title: Benthic foraminiferal response to changes in bottom-water oxygenation and organic carbon flux in the eastern Mediterranean during LGM to Recent times

authors: Abu-Zied, Ramadan H.

subjects: benthic foraminifera

abstract: We present a high-resolution study of benthic foraminiferal abundances in 4 cores from the central Aegean and NE Levantine Seas, spanning the interval from 30 ka BP to the present. The benthic foraminiferal faunas indicate that during LGM times, bottom waters were well ventilated, while organic flux to the sea floor was significantly higher than today. From 30 to 10.2 ka BP, faunal density and composition suggest a gradual decrease in organic flux to the sea floor. This trend is interrupted by a short return to higher organic flux levels during the Younger Dryas (12.8–11.5 ka BP). The faunas immediately preceding the early to middle Holocene organic-rich layer (sapropel) S1 are very similar to Late Holocene faunas, indicating oligotrophic conditions. The transition from well ventilated bottom waters to anoxic (Levantine Basin) or strongly dysoxic (Aegean Sea) bottom waters appears to take place within a time-span of only 600 years, from ∼ 10.8 to 10.2 ka BP. Sapropel S1 (10.2–6.4 ka BP) is characterized by extended periods of bottom-water anoxia in the Levantine Basin, and by strongly dysoxic conditions punctuated by episodic re-ventilation events in the Aegean Sea. Re-establishment of fully oxygenated bottom-water conditions after sapropel S1 was extremely rapid. The ensuing Late Holocene faunas are very similar to recent faunas found in the Aegean Sea, suggesting much lower fluxes of organic matter to the sea floor than during glacial times.

text: Benthic foraminiferal response to changes in bottom-water oxygenation and organic carbon flux in the eastern Mediterranean during LGM to Recent times We present a high-resolution study of benthic foraminiferal abundances in 4 cores from the central Aegean and NE Levantine Seas, spanning the interval from 30 ka BP to the present. The benthic foraminiferal faunas indicate that during LGM times, bottom waters were well ventilated, while organic flux to the sea floor was significantly higher than today. From 30 to 10.2 ka BP, faunal density and composition suggest a gradual decrease in organic flux to the sea floor. This trend is interrupted by a short return to higher organic flux levels during the Younger Dryas (12.8–11.5 ka BP). The faunas immediately preceding the early to middle Holocene organic-rich layer (sapropel) S1 are very similar to Late Holocene faunas, indicating oligotrophic conditions. The transition from well ventilated bottom waters to anoxic (Levantine Basin) or strongly dysoxic (Aegean Sea) bottom waters appears to take place within a time-span of only 600 years, from ∼ 10.8 to 10.2 ka BP. Sapropel S1 (10.2–6.4 ka BP) is characterized by extended periods of bottom-water anoxia in the Levantine Basin, and by strongly dysoxic conditions punctuated by episodic re-ventilation events in the Aegean Sea. Re-establishment of fully oxygenated bottom-water conditions after sapropel S1 was extremely rapid. The ensuing Late Holocene faunas are very similar to recent faunas found in the Aegean Sea, suggesting much lower fluxes of organic matter to the sea floor than during glacial times.

year: 2008

title: Time in Early Modern Islam: Calendar, Ceremony, and Chronology in the Safavid, Mughal and Ottoman Empires [Book Review]

authors: Drury, Abdullah

abstract: This article reviews the book 'Time in Early Modern Islam: Calendar, Ceremony, and Chronology in the Safavid', Mughal and Ottoman Empires, by Stephen P. Blake.

text: Time in Early Modern Islam: Calendar, Ceremony, and Chronology in the Safavid, Mughal and Ottoman Empires [Book Review] This article reviews the book 'Time in Early Modern Islam: Calendar, Ceremony, and Chronology in the Safavid', Mughal and Ottoman Empires, by Stephen P. Blake.

year: 2013-07

title: An exploration of the role of semantic relations in the theory and practice of translation (with special reference to English/Māori and Māori/English translation)

authors: Roa, Tom

subjects: clause relations

abstract: It is over forty years since Beekman and Callow, working within the context of the tagmemic tradition, drew attention to the potential significance so far as the theory and practice of translation are concerned of inter-propositional relations (also referred to as ‘discourse relations’, 'semantic relations', ‘semantico-pragmatic relations’, 'rhetorical relations’ and ‘clause relations’).  Since then, the importance of these relations has been increasingly acknowledged within linguistics and a range of other disciplines, including artificial intelligence. In spite of this, inter-propositional relations remain largely unexplored by the vast majority of those involved in translation. My aim in this research project was to determine (a) what impact, if any, a short training course in inter-propositional relations and inter-propositional relational signalling had on novice Māori-English/ English-Māori translators, and (b)  what impact my own understanding of these relations has had on my own practice as a translator. In connection with this, I conducted two studies.  

In the first of these studies, two small groups of novice translators were asked to translate seven text segments - some from English into te reo Māori, others from te reo Māori into English. They were then given a two-day workshop on inter-propositional relations and inter-propositional relational signalling in English and te reo Māori. No translation exercises were included in the workshop. The novice translators were then asked to translate the same text segments again. Comparison of the two sets of translations revealed some interesting differences, the second set indicating a higher level of sensitivity to inter-propositional relations and their signalling in the original text segments. This resulted in, it is argued here, translations that more accurately reflect authorial intentions as indicated in the source texts (see Chapter 3). In connection with this, it is relevant to note that, as indicated in the introductory chapter (Chapter 1) and in parts of the literature review (Chapter 2), while some of those involved in the Western tradition of translation theory and practice have argued that authorial intention is largely irrelevant in relation to textual interpretation, this essentially post-structural positioning is not available to those involved in translating indigenous texts within the context of indigenous worldviews.

In the second study, I used self-reflective think-aloud protocols to record my thoughts during the process of translating, from English into te reo Māori, text segments from five very different texts, all of these translations having been commissioned by different commissioning agencies. I then, making reference to the think-aloud transcripts, compared the source texts with the translations to determine the ways in which my reflections on inter-propositional relations and their signalling had impacted on the translations (Chapter 4).

My overall conclusion is that an understanding of inter-propositional relations and inter-propositional relational signalling can make a positive contribution to the theory and practice of translation and should be included in translator training and in the teaching of additional languages more generally (Chapter 5).

text: An exploration of the role of semantic relations in the theory and practice of translation (with special reference to English/Māori and Māori/English translation) It is over forty years since Beekman and Callow, working within the context of the tagmemic tradition, drew attention to the potential significance so far as the theory and practice of translation are concerned of inter-propositional relations (also referred to as ‘discourse relations’, 'semantic relations', ‘semantico-pragmatic relations’, 'rhetorical relations’ and ‘clause relations’).  Since then, the importance of these relations has been increasingly acknowledged within linguistics and a range of other disciplines, including artificial intelligence. In spite of this, inter-propositional relations remain largely unexplored by the vast majority of those involved in translation. My aim in this research project was to determine (a) what impact, if any, a short training course in inter-propositional relations and inter-propositional relational signalling had on novice Māori-English/ English-Māori translators, and (b)  what impact my own understanding of these relations has had on my own practice as a translator. In connection with this, I conducted two studies.  

In the first of these studies, two small groups of novice translators were asked to translate seven text segments - some from English into te reo Māori, others from te reo Māori into English. They were then given a two-day workshop on inter-propositional relations and inter-propositional relational signalling in English and te reo Māori. No translation exercises were included in the workshop. The novice translators were then asked to translate the same text segments again. Comparison of the two sets of translations revealed some interesting differences, the second set indicating a higher level of sensitivity to inter-propositional relations and their signalling in the original text segments. This resulted in, it is argued here, translations that more accurately reflect authorial intentions as indicated in the source texts (see Chapter 3). In connection with this, it is relevant to note that, as indicated in the introductory chapter (Chapter 1) and in parts of the literature review (Chapter 2), while some of those involved in the Western tradition of translation theory and practice have argued that authorial intention is largely irrelevant in relation to textual interpretation, this essentially post-structural positioning is not available to those involved in translating indigenous texts within the context of indigenous worldviews.

In the second study, I used self-reflective think-aloud protocols to record my thoughts during the process of translating, from English into te reo Māori, text segments from five very different texts, all of these translations having been commissioned by different commissioning agencies. I then, making reference to the think-aloud transcripts, compared the source texts with the translations to determine the ways in which my reflections on inter-propositional relations and their signalling had impacted on the translations (Chapter 4).

My overall conclusion is that an understanding of inter-propositional relations and inter-propositional relational signalling can make a positive contribution to the theory and practice of translation and should be included in translator training and in the teaching of additional languages more generally (Chapter 5).

year: 2016