Effects of a Semantic Pamphlet for Pictogram Chat on Small Talk between Japanese and Chinese Speakers

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Takaya Yuizono ◽  
Jingya Qi ◽  
Jun Munemori
Keyword(s):  
Small Talk ◽  
Chinese Speakers

Small talk as work talk: Enacting the patient-centered approach in nurse-practitioner-patient visits

2018 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 97-107 ◽  
Author(s):  
Staci Defibaugh
Keyword(s):  
Nurse Practitioners ◽  
Nurse Practitioner ◽  
Medical Visit ◽  
Patient Centered ◽  
Small Talk ◽  
Medical Visits ◽  
Relational Work ◽  
The Us ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Patient Relationships

Small talk in medical visits has received ample attention; however, small talk that occurs at the close of a medical visit has not been explored. Small talk, with its focus on relational work, is an important aspect of medical care, particularly so considering the current focus in the US on the patient-centered approach and the desire to construct positive provider– patient relationships, which have been shown to contribute to higher patient satisfaction and better health outcomes. Therefore, even small talk that is unrelated to the transactional aspect of the medical visit in fact serves an important function. In this article, I analyze small talk exchanges between nurse practitioners (NPs) and their patients which occur after the transactional work of the visit is completed. I focus on two exchanges which highlight different interactional goals. I argue that these examples illustrate a willingness on the part of all participants to extend the visit solely for the purpose of constructing positive provider–patient relationships. Furthermore, because exchanges occur after the ‘work’ of the visit has been completed, they have the potential to construct positive relationships that extend beyond the individual visit.

How much Artistic Freedom is permitted when it comes to Language? - Analysis of a Crime Novel

2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 50-60
Author(s):  
Manuela Svoboda ◽  
Petra Zagar-Sostaric
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
German Language ◽  
Direct Speech ◽  
Small Talk ◽  
Language Analysis ◽  
Crime Novel ◽  
Blood Relative ◽  
German Origin ◽  
Artistic Freedom ◽  
The One

Abstract In this article a closer look will be taken at the issue of inaccurately using a foreign language, i.e. German in this particular case, in a crime novel or thriller. Of course, in fiction the author has complete artistic freedom to invent and present things as he/she intends and it doesn`t necessarily have to be realistic or legitimate. But what happens when it comes to an existing language being quoted in fiction? For this purpose David Thomas’ thriller “Blood Relative - How well do you know the one you love?” is analysed regarding parts in which German quotes are used. As the plot is located partly in England and partly in former East Germany (GDR) and the protagonist’s wife is of German origin, direct speech, titles and names are used in German. Subsequently, they are translated into English by the author in order to be understood by the English reader. However, there are many grammar, spelling and semantic mistakes in these German expressions and common small talk quotes. This begs the question, is it justified to disregard linguistic correctness with regards to artistic freedom given the fact that we are dealing with a fictional thriller, or is it nevertheless necessary to be precise concerning foreign language usage? How far may one “test” their artistic freedom in this particular case? In order to answer these questions a detailed analysis of the thriller is performed, concerning artistic freedom and modern literature/light fiction as well as the German language used in quotes and direct speech.

The 32-Item Multilingual Naming Test: Cultural and Linguistic Biases in Monolingual Chinese-Speaking Older Adults

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Clara Li ◽  
Xiaoyi Zeng ◽  
Judith Neugroschl ◽  
Amy Aloysi ◽  
Carolyn W. Zhu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
New York ◽  
Test Performance ◽  
Item Difficulty ◽  
Chinese Older Adults ◽  
Chinese Speakers ◽  
School Of Medicine ◽  
Consensus Conferences ◽  
Linguistic Groups ◽  
Naming Test

ABSTRACT Objectives: This study describes the performance of the Multilingual Naming Test (MINT) by Chinese American older adults who are monolingual Chinese speakers. An attempt was also made to identify items that could introduce bias and warrant attention in future investigation. Methods: The MINT was administered to 67 monolingual Chinese older adults as part of the standard dementia evaluation at the Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center (ADRC) at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (ISMMS), New York, USA. A diagnosis of normal cognition (n = 38), mild cognitive impairment (n = 12), and dementia (n = 17) was assigned to all participants at clinical consensus conferences using criterion sheets developed at the ADRC at ISMMS. Results: MINT scores were negatively correlated with age and positively correlated with education, showing sensitivity to demographic factors. One item, butterfly, showed no variations in responses across diagnostic groups. Inclusion of responses from different regions of China changed the answers from “incorrect” to “correct” on 20 items. The last five items, porthole, anvil, mortar, pestle, and axle, yielded a high nonresponse rate, with more than 70% of participants responding with “I don’t know.” Four items, funnel, witch, seesaw, and wig, were not ordered with respect to item difficulty in the Chinese language. Two items, gauge and witch, were identified as culturally biased for the monolingual group. Conclusions: Our study highlights the cultural and linguistic differences that might influence the test performance. Future studies are needed to revise the MINT using more universally recognized items of similar word frequency across different cultural and linguistic groups.

Transfer and unlearning of topic prominence by Chinese learners of English

2021 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hui Chang ◽  
Lilong Xu
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Universal Grammar ◽  
L2 Acquisition ◽  
L1 Transfer ◽  
Chinese Speakers ◽  
English Only ◽  
Cognitive States ◽  
Chinese Learners ◽  
Topic Constructions ◽  
Chinese Learners Of English

Abstract Chinese allows both gapped and gapless topic constructions without their usage being restricted to specific contexts, while English only allows gapped topic constructions which are used in certain contexts. In other words, Chinese uses ‘topic prominence’, whereas English does not. The contrast between English and Chinese topic constructions poses a learnability problem for Chinese learners of English. This paper uses an empirical study investigating first language (L1) transfer in the case of Chinese learners of English and the extent to which they are able to unlearn topic prominence as they progress in second language (L2) English. Results of an acceptability judgment test indicate that Chinese learners of English initially transfer Chinese topic prominence into their English, then gradually unlearn Chinese topic prominence as their English proficiency improves, and finally unlearn Chinese topic prominence successfully. The results support the Full Transfer Theory (Schwartz, Bonnie & Rex Sprouse. 1996. L2 cognitive states and the Full Transfer/Full Access model. Second Language Research 12. 40–72) and the Variational Learning Model (Yang, Charles. 2004. Universal Grammar, statistics or both? Trends in Cognitive Sciences 8. 451–456), but contradict the proposal that the topic prominence can never be transferred but may be unlearned from the beginning in Chinese speakers’ acquisition of English (Zheng, Chao. 2001. Nominal Constructions Beyond IP and Their Initial Restructuring in L2 Acquisition. Guangzhou: Guangdong University of Foreign Studies Ph.D. dissertation). In addition, the type of topic constructions that is used and whether or not a comma is added after the topic have an effect on learners’ transfer and unlearning of topic prominence. It is proposed that the specification of Agr(eement) and T(ense) as well as the presence of expletive subjects in English input can trigger the unlearning of topic prominence for Chinese learners of English.

scholarly journals An Innovative Mental Health Model for Treating Culturally Diverse Older Adults

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 93-93
Author(s):  
Tobi Abramson ◽  
Jacquelin Berman ◽  
Madison Gates
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Mental Health Services ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Social Isolation ◽  
Older Adult ◽  
Culturally Diverse ◽  
Spanish Speakers ◽  
English Speakers ◽  
Chinese Speakers

Abstract The mental health needs of older adults are largely unmet, a finding even more prevalent within culturally diverse older adult populations. Added to this is the high rate of social isolation. Research has indicated increased connection to mental health services when services are embedded within physical health care settings. For those attending community centers, 85% indicate that they are socially isolated, 68% indicate they are lonely, and 53% have a mental health need (compared to 20% nationally). The need for innovative programming is evident. When examining the needs of diverse older adults, it is increasingly important that new and innovative approaches address social isolation, loneliness, and mental health problems experienced by this cohort. Utilizing this knowledge an innovative model of embedding and integrating mental health services, provided by bilingual and bicultural clinicians, into congregate sites (older adult centers) was implemented. Those that participated were mainly female (72.1%), 68.5% English-speaking, 14.5% Spanish-speaking, 13.6% Chinese-speaking and 3.4% other. Spanish-speakers had more depression than English-speakers and both had more depression than Chinese-speakers. English and Spanish-speakers reported more social isolation and Chinese-speakers compared were more likely to participate in engagement. Chinese-speakers were less likely to be in clinical services with a positive screen compared to English-speakers. Overall, 75% engaged in treatment; 37.3% and 41% showed a 3-month improvement of depression and anxiety, respectively. This presentation focuses on the innovative components of this model, how to engage diverse older adults to utilize treatment, steps needed for replication, and policy implications around integrated mental health treatment.

STRATEGIES AND TACTICS OF SMALL TALK AS COMPONENTS OF INTERCULTURAL BUSINESS COMMUNICATION

2021 ◽  
Vol 77 (3) ◽  
pp. 77-85
Author(s):  
M.A. Khavronskaya ◽  
◽  
I.P. Marunova ◽  
Keyword(s):  
University Students ◽  
Social Skill ◽  
Business Communication ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Communicative Skills ◽  
Small Talk ◽  
The Social ◽  
Phatic Communication ◽  
Linguistic Means

The article examines the problem of business communication and inclusion of phatic communication in the form of small talk while developing communicative skills of university students when studying Business Communication in English. Strategies and tactics of the English phatic genre of small talk are structurally analyzed from the point of view of linguistic means. The authors conclude that an adequate choice of strategies and tactics for small talk aimed at successful conduct of intercultural business communication is the social skill necessary for university students.

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