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The goal of this study is to confirm Eurasia as an independent linguistic area with respect to four features of possessive morphology: locus of marking, position of pronominal possessive affixes, obligatory possessive inflection, and possessive classification. Raw data on these features was taken from the WALS database and then run through an algorithm of genealogical stratification called g-sampling, in order to minimize the bias of the sample. The resulting g-units were then categorized by type and geographical area (New World vs. Old World, Eurasia vs. the rest of the world). These counts were tested for significance using Fisher's exact test. Two features, locus of marking and possessive classification, were confirmed to be significantly different in Eurasia; the other two features were not significantly different. Possible reasons for these areal patterns-primarily structural reasons-are briefly discussed.

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A epígrafe escolhida para inaugurar a presente dissertação de mestrado ilustra a experiência de ultrapassar barreiras socioculturais e transpor fronteiras no contexto do refúgio. O sujeito que se encontra refugiado é importante enfatizar que o refúgio é uma condição e não um estado inerente ao sujeito é desafiado a transpor obstáculos que não se limitam apenas a cruzar fronteiras e enfrentar o complexo aparato burocrático que antecede a outorga da solicitação de refúgio. Apenas para citar algumas, as barreiras são linguísticas, culturais, sociais e religiosas. Na busca pela efetiva integração, se faz necessário tornar essas barreiras, terra plana. O título do estudo que se apresenta é inspirado no mito de Ariadne: Teseu, por quem ela era apaixonada, é encarregado de executar o Minotauro, um terrível monstro que habitava um labirinto. Receosa de que Teseu nunca mais retornasse Ariadne lhe presenteia com um fio e com a recomendação de que ele desenrole o carretel enquanto estiver circulando pelo labirinto. Desse modo, Teseu poderia circular pelo labirinto sem se perder. Supomos que a labiríntica experiência do refúgio e da assimilação cultural deixa o sujeito em uma situação de humilhação social. Tal situação pode forçá-lo a se desfazer de sua língua materna, seus fios de Ariadne. Isso não necessariamente ocorrerá, uma vez que a língua materna consiste em uma orientação fundamental do sujeito. Assim, o refúgio desencadeia um processo psicossocial que abala as atitudes linguísticas do sujeito, sendo estas compostas, segundo Lambert e Lambert (1968) por: crenças (componente cognoscitivo), valoração (componente afetivo) e conduta (componente conativo). Para averiguar o impacto causado pela experiência do refúgio nos valores atribuídos às línguas que compõem a realidade linguística do sujeito empregaremos o Princípio da Valoração proposto por Damásio (2011) como principal fundamento teórico. Nossa conduta metodológica empregará os Retratos Linguísticos de Krumm (2003; 2010), um dos chamados métodos visuais empregados recentemente nos estudos linguísticos, para enfocar as relações psicoafetivas que o sujeito, na condição de refugiado, estabelece com a sua língua materna e com a língua estrangeira. Consideramos que tanto a discussão quanto a análise propostas consistem em um estudo experimental que se buscará investigar em que medida é possível conciliar métodos visuais e questões linguísticas com vistas a atingir uma maior compreensão sobre a configuração da condição de sujeitos multilíngues que se encontram socialmente vulneráveis. / The title chosen to inaugurate this master\'s thesis illustrates the experience of overcoming sociocultural barriers and crossing borders in the context of the refuge. The refugee - it is important to emphasize that the refuge is a condition and not an inherent condition of the subject - is challenged to overcome obstacles that are not limited to crossing borders and facing the complex bureaucratic apparatus that precedes the granting of the request refuge. Just to name a few, the barriers are linguistic, cultural, social and religious. In the search for effective integration, it becomes necessary to make these barriers, flat land. The title of the study that is presented is inspired by the myth of Ariadne: Theseus, for whom she was in love, is in charge to execute the Minotaur, a terrible monster that inhabited a labyrinth. Afraid that Theseus would never return Ariadne gave him a thread with the recommendation that he unwind the reel while he was circling the labyrinth. In this way, Theseus could circulate through the labyrinth without getting lost. We assume that the labyrinthine experience of refuge and cultural assimilation leaves the subject in a situation of social humiliation. Such a situation may force him to discard his mother tongue, his Ariadne threads. This will not necessarily occur, since the mother tongue consists of a fundamental orientation of the subject. Thus, the refuge triggers a psychosocial process that shakes the subject\'s linguistic attitudes, and these are composed, according to Lambert and Lambert (1968) by: beliefs (cognitive component), valuation (affective component) and conduct (conative component). In order to ascertain the impact of the experience of refuge on the values assigned to the languages that make up the linguistic reality of the subject, we will use the Principle of Valuation proposed by Damásio (2011) as the main theoretical foundation. Our methodological approach will use the Krumm Language Portraits (2003; 2010), one of the so-called \"visual methods\" recently employed in linguistic studies, to focus on the psycho-affective relationships that the subject establishes with his mother tongue and with the foreign language. We consider that both the discussion and the analysis proposed are an experimental study that will seek to investigate the extent to which it is possible to reconcile visual methods and linguistic issues in order to reach a greater understanding of the configuration of the condition of multilingual subjects who are socially vulnerable.

Ce travail est le résultat d'une recherche menées auprès de trois générations de douze familles gabonaises. Il s'appuie sur des entretiens compréhensifs et l'analyse privilégie le tissu discursif des représentations. L'analyse thématique et la triangulation sont les deux outils qui nous ont permis de constituer nos données. Le premier favorise une approche individuelle et transversale des données. Le second accroit la compréhension en exploitant la multiplicité des points de vue sur les thèmes abordés. Si les résultats confortent l'idée d'une érosion des pratiques linguistiques en langue ethnique d'une génération à l'autre (de G1 à G2, puis de G2 à G3), il n'en demeure pas moins que ces langues exercent une influence prégnante sur les positionnements identitaires, lorsque celles-ci sont en rapport avec le groupe ethnique. Les résultats permettent de conclure à un désir visible pour les informateurs d'être reconnus par leur groupe, reconnaissance que n'assure pas (toujours) la filiation biologique. Cependant, la proposition d'un apprentissage formel des langues ethniques ne fait pas l'unanimité dans la mesure où le cercle familial représente encore le cadre légitime de transmission linguistique pour ces langues. Les pratiques linguistiques familiales et le mouvement pendulaire, ville-village, apparaissent, pour le moment, comme des facteurs appropriés et suffisants pour assurer la transmission et la sauvegarde des langues ethniques. / This research is focused on three generations of twelve Gabonese families. It is based on comprehensive interviews and the analysis privileges the discursive aspect of representations. Our datas are based on a thematic analysis and on triangulation. The former allows an individual and transversal approach of the data. The latter exploit the multiplicity of different points of view on tackled issues. If the results confirm the idea of an erosion of the linguistic practices in ethnic language from a generation to the other one (from G1 to G2, then from G2 to G3), the fact remains that these languages have a strong influence on identity positions, when they are linked with the ethnic group. The results allow to conclude that there is a high desire for the informators to be recognized by their ethnic group, recognition from others which is not assured only by the biological filiation. However, the formal learning of the ethnic languages does not make the unanimity as far as the family circle still represents the right frame for ethnic linguistic transmission. The family linguistic practices and the pendulum movement between the cities and the villages appear for now as appropriate and sufficient factors to insure the transmission and the protection of the ethnic languages.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Christian-Albrechts-Universität, Kiel, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references.

The right ear advantage (REA) phenomenon has been utilized in clinical and research settings to study auditory processing disorders and linguistic lateralization. Previous research has established that the REA is not reliable in its measures within or between individuals. This is likely due to the influence of other variables, such as neuromaturation and attention. One variable that has not been studied in depth in this context is linguistic complexity. It was hypothesized that stimulus conditions with levels of linguistic complexity would elicit corresponding levels of temporal lobe activity. Understanding and controlling the variables that affect the REA will increase the reliability of the measure. Twenty right handed, neurotypical individuals aged 18-29 participated in a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study that identified the regions and the extent of activation involved in listening to dichotic syllables, words, and sentences. Three durations of speech babble corresponding to the mean duration of the syllables, words, and sentences were used as control stimuli. Participants listened to dichotic stimuli and reported the stimulus they heard best during an fMRI scan. Reaction time (RT), ear preference, and fMRI data were recorded simultaneously and analyzed post hoc. Behavioral results showed that words had the shortest RTs and the greatest REA; syllables and sentences were similar to each other for both measures. Significant main effects were found in brain regions known to be involved in cognitive control of attention and linguistic processing. Words were associated with significant activation differences for ear preferences and minimal frontal lobe involvement for right ear preference. Syllables caused the least activity in the frontal lobe regions and less voxel activity in the temporal lobes than syllable-length babble. Sentences had the greatest voxel activity in the frontal and temporal lobe regions. It was concluded that words would best reflect the REA in clinical and experimental designs. Words had minimal involvement of frontal lobe regions indicating minimal cognitive control of attention and the largest discrepancies in activation patterns between right and left ear preferences that showed less cognitive power to process right ear stimuli in a dichotic listening situation.

A principal argument against the use of elicited imitation (EI) to measure L2 oral proficiency is that performance does not require linguistic knowledge, but requires only rote memorization. This study addressed the issue by administering two tests to the same group of students studying English as a second language: (1) a working memory test, and (2) an English oral proficiency EI test. Participants came from a range of English language proficiency levels. A Pearson correlation was performed on the test results for each participant. The hypothesis was that English EI scores and working memory scores would not correlate significantly. This would suggest that the two tests do differ in what they measure, and that the English EI test does measure knowledge of the language to some degree. The results of the Pearson correlation revealed that there was a small positive correlation between working memory and English EI scores, but that it was not significant. There was also a significantly positive correlation between students' English EI scores and ELC level. These findings suggest that the English EI test fundamentally functions as a language test, and not significantly as a working memory test.

<p><strong> </strong></p><p>This paper presents a critical overview of the current use of English within legal education and the legal profession in Sweden. In addition, it attempts to characterize attitudes towards the use of English within Swedish law practice. The paper will make use of information obtained from a selection of law firms, the Swedish National Courts Administration and the Swedish Public Office of Prosecution. It will also make use of comments and information from a selection of professionals and other bodies such as the European Commission, the Swedish Language Council and the Swedish Bar Association.  The central aim of this essay is to present a clear picture of the extent to which English is actually used within current Swedish legal practice. It directly addresses the question of whether the level of English that Swedish law graduates are exposed to in their legal studies adequately provides them with the skills required by the professional legal world.</p><p>It is claimed that there is an apparent miscommunication between legal education and its corresponding profession, which is creating a very unfortunate situation for students. In addition, it is suggested that redesigning the Swedish law programme, as a response to the demands of English within the Swedish legal profession, is necessary to properly prepare students for legal practise in Sweden. The law programme must function as a platform for theoretical growth as well as the future, practical success of students. Striving for excellence among students should not be restricted to the theoretical aspect of a subject but must include the ability of students to put their theoretical knowledge to practical use. It is argued that English is a needed supplement in the successful practise of law in Sweden and as such must be an integrated part of the legal education program.</p>

No description available.