ShantanuT01/DACTYL-Pretraining huggingface dataset:
Introduction Speech community could be defined to be a system wherein “The speech varieties employed within a speech community form a system because they are related to a shared set of social norms” (Patrick). It is now intended to consider a typical speech community interaction between a boss of a company and his assistant. Identification and analysis of some of the speech communities   * Participants: Paul Roberts Marketing Manager   * Deborah Talbot: Administrative Assistant   * Scene: Corridor outside Paul Roberts’ office   * Time: 8.25 (work starts at 9.00) PR: So how are you settling in to the new flat then, Deborah? DT: Fine thanks, Mr. Roberts. PR: Redecorating from top to bottom I suppose. DT: No, not yet — it’ll take weeks to sort out the unpacking. PR: Still living out of boxes then? DT: Well, there always seem something more important to do. PR: You ought to get it done, you know. The sooner it’s out of the way the better. DT: You can talk. PR: Pardon DT: I mean, well, I was just thinking of the move here. You know, the boxes in your office. They took ages to move, them, didn’t they? JR: Oh, I see. DT: They do, though, don’t they? PR: I think we had things pretty well under control. Which reminds me, Ms. Talbot, could you make sure the minutes of that last board meeting are out by 11 o’clock this morning? Make that a priority. DT: Yes, Mr. Roberts” (“Analysis of spoken interaction”). Apparently this speech community is a boss and his assistant carrying on an informal conversation in a neutral place, outside office hours. A large part of this conversation is light and is devoid of an officious or pompous bearing as is characteristic of official speech.  1. Word or phrases : ‘settling into new flat’, ‘top to bottom’, ‘living out of boxes’, ‘minutes of that last board meeting are out by 11 o’clock this morning.’  2. Person who said these words/phrases: These words were uttered by the boss, Mr. Paul Roberts.  3. Larger linguistic context: It is apparent that he wished to keep his assistant in good humor which explains his condescending, yet cordial tone and speech  4. Larger speech context: The assistant had just changed her residence and was probably preoccupied with this. The boss shares his concern in these personal matters of the assistant. Members of this speech community are the boss, Mr. Roberts, the marketing manager of the firm and his executive assistant, Ms. Deborah Talbot. The settings are informal, not in the cabin and outside office hours, which accounts for the non-formal tone addressed to, except towards the end of the conversation where the boss assumes an officious tone. Discussions Only two people are carrying out this conversation, Mr. Roberts and Ms. Talbot. My interpretation about these speech community deliberations is that up to a certain point, the conversation between the two was smooth and easy-going. However, there are reasons to believe that Ms.Talbot inwardly resented her boss’s overly interest in her personal life, which accounts for her commenting- “You can talk.” This pro
Introduction World War II was a dramatic event in world history that critically altered the development of various countries and revealed problems that had been worsening for decades. The global situation and international relations of the period preconditioned a clash of interests and made armed conflict inevitable. However, another factor that increased the level of aggression and violence was how ideology was used as a potent tool to influence people, direct their dissatisfaction with the current situation, and show the enemy that should be fought by emphasizing the dominance of a particular nation. Japan used the idea of being a superior nation with a divine leader that had an exclusive power to liberate all Asian countries from western oppression to legitimize its imperialism. Main body Before analyzing the situation, it should be said that for Japan, the war did not start with the well-known attack on Pearl Harbor. Before this famous event, Japan began a military conflict with China to take control of Manchuria, a strategically important region that would serve as a base for further operations in the region. At that time, Japan had just experienced a drastic decline in exports, a rise in unemployment rates, and a poor economic situation (“Fascism & Revolutionary Nationalism” 27). For this reason, it needed a new stimulus for economic development and recovery. One of the most common ways in international political history to create a new incentive for the economy is to begin a war of conquest. However, such wars needed to be justified, especially in Japan, as the country is historically associated with bushido, an honorable way of a samurai. Therefore, the Japanese emperor came to the idea of ultranationalism, or the promotion of the interests of the nation above all others. Ultranationalism, or extreme devotion to one’s nation, was largely based on Koktai no Hongi issued in 1937 by the Japanese Ministry of education. This pamphlet promoted the idea that Japan was a unique nation that had superior powers over all the other nations since its ruler was a descendant of Amaterasu Ōmikami, the sun goddess (Selections from the Kokutai no Hongi” 968). Additionally, the document insisted that Japanese people have their unique way of harmony as opposed to the western model of individualism. Such statements aroused national pride in ordinary people and justified the actions and judgments of the emperor since he supposedly had a divine nature. Additionally, the document explained the poor state of the economy as a result of the adoption of the western economic model that was not suitable for Japan. In short, the philosophy promoted by Koktai no Hongi was beneficial for the rulers of the nation. Their sense of superiority resulted in specific attitudes among common people in Japan. At
According to Monahan (2000), a decision is a choice between two or more alternatives. Decision making is an essential process in the running of an organization. Through it, a manager has the option of selecting different courses in order to improve the operations of an organization. The productivity of an organization depends on the action taken as a result of decision making. The output can be an achievement or a judgment of the choice taken. Each and every organization operates by people making decisions. A manager plans, organizes, staffs, leads, and controls his/her team by implementing decisions. The effectiveness and quality of these decisions determine how successful a manager will be (Ray, 2009). In the course of his/her operations, an administrator is constantly making decisions. Being an administrator is a challenging task. This is due to the fact that they often find themselves in situations where they have to make tight decisions. In a single day, an administrator makes a lot of decisions either consciously or unconsciously. Decisions usually involve the application of considerable human judgment and experience before a solution is obtained (Monahan, 2000). Types of Managerial Decisions According to Monahan (2000), there are five types of managerial decisions. These are:  1. Organizational and Personal Decisions  2. Individual and Group Decisions  3. Routine and Strategic Decisions  4. Programme and Non-Programme Decisions  5. Policy and Creative Decisions Organization decisions are those decisions that are made to progress the interest of the organization. They are made to advance the interest of the organization. When an administrator performs formally in his or her role as per the expectations of the organization, he makes decisions for the organization and the power can be delegated to the other members and calls for decisions at subordinate levels supporting it which end up becoming a chain of behavior throughout the organization. The decisions made by the managers affect everything that happens in the organization and the decisions that the managers take, they do it as individuals but not as part of the specified organization. This in turn affects the overall organization culture and behavior of the organization. The management normally makes the personal decisions of an organization. A manager thus makes these decisions exclusively as an individual and not as an organization. The decisions the administrators make may affect the organization sometimes directly or indirectly. Individual decisions are made by this or that person within some organization. Most of the times, these entail normal problems that an organization is likely to encounter in the course of normal operations. The most usual places for the In
Culture remains impervious to extra-national influences in the context of public policies and laws. Policies and laws form the foundation of any nation since it is the concept to which development will be built. However, diversity in different states suggests that we live in a world of increasing complexities. Creation of public policies and laws are significantly influenced by the diversity in culture forcing the government to engage with the society when developing policies. The government ensures that they maintain the cultural identity and social cohesion. Culture and religious beliefs influence the current state of scientific knowledge. The paper expounds the federal and state policies in regards to same-sex marriage and a reflection on religious traditions. Sexual activities between people of the same sex have been a topic of contention for a period. Individuals in the said group often face discrimination due to their gender orientation or identity (Daniell, 2014). The federal and state policies regarding same-sex marriages vary between states. In addition, some of the states have outlawed the practice due to their concentration on scientific knowledge provide the negative effects of the practice. According to the constitution, most social institutions largely depend on the law for their validity. Any marriage also depends on the legal procedures to ensure its valid (Milne, 2011). The legal provisions related to marriages and discrimination varies but also helps to protect the individuals involved. The federal policies on same-sex marriages tend to favor the removal of their rights within the law. Most states have outlawed the practices increasing the level movements against the laws (Daniell, 2014). In the US, the status of same-sex marriage remains in flux since most states have pending cases pending on homosexual. Some states ban the marriages while others allow them. However, I believe the federal and state policies should be based on the cultural or religious beliefs that adhere to regular opposite sex marriages. The current scientific positions discourage the form of marriage discussed to reduce the chances of spreading diseases. Culture and religious beliefs suggest that marriages should only be allowed among people of the opposite sex rather than the same-sex marriages being advocated by the transgender society (Milne, 2011). I believe that by developing such laws it will only increase the chances of more problems within the community as the people are not accepted. The policies provide the foundation for other community members to join such affiliations i.e. transgender groups rather than focusing on more critical life issues (Daniell, 2014). The law should address the greater benefit of the society rather than addressing target individuals. Adopting any laws that prefer or protect the status of homosexuals would affect the right and respect to human dignity. Engaging in same-sex marriage lowers human dignity as stated by the cultu
Community-based participatory research (CBPR) can be used to engage communities in Healthy People by providing them with information, making their voices heard, and highlighting the problems that often escape the public eye. Scholarship in the area of CBRP is vast and employs many methodological approaches and methods (National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc., 2015). Perhaps, one of the most well-known methods in scientific circles is MAP-IT. The MAP-IT approach stands for mobilizing, assess, plan, implement, and track – all of these steps were undertaken by Dr. Cannuscio and her team in the process of their community-based participatory research. The project launched under the title of “A Place to Call Home” revolved around the issues of homelessness and housing insecurity (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, 2014). They are recognized by Healthy People and defined as the state of “lacking a regular nighttime residence or having a primary nighttime residence that is a temporary shelter or other place not designed for sleeping (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2016).” The first thing that the researchers did was compiling relevant information on the topics and writing a white paper. For the project, Dr. Cannuscio mobilized disadvantaged youth that became key participants and valuable members due to their first-hand experience. Together, the team carefully observed the communities under investigation. The disadvantaged youth helped Dr. Cannuscio observe and assess living conditions based on many aspects since they knew exactly what to pay attention to. One detail that the researchers singled out for deeper analysis was the doors of the houses in the neighborhood with which they were getting themselves familiar. As Dr. Cannuscio states, the appearance, quality, and other properties of such a common household item as a door can be interpreted in terms of housing safety and security. At that stage, the entire team concluded that housing was a universal need. The next step planned was to let the disadvantaged young people’s voices be heard. Dr. Cannuscio encouraged the team members to take photographs of what meant “home” to them. In the process, the researchers collected plenty of great visual materials and engaging stories to tell. For instance, one female member who was pregnant at the time shared how her boyfriend’s Vietnamese grandmother took care of her despite the language barrier. There were many conversations on the definition of personal space. The project participants said that they were trying to make “sanctuaries” in their homes, i.e. mak
The play Hedda Gabler was published in 1890. The uniqueness of this play is that Ibsen portrays hardship and life troubles faced by women during 19 th century. The main character, Hedda Gabler dominates the play and is portrayed as a feminist and real fighter who tries to achieve personal freedom and identity. Ibsen underlines that society imposed values and gender roles on women, so society affects her mind and determines her thought and action. Feminist ideas are expressed in themes of struggle and liberation and portrayed through a unique symbol of guns. Ibsen reconstructs the common culture of ordinary women, as distinct from that of the low classes. Whereas elite women have left a rich variety of writings, little has remained of the mental or material culture of ordinary women. The difficulties are increased by the fact that social distinction played less part in female culture than in early modern culture generally. While elite men exerted a dominance in the culture of their society, the hegemonic power of elite women among their own gender was limited. Ibsen portrays that Hedda belongs to this culture and values its principles and norms. Central to the female world was the woman with knowledge. “Think of the sort of life she was accustomed to in her father’s time. Don’t you remember how we used to see her riding down the road along with the General?” (Ibsen). Ibsen portrays that Hedda is limited by social norms and principles which prevent her to express unique self-identity and find happiness (Arup 4). Feminist ideas are evident in Ibsens’ description of women’s culture. Women are not an isolated group; they always have diverse kinds of social relationships to men. Women who are educated shared in many aspects of elite culture, which is focused on literature. Elite women like Hedda also have access to popular culture, while for the most part ordinary women have access to popular culture alone. This culture creates an iron cage for Hedda and forces her to escape from life troubles and problems (Egan 92). This theme is often seen by critics as negative comment on social problems and gender inequality. The main character refuses to discover herself, so her disaster are the result of this refusal. Hedda long for life and is afraid of this life. Hedda refuses to admit this terror and convert the energy into action (James 76). Feminist ideas and themes are expressed through the them of male authority and power. All her life, Hedda is influenced by her father and husband unable to make her own decisions and find happiness. Ibsen’s realism is in the first place a matter of having chosen situations from the life of contemporary society, from the newspapers in certain cases (James 76). Given that women ideally belonged to the household, and men claimed public space as their own, both elite and popular cultures recognized that women as women had concerns of their own. Ibsen writes: “When I used t
Introduction It is an inarguable fact that the media play a pivotal role in the modern society as the primary source of information. Companies use media platforms to promote their brands and reach target markets through advertising. Modern consumption, lifestyles and spending culture are largely determined by what people see, read or hear from traditional media channels such as televisions, radios, newspapers and magazines, and social media platforms. Although mass media have become an important part of people’s lives, it is unclear how media ads have changed people’s lifestyles. It is through advertising that ideas and identities are created and maintained within a society. While media ads and marketing promotions are beneficial to the economy, unrealistic content in media ads often affect the society negatively. Critics blame media advertising for a range of social ills, including moral decay, entry of harmful commodities in the market, sexism and intellectual degradation (Levine & Murnen, 2009). Media advertising often targets people (men and women) with particular cultural values, attitudes and beliefs, and thus, the packaging of ads often represents the dominant culture. In particular, physical appearance or beauty is depicted in a way that appeals to most people. According to Thompson and Heinberg (1999), beauty stereotypes appeal to more women than men as most women desire to look attractive. It is worth noting that the commercials often center on physical beauty and lay less emphasis on the product. The media images of a perfect or a ‘model’ body in advertising aim to increase the demand for the products by appealing to the emotions of the audience. In the Middle Eastern society, body image perceptions are shaped by a number of socio-cultural and religious factors. Body representations in the media influence body image development, attitudes and behaviors of the audience. Therefore, it can be concluded that media advertising plays a role in the creation of cultural and sexual stereotypes in societies. In view of this, an alteration of any socio-cultural factor (like body image) would affect behavior and attitudes. Understanding the connection between media ads and body image development would help identify the possible causes of body image preoccupation among teenagers and the likely consequences of idealized cultural values. The aim of this paper is to understand the influence that mass media has on the body image (self-esteem) of Middle East teenagers and young women. Literature Review How is Body Image Created by Media? Thompson and Heinberg (1999) look at the problem of eating and shape-related disorders from the standpoint of the influence of media on people’s food preferences and lifestyle. The results of this research show that the media has a negative influence on people’s health. The authors found that the internalization of media portrayals of physical attractiveness causes body image dissatisfaction and eating disorders in teenagers. The author
Introduction There is little doubt that our earth is undergoing a gradual increase in temperature: global warming is real. Baffling statistics by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPPC) indicate that the earth’s temperature has risen by roughly 0.6 degrees Celsius, the highest since the mid 1800s, further reports indicate that the duration from 1997-2003 were the hottest years ever recorded. Worst is yet to come as the United Nations committee on climate has predicted a temperature rise of between 1.8 to 6 Degrees Celsius by the end of the century which enough to melt all ice and polar caps (IPPC, pg. 2). This would spell disaster as many countries, cities and towns will be submerged, including the Netherlands and New York City. The threat is real and unless we act appropriately, almost half of all earth will be under the sea at the turn of the century. Natural or man-made? In the past few years, the threat of global warming has appeared real and this has led to debates over who or what was responsible for the condition. The media, politicians and the general population have been divided on this topic. Skeptics argue that human activities man is not the leading cause of global warming, they assert that climate will change continuously, as it has in the past, human activities not withstanding (Singer, pp. 1). However, to understand the actual cause(s) of global warming, we need to understand how the process occurs. Global warming is mainly contributed by Greenhouse gases, this consists of water vapor, carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), methane (CH 4 ), and Ozone. The highest contributor of these gases to the atmosphere is man. The Industrial Revolution had greatly increased the amounts of CO 2 , CH 4 , chlorofluorocarbons (CFC) and nitrous oxide in the atmosphere with levels of CO 2 and CH 4 increasing by 40% and 150% respectively since the mid 18 th century. These values are the highest during the last 650,000 years, the last time CO 2 levels were higher than this was roughly 20 million years ago (IPPC, pg. 1). The high levels of CO 2 have been caused by burning fossil fuels and de-forestation, man is the cause of both (Simon et al, pp. 79). A recent study examined more than seven million studies of temperature, salinity, and other factors that affect the world’s water systems collected by the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and compared them with predictions from computer simulations. The study found out that natural occurrences in the atmosphere, such as volcanic eruptions and the sun’s activities, could not sufficiently account for global warming. Simulations based on human activities, however, exactly corresponded to the observations (Henderson, para. 6). The study eliminated all possible causes of global warming and was left with one culprit: man. The study also simulated past and