Thesis (Ph. D.)--UCLA, 2008. / Vita. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 271-278).

This thesis reexamines causative constructions found in Marshallese; an Austronesian language spoken in the Republic of the Marshall Islands. Both Bender, Capelle & Pagotto (2016) and Willson (2008) hint that lexical aspect is a necessary predictor of causative behaviors in Marshallese, but offer no explanations. The primary focus of this thesis is to examine lexical aspect's influence on causative derivations. This project shows that Marshallese stative verbs display two distinct causative constructions: stative causatives and causative abstract nouns. The Marshallese causative prefix, ka-, tends to exhibit common crosslinguistic patterns of causative constructions as laid out by Dixon and Aikenvald (2000). However, contra Dixon and Aikenvald's typology, Willson (2008) suggests that the causative prefix in stative causative constructions in Marshallese does not license an additional argument (undergoer). This is argued to be different than non-stative causative constructions. Through data collection from six native Marshallese speakers and further analysis based on lexical aspect features (Van Valin & LaPolla 1997), this thesis provides a refreshed perspective on the morphosyntactic differences of Marshallese causative constructions. The findings confirm that stative causative constructions do license an additional undergoer argument while causative abstract nouns, another causative construction derived from stative verbs, do not. These findings are typologically significant as they showcase the complexity of causative constructions.

The objective of this study was to examine possible correlations between sleep duration and sleep quality on health outcomes in the Marshallese community members in Northwest Arkansas. Little research has been conducted on the association between sleep health and health outcomes in Native Hawaiian Pacific Islanders, and even less so in the Marshallese populations. Using cross sectional date from a cluster randomized controlled trial study (n=374), I will examine whether sleep duration and sleep quality are associated with hypertension, type 2 diabetes, body mass index, and overall self-reported health rating in the Marshallese. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure, HbA1c levels, and height and weight were all measured for hypertension, type II diabetes, and BMI, respectively. General health status was determined by self-reported measures from the National Health and Nutritional Examination survey-derived questions. Sleep duration was categorized as very short sleep (0-4 hours), short sleep (4-7 hours), normal sleep (7-9 hours), and long sleep (9 or more hours). Sleep quality was determined by answers to the question: “Over the last two weeks, how many days have you had trouble sleeping or staying asleep?” For the continuous dependent variables (BMI, blood pressure, and HbA1c), median and interquartile range values were examined. For non-continuous variable (general health outcomes), the Spearman Correlation Coefficient was examined to determine association. Statistically significant associations were found between sleep duration and diastolic blood pressure and HbA1c, and sleep quality and general health. These associations among the Marshallese provide foundation for further longitudinal and intervention research on health disparities in Marshallese residents of the United States.

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2006 / Pacific Islands Studies

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2010 / Pacific Islands Studies

The U.S. Marshallese population is one of the fastest growing Pacific Islander populations in the United States. The purpose of this study was to identify how U.S. Marshallese students could be empowered and engaged in their learning through clearly identified indicators that educators could apply within their classrooms and schools. The indicators have been established on a historical, cultural, and linked perceptions of student learning as identified by U.S. Marshallese students and teachers. Pacific Islanders consisted of a variety of populations with varying cultures and ethnic diversity. This study has been conducted using a postpositivism worldview, Marshallese migration is not a limited phenomenon of displacement, but a migratory change that must be embraced by communities and educators. Educators must understand how to empower and engage U.S. Marshallese students in their learning. This study was designed utilizing an interpretative descriptive naturalistic ethnography qualitative research design with middle school students and teachers to gather qualitative data from U.S. Marshallese students that will lead to a contextual understanding of empowering and engaging U.S. Marshallese students in their learning. The findings of this qualitative research study can be applied by educators to empower and engage U.S. Marshallese students in their learning on a daily basis in schools and classrooms. Culture understanding, positive relationship building, and the design of culturally connected intrinsically student motivated learning activities is the foundation and critical component of empowering and engaging U.S. Marshallese students in school and classrooms for improved student learning.