Lexical inferencing is considered a listening strategy that is commonly employed by advanced EFL (English as a Foreign Language) listeners and a factor that contributes to successful listening comprehension. However, investigations of the factors that influence inferencing success in listening as well as how much each factor contributes to success are scant, as more studies have been conducted exploring lexical inferencing in reading. In addition, even though idiomatic expressions such as smell a rat, jump the gun, and go cold turkey are ubiquitous in the English language, especially in oral communication, and they are considered crucial in both first language (L1) and second language (L2) acquisition, little is known about the effectiveness of inferencing strategies where idiomatic expressions are concerned.Three goals motivated the current study. The first goal was to investigate whether inferencing is an effective strategy in the case where the target item is an idiomatic expression. The second goal was to investigate how four person-level factors, familiarity, listening proficiency, listening vocabulary size and working memory, two sentence-level factors, lexical density and sentence length, and two lexical-level factors, L1–L2 congruency and semantic transparency, influence the inferencing success of English idiomatic expressions in listening. The third goal, related to the second goal, was to determine which of the two lexical component factors, L1–L2 congruency and semantic transparency, is more important to inferencing success. A mixed methods design, the explanatory sequential design (Creswell & Plano Clark, 2018), was employed in this study. Quantitative data were collected from 89 EFL Japanese university students using a Listening Vocabulary Levels Test, a Listening Span Test, and an Idiom Inferencing Elicitation Task. The collected data were examined using mixed-effects logistic regression. Twelve participants were invited to participate in follow-up interviews based on their response patterns on the Idiom Inferencing Elicitation Task. The quantitative results indicated that familiarity, listening comprehension skills, working memory, and L1–L2 congruency were significant factors influencing inferencing success and the qualitative results supported these findings. In addition, the qualitative analyses suggested that depth of vocabulary is another potentially important factor. Furthermore, listening comprehension moderated the L1–L2 congruency effect. The finding that semantic transparency is not an influential factor in successful inferencing of unfamiliar idiomatic expressions provides evidence that the semantic transparency of known idiomatic expressions formed after learners acquire the meaning of the expression is a different construct from the perceived semantic transparency of unfamiliar idiomatic expressions. In addition, even though the sentence-level factors were not statistically significant in successful idiom inferencing in this study, further studies are required in order to see if this result holds true when the characteristics of the listening tasks differ from those of the task used in this study. It is hoped that the findings provide insights into how to help Japanese university EFL learners improve their listening skills, especially in tasks that include unfamiliar idiomatic expressions. / Teaching & Learning

The purpose of this research was to enhance the methods towards the development of an efficient three dimensional face recognition system. More specifically, one of our aims was to investigate how the use of curvature of the diagonal profiles, extracted from 3D facial geometry models can help the neutral face recognition processes. Another aim was to use a gender classifier employed on 3D facial geometry in order to reduce the search space of the database on which facial recognition is performed. 3D facial geometry with facial expression possesses considerable challenges when it comes face recognition as identified by the communities involved in face recognition research. Thus, one aim of this study was to investigate the effects of the curvature-based method in face recognition under expression variations. Another aim was to develop techniques that can discriminate both expression-sensitive and expression-insensitive regions for ii face recognition based on non-neutral face geometry models. In the case of neutral face recognition, we developed a gender classification method using support vector machines based on the measurements of area and volume of selected regions of the face. This method reduced the search range of a database initially for a given image and hence reduces the computational time. Subsequently, in the characterisation of the face images, a minimum feature set of diagonal profiles, which we call T shape profiles, containing diacritic information were determined and extracted to characterise face models. We then used a method based on computing curvatures of selected facial regions to describe this feature set. In addition to the neutral face recognition, to solve the problem arising from data with facial expressions, initially, the curvature-based T shape profiles were employed and investigated for this purpose. For this purpose, the feature sets of the expression-invariant and expression-variant regions were determined respectively and described by geodesic distances and Euclidean distances. By using regression models the correlations between expressions and neutral feature sets were identified. This enabled us to discriminate expression-variant features and there was a gain in face recognition rate. The results of the study have indicated that our proposed curvature-based recognition, 3D gender classification of facial geometry and analysis of facial expressions, was capable of undertaking face recognition using a minimum set of features improving efficiency and computation.

This thesis discusses a novel method for modelling facial action units. It presents facial action units model based on boundary value problems for accurate representation of human facial expression in three-dimensions. In particular, a solution to a fourth order elliptic Partial Differential Equation (PDE) subject to suitable boundary conditions is utilized, where the chosen boundary curves are based on muscles movement defined by Facial Action Coding System (FACS). This study involved three stages: modelling faces, manipulating faces and application to simple facial animation. In the first stage, PDE method is used in modelling and generating a smooth 3D face. The PDE formulation using small sets of parameters contributes to the efficiency of human face representation. In the manipulation stage, a generic PDE face of neutral expression is manipulated to a face with expression using PDE descriptors that uniquely represents an action unit. A combination of the PDE descriptor results in a generic PDE face having an expression, which successfully modelled four basic expressions: happy, sad, fear and disgust. An example of application is given using simple animation technique called blendshapes. This technique uses generic PDE face in animating basic expressions. / Ministry of Higher Education, Malaysia and Universiti Malaysia Terengganu

Many industrial control systems use programmable logic controllers (PLCs) since they provide a highly reliable, off-the-shelf hardware platform. On the programming side, function blocks (FBs) are reusable PLC components that can be composed to implement the required system behaviour. A higher quality system may be realized if the FBs are pre-certified to be compliant with an international standard such as IEC 61131-3. Unfortunately, the set of programming notations defined in IEC 61131-3 lack well-defined formal semantics. As a result, tool vendors and users of PLCs may have inconsistent interpretations of the expected system behaviour. To address this issue, we propose an engineering method for formally verifying the conformance of candidate implementations of FBs (and their compositions) to their high-level, input-output requirements. The proposed method is sufficiently general to handle FBs supplied by IEC 61131-3, and industrial FB applications involving real-time requirements. Our method involves several steps. First, we use tabular expressions to ensure the completeness and disjointness of the requirements for the FB. Second, we formalize the candidate implementation(s) of the FB in question. Third, we state and prove theorems regarding the consistency and correctness of the FB. All three steps are performed using the Prototype Verification Systems (PVS) proof assistant. As a first case study, we apply our approach to the IEC 61131-3 standard to examine the entire library of FBs and their supplied implementations described in structured text (ST) and function block diagrams (FBDs). As a second case study, we apply our approach to two realistic sub-systems taken from the nuclear domain. Applying the proposed method, we identified three kinds of issues: ambiguous behavioural descriptions, missing assumptions, and erroneous implementations. Furthermore, we suggest solutions to these issues. / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) / A formal verification approach for the function block based control systems

Tillväxten av sociala medier är väletablerad, idag kommunicerar vi inte bara ansikte mot ansikte, utan även via våra sociala medier. Målet med studien är att öka förståelsen för hur interaktion i kommentarsfält kan skilja sig åt mellan två plattformar kan kunskapen om plattformsdialekter öka. En medvetenhet kring teorin om plattformsdialekten är viktigt för företag som vill nå ut med sin reklam till specifika målgrupper på specifika plattformar. Denna studie tillämpar en tematisk analys för att identifiera olika språkliga uttryck i kommentarsfälten för ett visst inlägg på Facebook samt Tiktok. Resultaten indikerar att det finns skillnader i de språkliga uttrycken mellan plattformarna. Facebook tenderar att vara en plattform där dialekten är mer formell och argumenterande. Dialekten på Tiktok tenderar att vara informell och språket mer koncist, med mer förkortningar. Gemensamt för båda plattformarna är att användare förstärker budskap i kommentarer. Detta görs på Tiktok genom versaler samt längre ord och på Facebook genom stora skiljetecken och emojis. Eftersom studien bygger på en kvalitativ analys och är begränsad i sin omfattning, kommer resultaten såväl somslutsatserna inte vara generaliserande. Däremot kan studien användas som en referens för hur språkliga uttryck på Facebook och Tiktok kan se ut, vilket kan användas för vidare forskning som berör plattformsdialekter. / The growth of social media is well established, today we communicate not only face-toface, but also through our social media platforms. The aim with the study is to increase the knowledge of “platform vernacular” by enhancing the understanding of how interaction in comment fields can differ between two platforms. Awareness of the theory of platform vernacular is important for companies aiming to reach out with their advertising to specific target groups on certain platforms. This study applies a thematic analysis to identify different linguistic expressions in the comment fields of a given post on Facebook and Tiktok. The results indicates that there are differences in linguistic expressions between the platforms. Facebook tends to be a platform where the dialect is more formal and argumentative. The dialect on Tiktok tends to be more informal andthe language more concise, with more abbreviations. The two platforms have in common that users amplify messages in their comments. This is done on Tiktok through capitalization and extended words and on Facebook through large punctuation marks and emojis. As the study is based on a qualitative analysis and limited in its scope, the results as well as the conclusions will not be generalized. However, the study can be used to provide a reference for how linguistic expressions on Facebook and Tiktok may appear which can be used for further research concerning platform vernacular.

This analysis of material from two of metal band Bring Me the Horizon’s music albums aims to investigate religious expressions and references, how the band’s view on religion can be interpreted from that, and to what extent it can be seen as expressions of the band’s religiosity. The perspective of the analysis stands in relation to theories on post secularity, and the method used is content analysis which mainly functions to interpret meaning. The results show that the theory of post secularity leading to people expressing their (religious) thoughts and feelings in alternative ways seems to make sense. The band's art can be understood as a field where both the artists and fans (regardless of religious orientation) can express their emotions and reflect on religion or other topics in relation to religion. Religion constitutes both theme and object for critique in the song lyrics. Apart from that it could also be the product of the songwriter’s processing of his own religiosity and the lyrics could therefore be an expression of that. The songwriter’s critique against religion seems to be sparking his willingness to use it for his art while, consequently, when he becomes less critical he seems to write less about religion. The two albums partly cover different topics (the earlier seems to be more religiously oriented and the later more politically oriented) though both include the topic of bad mental health which is being discussed in parallel to religious expressions and references. The shift of focus between the albums seems to be due to both global changes and the songwriter’s personal experiences.

This collection acts as the supporting evidence of the hypothesis that, while acting as Graduate Director of SIU’s Digital Xpressions Lab, Matthew Gordon was able to successfully provide effective support for the digital expression of collaborator’s and client's domains of knowledge while forming innovative research partnerships with academics within the SIU system and beyond. A unique form for a MFA in Creative Writing’s thesis, this collection represents the multimodal creative work a contemporary narrative designer can undertake in a single academic year when given the ability to lead a facility like Southern Illinois University’s Digital Xpressions Lab. Qualitative evidence in the form of Digital Xpressions Lab Collaborator Statements and quantitative evidence in the form of media exemplifying multimodal creative work are collected herein. Sections begin with brief descriptions of their topics as they pertain to Matthew Gordon’s thesis objectives while acting as the Graduate Director of SIU’s Digital Xpressions Lab from fall 2022 - spring 2023. A selection of supporting media from Matthew’s full portfolio has been included in sections where relevant.

No / In this paper we discuss a novel method of mathematically modelling facial action units for accurate representation of human facial expressions in 3- dimensions. Our method utilizes the approach of Facial Action Coding System (FACS). It is based on a boundary-value approach, which utilizes a solution to a fourth order elliptic Partial Differential Equation (PDE) subject to a suitable set of boundary conditions. Here the PDE surface generation method for human facial expressions is utilized in order to generate a wide variety of facial expressions in an efficient and realistic way. For this purpose, we identify a set of boundary curves corresponding to the key features of the face which in turn define a given facial expression in 3-dimensions. The action units (AUs) relating to the FACS are then efficiently represented in terms of Fourier coefficients relating to the boundary curves which enables us to store both the face and the facial expressions in an efficient way.

No description available.

<p>En écrivant La Trilogie de Barrytown l’auteur, Roddy Doyle, a choisi d’utiliser le parler des gens de Dublin, en Irlande. Par conséquent les histoires sont pleines de caractéristiques du vernaculaire comme, par exemple, des expressions familières, de l’argot et des termes culturels. Nous faisons un examen du langage de Doyle et les défis spécifiques qu’il pose pour les traducteurs afin d’analyser leurs méthodes. Nous faisons appel à la capacité du traducteur à interpréter le sens de l’original et à sa créativité pour le rendre dans la langue cible. Nous étudions l’aspect lanagier et l’aspect culturel des traductions. Une interview avec l’un des traducteurs, Bernard Cohen, nous donne plus d’information sur le processus de traduction et le rôle que les traducteurs jouent dans le monde de la traductologie (l’étude de la traduction) aujourd’hui.</p> / Master of Arts (MA)