The main study consisted of a randomized treatment comparison group design with pre- and posttest intervals. The purpose was to assess the differential impact of two different forms of constructive feedback---descriptive and evaluative---on participants' performance self-efficacy within a growth-oriented appraisal context. It was hypothesized that descriptive constructive feedback would lead to higher observed growth in performance self-efficacy. The results of the main study revealed that although all participants showed evidence of significant improvement from having participated in the study, there was no differential effect between participants in different treatment conditions. Post hoc analysis of qualitative data revealed contamination between the treatment conditions suggesting that the main effect for feedback condition was confounded. The results are discussed in terms of the methodological challenges facing researchers interested in testing the hypothesis that descriptive feedback is superior to evaluative feedback in enhancing performance self-efficacy. The failure of the randomized treatment group design to yield valid results is framed as a basis for considering developing methodologies in this area.

Abstract not available.

In today's global marketplace, translators are responding to the current demand to produce fast and high-quality translations by using electronic tools to help them do their jobs, and one of the most promising tools that translators have at their disposal is translation memory (TM) software, a veritable database of previously translated material. Fuzzy matching---where the TM system identifies a portion of the text that is similar to but not exactly the same as one stored in the database---has become an integral feature of TM software; yet using this feature effectively remains a mystery to most translators. This is largely because translators have not been presented with any type of guidelines with regard to helping them identify an ideal setting for the fuzzy match value. The objective of this thesis is to provide translators with a better understanding of TM systems by exploring fuzzy matching in detail, and particularly by investigating factors such as the TM system selected, the category of text being processed, the working languages involved, and the degree of fuzziness of the match. Accordingly, a series of experiments have been designed and carried out to determine the influence that these four factors might have on the ideal fuzzy match setting. The results of these experiments show that these factors should indeed be taken into account when translators are selecting the fuzzy match value to be used with a TM system.

While the self is a central figure in the study of Communication, it is generally depicted as an autonomous figure that communicates to connect with others and the world. In this thesis we problematize this instrumental articulation by focussing on the concepts of affect and time. Specifically, we analyze these concepts in the film A History of Violence through the three-tiered methodology of discourse analysis, articulation, and intermediality. By analyzing specific scenes in this film, we demonstrate that affective investments function as a communicative circuit in which the individual becomes 'in-between' the pre-personal and subjective intensities of affect. Concomitant with this circuit is the revelation of multiple temporalities that underpin the present moment of investment. We then conclude that affect and time can help us move from being to becoming by challenging the assumption of autonomous selves, which raises new issues that are pressing to be recognized in Communication Studies.

A text is not merely a pattern of semantic designations. If composed in a phonetic alphabetic, it is also a pattern of graphemes eliciting a pattern of vocal sounds or phonemes, which in turn elicits a pattern of phonating movements. In the typical translating scenario, where a negotiation between natural languages takes place, these vocal sound patterns are virtually always regarded as the variable element in the process. They are deemed expendable, and are summarily transformed for the purpose of constructing semantic affinities between source and target texts. There is a margin of translation activity, however, that has devised strategies and techniques for creating vocal sound affinities between texts, and at varying degrees of expense to both the source text's semantics, as well as to target language convention. This dissertation reflects upon the ways in which translators deal with the sonorous dimension of texts. Four principle questions will guide this reflection: (1) How does inter-linguistic translation typically discard vocal sounds in its conception and rendering of source text form? (2) Does the written word itself, as visual/spatial medium and technique, somehow orient the translator's consciousness away from the oral/aural dimension of the text? (3) How might one conceive modes of reading a text in language sound as opposed to language sense? (4) What are some of the marginal practices that do indeed strive to re-construct a source text's sound pattern? To answer these questions, I will draw on both classical and contemporary language philosophies that illuminate the translator's bias both toward and against the sonorous dimension of language. Under examination as well will be certain revolutionary movements in twentieth century poetics, movements that help conceptualize not only the motivation but also the operative techniques behind many of these marginal sound translation practices. The goal, ultimately, is to make tentative steps toward a theoretical framework in which these marginal practices may be addressed positively and in their own right, rather than simply as lunatic-fringe specimens defined against the norm.

In this study the dynamics of lip rounding are investigated. Lower lip protrusion was measured in a frame-by-frame analysis of six high-speed (66 frames/sec) cinephotographic films: three for English (with one speaker) and three for French (with three different speakers). A corpus of utterances was constructed for each film separately using results and hypotheses derived from previous film(s). With the techniques applied in this study, no reliable method of determining onset of rounding could be established for English and thus the effect of syllable and word boundary position on coarticulation patterns could not be determined. Consonant context appeared to have a greater effect on timing of extremum protrusion with respect to acoustic onset of the vowel, than did degree of stress. For French, there was evidence to suggest that coarticulation of rounding may be phonemic. Although the data were limited, it was observed (for one pair of "minimal" sequences said by one subject) that the onset of rounding occurred later than reported by Daniloff and Moll (1968) for English or by Kozhevnikov and Chistovich (1965) for Russian. As in the case of the English data, no obvious difference in timing of extremum protrusion was found for variations in stress for the French data. It was concluded that for both English and French some of the basic assumptions of the experiment were untenable. In particular, it is questionable that a point of onset of rounding before, during, or after a consonant cluster can be specified without first systematically determining the amount of protrusion which is associated with each consonant in isolation and then in various contexts. It is apparent from the data that coarticulation of rounding is likely to be influenced by other parameters such as intonation, stress and phonetic (in particular consonantal) context. Future research should attempt to control as many of these parameters as possible before significant patterns (if they exist) can be observed. / Medicine, Faculty of / Audiology and Speech Sciences, School of / Graduate

The present study is an attempt to gain insight into the perceptual mechanism for consonant clusters and to discern its relationship to existing theories of speech perception. Nonsense syllables were constructed, consisting of the vowel /I/ and 18 two consonant clusters composed of one of the fricatives /s/, /f/, and /∫/ and one of the plosives /p/, /t/, and /k/ in either order. Some of these clusters form permissible English clusters, the others impermissible clusters. These clusters appeared in three positions; initial, medial (followed by /in/ ), and final. They were recorded by a trained phonetician. Pink noise at a +3 dB signal-to-noise ratio (determined from peak readings) was used to mask the signal. Nine experimental tapes (three for each cluster position) were constructed; 108 items were presented on each tape. Eighteen subjects (nine males and nine females) each listened to one tape for each position and responded according to a forced choice paradigm to each item by writing the cluster they perceived. Responses for all subjects and for each position were tabulated in confusion matrices and analyzed according 1) to permissibility as English clusters, 2) to manner of articulation, 3) to place of articulation and 4) to differentiation according to the distinctive features of [anterior], [coronal], and [distributed]. Inspection of these confusion matrices indicated that there may be some difference in the perception of permissible and impermissible clusters; however, results are not conclusive. The proposal that clusters are perceived as a unit is refuted by the results obtained. Manner of articulation was identified correctly more frequently than place of articulation. Place of articulation for fricatives was identified correctly more frequently than place of articulation for plosives. Analyses according to distinctive features provides some support for distinctive features. The relationship of the results of this study to four major theories of speech perception is discussed. Three of these can be used to explain some aspect of the responses observed. / Medicine, Faculty of / Audiology and Speech Sciences, School of / Graduate

A universally observed problem in acting is the inability of some actors in some roles to sound convincing when they speak. Instead, they sound as if they were reading aloud, although they have already learned their lines. This deficiency is usually referred to as a 'reading' or 'liney' quality in vocal delivery. A kindred fault, common in more experienced actors, is falling into exaggerated modulations seldom met with off stage; this is vulgarly known as 'ham'. When these faults are present in a performance, the audience has a powerful impression of inauthenticity or untruth. In a satisfactory performance, the voice sounds spontaneous and free, conveying the truth of the character. The object of the project described in this thesis was to investigate these phenomena more critically, with the aim of discovering possible causes other than innate talent or its absence in the actor. The method adopted in this pilot study involved observation of a small group of volunteer students, whose vocal delivery in different acting exercises could be assessed and compared. The project, which lasted for a Winter session, was set up somewhat similarly to an acting course. The students were given various acting exercises including concentration exercises, Sound and Movement, improvisations, oral readings, and work on one act of a play, necessitating a rehearsal period of four-and-a-half weeks. Potentially significant passages in some of these exercises were recorded on cassette tapes: these tapes appear as appendices to the present thesis. Voices were compared in all the situations provided by the different exercises, but the basic contrast lay between the same voice using improvised words, and using words invented by another. Each student was assessed in these groups of exercises. In the oral readings and the study of the play they were considered under different headings, some of which dealt with technical proficiency, while others were concerned with imagination in the creation of a role, and the resulting success or failure in projecting a character; the assessment laid emphasis on the quality of the vocal delivery. Three causes were found to be significant in examining an unsatisfactory delivery. The first of these was connected with resistance to playing a particular kind of part. In two cases, a character in a play appeared to threaten the actor, possibly by its destructiveness and violence. In these cases the actors responded with unconvincing voices and a marked tendency to adopt a set of inflections which became unalterable, and thus quite unspontaneous. The second cause lay in a fundamental attitude to the text as such. A text apparently constituted itself as an authority for some actors, an external authority whose power they were unable to transfer to themselves. This created a 'reading' quality in the voice and a similar lack of spontaneity. The third significant area concerned the use of the imagination in building up a role. Where the actor had failed to ask himself the question, "What would I do if I were in this situation?" there was a thinness in the presentation of the character, which showed in under- or over-emphasis in the voice. Furthermore, where the techniques for enabling an actor to believe in his role as a specific character were ignored, the actor tended to approach the emotional demands of the part with a direct attack; discouraging results ensued. This lack of imaginative preparation manifested itself in an exaggerated and strained delivery. Finally, there are some comments on feeling, intuition and intellect, and how these bear on the problems of student actors, who have been trained in other disciplines to use their brains first and foremost, and their intuitions rather less. / Arts, Faculty of / Theatre and Film, Department of / Graduate

This study investigates the possibility of a relationship between amplitude modulation in the speech envelope and a speaker's intelligibility or articulatory clarity. It aims at developing an intelligibility measure called the Modulation Index (MI). Speech samples from several English speakers and one French speaker were recorded and digitized. Speakers were asked to produce speech under three articulatory conditions: Underarticulated, Normally Articulated, and Overarticulated. A computer program was developed for calculation of MI, based on the amount of amplitude modulation depth in the envelope of each digitized speech sample. The MI values so obtained were compared with the corresponding ratings from English-speaking listeners who judged the articulatory clarity of the recorded utterances. Results indicate that the relationship between the perceptual data and the Modulation Index in its present form is weak and non-monotonic. Several factors may have affected the results of the comparison between the MI values and the perceptual data. There are indications that speakers were not always successful in producing the intended articulatory conditions. Also, despite precautions, there were some differences in intensity and duration between utterances from the three conditions. It is concluded that there is some correlation between amplitude modulation in speech envelopes and speakers' intelligibility or articulatory clarity. However, the Modulation Index will require modification before it can become a useful tool. Some modifications were briefly explored, and possible further modifications to both the Modulation Index and the experimental design are suggested for future investigations. / Medicine, Faculty of / Audiology and Speech Sciences, School of / Graduate

In this essay I shall give a critical account of Spinoza's arguments for intellectual freedom as they occur in chapter twenty of the TRACTATUS THEOLOGICO-POLITICUS. His arguments exhibit certain ambiguities issuing from his appeal to the rational and prudent on the one hand and to several practical implications following from presumed facts about human nature on the other. These ambiguities will be discussed. This discussion will lead to Spinoza's doctrine of natural right upon which he constructs his political philosophy. One: THE HISTORICAL SETTING Here I shall give a brief outline of the political climate of Spinoza's time. My purpose is to show that Spinoza's ideas were at once advanced for his age while intended at the same time to solve some of the pressing problems he observed. Not until after his death were the civil liberties Spinoza considered important adopted as basic premises of government. Two: SPINOZAfS NOTION OF INALIENABLE NATURAL RIGHT AND HIS DOCTRINE OF NATURAL RIGHT This section is concerned with the question of whether Spinoza's idea ©f an inalienable natural right conforms with his general doctrine of natural right. I shall argue that it does not and that it probably has a more solid foundation in Spinoza's ethical rather than in his political theory. Three: SUPPRESSION IS LITERALLY INEFFECTIVE In this section I present and discuss Spinoza's proposition that suppression of thought and speech is literally ineffective because it is impossible to deprive men of the freedom to say what they think. I shall base my argument against Spinoza on the premise that there is nothing inherent in human nature which leads us to conclude that suppression is ineffective. I shall also try to Illustrate that his notion of an inalienable natural right to freedom of thought may be a viable political tool in the creation of a political and moral climate within a body politic encouraging the general acceptance ©f freedom of thought on principle. Finally I shall argue that Spinoza has to move away from considerations of human nature and deal with the rational and prudent when proposing that certain speech-acts may rightfully be restrained. Four: SUPPRESSION HAS UNDESIRABLE EFFECTS Here Spinoza describes some of the ill effects of suppression. These effects, he argues, will be felt by the oppressed as well as by the government. He says that suppression is a two-sided evil. On the one hand the suppressed will cause trouble for the government, on the other, those who enjoy the advantages, such as they are, of a suppressive government will become involved in internal power struggles and these in turn may lead to national unrest. Thus Spinoza concludes that the government cannot secure any advantage by resorting to suppression. It follows that only two factors may cause a government to resort to suppression as a means of maintaining control; one, ignorance of human nature and two, an inherent weakness in the government rendering it unable to confront rationally a powerful lobby of dissenters. Five: LEGITIMATE RESTAINTS OF FREEDOM OF SPEECH Recognizing that some speech-acts may reasonably be considered detrimental to the state, Spinoza feels that freedom of speech cannot be granted fully. He discusses which speech-acts and beliefs he considers to be detrimental to the state and how to deal with them. I shall argue that Spinoza is too vague on this subject and that in the light of his discussion here and the power-right relation of the sovereign, it is not always possible for him to determine when a speech-act is detrimental to society and when it is not. I shall argue that, consequently, his division between social and antisocial is not made sufficiently clear but remains rather a matter of contention. / Arts, Faculty of / Philosophy, Department of / Graduate