bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Interlingual Encounter/Translation, Radical Translation and Cultural Politics
Authors: Gupta Suman
Published: November 2010

Abstract
This paper tries to discern a space which is conceptually anterior to the practice and reception of interlingual translation, though it arguably has a determinative function with regard to both. It is argued that though theorists and practitioners have long been aware of this space it has seldom been adequately discussed. This space is tentatively designated as one of interlingual encounter and any effort to apprehend it entails an examination of the nuances of perceiving one language through another at any hypothetical point of contact rather than in the actual translational product or reading.
Several theoretical generalisations about interlingual encounter which may have a bearing on interlingual translational activity are offered. Degrees of familiarity and competence are considered; the idealised nuances of Quine's notion of "radical translation" are examined; and the implicit cultural politics that is inevitably available in interlingual encounters is discussed. The paper concludes with the observation that interlingual encounters could provide the basis of a pragmatic re-examination of products of translation and of the theory of translation.
Résumé
Cet article tente de trouver un espace qui est conceptuellement antérieur à la pratique et à la réception de la traduction interlangues, bien que l'on puisse soutenir qu'il a une fonction déterminative à l'égard des deux. On avance que bien que des théoriciens et des praticiens ont depuis longtemps été conscients de cet espace, il a été rarement discuté de manière appropriée.
Cet espace est provisoirement désigné comme rencontre interlangues, et tout effort pour l'appréhender comporte un examen des nuances dans la perception d'une langue par l'intermédiaire d'une autre à un point hypothétique de contact plutôt que dans le produit réel de la traduction ou de la lecture.
Plusieurs généralisations théoriques à propos de la rencontre interlangues pouvant influencer l'activité de la traduction interlangues sont présentées. Les degrés de familiarité et de compétence sont pris en considération. Les nuances idéalisées de la notion de Quine de "traduction radicale" sont examinées et la politique culturelle implicite, inévitable dans ces rencontres interlangues est discutée.
L'article conclut en faisant remarquer que les rencontres interlangues pourraient fournir la base d'un réexamen pragmatique des produits de la traduction et de la théorie de la traduction.
On English Translations of Classical Chinese Poetry
Authors: Hao Fu
Published: November 2010

Abstract
There have been numerous classical Chinese poems translated into English since the 18th century, and many of them enjoy more than one version. This article discusses some prominent aspects of English translation of classical Chinese poetry, such as choice of words, syntax, metre and form, and allusion, based on comparative analysis of different versions. In the language of classical Chinese poetry, the prevailing monosyllabic word often tends to be polysemous and the grammatical function of a word more flexible. There are also many grammatical ellipses in its syntax. How does a translator choose the right word and decipher the sentence? In addition, classical Chinese poetry enjoys strict verse forms and rhyme schemes, and has a tradition to employ literary allusions. How can an English version achieve an equivalent effect? To solve such problems, translators in different times and places have made various experiments. But the swing of the pendulum seems not to go beyond the two extremes, rigidly imitating the original form or freely rewriting in another language. Under proper modulation, both methods may score some points.
Résumé
Il y a eu de nombreux poèmes classiques en langue chinoise traduits vers la langue anglaise depuis le 18ème siècle, et plusieurs d'entre eux ont plus d'une version. Cet article discute de certains aspects particuliers de la traduction anglaise de la poésie classique chinoise tels que le choix des mots, la syntaxe, la versification et la forme ainsi que les allusions, basées sur l'analyse comparative des différentes versions. Dans le langage de la poésie classique chinoise, le mot monosyllabique qui prévaut tend à avoir plusieurs significations et la fonction grammaticale du mot à être plus souple. Il existe aussi beaucoup d'ellipses grammaticales dans sa syntaxe.
Comment un traducteur choisit-il le mot exact et décompose-t-il la phrase? En outre. la poésie classique chinoise nous offre une structure en vers et un agencement de rimes très strictes et possède une tradition de l'emploi d'allusions littéraires. Comment une version anglaise peut-elle atteindre un effet équivalent? Pour résoudre ce type de problèmes, les traducteurs à différentes époques et lieux ont effectué des expériences différentes. Mais le pendule ne balance pas en dehors des deux extrêmes, l'imitation rigide de la forme originale ou sa réécriture libre dans une autre langue. Selon la modulation appropriée, chacune des deux méthodes pourrait présenter certains avantages.
Moods Of Panurge
Authors: Waldinger Albert
Published: November 2010

Abstract
The foregoing article is about the modeling of translation style for the English translation of Rabelais on the work of Tom Robbins and Philip Roth, two modern American writers who approximate Rabelais in attitude and technique. Their tradition and linguistic habits, especially their syntactical and lexical preferences, are discussed. Especially important are the lessons to be learned from an examination of the leading modern English translators of Rabelais, Samuel Putnam and Burton Raffel, and the particular problems posed by the French sixteenth century, its humanism and rebelliousness. These are chiefly expressed by the character of Panurge, whose psychological and rhetorical moods form the basis of this essay.
Résumé
L'article traite du modelage du style de traduction pour la traduction anglaise de Rabelais à l'aide des ouvrages de Tom Robbins et Philip Roth, deux écrivains américains modernes qui se rapprochent de Rabelais par leur attitude et leur technique. Il s'agit d'une discussion de leurs traductions et habitudes linguistiques, notamment de leurs préférences syntaxiques et lexicales. Il est spécialement important de tirer des leçons de l'examen des traducteurs anglais modernes et renommés de Rabelais, à savoir, Samuel Putnam et Burton Raffel, et de souligner les problèmes spécifiques et particuliers posés par le français du 16ème siècle, son humanisme et son caractère rebelle. Ceux-ci sont principalement exprimés par le personnage de Panurge, dont les variations psychologiques et rhétoriques sont à la base de cet article.
Translatability vs. Untranslatability
Authors: Ping Ke
Published: November 2010

Abstract
The problem of translatability or untranslatability is closely related to man's understanding of the nature of language, meaning and translation. From the sociosemiotic point of view, "untranslatables" are fundamentally cases of language use wherein the three categories of sociosemiotic meaning carried by a source expression do not coincide with those of a comparable expression in the target language.
Three types of untranslatability, referential, pragmatic, and intralingual may be distinguished. On the understanding that the object of translation is the message instead of the carrier of the message, language-specific norms considered untranslatable by some linguists should be excluded from the realm of untranslatables. And since translation is a communicative event involving the use of verbal signs, the chance of untranslatability in practical translating tasks may be minimized if the communicative situation is taken into account.
In a larger sense, the problem of translatabiliiy is one of degrees: the higher the linguistic levels the source language signs carry meaning(s) at, the higher the degree of translatability these signs may display; the lower the levels they carry meaning(s) at, the lower the degree of translatability they may register.
Résumé
Le problème de la traduisibilité ou de la non-traduisibilité est étroitement lié à la compréhension par l'homme de la nature de la langue, de la signification et de la traduction. Du point de vue socio-sémiotique, les "non-traduisibles" sont fondamentalement des cas d'usage de la langue dans lesquels trois catégories de signification socio-sémiotique transmis par une expression source ne coïncident pas avec ceux d'une expression comparable dans la langue cible.
On distingue trois types de "non-traduisibles": référentiels, pragmatiques ou interlangues. Etant entendu que l'objet de la traduction est le message et non le vecteur de ce dernier, des normes spécifiques à la langue, considérées "intraduisibles" par certains linguistes, devraient être exclues du domaine des "intraduisibles". Et comme la traduction est un acte de communication impliquant l'usage de signes verbaux, l'éventualité d' "intraduisibles" lors des tâches de traduction pratique peut être réduite lorsque la situation communicative est prise en considération.
Dans un sens plus étendu, le problème de "traduisibilité" est une question de niveaux: plus les signes de la langue source transmettent de significations aux niveaux linguistiques les plus élevés, plus ces signes peuvent mettre en évidence le niveau de traduisibilité; au contraire, plus les niveaux qu'ils transmettent sont inférieurs, plus bas est le niveau de traduisibilité qu'ils enregistrent.
Translation as a(n) (Im)possible Task
Authors: Sánchez María T.
Published: November 2010

Abstract
Translation theorists can be divided into two general groups: those who believe in the possibility of translation and those who believe that translation is an impossible task. However, in actual practice a wide range of possibilities exists, going from one extreme to the other, and the most extreme of cases is dialect when used as a literary resource. But even here, there are several approaches as well as several levels of success. The present article looks at the possibility of dialect translation by examining three works of English literature with a strong dialect component, and discussing the solutions chosen by their Spanish translators.
Résumé
Les théoriciens de la traduction sont divisés en deux tendances générales: ceux qui sont convaincus de la possibilité de traduire et les autres pour lesquels traduire est une tâche impossible. Nonobstant, dans la pratique courante, il existe une large gamme de possibilités aux antipodes l'une de l'autre; le cas le plus extrême est le "dialecte" lorsqu'il est utilisé comme ressource littéraire. Mais même ici, il y a plusieurs modes ainsi que divers niveaux de réussite.
Cet article examine la possibilité de la traduction des dialectes à la lumière de trois ouvrages de la littérature anglaise ayant une forte composante dialectale, et en étudiant les solutions choisies par leurs traducteurs espagnols.
Note-Taking Skills and Comprehension in Consecutive Interpretation
Authors: Lung Rachel
Published: November 2010

Abstract
The paper touches on how systematic training and in-depth training in note-taking skills are related to comprehension in interpretation. It argues for a more focused role of note-taking in the interpretation curriculum. This paper identifies five factors resulting in interpretation failure based on personal observation of interpretation students' performance. These factors are timing of note-taking, unit of input, overall comprehension, fragmentation of memory span, and mental space for meaning processing. The paper concludes that these problems can be alleviated by effective note-taking skills during interpretation.
Considering that effective notetaking is one of the major prerequisites for quality interpretation, the nuance of notetaking skills should then be regarded as a separate skill to be trained and developed throughout the interpretation curriculum. Such an observation indicates the need to re-examine the role of note-taking teaching in interpretation classroom. The slight shift of focus in the interpretation classroom, from an overwhelmingly audio evaluation to an audio-visual examination of interpretation quality is likely to broaden the scope of the research dimension in interpretation.
Résumé
L'article traite de la façon dont une formation systématique et approfondie des aptitudes à la prise de notes sont reliées à la compréhension lorsqu'il s'agit d'une interprétation. Il plaide pour un rôle plus concentré de la prise de notes dans le programme d'étude de l'interprétation. Cet article identifie cinq facteurs qui aboutissent à un échec dans l'interprétation; ils sont basés sur l'observation personnelle de la performance des étudiants-interprètes. Ces facteurs sont: le temps qu'il prend pour prendre des notes, l'unité d'entrée des informations, une compréhension globale, la fragmentation de la durée de la mémoire, et l'espace mental pour le traitement des significations. L'article conclut que ces problêmes peuvent être allégés par des aptitudes effectives de prise de notes pendant l'interprétation.
En considérant qu'une prise de notes effective est une des conditions préliminaires obligatoires pour une interprétation de qualité, la nuance dans l'aptitude à bien prendre note devrait être considérée comme une aptitude séparée qui doit être formée et développée pendant tout le programme d'études d'interprétation. Cette observation indique la nécessité de réexaminer l'enseignement de la prise de notes dans les classes d'interprétation. Le léger décalage d'objectif dans les classes d'interprétation, partant d'une évaluation axée sur l'audition jusqu'à un examen audio-visuel de la qualité de l'interprétation peut amener une gamme plus large de dimensions de la recherche en interprétation.
Anaphoric Encapsulation
Authors: Conte Maria-Elisabeth
Published: November 2010

Abstract. Anaphoric encapsulation is a cohesive device by which a noun phrase functions as a resumptive paraphrase for a preceding portion of a text. The anaphoric noun phrase is constructed with a general noun as the lexical head and a clear preference for a demonstrative determiner. By anaphoric encapsulation, a new discourse referent is created on the basis of old information; it becomes the argument of further predications. As a semantic integration device, encapsulating noun phrases label preceding text-portions; they appear at nodal points in the text. When the head of the anaphoric noun phrase is an axionym, anaphoric encapsulation may be a strong means of manipulating the reader. Finally, anaphoric encapsulation may also result in the categorization and hypostasis of speech acts and argumentative functions in discourse.
Use of Domain Knowledge in Resolving Pronominal Anaphora
Authors: ter Haar Laudy E.H.M. , Kruijff-Korbayová Ivana , van der Vet Paul E. , Andernach Toine
Published: November 2010

Abstract. The research reported here has been conducted in the context of the Plinius project, which aims at semi-automatic knowledge acquisition from short natural-language texts. In this framework, a system has been developed for finding the antecedents of pronominal anaphora, in particular 'it'- and 'its'- anaphora. The anaphora resolution module operates on parser output and can make use of information generated by the parser; the lexicon gives the conceptual representations corresponding to the words. The algorithm for anaphora resolution involves three steps: (i) Assemble: construct a list of discourse entities (DEs); (ii) Identify: identify anaphoric DEs; (iii) Select: select, for each anaphoric DE, another DE from the list of DEs as its antecedent. The third step applies four constraints, i.e. rules to which a DE must conform in order to be a valid candidate: (a) semantic type agreement; (b) number agreement; (c) projection constraint; (d) conceptual compatibility. Constraints (a, b, c) are linguistic, while (d) is domain-related. The algorithm has been tested on three texts. It turns out that applying (d) before (a, b, c) considerably improves efficiency.
Coherence
Authors: Cornish Francis
Published: November 2010

Abstract. Coherence, which is an interpretative principle utilised by cooperative speakers/writers and hearers/readers, should not be confused with cohesion. Cohesion markers are not strictly necessary for the achievement of a coherent interpretation of a fragment of text, relative to some context, and overt incohesion does not necessarily point to an incoherent interpretation of the co-text. Anaphor resolution is a crucial part of the process of integration by which hearers/readers guided by the coherence principle integrate their interpretation of the current incoming clause into the current discourse model. A detailed study of the interdependencies holding between discourse model, antecedent-trigger predication, and anaphoric predication, shows that the anaphoric predication, just as much as the particular type of anaphor selected, plays a more fundamental role than the current discourse context in real discourse understanding.
Pronominal Reference to Inferred Antecedents
Authors: Ziv Yael
Published: November 2010

Abstract. It is argued that, contrary to what is predicted by many approaches to "bridging", relevance and script activation can license pronominal reference to inferred antecedents. The relevant script activation mechanism operates under conditions of prototypical role players and stereotypical predications in the appropriate script domain. The pronominals appearing in such referential uses seem to involve an attributive sense, or at least the activatability of the inferred referent.
Possessive Anaphora
Authors: Zribi-Hertz Anne
Published: November 2010

Abstract. The starting point of this paper is the apparent semantic symmetry between English and French pairs of examples like The name Mary, uses is not hers,/The name Mary, uses is not her, own and Le nom que Mariei utilise n est pas a ellezLe nom que Mariez utilise n'est pas le sienz. I will argue that this first-glance equivalence is misleading. In English, the possessive complement of a copular construction is ambiguous between a narrowly "possessive" reading and an elliptical relational reading. The former translates into French as a + DP, and the latter as le mienltienlsien... In both languages, the possessive predicate includes no empty nominal. English elliptical possessive DPs may include the adjunct own (his own [e]), an option which has no counterpart in French. I argue that all the interpretive features of the possessive expressions in the sentences at hand are rooted in their morphological or syntactic properties. Even logophoricity is a semantic effect of some formal properties of complex expressions of the him+self type.
VP Anaphor, the SIH, and the ISH
Authors: Valmala Vidal
Published: November 2010

Abstract. This paper gives an account of some restrictions in the application of null VP Anaphor in English infinitives, showing how the Internal Subject Hypothesis and the Split Inflection Hypothesis affect the assumptions on which previous analyses were based. The ECP and the temporal interpretation of the infinitive are demonstrated to be irrelevant for licensing null VPs in English infinitival clauses. It is shown that VP Anaphor is better analyzed as involving deletion at the PF level or on the way to it, and that it can be applied if the antecedent and target VP are "identical" at LF. It also appears that independent conditions concerning the checking of features of infinitival have and be affect VP deletion applicability.
Measured Coherence
Authors: García Erica C.
Published: November 2010

Abstract. This paper reports on an experiment carried out with six groups of Latin-American college students. Subjects were presented with stimulus sentences with a gap produced by the removal, from an original sentence, of an anaphor (si) or a deictic (él). They were asked to fill in the gap. Two contexts were distinguished; the 'micro-context' provided by the presence vs. absence of the word mismo, and the 'macro-context', made up ofthe remainder of the stimulus. It turned out that the effect of the 'macro-context' is less than that of the 'mini-context', but that the very notion of a 'mini-context' is questionable, since si mismo may be processed as a single unit.
The Markedness of Abstract-Object Anaphors in Discourse
Authors: Maes Fons
Published: November 2010

Abstract. This paper focuses on the use in discourse of abstract-object anaphors (AOs), viz. the unmarked personal pronoun it and the marked deictic pronouns that (this). Current proposals made on this matter by Arie (1994), Gundel et al. (1993), Passoneau (1989) and Webber (1991) are critically assessed. It is argued that the AO that has a predicating value and enhances the activation of the antecedent-trigger information, while the AO it has a presupposing value and enhances the activation of the anaphor-clause representation. The different uses of the two AOs are positioned on a scale according to their mutual substitutability. The extreme ends of the scale are taken up by the nonanaphoric and nonreplaceable uses of that or it. For each AO, the strong substitution classes contain the extreme use and the uses which scarcely allow mutual replacement. The weak substitution classes contain those uses where the distribution of that and it is basically guided by focus shift, referent establishment and referent prominence.
Pragmatic Aspects of the Use of Pronouns in Wh-Questions
Authors: Mazeland Harrie
Published: November 2010

Abstract. This paper focuses on the ways Dutch speakers use pronouns in order to refer to the topic entity of wh-questions. It appears that, when they have the choice between a third-person pronoun or a demonstrative pronoun, they prefer the latter; however, in the answers given to wh-questions, the same discourse entity is normally referred to by means of a third-person pronoun. This phenomenon is usually accounted for by the recency principle, which predicts that a speaker accomplishes topical continuity by using a third-person pronoun. However, even when a discourse entity was already thematic over a long stretch of talk, speakers normally refer to it by means of a demontrative pronoun if it is the topic of a wh-question. Therefore, it is argued that the sequential function of the utterance as a whole may govern the selection of the coding devices through which reference is made to discourse entitites. This hypothesis would explain why the topic entity of a reported wh-question is usually referred to by means of a third-person pronoun.
The Progressive in Japanese and Temporal Advancement in Narrative
Authors: Ayano Seiki
Published: November 2010

Abstract. Various studies have indicated that the aspectual class controls the narrative temporal structure. In principle, sentences with a bound/perfcctive interpretation advance time in narrative. For example, a sentence with either an achievement or an accomplishment predicate does not overlap with surrounding discourse and, therefore, it is interpreted as a description of an event that happens later than the event described in the previous sentence. However, it has also been pointed out that the progressive aspect in English moves time forward in the narrative. Dowry (1986) provides examples in the progressive aspect that alllow time advancement. He argues that in such exceptional cases, a quasi-inceptive reading is possible through "perceptual observations". The present paper examimes the progressive construction in Japanese, which involves the stativc suffix te-iru. The aim of this study is to show that the progressive aspect in Japanese also brings about a perceptual effect under certain conditions, which induces a boundedness reading of the sentence with a predicate in the progressive aspect.
Frequency and Tense Use in French
Authors: Molendijk Arie , de Swart Henriette E.
Published: November 2010

Abstract. This paper deals wilh the use of Ihe passé simple and the imparfait of French in frequentative sentences. It is argued that frequency implies sentence-internal quantification, meaning that frequentative sentences report just one (complex) eventuality. This claim is related to the fact that, as far as establishing temporal relationships between eventualities is concerned, sentences containing frequency adverbs behave like sentences that don't imply quantification at all. So they may establish all kinds of temporal relationships between eventualities. Given the claims put forward in this paper about the temporal meaning of the passe* simple and the imparfait (Molendijk 1990), it naturally follows that, as a general rule, frequency adverbs combine with both tenses. But they do not always do so under exactly the same circumstances. In this regard, a distinction can be made between dependent frequency adverbs {tout le temps 'all the time' etc.), which imply reference to a contextually determinable concrete situation, and independent ones (toujours 'always', etc.), which may be used without any reference to such a situation. This distinction helps us to understand, for instance, why dependent frequency adverbs do not easily combine with the 'absolute' (non-narrative) passe simple, whereas they do combine with the imparfait and the 'narrative' passé simple.
Adverbials of Aspectual Focus and Negation in Dutch
Authors: Smessaert Hans
Published: November 2010

Abstract. In this paper two paradigms of four Dutch adverbials are discussed, the first consisting of al ('already'), al niet meer ('already no longer'), nog altijd ('still always'), and nog altijd niet ('still always not'), the second of eindelijk ('finally'), eindelijk niet meer ('finally no longer'), al bijna ('already almost') and al bijna niet meer ('already almost no longer'). These are expressions of aspectual focus in that the actual course of events is inherently opposed to possible alternatives and evaluated as slower or faster than expected. A two-dimensional graphical representation is provided for each adverbial. The relationships between the eight representations are captured in terms of five binary parameters. Each adverbial thus corresponds to a bit-string of five binary values. The various relations of opposition or negation between these eight adverbials are then defined in terms of switching bit-values. The proposed analysis rejects the duality-relationship posited between al ('already') and nog ('still'). Together with nog niet ('not yet') and niet meer ('no longer') the latter constitutes an independent paradigm of continuity-expressions fundamentally different from the focus-paradigms around al. Furthermore, basic duality notions of internal and external negation are insufficient to adequately capture the various types of negation involved in aspectual focus.
Aspects Of (Un)Boundedness
Authors: Vanden Wyngaerd Guido
Published: November 2010

Abstract Resultative predicates have the aspectual effect of telicizing an atelic activity verb. The function of the postverbal constituent in accomplishments has been taken to be one of providing an end point to the activity, or of a constituent that "measures out" the event denoted by the activity verb. In either case, it delimits the event by providing it with boundaries. Looking at resultative predicates, we observe that they are subject to the requirement that they denote a bounded scale. This requirement is argued to be empirically superior to an alternative restriction stating that the resultative must be a stage-level predicate. The boundedness requirement furthermore provides direct evidence against an approach that treats the resultative as an end point, and supports the claim that it is an event measure. One piece of evidence concerns the 'make + NP+Adjective' construction, in which the adjective denotes the final stage or end point in a change of state, exactly as in the resultative construction. In contrast to the resultative, however, the adjective can be unbounded, as it is not an event measure in this case. We argue that the boundedness requirement on resultative predicates follows directly from treating it as an event measure, since a measure must be bounded as a matter of conceptual necessity.
Changing Culture Changing Grammar
Authors: Manoliu Maria M.
Published: November 2010

Abstract. It has been often emphasized that, in Romance, the category of aspect has become subordinated to the category of tense and that the development of compound and double-compound forms was due to the necessity of recreating the opposition between perfectum and infectum, an opposition which dominated the Latin temporal system on the whole. As far as we know, there is no satisfactory explanation for this phenomenon. According to our hypothesis, the cyclic bleaching of the 'resultative value' is a consequence of a fundamental change in parameters affecting various categories such as gender, case, voice and tense. More specifically, the resultative value of compound tenses must have been in competition with the values of the newly created plain passive, which was also result-centered (as opposed to the agent-centered active and event-centered middle/reflexive). By turn, these changes in the voice paradigm were triggered by the reinterpretation of the inherent feature [+Passive] characterizing Latin neuter nouns as a contextual feature. Since the verb assigns various roles to its arguments, it is no wonder that the combination of 'topicality' with a 'passive role' will affect the entire sentential structure, including the verb markers. But if both the plain passive and the compound past are result-centered, the corresponding active forms may become first and foremost tense markers, with special pragmatic and narrative values as required by the discourse necessities of the predominantly oral registers that developed into Romance languages.
A Perfect Piece? The Present Perfect And Passé Composé In Journalistic Texts
Authors: Engel Dulcie M.
Published: November 2010

Abstract. The French Passé Composé (PC) has long been a source of interest to scholars, in particular in relation to the Passé Simple, which it is seen to have replaced to some extent. The English Present Perfect (PP) has also aroused much interest for its wide range of functions, and apparent emerging use in Simple Past contexts. The aim of the present paper is to examine the PC and PP in a comparative manner. The focus will be on the use of PP and PC in a particular narrative context: faits divers (and other short articles) in French newspapers, and its closest equivalent in the British press: news in brief. Finally, we consider how far the PP has moved along the path trodden by the PC, i.e. to what extent perfect forms can express past events.
"Tell me, Socrates ..."
Authors: Pitavy Jean-Christophe
Published: November 2010

Abstract. This paper reports on a research in progress on the aspectual opposition between two major stems of verbal inflection in Ancient Greek: Present and Aorist. By studying a corpus of forms taken from Plato's philosophical dialogues, we try to elucidate the relationship between the choice of an aspectual stem and the meaning of the verb in the situation of utterance. Our selected items are verbal forms used to invite the addressee to speak. The Invitation to speak is a connection between two consecutive utterance situations; it pragmatically implies a specific way of causing the addressee to act. Through a detailed analysis of the part played by non-inflectional person markers (stressed pronouns as opposed to simple endings), connective particles and adverbials, it appears that Aorist is used when the agent seems to be presented as opposed to another one and the process is presented as interrupted, whereas Present is used in the case of continuation or resumption of the speech process. Focus is preferably put on one of the actants, to mark the opposition and newness of the Aorist process, whereas putting the emphasis on a continuing process requires the Present stem.
The Linguistic Expression of a Semantic Relation
Authors: Aslanides Sophie
Published: November 2010

Abstract. This article sets out some of the results of wider research on the linguistic databases of a natural language generation system. One of the necessary steps in the building of such databases is to determine the linguistic means the generator must have in order to produce a linguistic form that corresponds to the semantic representation given as an input. We wish to focus here on the theoretical choices and issues rather than on the application itself. We assume that texts have a syntactic structure, whose characteristics are partly comparable to the syntactic structure of a sentence, and that a connective can be considered as a textual predicate which has arguments that are constrained in the same way as the arguments of a verb. This article will concentrate more specifically on one particular semantic relation — the simultaneity of two events — and will show how the taxonomy of the associated connectives can be elaborated. Finally, we will set out some of the major developments of this research, which concern the interface between conceptual and linguistic knowledge.
Reference Values In Present-tense When-Clauses
Authors: Dilys Rosalind
Published: November 2010

Abstract. Various interpretations are available for when -clauses featuring present-tense verb forms: the clause may refer either to a past or future time-sphere, or to a world other than the "real" one. The reference may also be widened to a generic value, or processed as a nontemporal locus. Whether the interpretation is temporal or nontemporal, the reference value can never be strictly limited to to, or temporal zero-point. This paper explores the temporal properties of t0 and the construction of temporal and nontemporal loci. It is shown that although the temporal locus constructed by when is incompatible with t0, such is not the case for as. The incompatibility is therefore accounted for in terms of when's role as a particular kind of aspectualizer: indeed, all the examples tend to show that when imparts a perfective format to the locus constructed on the basis of the w/ien-clause situation.
The Referentiality of Tenses
Authors: Janssen Theo
Published: November 2010

Abstract. This article assumes that tenses in English and Dutch are non-time-based. A verb in the present tense form signals 'verb-in-this-context-of-situation', whereas a verb in the past tense form signals 'verb-in-that-context-of-situation'. It is argued here that the non-time-based analysis of tenses is particularly relevant in cases in which two tense forms should indicate the same time, but have to be interpreted as indicating different times. This discrepancy may occur in the relative use of tenses in various languages (e.g. Classical Greek, Old Irish, Ngiti, and Russian).
The French Language in Belgium
Authors: Francard Michel
Published: November 2010

Abstract. Relying on recent sociolinguistic research, this paper questions some generally accepted ideas concerning the French spoken by Walloons and Brussels Francophones. In particular, it is shown that the observation of real linguistic usage does not allow one to postulate the existence of a variant like "Standard Belgian French", "Walloon French" or "Brussels French". Contrary to what is implied by naive collections of so-called "Belgicisms", any possible definition of "Belgian French" in terms of specific linguistic features is doomed to failure, because similar phenomena can be registered in other French-speaking areas. On the other hand, Walloons and Brussels Francophones often assume a kind of "identity by substraction" grounded on their own representation of " Belgian French" as a variant devoid of any normative legitimacy. Yet, it is argued here that sociolinguistic changes currently in progress will favour the emergence of an endogenous regional norm.
Flemish Dutch Is the Language of the Flemings
Authors: Deprez Kas
Published: November 2010

Abstract. The Flemish nation is a reality. Flanders has even become a state to some extent. Flanders no longer speaks French. French has been gradually ideologised from the language of prestige to the language of the enemy. Flanders has not chosen Flemish, but Dutch as its new language of prestige. There was no elite in Flanders speaking Flemish. Those who should have developed Standard Flemish in the 17th and 18th centuries, switched to French. After 1830, the Orangists put forward three major arguments to reject Flemish and to opt for Dutch. First, Flemish was not strong enough to compete with French. Second, Flemish was not good enough; it was corrupted by French, it was only a poor by-product of a Belgian nation-state that was dominated by French. Third, by opting for Dutch, the Flemings would link up with their history. In the second half of the 19th century, a process of dutchification gradually set in. As the importance of language as a social, economic and, therefore, political factor increased, the influence of Dutch grew stronger. Yet, there seem to be limits to the dutchification of Flemish society and, consequently, of the language of the Flemings. Even the most dedicated supporters of Pan-Netherlandic unity somehow reject the language of the Dutch as a model for Flanders.
Secondary Language Attitudes In and Around Brussels
Authors: Vanneste Alex
Published: November 2010

Abstract. Secondary language attitudes are examined in the Brussels conurbation, in the communes of the Flemish periphery of Brussels and in the communes with linguistic facilities, especially by an analysis of a representative number of advertisements in the yellow pages of the Brussels region, focusing on various types of business. Our survey compares the situation of 1973 with these of 1987 and 1995, which means that the study covers a period of almost a quarter of a century. The interpretation of this qualitative and quantitative analysis of more than 7,000 advertisements - monolingual (French or Flemish) as well as bilingual - allows us to formulate a number of conclusions concerning the evolution of the relative position of French and Flemish in the Brussels conurbation, the Flemish communes of the Brussels periphery and the communes with linguistic facilities - always in terms of secondary language attitudes.
Arbeitersprache: A Fiction?
Authors: Vandenbussche Wim
Published: November 2010

Abstract. This article discusses the structure of working class language use {Arbeitersprache) in Bruges during the 19th century. It will be demonstrated that the written language of this 'silent majority' of the population was a defective and ill-construed code, displaying defects at all linguistic levels, and consequently testifying of semi-literacy or near-literacy. Through a set of representative text samples, we will discuss such features as inconsequent spelling, word omission, unfinished sentences, lack of coherence and stylistic unstableness. Through a comparison of examples from the beginning and the end of the 19th century, written by both trade servants and masters, it will be shown that defective language use was not limited to lower groups of the working class, nor to the earlier years of the century. At the end of this article, we will argue that a discussion of 19th century language use (and of 'Arbeitersprache' in particular) should not only concentrate on the writer's social class; social processes like literacy and schooling, which go beyond class boundaries, may have a far higher explanatory value in these matters.
Accents of Dutch
Authors: van Bezooijen Renée , Ytsma Johannes
Published: November 2010

Abstract. This experimental study deals with the perception of regionally colored accents of Standard Dutch (from Groningen, Friesland, Limburg, Zuid-Holland, and West-Flanders) as compared to 'pure' Standard Dutch. Three different aspects were investigated: speech-based personality impression, perceived linguistic divergence, and geographic identifiability. Listeners originated from different parts of the Netherlands. As for personality impression, speakers of 'pure' Standard Dutch were perceived to be significantly more dominant (arrogant, self-assured, and active) than accented speakers from Groningen, Friesland, Limburg, and West-Flanders, and they received significantly higher ratings on the integrity dimension (reliable, fair, and education) than accented speakers from Limburg. No other significant differences (e.g. related to social attractiveness) were found. With respect to linguistic divergence, the speakers from the south (Limburg and West-Flanders) were perceived to have significantly stronger and more homogeneous accents than the speakers from the north (Groningen and Friesland) and the west (Zuid-Holland). Finally, the geographic origin of the speakers from Limburg appeared to be the easiest to identify and that of the speakers from West-Flanders and Groningen the most difficult.
Patterns of Variation in Two Dialect Areas in Northern Belgium
Authors: Belemans Rob , Vandekerckhove Reinhild
Published: November 2010

Abstract. The article focuses on dialect change in the western and eastern periphery of the southern Dutch language area, i.e. in the province of West-Flanders and the province of Limburg. Both by a general survey of the dialect situation in these regions and by the analysis of two instances of phonological change, it is demonstrated that the actual state and dynamics of these areas is essentially different in terms of dialect loss and dialect vitality. The West-Flemish data reveal an intertwining of interdialectal and standard language influence, whereas the changes registered in the Limburg data unambiguously point to standard language influence.
Grammaticalization in Young People's Language
Authors: Androutsopoulos Jannis K.
Published: November 2010

Abstract. Recent research has pointed out that certain grammaticalization phenomena originate in substandard varieties and/or colloquial speech styles. However, the potential of insights to be gained from relating grammaticalization and sociolinguistics still remains largely unexplored. The present paper is an attempt at such an approach, discussing grammaticalization processes in contemporary German youth language (Jugendsprache). On a word formation level, the paper deals with nominal and verbal formatives, denominal conversions, and the use of verb stems as lexical morphemes. Syntactic phenomena include the development of the non-inflected negative null and a new intensifier word order pattern. After highlighting the relevant grammaticalization mechanisms for each of these patterns, the paper discusses the relation between slang creation and grammaticalization, emphasizing the role of expressivity as a discourse-pragmatic motivation for linguistic innovations. Finally, the paper draws attention to connections between youth specific language varieties and language change, and tries to account for the fact that some grammaticalization processes in substandard varieties never reach their potential end point.
Dialectology, Philology and Linguistics in the Romance Field
Authors: Desmet Piet , Lauwers Peter , Swiggers Pierre
Published: November 2010

Abstract. This contribution offers a historical survey of the views adopted by Romance scholars in methodological discussions tied up with dialectological work conducted between 1875 and 1925. Following an initial phase in which dialectology was strongly linked to folklore-based work and was mainly devoted to the collection of materials, the study of dialects gained a theoretical status within the historical-comparative model. Dialectology then became institutionalised as an academic discipline which developed in various theoretical directions, with Jules Gilliéron and Louis Gauchat as the two key representatives. Whereas Gilliéron favoured the semantic and psychological study of the history of words - to the neglect of the study of their phonetic evolution -, Gauchat stressed the primacy of phonetics, while paying due attention to sociolinguistic phenomena. The methodological principles on which dialectological work was based had a major impact on other domains within Romance linguistics. Walther von Wartburg, for example, integrated the results of dialectological work in his Romance etymological studies, and Antoine Meillet stressed the heuristic and methodological contribution of linguistic geography to historical and general linguistics.
Sociolinguistic Representations of the French Spoken in Rouen
Authors: Bulot Thierry
Published: November 2010

Abstract. This article describes the methodology used to collect data on sociolinguistic representations in an urban situation - and, specifically, in Rouen (France) - by relying on a detailed study of the relationships between epilinguistic discourse and social space. In the discussion, emphasis is put not only on the initial assumptions of the research, on the problems which arose during the inquiry and the answers one can offer to those problems, but also on the methodological quandaries of any such work. Collecting the data involved two phases, the first qualitative and the second quantitative. A pre-inquiry which took the form of semi-directive interviews was carried out in order to select those items that the local speakers consider as sociolinguistically qualifying. Next, a written questionnaire was submitted to a second identical sample of local speakers who had to evaluate the items selected by the first group of speakers. The procedure was the same for both assessment recordings: the subjects heard pre-recorded representative verbal samples uttered by representative local speakers. In conclusion, it appears that a methodology combining the social evaluation of verbal samples and the measurement of attitudes could be appropriate in accounting for the complex encounters between several representations of urban space.
Sound Change, Phonological Rules, and Articulatory Phonology
Authors: McMahon April , Foulkes Paul
Published: November 2010

Abstract. The gestural model of Articulatory Phonology currently being developed by Browman and Goldstein provides a new way of modelling both synchronic and diachronic phonetic processes as well as certain types of synchronic phonological rules. Although Browman and Goldstein place stringent restrictions on the model, ruling out categorical deletion and insertion of gestures, as well as gestural permutation not resulting from magnitude and timing changes, Articulatory Phonology can nonetheless provide enlightening accounts of various types of sound change, including historical developments which have previously been analysed as segmental insertions and deletions. The application of Articulatory Phonology to sound changes is beneficial in that it allows the formulation of a change to include some account of its motivation from the point of view of the speaker (or indeed, though less straightforwardly, the hearer). We aim to extend Browman and Goldstein's preliminary applications of their model to sound change, by demonstrating that changes which have been analysed as entirely separate developments in a traditional segmental phonology can be seen instead as part of an integrated complex of interrelated changes within Articulatory Phonology. Focussing on the development of non-rhotic varieties of English, we show that the sound changes producing present-day linking [r], which are typically given as three independent developments of Pre-[r] Breaking, Pre-Schwa Laxing, and /r/-Deletion, can be shown to be interdependent and analysed in an explanatory way using the gestural model. However, we argue that not all the synchronic phonological processes to which such sound changes give rise can be analysed in gestural terms, given the current restrictions on Articulatory Phonology. For instance, in present-day English varieties which exhibit intrusive as well as linking [r], and which seem to be best characterised by an [r]-Insertion analysis, synchronic addition of gestures must be permitted. Insertion processes of this sort may initially seem incompatible with Articulatory Phonology, but there is clear motivation to retain the gestural framework, given its ability to model many sound changes, casual speech processes and phonological rules using the same mechanisms. Consequently, we propose that, to account for English [r] and similar cases, the current constraints on Articulatory Phonology must be relaxed to a limited extent at some level of the grammar. We suggest that this might be achieved by integrating the gestural approach into a model of Lexical Phonology.