Comparative Investigation of English and Armenian Compound Patterns

The novel “The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald published in 1925 is one of the timeless classics of world literature which was investigated from different linguistic perspectives. Its vocabulary is abundant in compound words with a variety of morphological, syntactic, semantic peculiarities. In this paper, we aim at studying compound words in “The Great Gatsby” to illustrate their patterns in English and Armenian. We have investigated the compounds from the morphological-categorial point of view, from the perspective of the syntactic relations between their constituent parts. We have also briefly touched upon some of their semantic features. At the same time, a close attention was paid to the different ways in which compound patterns were translated into Armenian. The study of the main target of the paper is based on Sona Seferyan's translation of the novel “The Great Gatsby” into Armenian. A lot of examples of both synthetic (closed) and analytical (juxtaposed) compounds have been picked out. In Armenian within synthetic compounds we differentiate between those with a linking element, e. g. “աշխարհամարտ” (where “ա” is the linking element) and the ones without а linking element, e. g. “արևելք”. We assume that the peculiarities of compounds revealed in this paper will have significance not only for the description of their characteristic features but also for the general typological characterization of the languages under study.

Die frühe voraltsächsische und voraltfriesische Runenüberlieferung

This paper deals with two runic inscriptions that are highly relevant to language history. 1. The runic sequences on the three Weser rune bones, which date to the first half of the 5th century, are not entirely clear. However, West Germanic (Pre-Old Saxon) linguistic features such as gemination by j (kunni ‘kin, clan’) and loss of -a < *-az (hari ‘army’) are obvious. By far the most interesting linguistic form is the preterite deda ‘did’ that reflects PGmc. *-dai (cf. PNorse talgi-dai ‘carved’ on the Nøvling fibula) as opposed to PGmc. *-dǣ(d) (PNorse -da, OHG -ta etc.). Apparently, we are dealing with two distinct endings, *-dai deriving from an PIE middle in *-(t)ó(i̯). 2. The legend ska 2 nomodu (a 2 = ᚪ) on a solidus of unknown provenance (ca. 600) renders the dithematic anthroponym Skānɔmōdǝ̣ (or *Skānɵmōdǝ̣), presumably the name of the moneyer. It seems that medial o stands for [ɔ] or [ɵ], an allophonic variant of the linking element /a/ before a labial consonant; parallels can be found in Old Germanic naming. Two linguistic features, viz. ā < WGmc. au and the nominative ending -ǝ̣ < WGmc. -a < PGmc. *-az, indicate that the language of the inscription is Pre-Old Frisian.

Periphrases in Spanish: properties, diagnostics and research questions

This article provides an overview of the main facts and analytical problems that relate to verbal periphrases. The article is structured as follows. In §1 I provide an overview of the main criteria for being a periphrasis, and the constructions that it should be differentiated from. §2 is devoted to the nature of the auxiliary verb, and its limits with other types of verbs. In §3 I talk about the auxiliated verb, and the linking element that sometimes appears in connection to it. §4 briefly discusses the main structure of a periphrasis, and is followed by a few sections about the syntactic behaviour of these linguistic objects. §5 discusses the behaviour of clitics within periphrases; §6 talks about the selectional restrictions; §7 talks about the behaviour of passives with these structures. §8 discusses the semantic classification of periphrases and some of the research problems that they trigger. §9 talks about sequences of periphrases, and their additional restrictions.

Regional origin affects the interpretation of linking elements in spoken Dutch compounds

In Dutch, the linking element en in compounds is often homophonous with the regular plural suffix -en. Both are pronounced as [ә], [әn] or [ṇ] in different regions of the Netherlands. As a consequence, speakers of standard Dutch may interpret linking en in spoken compounds as a plural marker. The present study investigates whether the regional origin of the participants affects their interpretation of regional speech variants of linking en. In an auditory decision task, speakers from four regions decided if a compound was singular or plural. While all critical compounds required the singular response, reaction times were delayed when the compound contained a linking en: All speech variants of en produced interference for speakers from four regions of the Netherlands. Region North showed the greatest interference compared to the Middle region. Also, region Northeast revealed larger interference effects for linking [ә] and region South for linking [ṇ]. We conclude that a speaker’s regional origin affects interpretation.

From genitive to linking element

<p>In contemporary Faroese, the genitive as verbal and prepositional case has been replaced by the dative or the accusative, e.g. <em>bíða eftir mær </em>‘wait for me-DAT’ or <em>bíða mær </em>‘wait me-DAT’ instead of <em>bíða mín </em>‘wait mine-GEN’, and frequently also <em>til hann </em>‘to him-ACC’ instead of <em>til hansara </em>‘to him-GEN’. Genitive attributes are no longer in use either. In contrast, the system of linking elements in Faroese compounds, originating from the genitive endings, e.g. <em>dag+s+verk </em>‘days work’ (cf. <em>dag-s </em>‘day-GEN.SG.’), is subject to continuous development. In this paper, we first discuss the unproductive status of the genitive case. Against the background of the declining genitive, we will then show how the linking elements dissociate functionally and formally from their inflectional (genitive) source. We argue that the contemporary linking system of Faroese comprises different stages of this development. An important stage of dissociation is the (development of) non-paradigmatic linking elements, i.e. linkers which are not homophonic with any inflectional ending of the noun, e.g. +<em>s</em>+ in <em>úthurð+s+lykil </em>‘outdoor-LE1-key’, but <em>úthurð-ar </em>‘outdoor-GEN.SG.’ The decline of the genitive case has played a decisive role in the recent formal development of the linking system. Our acceptance test with novel and non-sense compounds shows the ongoing formal dissociation of the paradigmatic linker +<em>ar</em>+ into non-paradigmatic +<em>a</em>+, where the latter is used more often in front of obstruents.</p><p>Keywords: historical genitive, linking elements, case loss, compounds, paradigmatic and non-paradigmatic linking elements, syntactic case.</p>

Mar da fertilidade: um mergulho no vazio e no silêncio

This essay intends to analyze how the Buddhist theme of “reincarnation” and the concept of impermanence were used in the work Sea of Fertility, by Yukio Mishima (1925-1970). Besides, it is our intention to prove that the adoption of the Buddhist theme of “reincarnation” as a linking element of each volume of Sea of Fertility deepens the reader into an existential emptiness, both aesthetically and philosophically. Thus, this essay is the experience of a reader, who saw, in a work whose title is Sea of Fertility, paradoxally, an emptiness

Visual Detection in Linked Multi-Component Robotic Systems

In this chapter, a system to identify the different elements of a Linked Multi-Component Robotic System (L-MCRS) is specified, designed, and implemented. A L-MCRS is composed of several independent robots and a linking element between them which provide a greater complexity to these systems. The identification system is used to model each component of the L-MCRS using very basic information about each of the individual components. So, different state models that have been used in several works of the literature that have been reviewed can be covered. The chapter explains the design of the system and shows its frontend. This work is the first step towards a realistic implementation of L-MCRS.

Two languages, two sets of interpretations: Language-specific influences of morphological form on Dutch and English speakers' interpretation of compounds

The present study investigates linguistic relativity. Do form differences between Dutch and English influence the interpretations which speakers have? The Dutch element en in noun-noun compounds, for example in aardbeienjam ‘strawberry jam’ is homophonous and homographic with the regular plural suffix -en. English, in contrast, has no such typical linking elements in compounds. We therefore investigated the interpretation of Dutch modifiers in compounds and their English equivalents. We compared the plurality ratings of Dutch modifiers with and without the linking element en by native Dutch speakers, and the plurality ratings of English modifiers by native Dutch speakers and native English speakers. If the Dutch linking en induces plural meaning, we expected a difference between the plurality ratings by English speakers for English modifiers and by Dutch speakers for Dutch modifiers, such that the estimation of the number of strawberries in strawberry jam is lower for the English speakers than the number of aardbeien in aardbeienjam for the Dutch speakers. This is exactly what we found. Moreover, when native Dutch speakers rate the English equivalents, their interpretation of strawberry jam is the same as for native English speakers, which shows the language being used to influence semantic interpretations.

Dynamic Strength Behaviour of Punch Connections in Shear Cutting Processes

Two basic types of load for the tool active elements can be distinguished for the shear cutting process of sheet metal. For high strength, brittle materials, the stamping punch will be exposed to distinctive oscillating axial dynamic loads as a result of abrupt released potential energy, from the tool active elements, the blanking tool and the stamping press, caused by a sudden cracking of the sheet. In contrast, when shear cutting ductile materials, sheet metal will be drawn into the die clearance and the resulting friction between the punch and the cut surface can cause high forces when pulling the punch out of the hole. When using punches featuring a complex cutting peripheral form, - not available as a standard part - it is necessary to decide between head and shank of the punch manufactured out of one part or a shaft without head, which is usually cheaper and can be manufactured by electro-erosive wire-cutting. In the second case, a linking element must be accepted, transferring the load transmission between shaft and tool. This linking element, realized by a form lock or traction, can be the reason for premature failure of the punch. The two described cases of load, in combination with lacking knowledge of the real load on the link as well as eligibility of different punch linking types for each case of loading, cause unnecessary cost in tool manufacturing by oversizing or punch fracture. For this, solid punches as well as joined punches with dowelled or screwed heads have been compared in systematic tests. Brazed and bonded punch heads have been involved in the test series as cost-efficient alternatives to custom punches. Collaterally, characteristic values have been determined for each type of punch in static and dynamic measurements. Especially impact absorption and stiffness of the connection represent non-destructive measureable values allowing a comparison of stamping punches in terms of their dynamic fatigue limit.