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The benefits of Model-Driven Software Development (MDSD) and Domain-Specific Languages (DSLs) wrt. efficiency and quality in software engineering increase the demand for custom languages and the need for efficient methods for language engineering. This motivated the introduction of language families that aim at further reducing the development costs and the maintenance effort for custom languages. The basic idea is to exploit the commonalities and provide means to enable systematic variation among a set of related languages. Current techniques and methodologies for language engineering are not prepared to deal with the particular challenges of language families. First, language engineering processes lack means for a systematic analysis, specification and management of variability as found in language families. Second, technical approaches for a modular specification and realisation of languages suffer from insufficient modularity properties. They lack means for information hiding, for explicit module interfaces, for loose coupling, and for flexible module integration. Our first contribution, Feature-Oriented Language Family Engineering (LFE), adapts methods from Software Product Line Engineering to the domain of language engineering. It extends Feature-Oriented Software Development to support metamodelling approaches used for language engineering and replaces state-of-the-art processes by a variability- and reuse-oriented LFE process. Feature-oriented techniques are used as means for systematic variability analysis, variability management, language variant specification, and the automatic derivation of custom language variants. Our second contribution, Integrative Role-Based Language Composition, extends existing metamodelling approaches with roles. Role models introduce enhanced modularity for object-oriented specifications like abstract syntax metamodels. We introduce a role-based language for the specification of language components, a role-based composition language, and an extensible composition system to evaluate role-based language composition programs. The composition system introduces integrative, grey-box composition techniques for language syntax and semantics that realise the statics and dynamics of role composition, respectively. To evaluate the introduced approaches and to show their applicability, we apply them in three major case studies. First, we use feature-oriented LFE to implement a language family for the ontology language OWL. Second, we employ role-based language composition to realise a component-based version of the language OCL. Third, we apply both approaches in combination for the development of SumUp, a family of languages for mathematical equations.

Within a professional organization for women in mathematics in the US, two mathematicians and a middle school teacher organize a program to link teachers of students at the pre-university level with professionals in the mathematical sciences in and outside of academia to promote collaborations among different communities in the mathematics education of students. This paper describes the program and its operations, some of its experiences, as well as some results from a formative evaluation conducted for the program. Some recommendations are given for potential organizers of similar programs in other countries.

Sociolingvistiska studier visar att kontakten mellan den brasilianska portugisiskan och afrikanska språk under kolonialtiden ledde till att afrikanska ord assimilerades in i det brasilianska talspråket. Vissa ord är idag en del av det brasilianska vardagsspråket, medan andra används enbart inom den afro-brasilianska religiösa kontexten. Den brasilianska populärmusiken kan ses som en viktig faktor för spridningen av ord med afrikanskt ursprung. Musiken är ett instrument med vilket det brasilianska samhället kan medvetandegöra sig om hur essentiellt Afrika var i det brasilianska samhällsskapandet. Samtidigt ges kännedom om de afrikanska orden och olika afro-brasilianska kulturella element. I de musikaliska verken av Gilberto Gil, en brasiliansk kompositör, musiker och artist, används ofta ord med afrikanskt ursprung. I den här studien analyseras dessa ord, och med hjälp av ett förslag till klassificering från den brasilianska etno-lingvisten Yeda Pessoa de Castro, görs ett försök att klassificera de afrikanska orden utifrån dess användning, beroende av dess sociokulturella nivå. Analysen visar att det förkommer ord med afrikanskt ursprung i stor del av kompositörens verk, majoriteten av dessa kommer ifrån de afrikanska språkgrupperna bantu och kwa. Orden kommer ifrån olika semantiska fält som till exempel mat, musik och kultur, och en majoritet är benämningar som kommer ifrån den Afro-brasilianska religiösa kontexten. Just det Afro-brasilianska religiösa temat är vanligt förekommande inom brasiliansk populärmusik, men i Gilberto Gils sångtexter ses också teman från den Afro-brasilianska sfären i användandet av välkända afrikanska ord, men det förkommer också ord som är för okända för den större publiken. Ett medvetet användande av de afrikanska orden ses som förstärkande i skapandet av en samhörighet med den Afro-brasilianska världen. / The sociolinguistic studies show that during the inter-linguistic contact between the Brazilian Portuguese and the African languages during the colonial period, many words were assimilated in the vernacular Portuguese of Brazil. Some of the words are today a part of the vernacular language, while others are used exclusively in Afro-Brazilian religious communities. For the diffusion of the words with African origins, the popular music could be an important factor. With this musical theme, the Brazilian society is reminded of the importance that Africa had in the forming of the Brazilian society, and the music brings awareness of the African words and the Afro-Brazilian cultural elements. There is a frequent use of these African words in the musical accomplishments of the Brazilian composer, musician and artist Gilberto Gil. In the present work these words are analyzed, and with the proposal for classification made by the Brazilian ethno-linguist Yeda Pessoa de Castro, the aim is to classify the words, depending on their sociolinguistic level. The analysis shows that the African words can be found in a great part of the composers work, and the majority comes from the banto and kwa languages. The words are being classified in various semantic fields, for an example food, music and culture, and the majorities are designations that come from Afro-Brazilian religion. The Afro-Brazilian religious theme is a common element in the Brazilian popular music, but in the song lyrics of Gilberto Gil the African theme is also showing in the use of well-known African word. Whereas others words with African origin are not that well known, but in the conscious use of Gilberto Gil words of African origin reinforce a connection to the Afro-Brazilian universe. / Pesquisas sociolinguísticas mostram que no contato linguístico entre o português brasileiro e as línguas africanas durante o tempo da colonização, muitas palavras africanas foram assimiladas à língua falada no Brasil. Certas palavras fazem hoje parte da língua cotidiana, enquanto outras são utilizadas exclusivamente nas comunidades de religião afro-brasileira. Para a difusão das palavras de matriz africana, as músicas populares podem ser um fator importante. Com a ajuda da música, a sociedade brasileira lembra-se da importância que teve a África na formação da sociedade brasileira, e leva para o conhecimento palavras africanas e elementos culturais afro-brasileiros. Na obra musical do compositor, músico e artista Gilberto Gil pode-se observar um uso frequente de palavras de matriz africana. Neste trabalho analisa-se este vocabulário, e com uma proposta de classificação feita pela etnolinguista Yeda Pessoa de Castro, procura-se classificar as palavras conforme o nível sociocultural no qual se encontram. A análise mostra que em grande parte da obra do compositor acham-se palavras africanas, a maioria de origem banto e kwa. As palavras vêm de campos semânticos diferentes como culinária, música, cultura e a maioria são designações derivadas de religiões afro-brasileiras. Justamente o tema da religião afro-brasileiro aparece como elemento comum na música popular brasileira, mas nas letras de Gilberto Gil é possível ver temas do universo afro-brasileiro também através do uso de palavras africanas. A análise mostra que algumas são bem conhecidas, outras nem tanto. O uso tão elaborado do léxico de origem africana por Gilberto Gil em suas letras de canções manifesta uma identificação com o universo afro no Brasil.

Diese Dissertation beschäftigt sich mit der Evaluation von Sprachpolitiken mit Hilfe von Sprachdynamik Modellen. Da sprachliche Diversität ein zentrales Merkmal moderner Gesellschaften darstellt, müssen Staaten und Administrationen Sprachpolitiken sorgfältig gestalten und evaluieren. Mögliche Effekte, Nutzen und Kosten von Politiken müssen bewertet und gegeneinander abgewogen werden. Eine wichtige Eigenschaft von Sprachpolitiken ist dabei, dass sich die Anzahl derer, die von ihnen profitieren, sowie deren Kosten über die Zeit stark verändern können. Um dies zu berücksichtigen, präsentiert die Dissertation eine Kombination aus klassischen Politikanalyse Werkzeugen und neuen Sprachdynamik Modellen. Im Gegensatz zu bereits existierenden Modellen, können in den neu entwickelten Modellen Parameter aus empirischen Daten geschätzt werden. Dies ist eine Voraussetzung, um langfristige Effekte von Politiken realistisch abbilden zu können. Die Dissertation besteht aus vier eigenständigen Aufsätzen. Im ersten Aufsatz wird mit einem abstrakten Modell gezeigt, dass es für einen Staat optimal sein kann die Minderheitensprache in Form von Bilingualität am Leben zu erhalten. In den folgenden beiden Aufsätzen werden realistischere Modelle entwickelt und damit zwei empirische Fälle analysiert. Im letzten Aufsatz werden Erweiterungen der vorherigen Modelle auf den Fall multipler Minderheitensprachen vorgestellt. / This thesis deals with language policy evaluation from a language dynamics modeling perspective. As linguistic diversity is an essential feature of most modern societies, states and administrations have to thoroughly design and analyze language policies. Potential effects, benefits and costs have to be assessed and weighted against one another. A pivotal characteristic of language policies is that the numbers of their beneficiaries and costs can change dramatically over time. To account for these changes, the thesis proposes a combination of traditional policy evaluation techniques with well designed language dynamics models. In contrast to previous models in the literature, the thesis proposes and analyzes models based on parameters obtainable from empirical data. It is argued that this is a prerequisite to analyze the long term effects of policies in a realistic fashion. This thesis consists of four self-contained essays. In the first essay we show with the help of an abstract model that it can be optimal for the state to keep a minority language alive in the form of bilingualism. In the next two essays more realistic models are developed and applied to the empirical cases. In the last essay extensions of the previous models to the case of several minority languages are presented.

Recently, multi-priced timed automata have received much attention for real-time systems. These automata extend priced timed automata by featuring several price parameters. This permits to compute objectives like the optimal ratio between rewards and costs. Arising from the model of timed automata, the multi-weighted setting has also attracted much notice for classical nondeterministic automata. The present thesis develops multi-weighted MSO-logics on finite, infinite and timed words which are expressively equivalent to multi-weighted automata, and studies decision problems for them. In addition, a Nivat-like theorem for weighted timed automata is proved; this theorem establishes a connection between quantitative and qualitative behaviors of timed automata. Moreover, a logical characterization of timed pushdown automata is given.

The benefits of Model-Driven Software Development (MDSD) and Domain-Specific Languages (DSLs) wrt. efficiency and quality in software engineering increase the demand for custom languages and the need for efficient methods for language engineering. This motivated the introduction of language families that aim at further reducing the development costs and the maintenance effort for custom languages. The basic idea is to exploit the commonalities and provide means to enable systematic variation among a set of related languages. Current techniques and methodologies for language engineering are not prepared to deal with the particular challenges of language families. First, language engineering processes lack means for a systematic analysis, specification and management of variability as found in language families. Second, technical approaches for a modular specification and realisation of languages suffer from insufficient modularity properties. They lack means for information hiding, for explicit module interfaces, for loose coupling, and for flexible module integration. Our first contribution, Feature-Oriented Language Family Engineering (LFE), adapts methods from Software Product Line Engineering to the domain of language engineering. It extends Feature-Oriented Software Development to support metamodelling approaches used for language engineering and replaces state-of-the-art processes by a variability- and reuse-oriented LFE process. Feature-oriented techniques are used as means for systematic variability analysis, variability management, language variant specification, and the automatic derivation of custom language variants. Our second contribution, Integrative Role-Based Language Composition, extends existing metamodelling approaches with roles. Role models introduce enhanced modularity for object-oriented specifications like abstract syntax metamodels. We introduce a role-based language for the specification of language components, a role-based composition language, and an extensible composition system to evaluate role-based language composition programs. The composition system introduces integrative, grey-box composition techniques for language syntax and semantics that realise the statics and dynamics of role composition, respectively. To evaluate the introduced approaches and to show their applicability, we apply them in three major case studies. First, we use feature-oriented LFE to implement a language family for the ontology language OWL. Second, we employ role-based language composition to realise a component-based version of the language OCL. Third, we apply both approaches in combination for the development of SumUp, a family of languages for mathematical equations.:1. Introduction 1.1. The Omnipresence of Language Families 1.2. Challenges for Language Family Engineering 1.3. Language Family Engineering with Features and Role-Based Composition 2. Review of Current Language Engineering 2.1. Language Engineering Processes 2.1.1. Analysis Phase 2.1.2. Design Phase 2.1.3. Implementation Phase 2.1.4. Applicability in Language Family Engineering 2.1.5. Requirements for an Enhanced LFE Process 2.2. Technical Approaches in Language Engineering 2.2.1. Specification of Abstract Syntax 2.2.2. Specification of Concrete Syntax 2.2.3. Specification of Semantics 2.2.4. Requirements for an Enhanced LFE Technique 3. Feature-Oriented Language Family Engineering 3.1. Foundations of Feature-Oriented SPLE 3.1.1. Introduction to SPLE 3.1.2. Feature-Oriented Software Development 3.2. Feature-Oriented Language Family Engineering 3.2.1. Variability and Variant Specification in LFE 3.2.2. Product-Line Realisation, Mapping and Variant Derivation for LFE 3.3. Case Study: Scalability in Ontology Specification, Evaluation and Application 3.3.1. Review of Evolution, Customisation and Combination in the OWL LanguageFamily 3.3.2. Application of Feature-Oriented Language Family Engineering for OWL 3.4. Discussion 3.4.1. Contributions 3.4.2. Related Work. 3.4.3. Conclusion 4. Integrative, Role-Based Composition for Language Family Engineering 4.1. Foundations of Role-Based Modelling. 4.1.1. Information Hiding and Interface Specification in Role Models 4.1.2. Loose Coupling and Flexible Integration in Role Composition 4.2. The LanGems Language Composition System 4.2.1. The Language Component Specification Language . 4.2.2. TheLanguageCompositionLanguage 4.2.3. TechniquesofLanguageComposition 4.3. Case Study: Component-based OCL 4.3.1. Role-Based OCL Modularisation 4.3.2. Role-Based OCL Composition 4.4. Discussion 4.4.1. Contributions 4.4.2. Related Work 4.4.3. Conclusion 5. LFE with Integrative, Role-Based Syntax and Semantics Composition 5.1. Integrating Features and Roles 5.2. SumUp Case Study 5.2.1. Motivation 5.2.2. Feature-Oriented Variability and Variant Specification 5.2.3. Role-Based Component Realisation 5.2.4. Feature-Oriented Variability and Variant Evolution 5.2.5. Model-driven Concrete Syntax Realisation 5.2.6. Model-driven Semantics Realisation 5.2.7. Role-Based Composition and Feature Mapping 5.2.8. Language Variant Derivation 5.3. Conclusion 6. Conclusion 6.1. Contributions 6.2. Outlook 6.2.1. Co-Evolution in Language Families 6.2.2. Role-Based Tool Integration. 6.2.3. Automatic Modularisation of Existing Language Families 6.2.4. Language Component Library Appendix A Appendix B Bibliography

The diploma thesis deals with the book genre Erstlesebuch (book for beginner readers) as educational material in the context of foreign language education at the levels of Basic Users (A0/1-A2). In the context of first language teaching, this specific genre belongs to the field of literature, the didactic of literature, and the didactic of reading. The goal of this diploma thesis is to present different possibilities of didactic activities with Erstlesebuch in the context of second language teaching and to formulate criteria for choosing an appropriate text. The theoretical part describes the context of foreign language education and the role of literature in this context, with consideration for the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. The theoretical part also presents the specifics of the book genre Erstlesebuch itself. The empirical part of this thesis is based on several investigations: firstly on a complex analysis (readability and text structure) of six Erstlesebuch and secondly on empirical research in reading with schoolchildren at higher grades of an elementary school (children at the age of 13-15). These results are compared to the results of similar research done with Austrian beginner readers (children between the ages of 7 and 9). The final part of the thesis concludes...

Within a professional organization for women in mathematics in the US, two mathematicians and a middle school teacher organize a program to link teachers of students at the pre-university level with professionals in the mathematical sciences in and outside of academia to promote collaborations among different communities in the mathematics education of students. This paper describes the program and its operations, some of its experiences, as well as some results from a formative evaluation conducted for the program. Some recommendations are given for potential organizers of similar programs in other countries.