Speaking through the voice of another is a practice-based PhD that employs art practice to interrogate translation (as a textual and verbal practice). It uses linguistic translation as both the subject and the method to make multimedia artworks (text, sound, performance and events) that examine and analyse the translation process itself. The research has been conducted from my own subjective position, as an artist and monolingual speaker (a translation user rather than translation professional), investigating translation as a dialogic, subjective, embodied and performative phenomena. It adopts a self-reflexive methodology that places equal value in theoretical and experiential knowledge and proposes that an artist-led inquiry challenges assumptions, translation protocols, conventions and normative behaviour. The artists and artworks discussed in the thesis examine the translators /translation s agency and its linguistic performativity; exploiting it s creative potential as an artistic process/medium and amplifying its pivotal role within the expanding global art world. This transdisciplinary approach has resulted in the creation of translation zones - works and events devised to engage monolingual and multilingual individuals, professional translators, practitioners and public(s) in the process of translation - that offer an alternative perspective on translation (to research carried out within Translation Studies). Consequently, generating new knowledge that contributes to our understanding of translation and art and beyond both disciplines, creating a new transdisciplinary genre of art-and-translation. The artworks are an integral part of the thesis submission; samples and documentation of these are accessible within the full interactive PDF ersion. The layout of the thesis has been specifically designed to ease communication of the research, it uses various visual cues to distinguish between different types of information and to demonstrate my research praxis; the continual movement between theory and practice.

A fuzzy set is one in which membership in a category is not Boolean, rather items have a degree of membership. Fuzzy databases expand on this idea by storing fuzzy data and allowing data to be retrieved based on its degree of membership. Determining the degree of membership that satisfies the largest number of users is difficult. Five different methods of determining the membership function: the Direct Rating Method, the Random Method with step sizes of .02 and .03, the Steplock Method, and the Weighted Average Method, were compared on the basis of convergence and user satisfaction. The results support use of the Direct Rating Method and the Steplock Method in conjunction with each other, to produce the membership function in the least time and with the highest user satisfaction.

Two studies were conducted to investigate how the use of different types of language affects attitudes. Participants scrutinized arguments supporting a hypothetical toothpaste that differed in terms of argument strength (strong versus weak) and linguistic abstractness (abstract versus concrete) and subsequently evaluated the toothpaste. In addition, half of the participants in the second study were subjected to a cognitive load manipulation (i.e., rehearsing a ten-digit number) in order to limit their level of cognitive elaboration. Results indicated that strong arguments and those containing concrete descriptions led to more positive attitudes about the toothpaste, whereas weak messages comprised of abstract terms gave rise to the least favorable evaluations. These findings represent the first demonstration of the effect of language type on attitudes and suggest that future research into the functions of differential linguistic abstractness in a persuasive context will broaden our understanding of attitude change.

Le domaine médical dispose aujourd'hui d'un très grand volume de documents électroniques permettant ainsi la recherche d’une information médicale quelconque. Cependant, l'exploitation de cette grande quantité de données rend la recherche d’une information précise complexe et coûteuse en termes de temps. Cette difficulté a motivé le développement de nouveaux outils de recherche adaptés, comme les systèmes de question-réponse. En effet, ce type de système permet à un utilisateur de poser une question en langage naturel et de retourner une réponse précise à sa requête au lieu d'un ensemble de documents jugés pertinents, comme c'est le cas des moteurs de recherche. Les questions soumises à un système de question-réponse portent généralement sur un type d’objet ou sur une relation entre objets. Dans le cas d’une question telle que « Qui a découvert l’Amérique ? » par exemple, l’objet de la question est une personne. Dans des domaines plus spécifiques, tel que le domaine médical, les types rencontrés sont eux-mêmes plus spécifiques. La question « Comment rechercher l'hématurie ? » appelle ainsi une réponse de type examen médical. L'objectif de ce travail est de mettre en place un système de question-réponse pour des médecins généralistes portant sur les bonnes pratiques médicales. Ce système permettra au médecin de consulter une base de connaissances lorsqu'il se trouve en consultation avec un patient. Ainsi, dans ce travail, nous présentons une stratégie de recherche adaptée au domaine médical. Plus précisément, nous exposerons une méthode pour l’analyse des questions médicales et l’approche adoptée pour trouver une réponse à une question posée. Cette approche consiste à rechercher en premier lieu une réponse dans une ontologie médicale construite à partir de essources sémantiques disponibles pour la spécialité. Si la réponse n’est pas trouvée, le système applique des patrons linguistiques appris automatiquement pour repérer la réponse recherchée dans une collection de documents candidats. L’intérêt de notre approche a été illustré au travers du système de question-réponse « Esculape » qui a fait l’objet d’une évaluation montrant que la prise en compte explicite de connaissances médicales permet d’améliorer les résultats des différents modules du processus de traitement / The medical domain has currently a very high volume of electronic documents facilitating the search of any medical information. However, the exploitation of this large quantity of data makes the search of specific information complex and time consuming. This difficulty has prompted the development of new adapted research tools, as question-answering systems. Indeed, this type of system allows a user to ask a question in natural language and send a specific answer to its request instead of a set of documents deemed pertinent, as is the case with search engines. The questions submitted to a question-answering system concern generally a type of object or a relationship between objects. In the case of a question such as “Who discovered America?” the object of question is a person. In more specific areas, such as the medical domain, the types are themselves more specific. The question “How to Search the hematuria?” waiting for an answer type medical examination. This dissertation studies the development of a question-answering system for physicians on good medical practices. This system will allow the doctor to consult a knowledge base when he is in consultation with a patient. Thus, we present an adapted research strategy to medical domain. Specifically, we will present a method for analyzing medical questions and the approach to find an answer to a submitted question. This approach consists to find an answer first in a medical ontology built from semantic resources available for the domain. If the answer is not found, the system applies linguistic patterns learned automatically to identify the answer in a collection of documents. The interest of our approach has been illustrated through the question answering system “Esculape” which has been the subject of an evaluation showing that the incorporation of explicit medical knowledge can improves the results of the different modules of the treatment processes

Cette thèse se situe dans le cadre de la recherche sur les emprunts en général et les anglicismes en particulier. A l’aide d’un corpus constitué d’extraits d’un magazine économique et commercial, a été analysé le processus d’intégration discursive des anglicismes en allemand. Nous avons dégagé deux phases d’intégration. Il existe tout d’abord une phase néologique d’intégration des anglicismes, phase durant laquelle le scripteur prend conscience de l’altérité du vocable utilisé, ce qu’il marque de différentes façons. Cette phase peut se prolonger lorsque les anglicismes sont techniques : l’altérité du code est doublée par l’altérité de la référence, et leur caractère anglo-saxon importe alors peu. Nous avons analysé et établi une typologie de ces marqueurs d’altérité. Dans un second temps, nous partons de la constatation selon laquelle, une fois l’intégration discursive achevée, l’anglicisme va mener sa vie sémantique propre en allemand, ce qui a systématiquement des conséquences plus ou moins importantes sur le lexique endogène. / This thesis is part of research on linguistic borrowing in general and anglicisms in particular. Using a corpus of extracts from an economic magazine, we analyzed the integration of anglicisms into German language. We identified two phases of integration. First, there is a neological integration phase, during which the writer is aware of the foreign character of the term used: therefore, he marks it in different ways. This phase can be longer for technical terms: in this case the foreign character of the code is reinforced by the foreign character of the reference, therefore the English origin of the word is not that important. We analyzed these neology marks in speech and built a typology of them. Secondly, we started from the observation that once the integration in speech is completed, anglicisms will lead their own semantic life in German language, which can have more or less impact on German vocabulary.

The diploma thesis offers a philological analysis of František Vrba's translation into Czech of The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer. The paper is composed of three major parts: "Theoretical background", "Hypothesis and Method", and "Analysis". The analysis addresses matters of lexical, syntactic, stylistic, metrical and cultural nature. The analysis focuses on The Knight's Tale, The Miller's Tale, The Nun's Priest's Tale and The Wife of Bath's Tale as convenient manifestations of stylistic variation, cross-generic links and structural correspondences and contrasts in The Canterbury Tales. The aim of this thesis is to analyze and evaluate the quality of František Vrba's Czech translation.

The aim of the thesis is to analyse the interjections in Spanish and Czech with regard to Catalan. The thesis consists of two parts - theoretical and practical. The theoretical one is focused on the definition of interjections form the grammatical point of view; moreover, it describes the distinction between proper and improper interjections. Subsequently, it goes through the role of interjections in the field of pragmatics, especially in terms of interpretation of the utterance and expression of its modal meanings. According to the predominant function, they are classified into mainly three categories - expressive, apellative and phatic. The practical part is focused on analysing some of the most important Spanish proper interjections: eh, ah, oh, ay, bah, uy, ja, zas, pum, hum and uf and their Catalan equivalent eh, ah, oh, ai, bah, ui, ha ha, zas (or xac), pum, hum and uf. The analysis is based on the linguistic corpus InterCorp. The most important part of the practical part are Spanish interjections and their Czech equivalents, while the Catalan ones are considered complementary. Key words: interjections - Spanish - Czech - Catalan - modality - pragmatics - linguistic corpus

L’objectif général de la thèse est d’examiner le rôle de l’utilisation du langage dans la perpétuation des biais intergroupes. Plus spécifiquement, il s’agit d’étudier les conséquences du Biais Linguistique Intergroupe (Linguistic Intergroup Bias, LIB,Maass, Salvi, Arcuri, & Semin, 1989). Le LIB est une manifestation subtile du biais de favoritisme endogroupe au niveau langagier. Ce biais se traduit par l’utilisation préférentielle de termes abstraits, i.e. des adjectifs, pour décrire les comportements positifs des membres de l’endogroupe et négatifs des membres de l’exogroupe, et à l’inverse par l’utilisation de termes concrets, i.e. des verbes d’action, pour décrire les comportements négatifs des membres de l’endogroupe et positifs des membres de l’exogroupe. Il est généralement admis que le LIB participe au maintien et à latransmission des croyances sur les groupes (Wigboldus & Douglas, 2007), cependant les processus sous-jacents restent relativement peu étudiés. Cette thèse propose une approche normative des conséquences du LIB, en examinant l’évaluation de l’usage de l’abstraction linguistique en contexte intergroupe. Le programme de recherche se décline en huit études. Trois études portent sur les liens entre usage de l’abstraction linguistique et évaluation des biais du locuteurà l’égard du groupe décrit. Quatre études examinent ensuite les liens entre utilisation de l’abstraction et évaluation de la valeur du locuteur en tant que membre de son groupe. Enfin, la dernière étude porte sur les conséquences des réactions sociales envers l’utilisation du LIB sur la perception des normes et sur l’expression explicite des biais intergroupes. Globalement, les résultats soutiennent l’idée que l’usage de l’abstraction linguistique en contexte intergroupe, et donc leLIB, peut faire l’objet de régulations normatives. Les implications pour le rôle du LIB dans la perpétuation des biais intergroupes sont discutées / The general aim of this thesis is to examine the role of language use into the perpetuation of intergroup bias. More precisely,we investigate the consequences of the Linguistict Intergroup Bias (LIB, Maass, Salvi, Arcuri, & Semin, 1989). The LIB is a subtle expression of ingroup bias at a linguistic level. The LIB refers to the tendency to use preferentially abstracts terms, i.e. adjectives, to describe positive ingroup and negative outgroup behaviors, and in contrast to use concrete terms, i.e. action verbs, to describe negative ingroup and positive outgroup behaviors. The LIB is widely accepted as playing a role in the transmission and the maintenance of beliefs about groups (Wigboldus & Douglas, 2007), however little is known about the underlying processes. This thesis develops a normative approach of the consequences of the LIB, by examining theevaluation of the use of linguistic abstraction in intergroup context. The research program is divided in eight studies. Three studies focuses on the relationships between the use of linguistic abstraction and the evaluation of the speaker’s bias toward the group being described. Four studies examine the relationships between the use of linguistic abstraction and the evaluation of the speaker’s value as a group member. Finally, the last study focuses on the consequences of social reactions toward the use of the LIB on the perception of norms and on the explicit expression of intergroup bias. In general, our results indicate that the use of linguistic abstraction, and therefore the LIB, may be subject to normative regulations. The implications for the role of the LIB into the perpetuation of intergroup bias are discussed

This practice based PhD project investigates the language ideologies which surround the specific multilingual context of rural primary education in Zambia. The project comprises of a creative documentary film and a complementary written submission. The fieldwork and filming of the project took place over 12 months between September 2011 and August 2012 in the community of Lwimba, in Chongwe District, Zambia. The project focuses on the experiences of a single grade one class, their teacher, and the surrounding community of Lwimba. The majority of the school children speak the community language of Soli. The regional lingua franca, and language of the teacher, however, is Nyanja, and the students must also learn Zambia’s only official language, English. At the centre of the project is a research inquiry focusing on the language ideologies which surround each of these languages, both within the classroom and the wider rural community. The project also simultaneously aims to investigate and reflect on the capacity of creative documentary film to engage with linguistic anthropological research. The film at the centre of the project presents a portrait of Annie, a young, urban teacher of the community’s grade one class, as well as three students and their families. Through the narrativised experiences of the teacher and children, it aims to highlight the linguistic ideologies present within the language events and practices in and around the classroom, as well as calling attention to their intersection with themes of linguistic modernity, multilingualism, and language capital. The project’s written submission is separated into three major chapters separated into the themes of narrative, value and text respectively. Each chapter will focus on subjects related to both the research inquiry and the project’s documentary film methodology. Chapter one outlines the intersection of political-historical narratives of nationhood and language that surround the project, and reflects on the practice of internal narrative construction within documentary film. Chapter two firstly focuses on the language valuations within the institutional setting of the classroom and the wider community, and secondly proposes a two-phase perspective of evaluation and value creation as a means to examine the practice of editing within documentary film making. Chapter three addresses the theme of text through discussing the role of literacy acquisition and use in the classroom and community, as well as analysing and reflecting on the practice of translation and subtitle creation within the project.

Il est couramment admis aujourd’hui que le stage en entreprise est essentiel à la formation, fut-elle universitaire. Peu de travaux pourtant se sont intéressés à la manière dont le stage contribue à la professionnalisation et au développement et à la formation des élèves et étudiants. La thèse réalisée dans le cadre de l’Ecole des Mines de St Etienne cherche à explorer en quoi le stage en entreprise pour des élèves en formation d’ingénieurs pouvait être facteur de développement Appuyé sur une perspective socio-constructiviste, et sur la théorie de l’activité issue des approches vygotskienne la thèse s’intéresse à la manière dont les instruments langagiers structurent la pratique du stage, permettent la réflexivité et la mise en visibilité des contradictions des systèmes d’activité entre l’entreprise et l’Ecole et à l’intérieur même de l’Ecole.L’approche théorique permet de définir les hypothèses suivantes :- Le stage est intégré à un dispositif de formation, organisé en lien avec les règles de la communauté constituée par les instances qui valident la formation. Ce dispositif s’imprègne de l’histoire du métier dans laquelle il s’inscrit. - Le stage est un élément de socialisation par les instruments parce qu’il permet à l’élève de s’inscrire dans un genre partagé, avec une acceptation de règles du jeu autour de la construction de son identité professionnelle, vers le métier d’ingénieur. Le dispositif de formation propose à l’élève un appareil de conversation qui lui permet de modifier et de reconstruire la réalité subjective et lui fournit une nouvelle identité professionnelle. Le rapport et la soutenance sont des instances proposées à l’élève pour discuter du genre découvert pendant le stage.- L’élève, lorsqu’il restitue son expérience en entreprise, se situe à l’intersection de plusieurs systèmes d’activité : le sien, celui de l’entreprise qui l’a accueilli en stage et celui du tuteur enseignant qui va valider cette expérience pour sa formation. Nous caractérisons donc en quoi le dispositif proposé par la formation permet la réflexivité avec la mise en visibilité des contradictions vécues et éventuellement leur dépassement. Nous regardons ensuite comment le rapport et la soutenance portent les traces de cette réflexion.A partir d’une analyse de l’historique des formations des ingénieurs nous cherchons à comprendre les logiques de formation et l’évolution de la place laissée aux stages. Une analyse du prescrit des stages est réalisé à travers les documents de l’Ecole d’ingénieurs. Questionnaires et entretiens permettent de saisir les représentations du stage par le Directeur et une promotion d’élèves. Puis deux études de cas appuyées sur l’étude des rapports et des soutenances de deux élèves et d’entretiens avec leurs tuteurs sont réalisées. L’analyse des données recueillies a montré que le stage en entreprise, pour fonctionner, se situe dans différents systèmes d’activité. Le système de formation qui prescrit le stage est pris dans des logiques dépendantes de celles des instances prescriptives du métier d’ingénieurs : les entreprises et leurs évolutions, les politiques d’enseignement, la CTI, le CEFI… A une autre échelle, dans la formation d’ingénieurs observée, les systèmes d’activité interpellés pour ce stage sont notamment ceux de l’Ecole, de l’entreprise, de l’élève, de l’enseignement, de la recherche. Enfin à l’échelle de deux élèves, nous avons pointé les convergences et les contradictions qui existent entre le système d’activité d’un élève, celui de son tuteur-enseignant, celui de l’entreprise, et celui de la recherche. / It is widely acknowledged today that the industrial placement is essential to academic study, even at university. However, few works have focused on the way in which the placement contributes to professional experience, the development and training of the students. The thesis undertaken at the Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Mines in Saint-Etienne (Graduate School of engineering) investigates to what extent the industrial placement could be a factor in the development of engineering students. Based on a socio-constructivist perspective and on the activity theory developed by Vygotsky’s approach, the thesis looks at the way in which the linguistic instruments structure the industrial placement itself, allowing a degree of reflexiveness and bringing to light contradictions in the activity systems between the company and the School as well as within the School itself.The theoretical approach allows us to establish the following hypotheses:- The industrial placement is integrated into a method of training that is set up in line with the rules of the community consisting of the authorities who validate the training. This methodology is embedded in the history of the profession. - The industrial placement is a way of socialising using the instruments because it allows the student to join a shared environment and to accept a set of rules around building a professional identity towards the engineering profession. The industrial placement gives the student a mechanism for conversation which allows him to modify and reconstruct the subjective reality, giving him a new professional identity. The written report and the viva voice are opportunities for the student to discuss the learning from the placement.- When the student presents his experience within the company, he is situated at the intersection of several activity systems: his own, that of the company at which he worked and that of the teacher who is going to validate this experience for his training, the engineering curriculum. We therefore characterise how the method proposed by the curriculum allows a level of reflexiveness and increased visibility of the contradictions experienced and how they can be overcome. We then look at to what extent these reflexions are contained within the written report and the viva voice..From an analysis of the history of engineering studies, we aim to understand the educational logic and the evolution of the industrial placement. An analysis of prescribed training courses is undertaken through the documents from the Engineering school. Questionnaires and interviews allow information about the placement to be recorded by the director of studies and of the students of the class of 2006 have on the placement. Then two case studies are undertaken based on the analysis of two students’ written reports and viva voices as well as interviews with their teachers.The data analysis showed that in order to work, a placement must be located in a variety of activity systems. The academic system which prescribes the placement is taken from the logic dependent on that of the authorities prescriptive to the engineering profession: companies and how they evolve, the politics of education, the CTI, the CEFI … On another scale, in the engineering curriculum that was observed, the activity systems questioned for this training course are those of the School, the company, the student, education and research. Finally, for the two students, we pointed out the convergences and the contradictions which exist between the activity system of a student, that of his teacher, that of the company, and that of the research.