scholarly journals Do you "(Mis)Understand" What I Mean? : Pragmatic Strategies to Avoid Cognitive Maladjustment

2011 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. 223 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jesús Romero Trillo ◽  
Elizabeth Lenn
Keyword(s):  
Adaptive Management ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Pragmatic Markers ◽  
Linguistic Strategies ◽  
Key Factor ◽  
Native Speakers Of English ◽  
Pragmatic Strategies

This article studies misunderstanding as a key factor in identifying the psychological basis of interactional cognitive maladjustment. The study focuses on the linguistic strategies to avoid pragmatic misunderstanding employed in conversations in Spanish and English and between native and non-native speakers of English. In particular, we analyze the use of pragmatic markers as adaptive management to avoid misunderstanding in conversation. Through the classification of pragmatic markers as rhetorical or overt, we study the distribution and use of each type of pragmatic marker and the implementation of pragmatic markers, with the lexical and intonational implications in cross-linguistic conversation for the adaptive Management of misunderstanding.

scholarly journals Verbs of falling in English language: corpus data and typology

2020 ◽  
Vol XVI (1) ◽  
pp. 115-151
Author(s):  
O. Vinogradova ◽  
◽  
A. Viklova ◽  
K. Pospelova ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
English Language ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
English Speakers ◽  
Written Production ◽  
Scope Of Application ◽  
Native Speakers Of English ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Corpus Data ◽  
Language Corpus

The paper presents the results of the studies carried over the group of English verbs with the meaning of falling. The research goals included classification of the lexical meanings, both direct and metaphorical, rendered by those verbs, on the basis of the analysis of the components of the situations put together in the special questionnaire. This was carried out together with native speakers of English, after which the collected set of examples was verified and expanded with searches in the big corpora of English speakers’ oral and written production available at the SketchEngine platform. Besides being a great source of extracting lexical meanings, Sketch Engine also provided the data and the statistics for the analysis of collocational behaviour of the verbs in question used with different subjects of falling. The scope of application of the umbrella verb fall and the distribution between it and its two rivals — drop and fall down — was in focus of the three corresponding sections in the paper, while the range of peripheral verbs of falling with all the comparative analysis of their lexical features formed one more section. Separately from the verbs conveying the direct meanings of falling, metaphoric shifts in the meanings of these verbs made up the content of section 6. Based on the findings presented in the previous sections, the conclusions regarding the concept of falling in English are discussed in the last part of the paper. The research confirmed that the verb fall is by far the most widely used in various contexts of falling. Whether used alone or combined with adverbial or prepositional particles, it covers the overwhelming majority of meanings of falling, both literal and metaphorical. Although drop proved to be the most frequent synonym of fall, there is a distribution of meanings between the two related to the nature of the subject and the intentionality of the action. As shown in the paper, the choice between fall and fall down appears to be determined by the trajectory of the fall and whether the typical position of the subject is vertical or not. Likewise, the distribution between fall off and fall down is conditioned by the trajectory, with the surface mentioned with the latter. Among the various peripheral verbs of falling, come and go — the most general verbs of movement — are also used in combination with down in specific cases of falling.

scholarly journals EMI Teacher Training at the University of A Coruña

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Begoña Crespo ◽  
Angela Llanos Tojeiro
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Students ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Teacher Professionalism ◽  
Teaching Staff ◽  
Teaching Methodology ◽  
Internationalisation At Home ◽  
Key Factor ◽  
Native Speakers Of English ◽  
Student Centred Learning ◽  
The University

TThe aim of this paper is to offer an overview of how an EMI (English as a Medium of Instruction) programme was designed at the University of A Coruña (Spain) to implement courses taught in English by its teaching staff. The final goals of this initiative were twofold: to attract an increasing number of foreign students through mobility or as new admissions; and to promote internationalisation at home for both students and lecturers. Some of the steps taken in this process (from coaching to EMI) are explained as well as the principles on which a particular teaching methodology for non-native speakers of English is based. Content knowledge and a B2 level of English is presupposed, but a further level of teacher professionalism is aspired to, involving commitment, reflection, responsibility. A shift in focus, from teacher- to student-centred learning is required. Instructors should show their students how to learn and guide them along their learning paths. This implies a shift in the original mindset that is strongly rooted in particular teaching traditions. Communicative competence is also a key factor: knowing how to transmit and communicate is at least as important as the material content itself, and lecturers should be good communicators.

scholarly journals Language Experience and Phonetic Training as Factors Influencing Timing Organisation in Polish Learners of English

2014 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 185-198
Author(s):  
Anna Gralińska-Brawata
Keyword(s):  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Statistical Tests ◽  
First Year ◽  
Language Experience ◽  
Speech Rhythm ◽  
First Year Students ◽  
Language Studies ◽  
Key Factor ◽  
Native Speakers Of English

The paper investigates the dynamics of speech rhythm in Polish learners of English and, specifically, how rhythm measurements revealing durational characteristics of vocalic and consonantal intervals through the measures (%V, ΔV, ΔC, VarcoV, VarcoC and nPVI) change along the process of second language acquisition as a result of language experience and phonetic training, and influence rhythmic characteristics of L2 English. The data used for the analysis come from 30 Polish first-year students of the University of Łódź recorded reading two texts (English and Polish) during two recording sessions separated by a 7-month period of language studies and compared to the data obtained from the recordings of native speakers of English. The experiment aims at verifying whether the participants achieve progress in the rhythm measure scores under the influence of language experience and phonetic training, as it has already been confirmed that general proficiency of non-native speakers of English is a key factor contributing to the successful production of rhythmic patterns in English (Waniek-Klimczak 2009, Roach 2002). The results have shown no substantial and consistent progress for the whole group and across all the measures. Statistical tests, however, have revealed significant changes in the subjects' performance with respect to the vocalic measures ΔV and VarcoV. This may reflect the effect of the type of phonetic training the students are offered, which is segment-based with particular emphasis on vowels.

scholarly journals PRAGMATIC MARKERS IN THE SPOKEN INTERLANGUAGE OF MACEDONIAN LEARNERS OF ENGLISH

2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (6) ◽  
pp. 1671-1676
Author(s):  
Marija Kusevska
Keyword(s):  
English Language ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Placement Test ◽  
Smooth Flow ◽  
Pragmatic Markers ◽  
Proficiency Level ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Language And Literature ◽  
Sharing Time ◽  
Native Speakers Of English

The study presented in this paper is a part of the research project “Developing cross-cultural and interlanguage pragmatics research and its practical implications”, which is currently being implemented at Goce Delchev University in Shtip, Republic of Macedonia. It investigates the use of pragmatic markers by Macedonian learners of English. Speakers use them to achieve smooth flow of speech and help their interlocutors decode the meaning of their utterances appropriately. We pose two research questions: 1. Do Macedonian learners of English use pragmatic markers in their speech? 2. Do they use the same pragmatic markers as native speakers and with the same frequency? The analysis was carried out on a research corpus compiled for this purpose. The participants were 72 students of English at the Department of English language and literature, Goce Delchev University, Shtip. All students sat the Quick Placement Test and their proficiency level in English was determined. Students with B2 level and above were chosen to participate in the project. Five topics were selected: problems with dogs in our cities, living and working abroad, tattoos and piercings, how much time to spend with a girlfriend/boyfriend, and talking on the phone while sharing time with friends. The preliminary selection of the pragmatic markers to be studied was made on the basis of previous studies of the use of pragmatic markers by native and non-native speakers of English. The following pragmatic markers were selected: and, but, I think, like, yes, yeah, so, just, okay, well, kind of, sort of, actually, I mean, only, you know, anyway, you see, and listen. The results showed that Macedonian learners of English use the same pragmatic markers as native speakers albeit some of them are used with different frequency. The benefits of this research are twofold. First, it gives evidence about how Macedonian student use English for their communicative purposes and how well they can manage conversation. Second, the data collected in this project will be used as a starting point for creating an electronic corpus of the English interlanguage of Macedonian learners.

The essence of equity capital and its structuring for accounting needs

2017 ◽  
pp. 117-126
Author(s):  
Iryna Nazarova
Keyword(s):  
Accounting Standards ◽  
Financial Statements ◽  
Capital Allocation ◽  
Equity Capital ◽  
National Standards ◽  
Equity Structure ◽  
Key Factor ◽  
Business Property ◽  
Informational Value

The paper considers various interpretations of the essence of equity capital. The concept of equity capital is viewed from the perspective of property as a venture capital, i. e. business property, which does not guarantee profits and dividends, and for which there is no clear schedule of returning funds to investors and shareholders. The most common equity capital components in national and foreign practice are examined and compared. It is pointed out that the equity components mainly used in Ukraine are defined by the National Accounting Standards. Alternatively, the structure of equity capital components in foreign practice relies on the Conceptual Framework of Financial Statements, but it is further detailed by national standards of each country and depends on its policy and accounting characteristics. The structure of equity capital in foreign practice may be influenced by shareholders’ decisions on the establishment of funds (additional capital), allocation of profits, transactions with treasury shares. It is made clear that in most countries equity capital components include joint stock capital, surplus reserves, and retained profit. The article reviews the classification of equity capital, viewed as the key factor, and determines its influence on accounting principles and policies. It is concluded that in regulatory documents, there are no clear lines between types of equity capital. The paper also discusses various views of scholars on equity capital arrangement. It is found that in research works, equity capital is classified based on various characteristics, but the majority of researchers consider sources of equity capital to be the main criterion. In addition, there is no consensus among academics as to what types of equity capital can be singled out by the criterion described. Taking into consideration some proposals of scholars and foreign practice related to ac- counting of equity capital, the author develops a generalized structure of equity capital which is based on the sources of capital formation and includes: invested capital, particularly registered capital (statutory and mandatory share capital), corrective capital (unpaid and withdrawn capital), additional capital (capital received from investors for stock that exceeds the par value of the stock, i.e. additional equity capital); acquired capital (assets received for free, capital formed from revaluation of assets, other capital) and reinvested capital (retained profits (uncovered losses) and surplus reserves). The above equity structure can be used to prepare financial statements in order to increase its informational value. Proposals are given on how to improve methods for accounting of equity capital, in particular accounting of additional capital invested by founders in the account entitled “Non-registered investments of owners”.

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