of the diversity of the world's languages, as well as a deeper understanding of the structure of human language, the ways it is used, and its broader social and cultural context. Part I is devoted to the nuts and bolts of language study - speech sounds, sound patterns, sentence structure, and meaning - and includes chapters dedicated to the functional aspects of language: discourse, prosody, pragmatics, and language contact. The fourteen language profiles included in Part II reveal the world's linguistic variety while expanding on the similarities and differences between languages. Using knowledge gained from Part I, the reader can explore how language functions when speakers use it in daily interaction. With a step-by-step approach that is reinforced with well-chosen illustrations, case studies, and study questions, readers will gain understanding and analytical skills that will only enrich their ongoing study of language and linguistics.

2016 ◽  
Vol 48 (1) ◽  
pp. 39-57 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fumiko Kano Glückstad ◽  
Mikkel N. Schmidt ◽  
Morten Mørup

The recent development of data analytic tools rooted around the Multi-Group Latent Class Analysis (MGLCA) has enabled the examination of heterogeneous datasets in a cross-cultural context. Although the MGLCA is considered as an established and popular cross-cultural data analysis approach, the infinite relational model (IRM) is a new and disruptive type of unsupervised clustering approach that has been developed recently by cognitive psychologists and computer scientists. In this article, an extended version of the IRM coined the multinominal IRM—or mIRM in short—is applied to a cross-cultural analysis of survey data available from the World Value Survey organization. Specifically, the present work analyzes response patterns of the Portrait Value Questionnaire (PVQ) representing Schwartz’s 10 basic values of Japanese and Swedes. The applied model exposes heterogeneous structures of the two societies consisting of fine-grained response patterns expressed by the respective subpopulations and extracts latent typological structures contrasting and highlighting similarities and differences between these two societies. In the final section, we discuss similarities and differences identified between the MGLCA and the mIRM approaches, which indicate potential applications and contributions of the mIRM and the general IRM framework for future cross-cultural data analyses.


2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Majed Al-Shaibani

The current study aims to tackle the theoretical understanding of intention as between Sharia and law. It addresses the similarities and differences in the analysis of interpretation of intention across sharia law and law. The paper contrasts between the two ways of dealing with the concept of intention that is both technical and intuitive, across law and religion. Starting from the hypothesis that the concept of intention in sharia law originated in classical contextual realities different from the contemporary realities of Saudi Arabia and become outdated, the study attempts to answer the following questions: How can the concept of intention be adapted to the new socio-economic realities of Saudi Arabia with its new vision toward the world? How can the concept of intentionality adopt by sharia benefits from the analysis of law theory relating to intention? In order to answer the questions of the study, the study adopts the comparative law methodology through which concept of intention is comparatively examined in both sharia and law. The research investigates the historical and cultural context that gives rise to the concept of intentionality in both sharia law and law, as it helps reflect on aspects of similarity and differences and how gap between the sharia law and law can be bridged. The collected data is obtained through comparing sharia law in Saudi Arabia to the law applied in the West. The study has reached a conclusion that the sound methodological application of the concept of intention in sharia law requires the integration of elements and concepts from the Western law concept of intention.


2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert J. Sternberg

Intelligence typically is defined as consisting of “adaptation to the environment” or in related terms. Yet, it is not clear that “general intelligence” or g, traditionally conceptualized in terms of a general factor in a psychometrically-based hierarchical model of intelligence, provides an optimal way of defining intelligence as adaptation to the environment. Such a definition of adaptive intelligence would need to be biologically based in terms of evolutionary theory, would need to take into account the cultural context of adaptation, and would need to take into account whether thought and behavior labeled as “adaptively intelligent” actually contributed to the perpetuation of the human and other species, or whether it was indifferent or actually destructive to this perpetuation. In this article, I consider the similarities and differences between “general intelligence” and “adaptive intelligence,” as well as the implications especially of the differences.


Author(s):  
I Nyoman Suparwa ◽  
Made Sri Satyawati

The purpose of this study was to find the discourse system. By using observation methods, the data collected in the form of oral and written data by informants in the village of Loloan, Jembrana, Bali. The data obtained were processed through speech analyzer and analyzed based on discourse theory. This research was very important to be implemented because it can provide theoretical linguistic benefits in the field of discourse. The discourse studies will apply various concepts in the field of discourse, both variant and universal. The application of various concepts (theories) is seen in the discovery of unique characteristics of Balinese Malay language. These various findings are certainly very useful because they are a contribution to the treasures of Indonesian discourse theory and linguistics in general. For applied linguistics, this research is useful especially in terms of the application of discourse patterns in language teaching, both Malay and Indonesian. With the recognition of the Balinese Malay language discourse formation pattern, the teachers of Malay and Indonesian languages can develop discourse formation methods and discourse analysis, both in the form of lecture modules and in the form of textbooks. It is also related to the tradition of sharing partners, both oral and written. Thus, this study can improve the culture of literacy (read-write) in the Balinese Malay community.


2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 143-156
Author(s):  
Karolina Pietras ◽  
Joanna Fryt

AbstractThe similarities and differences in values between generations reflect both the stability and change of socio-cultural trends prevailing at a specific time point as well as developmental processes occurring across the life span. Intergenerational similarities in values may be the effect of value transmission within family or consequence of sharing the same socio-cultural context, since both these processes are difficult to separate. The aims of the study were: 1) to describe similarities and differences in values preferences between young women and their both parents; 2) to determine which values may be transmitted within families. Ninety nine women aged 19-25 and their both parents filled in the Schwartz’ Portrait Value Questionnaire [PVQ- 21, Schwartz 2003]. Comparing to older generation young women showed greater preference for achievement, hedonism, stimulation and universalism as well as less preference for conformity and tradition. To assess value transmission two methods measuring similarity between family members were used. According to correlation analysis values representing conservation (conformity, tradition and security) as well as benevolence and power were transmitted in families between women, while security and two values related to self-enhancement (power and achievement) were transmitted between fathers and daughters. According to comparisons of family dyads with pseudo family dyads only mothers and daughters were found to be similar in their preference for tradition, security and power.


AMERTA ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 38 (2) ◽  
pp. 129-144
Author(s):  
Erlin Novita Idje Djami

Abstract. Megalithic Of Gunung Srobu In Melanesian Cultural Context. Megalithic is one of the cultural elements that is discovered worldwide, and it is often used as evidence for cultural hyperdiffusion theory. Such a cultural element is also present in the Melanesian region. However, there is still debate among scholars as to where it comes from and when it was introduced to this area. In this context, the recently excavated megalithic site in Gunung Srobu in Youtefa Bay, Jayapura, Papua may shed light on this matter. This paper is intended to describe the megalithic findings of Gunung Srobu and then compare them with other megalithic findings in several sites in the Melanesian region. The comparative study aims to find out the similarities and differences between Gunung Srobu megalithic and the other Melanesian megalithic as well as to know the position of Gunung Srobu in the Melanesian regional. The method used includes surveys, excavations, and literature studies. The result shows that Gunung Srobu is a very complex megalithic site in the region with very varied shapes and types. The date from around the 4th Century AD put Gunung Srobu as the oldest megalithic site in the region which is likely to occupy a central position in the megalithic distribution in the Melanesian Region. Abstrak. Megalitik merupakan salah satu unsur budaya yang ditemukan sangat luas di dunia dan sering menjadi bukti bagi teori hiperdifusi. Unsur budaya megalitik juga ditemukan di kawasan Melanesia. Namun, banyak ahli masih memperdebatkan asal-usul dan waktu persebarannya. Dalam konteks ini, temuan megalitik yang baru-baru ini ditemukan dalam penggalian di situs Gunung Srobu, Teluk Youtefa, Papua, mungkin dapat menjelaskan masalah ini. Tulisan ini dimaksudkan untuk mendeskripsikan temuan megalitik di Gunung Srobu dan membandingkannya dengan temuan megalitik di beberapa situs lainnya di kawasan Melanesia. Tujuannya adalah untuk mengetahui persamaan dan perbedaan unsur megalitik antara yang ada di Gunung Srobu dan di situs Melanesia lainnya, serta mengetahui kedudukan megalitik Gunung Srobu di kawasan Melanesia. Metode yang digunakan mencakup survei, ekskavasi, dan studi pustaka. Hasilnya menunjukkan bahwa Gunung Srobu merupakan situs megalitik yang sangat kompleks di kawasan itu dengan bentuk dan jenis yang sangat bervariasi. Pertanggalan yang berasal dari sekitar abad ke-4 M menempatkannya sebagai megalitik tertua yang kemungkinan menempati posisi sentral dalam persebaran megalitik di kawasan Melanesia.


Author(s):  
Vini Qonita Qistifani

This study aims to determine the sentence structure of Arabic and Indonesian terms in Surah Al-Baqarah, their similarities and differences, and their implications for translation. The research method used in this study is a descriptive method with a qualitative approach. Data collection techniques used were documentation and triangulation studies. From the results of this study, researchers found 190 the number of shar'iyah in surah Al-Baqarah with various sentence structures. Then, some similarities and differences in the structure between the sentence terms in Arabic and Indonesian, as well as the implications of this study, the researcher found a tendency to translate adawat syarṭ on the translation of the Ministry of Religion and Al-Mishbah.


2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 14
Author(s):  
Abeer Hadi Salih

Any language in the world wide has different expressions and terms that convey approval or disapproval that language speakers may use in their daily life. English language for instance, is full of such expressions and can be found in any situation needs to. The present research studies approval and disapproval in English with their counterparts in Arabic as a contrastive study. It tries to search for those terms or sentences that are used to express approval and disapproval in English with their counterparts in Arabic. It aims to highlight the points of similarities and differences between those expressions that are used to state approval and disapproval in the two languages. Also the study includes a contrastive analysis to the expressions of approval and disapproval in English with their equivalents in Arabic in order to come up with the conclusions. It concluded that the approval and disapproval expressions in English language are similar to their counterparts in Arabic language but differ in two points. Firstly in Arabic language main verbs are used to convey approval and disapproval whereas in English are not. Secondly, in English language the exclamatory style is used to express approval in contrast, Arabic language is not. Researchers, teachers, translators and any who cares about English language and linguistics can get benefit from this study, precisely because it includes a comparison between two languages, English language and Arabic, with several types of expressions and terms that are being actually used to express approval and disapproval.


This book provides a comprehensive overview of current research in African languages, drawing on insights from anthropological linguistics, typology, historical and comparative linguistics, and sociolinguistics. Africa is believed to host at least one-third of the world’s languages, usually classified into four phyla—Niger-Congo, Afro-Asiatic, Nilo-Saharan, and Khoisan—which are then subdivided into further families and subgroupings. This volume explores all aspects of research in the field, beginning with chapters that cover the major domains of grammar and comparative approaches. Later parts provide overviews of the phyla and subfamilies, alongside grammatical sketches of eighteen representative African languages of diverse genetic affiliation. The volume additionally explores multiple other topics relating to African languages and linguistics, with a particular focus on extralinguistic issues: language, cognition, and culture, including color terminology and conversation analysis; language and society, including language contact and endangerment; language and history; and language and orature.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jorge Arenas-Gaitán ◽  
Begoña Peral-Peral ◽  
Jesús Reina-Arroyo

PurposeThere is a strong relationship between the changes that society faces and food. The aim of this work is to analyse the differences between generations related to their behaviour towards food.Design/methodology/approachTo characterise people's behaviour towards their food, the authors will use a tool, food-related lifestyles (FRL), which has been widely employed in the literature. To achieve this general objective, the authors are going to break this down into two operational goals. Firstly, the authors will analyse if there exist differences in generations regarding the characteristics which make up their FRL. Secondly, the authors will determine if there is an association between generations and specific FRL. The authors have developed a study of 1,200 consumers.FindingsThe results have enabled is to achieve the proposed aims and to describe the behaviour of each generation towards its FRL. There are significant differences in 15 of the 22 dimensions of the LRF analysed according to generations. The authors noted six consumer segments with regard to the FRL and the authors have found a relation between the characteristics which define the generations and their FRL. The findings enable offering implications for the food sector and for society.Originality/valueFirstly, this research spans the five generations present in the current society. Secondly, most works are centred on how FRL correspond with the consumption of specific products. This paper is dedicated to going thoroughly into the intergenerational similarities and differences regarding their FRL. Thirdly, the FRL tool has been especially applied in the context of Central European and Nordic countries, the USA and South-East Asia. In this work, the authors apply the FRL to a Mediterranean cultural context, Spain, characterised by a Mediterranean diet and by a significant family and social component in the diet.


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