Video games offer a liberating, virtual-community building and meaning-making out-of-body experience for those that wholeheartedly engage in them. The lore and backstory of some of the most popular games (League of Legends, Kingdom Hearts, and World of Warcraft) are heavily influenced by all types of religion. In addition, and contrary to popular perception, a growing number of video games offer a global medium for instilling positive morals in society. As a result, video games become a religious placeholder or pseudo-religion for many of the most devoted gamers, because they offer many of the same experiences that religions do. This can be a potential explanation as to why organized religion is on the downswing in America.

This study used content analysis to investigate the development of the concept of variables in middle grades mathematics textbooks during four eras of mathematics education in the United States (New Math, Back to Basics, Problem Solving, and the NCTM Standards era: 1957 – 2009). It also examined the nature of support that the curricula provide for teachers to enact variables ideas in the classroom. Findings revealed that each of the middle grades mathematics curricula examined used variables, but in varied proportions and levels of complexity. Formal definitions for variables were found in 11 of the 12 students’ editions examined. The characteristics of the definitions for variables found in the different curricula were, however, different from one another. The uses of variables as placeholders and as labels dominated the uses of variables in the mathematics curricula. The least used category of variables was as an abstract symbol. When examined in terms of the content areas, the use of variables as placeholders dominated Number and Operations, and Algebra contents. In Geometry, Measurement, and Data Analysis and Probability content areas, the use of variables as labels was predominant. Overall, the data did not reveal any systematic or drastic change in the treatment of variable ideas during the 50 year period within which this study is situated. There was however, a steady increase in the use of variables as varying quantities across grade levels, and the four eras of mathematics education in the United States. There were also some noticeable changes in the treatment of variable ideas found in Math Connects curriculum when compared to the treatment in the other three curricula. The data collected also supported the evidence of guidance provided to teachers in the respective curricula to enact variable ideas in the classroom. However, the amount of guidance identified was limited in the majority of the curricula. Limitations of the study, implications for curriculum and teacher development, as well as recommendations for future research are also presented.

В магистерской диссертации предложена классификация основных сфер и трудностей локализации и перевода видеоигр с английского на русский язык. Актуальность темы заключается в необходимости выработки теоретических и практических стандартов по локализации и переводу видеоигр в России ввиду повышения интереса к ним среди российского населения. Объектом исследования является видеоигра как аудиовизуальное произведение. Предметом исследования является процесс локализации видеоигр в языковой паре английский-русский. Методологической основой исследования являются работы А.Эссер и Х. Готтлиеба, а также материалы действующего американского и европейского стандарта по локализации видеоигр, разработанные Международной ассоциацией разработчиков игр (International Game Developers Association). Теоретическая значимость данной работы заключается в том, что в ней была проведена систематизация теоретических знаний по вопросу особенностей видеоигр, видеоигровой локализации и перевода видеоигр, было уточнено соотношение между терминами «перевод» и «локализация» в отношении российской игровой индустрии. Кроме того, была дана расширенная классификация основных областей перевода видеоигры и трудностей, которые может встретить переводчик при осуществлении локализации видеоигры. Данная работа представляет собой практическую значимость для переводчиков, работающих или планирующих начало карьеры в сфере перевода видеоигр и видеоигрового контента, так как в данной работе приводятся основные сложности локализации видеоигры, а также даются советы по их разрешению, поэтому данная работа может использоваться в качестве пособия для осуществления локализации и перевода видеоигр. Основное содержание диссертации раскрывается в главах: «Видеоигры: дихотомия видеоигровой продукции, видеоигра как продукт и как произведение», «Локализация видеоигр, ее разновидности и стандартный процесс», «Стандартные области локализации видеоигр, определение основных трудностей при их переводе и советы по предотвращению переводческих ошибок». В заключение даются выводы, полученные в ходе исследования. Приложение включает в себя глоссарий использованных в работе терминов. / This thesis proposes classification of main spheres and issues of localization and translation of videogames from English into Russian. This topic is relevant due to the fact that videogames grow more popular with Russian audiences, which prompts the need for the development of theoretical and practical standards of localization and translation of videogames. The object of this research is the notion of a videogame as an audiovisual product. The subject of the research is the process of localizing and translating a videogame in the English-Russian language pair. Methodological basis for this research were mainly works of A. Esser and H. Gottlieb and articles from the current European and American videogame localization standard proposed by the International Game Developers Association. This research has theoretical significance due to the fact of it containing systematization of theoretical data on the topic of videogames and videogame localization, as well as clarifying the discrepancies between the terms of “localization” and “translation” in the general Russian theory of translation and in Russian videogame industry. Moreover, this research has practical value for those translators who work or plan to start their careers in the field of videogame localization, as this thesis can be used as a manual for translating videogames. The main content of the thesis is disclosed in the chapters: “Videogames: dichotomy of videogame products, videogames as a product and as an artifact”, “Videogame localization, its types and standard process”, “Standard areas of videogame localization, classification of main issues during translation of a videogame and the ways to solve them”. In conclusion, the research findings are presented. The appendix includes a glossary of frequently used terms in the thesis.