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Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons™
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- Grammar (5)
- Role and Reference Grammar (5)
- Role and reference grammar (3)
- Sign language (3)
- Avatar (2)
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- Irish sign language (2)
- Lithuanian language (2)
- Māori (2)
- Persian (2)
- Pitjantjatjara (2)
- Yankunytjatjara (2)
- Accessibility (1)
- Aktionsarten (1)
- Bamunka (1)
- Construction Morphology (1)
- Construction grammar (1)
- Data-ink. (1)
- Deaf (1)
- Disability (1)
- Dual number (1)
- Emotion (1)
- Emotions (1)
- English language (1)
- Farsi (1)
- Focus structure (1)
- Foreign language (1)
- Gender assignment (1)
- German (1)
- German language (1)
- Grammatical gender (1)
Articles 1 - 30 of 30
Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences
Directionals In Ngaanyatjarra, Conor Pyle
Directionals In Ngaanyatjarra, Conor Pyle
The ITB Journal
This paper looks at directional morphemes in Ngaanyatjarra, a language spoken in Western Australia. This is part of the suffixing subdivision of Australian languages with both nominals and verbs having rich sets of inflectional and derivational suffixes. Despite this typological categorisation, there are a small number of directional prefixes. Using a Role and Reference Grammar (RRG) account, we look at directional elements, both prefixes and local peripheral case marking suffixes. RRG posits two types of directional operator, at the nucleus and the core. We find that the prefixes are nuclear operators describing the direction of the verb itself; while the …
A Third Number: Discussing Duals In Lithuanian Language, Jone Bruno
A Third Number: Discussing Duals In Lithuanian Language, Jone Bruno
The ITB Journal
Modern Lithuanian has two grammatical numbers: singular and plural, nevertheless literature sources note the existence of the dual number residue in Lithuanian. This phenomenon is prominent in Austronesian languages as stated by Schwartz (1989:237-238) and there are different types of duals. However, in European languages this phenomenon is not as widely spread. This paper overviews the constructions of such phenomenon and presents results of a small research which looked at the frequency of the usage of dual pronouns and demonstratives in the Lithuanian language. Data for the research was taken from the Corpus of Lithuanian Language compiled by Vytautas Magnus …
Computing The Lexicon Morphological-Phonological Interface For Irish Sign Language Sign Realisation, Irene Murtagh
Computing The Lexicon Morphological-Phonological Interface For Irish Sign Language Sign Realisation, Irene Murtagh
The ITB Journal
The first modern linguistic analysis of a signed language was published in 1960 by William C. Stokoe, Jr., a professor of English at Gallaudet University, Washington DC, the only college for the deaf in the world. Nearly sixty years on, research in the area of sign language linguistics has established that signed languages are fully developed natural languages with their own syntax, morphology and phonology. The morphology and phonology of signed languages is concerned among with manual and non-manual features. These include handshapes, head, torso, eyebrow, eye, cheek, mouth, nose, chin and tongue movement and also movement of the shoulders. …
Editorial, Brian Nolan
Editorial, Brian Nolan
The ITB Journal
I am very pleased to have to the opportunity to introduce the papers in the 27th edition of the ITB Journal.
How Data-Ink Maximization Can Motivate Learners – Persuasion In Data Visualization, Judith Gottschalk
How Data-Ink Maximization Can Motivate Learners – Persuasion In Data Visualization, Judith Gottschalk
The ITB Journal
This paper discusses both the macro- and the micro-level of persuasion in data visualizations in persuasive tools for language learning. The hypothesis of this paper is that persuasive data visualizations decrease reading time and increase reading accuracy of graph charts. Based on Tufte’s (1983) data-ink maximization principle the report introduces a framework for persuasive data visualizations on the persuasive micro level which employs Few’s (2013) conception of de-emphasizing non-data and emphasizing data-ink. This way persuasive data visualizations for a performance optimizing tool called Learning Journey Online (cf. Gottschalk and Winther-Nielsen 2013) is presented.
Serial Verb Constructions In Pitjantjatjara And Yankunytjatjara, Conor Pyle
Serial Verb Constructions In Pitjantjatjara And Yankunytjatjara, Conor Pyle
The ITB Journal
This study looks at serial verb constructions in two dialects of the Western Desert language of Australia, Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara. With a Role and Reference Grammar analysis, the paradigm allows us to look at the constituents for logical structure, and marking of macroroles. We find that core and peripheral argument phrases are marked by case with ergative nominal marking and accusative pronoun marking. Dependent marking is on the phrase level and there is no verb agreement for number, gender or person marking on the verb. Simple verbs use endings for tense, aspect, mood and status. The operator projection shows the …
Emotional Facial Expressions In Synthesised Sign Language Avatars: A Manual Evaluation, Robert G. Smith Mr, Brian Nolan
Emotional Facial Expressions In Synthesised Sign Language Avatars: A Manual Evaluation, Robert G. Smith Mr, Brian Nolan
The ITB Journal
This research explores and evaluates the contribution that facial expressions might have regarding improved comprehension and acceptability in sign language avatars. Focusing specifically on Irish Sign Language (ISL), we examine the Deaf 1 community’s responsiveness to sign language avatars. The hypothesis of this is: Augmenting an existing avatar with the 7 widely accepted universal emotions identified by Ekman [1] to achieve underlying facial expressions, will make that avatar more human-like and improve usability and understandability for the ISL user. Using human evaluation methods [2] we compare an augmented set of avatar utterances against a baseline set, focusing on 2 key …
Editorial, Brian Nolan
Editorial, Brian Nolan
The ITB Journal
I am delighted to introduce the 24th edition of the ITB Journal, the academic journal of the Institute of Technology Blanchardstown.
The Persuasive Tutor: A Bdi Teaching Agent With Role And Reference Grammar Language Interface – Sustainable Design Of A Conversational Agent For Language Learning, Judith Gottschalk
The Persuasive Tutor: A Bdi Teaching Agent With Role And Reference Grammar Language Interface – Sustainable Design Of A Conversational Agent For Language Learning, Judith Gottschalk
The ITB Journal
This paper investigates how an intelligent teaching agent with Role and Reference Grammar [RRG] (cf. Van Valin 2005) as linguistic engine can support language learning. Based on a user-centred empirical design study the architecture of a highly persuasive tool for language learning as an extension of PLOTLearner (http://europlot.blogspot.dk/2012/07/try-plotlearner-2.html) is developed. Based on grounded theory it is shown that feedback and support is of greatest importance even in self-directed computer assisted language learning. Is also shown how this overall approach to language learning can be situated into traditional conversation based learning theories (cf. Laurillard 2009). It is shown that a computationally …
Headedness In Māori Reflexivity: A Role And Reference Grammar Analysis, Aoife Finn
Headedness In Māori Reflexivity: A Role And Reference Grammar Analysis, Aoife Finn
The ITB Journal
This article will provide an introduction to the Māori language. Particular attention is paid to Māori reflexive construction, which sometimes uses a so-called support form to express reflexivity. It will familiarise the reader with Role and Reference Grammar (RRG), a functionally motivated approach to a grammatical model which accounts for both the form and function of language. RRG provides a robust framework for analysing reflexive constructions. Finally, having considered this framework, the article will account for the occurrence of a reflexive support form in reflexive constructions.
Editorial, Brian Nolan
Editorial, Brian Nolan
The ITB Journal
I am delighted to introduce the 23th edition of the ITB Journal, the academic journal of the Institute of Technology Blanchardstown.
Three-Place Predicates In English: Towards A Unification-Based Computationally Adequate Approach To Role And Reference Grammar, Judith Gottschalk
Three-Place Predicates In English: Towards A Unification-Based Computationally Adequate Approach To Role And Reference Grammar, Judith Gottschalk
The ITB Journal
This paper is concerned with a computational linguistics analysis of Role and Reference Grammar [RRG] (cf. Van Valin and LaPolla 1997; Van Valin (2005) and introduces research work in progress aiming to analyze the computability of RRG. The concept of computational adequacy is introduced as an important external principle from a philosophy of science perspective to sharpen the scientific principles of the area of functional computational linguistics. In addition, a pseudo-code-based meta-language is developed in order to semi-formalize the linking algorithm from semantics to syntax. This paper will show that RRG in its current fashion is not executable on an …
Persian Cleft Constructions: A Role And Reference Grammar Analysis, Farhad Moezzipour
Persian Cleft Constructions: A Role And Reference Grammar Analysis, Farhad Moezzipour
The ITB Journal
The present paper embarks on the study of Persian cleft construction within the framework of Role and Reference Grammar (RRG henceforth). RRG intends to investigate the interaction of syntax, semantics and pragmatics via the constituent, logical and focus structure as independent but interrelated domains of the paradigm. To start with, an attempt will be made regarding demonstrating the specification role of the cleft construction, which is a universally semantic property of the construction, in the syntactic, semantic and information structures. In Persian clefts, despite that the clefted constituent is the semantic argument of the predicator of the cleft clause, it …
The Assignment Of Grammatical And Inherent Gender To English Loan Words In Lithuanian Discourse, Jone Bruno
The Assignment Of Grammatical And Inherent Gender To English Loan Words In Lithuanian Discourse, Jone Bruno
The ITB Journal
The aim of this study was to analyse the gender assignment patterns and processes to English loan nouns that were inserted into Lithuanian language during the process of natural speech. Construction Morphology and the Morpheme-based Model were fused for the purpose of the analysis creating the Integrated Construction Morphology Model which allowed the detailed analysis of phonological, morphological, syntactic and semantic procedures. The main focus of this research is the change that occurs in the word level while inserting an L2 item into L1 discourse. The findings revealed that masculine gender was assigned as a default gender regardless of stem …
A Role And Reference Account Of Interrogative Sentences In Lakhota, Avelino Corral Esteban
A Role And Reference Account Of Interrogative Sentences In Lakhota, Avelino Corral Esteban
The ITB Journal
This article has investigated interrogative sentences in Lakhota within the framework of Role and Reference Grammar (hereafter RRG) (Van Valin, 1995; Van Valin and LaPolla, 1997), with the aim of explaining their structure as well as finding out the restrictions on ´wh´-question formation that this language exhibits. By means of this study, we will be able to verify the close relationship that also exists between the interrogative words and the indefinite pronouns in this language, see the constraints on linking in simple ´wh´-questions and give an account of the subjacency effects that block the formation of ´wh´-questions involving complex constructions. …
Towards A Linguistically Motivated Irish Sign Language Conversational Avatar, Irene Murtagh
Towards A Linguistically Motivated Irish Sign Language Conversational Avatar, Irene Murtagh
The ITB Journal
Avatars are life-like characters that exist in a virtual world on our computer monitors. They are synthetic actors that have, in more recent times, received a significant amount of investigation and development. This is primarily due to leverage gained from advances in computing power and 3D animation technologies. Since the release of the movie “Avatar” last year, there is also a broader awareness and interest in avatars in the public domain. Ishizuka and Prendinger (2004) describe how researchers, while endeavouring to develop a creature that is believable and capable of intelligible communication, use a wide variety of terms to describe …
The Precore Slot In Icelandic: A Topological Analysis Of V2-Clause Structure Within Role And Reference Grammar, Judith Gottschalk
The Precore Slot In Icelandic: A Topological Analysis Of V2-Clause Structure Within Role And Reference Grammar, Judith Gottschalk
The ITB Journal
This paper aims to present an analysis of the precore slot [PrCS] in Icelandic within the theory of Role and Reference Grammar [RRG] (cf. Van Valin 2005). Based on the analysis of the PrCS in German by Diedrichsen (2008), an analysis of simple main declarative active voice sentences in Icelandic will be presented. The topological model of Danish sentence structure developed by Diderichsen (1945, 1964), which was adopted for Icelandic in Thráinsson (2007), will be used to analyze the layered structure of the clause [LSC] in Icelandic. It will be shown that the PrCS in V2-languages, such as Icelandic, has …
Using Learning Styles To Optimise Lecturer And Learner Experience And Results In An Institute Of Education, Dawn Duffin, Geraldine Gray
Using Learning Styles To Optimise Lecturer And Learner Experience And Results In An Institute Of Education, Dawn Duffin, Geraldine Gray
The ITB Journal
The past decade of social policy making and legislative change in Ireland has led to a ‘broader range of individuals’ accessing higher education (ITB, 2006, HEA 2005, Duffin forthcoming). This means that class groups contain a greater range of diversity of learning behaviours than hitherto. The process of accommodating this range of learning behaviours within curriculum development and assessment poses a challenge for lecturers and students alike. This paper suggests how understanding the relationship of learning styles to cognitive processing can provide sound research support to the use of learning styles profiling to create conditions for optimal achievement in terms …
N + N Compounds In German: An Analysis Within Role And Reference Grammar, Judith Gottschalk
N + N Compounds In German: An Analysis Within Role And Reference Grammar, Judith Gottschalk
The ITB Journal
The aim of this paper is to analyze German N + N compounds consisting of nominal roots [hence N + N compounds] within the theory of Role and Reference Grammar [RRG] (Van Valin and LaPolla 1997, Van Valin 2005). The basis for this analysis of German N + N compounds is the Layered Structure of the Word [LSW] as developed in Nolan (2010). The LSW is analogous to the Layered Structure of the Clause [LSC] and the Layered Structure of the Noun Phrase [LSNP] as they are used in RRG. Besides the description of German N + N compounds, this …
Construction Grammar As Applied To Core English Modality, Kelli Slimp
Construction Grammar As Applied To Core English Modality, Kelli Slimp
The ITB Journal
The current study seeks to apply Construction Grammar to the phenomenon of modality. To facilitate a thorough application and analysis, examples of both epistemic and root modal verbs of English are considered. Specifically, those verbs of English chosen for the current study are CAN/MAY and MUST/SHOULD. Motivation for these choices is provided as well as a brief look at the other types of modal verbs existent in the language. In applying Construction Grammar to modality, the research poses the following hypotheses: 1) there are varying types of modality in English; 2) these modal variations are realized uniquely and; 3) an …
The Noun Phrase In Bamunka: Towards A Complexity Analysis, Ciara Browne
The Noun Phrase In Bamunka: Towards A Complexity Analysis, Ciara Browne
The ITB Journal
A member of the the Grassfields Bantu family, the Bamunka language of Western Cameroon is spoken by approximantely 31, 000 speakers. Having begun the process of transcribing the lanaguge into written form just six years ago the principles and intricacies of its grammatical system are becoming evident. This paper will look in particular at the noun phrase in Bamunka and draw some conclusions as to the distribution of complexity found therein.
Storage Of Linguistic Knowledge In The Mental Lexicon: An Approach Within Role And Reference Grammar, Judith Gottschalk
Storage Of Linguistic Knowledge In The Mental Lexicon: An Approach Within Role And Reference Grammar, Judith Gottschalk
The ITB Journal
This paper aims to give an account of a theory of a mental lexicon for German verbs of motion within the theory of Role and Reference Grammar [RRG] (cf. Van Valin 2005). The issue of how Aktionsarten in general and particularly verbs of motion, with their various alternations, are structured and how they are stored in an RRG-compatible lexicon is investigated. A time line model for RRG-Aktionsarten based on Reichenbach (1947) is developed to give a description of the structure of events assumed within RRG. Human knowledge is often represented in terms of inheritance networks. In this paper I use …
Event Structure Of Prepositional Nuclear Junctures In Persian: A Role & Reference Grammar Account, Zari Saeedi
Event Structure Of Prepositional Nuclear Junctures In Persian: A Role & Reference Grammar Account, Zari Saeedi
The ITB Journal
In the present research study an attempt has been made to analyze one group of complex predicates or nuclear junctures (NJs) in Persian (as an Indo-European language) in terms of its event attribute within the framework of Role and Reference Grammar (Van Valin & Lapolla 1997, Van Valin 2005). These complex predicates fuse with the prepositional phrases and the impoverished forms of the verb referred to as ‘light verb’ (Cattell 1984). In this study a distinction is made between predicative and non-predicative prepositions providing some examples along with schematizing their layered structure of the clause. To determine the verb class …
Polysemy And Homonymy And Their Importance For The Study Of Word Meaning, Amanda Mccaughren
Polysemy And Homonymy And Their Importance For The Study Of Word Meaning, Amanda Mccaughren
The ITB Journal
In this article we examine the concepts of polysemy and homonymy. After a broad overview of the topic we focus on the treatment of several examples in dictionaries and indicate how listing problems can arise. We look at how polysemy and honomymy are dealt with in Chinese - a language rich in ambiguous words full of connotations and associations and we look at some of the ensuing problems facing Chinese dictionary writers and suggest a user friendly model for ambiguous lexical entries. We explore how several English words such as the polysemous preposition 'over' can be dealt with in terms …
The Schematic Organisation Of Irish Prepositions, Molly Manning
The Schematic Organisation Of Irish Prepositions, Molly Manning
The ITB Journal
The image schema model proposes that basic sensory-motor concepts are the prelinguistic building blocks upon which more abstract concepts are grown. Spatial particles such as prepositions encode basic information linked to embodied human experience and tend to be highly polysemous, existing in both basic and abstract domains of experience. They are therefore useful for studying the schematic properties of language across different conceptual domains, and for understanding how abstract concepts are grounded in basic experiential knowledge. In this paper we demonstrate the usefulness of an image schema approach to the analysis of Irish prepositions, illustrating how the radial structure organisation …
The Sociolinguistic Phenomenon Of Modern Greek Diglossia: The Outcome Of Conflicts Between (H)Igh And (L)Ow Variety And The National Language Question In 19th – 20th C. Greece: An Historico - Sociolinguistic Perspective., Olga-Maria Gkaragkouni
The ITB Journal
The present paper first and foremost aims to examine the sociolinguistic phenomenon of diglossia as it was depicted within the 19th and 20th century Greek linguistic community (1830-1976). More specifically, this study tries to explore the social context in general and the political-religious-ideological context in particular within which Modern Greek Diglossia (MGD for short) first presented and developed, and how it eventually declined. The paper at hand adopts a particular sociolinguistic analysis by providing the most suitable definition for the concept of diglossia – among the many variations that have been propounded with the passage of time – under which …
Adjectival Nuclear Junctures In Persian: A Role & Reference Grammar Analysis, Zari Saeedi Talab
Adjectival Nuclear Junctures In Persian: A Role & Reference Grammar Analysis, Zari Saeedi Talab
The ITB Journal
The issue of predication is the central theme of all linguistic theories i.e. all the languages of the world have predicating elements through which communication and related propositions form. What these languages differ in is the way different elements or classes of words are used to predicate a sentence or a clause. Verbs are the most frequent and widely known predicating elements and as a matter of fact, and as Napoli (1989) maintains, developments in modern linguistics have recently allowed questions regarding the deeper levels of the nature of predication. Issues such as the status of multiple and complex predicates …
Mental Space Theory And Icelandic Sign Language, Gudny Bjork Thorvaldsdottir
Mental Space Theory And Icelandic Sign Language, Gudny Bjork Thorvaldsdottir
The ITB Journal
Signed languages are articulated in space and this is why the use of space is one of their most important features. They make use of 3-dimesional space and the way the space is organised during discourse is grammatically and semantically significant (Liddell 1990, Engberg-Pedersen 1993). The Theory of Mental Spaces (Fauconnier 1985) has been applied to signed languages and proves to be an especially good method when it comes to conceptual understanding of various aspects of signed languages. This paper is based on an M. Phil (Linguistics) dissertation submitted to University of Dublin, Trinity College, in 2007 and discusses how …
The Conceptual Structure Of Negative Emotions Revealed By Shocking, Annoying, And Scary Examples Of Lexical Processing, Anne Herwig
The ITB Journal
Emotions can be viewed as abstract cognitive events without an external reference object. They are cognitive relations in the sense that they consist of two or more primarily autonomous events, which are set in relation to each other. Accordingly, their conceptual structure is relatively complex, and it can be of diverse nature. This is reflected in a broad variety of lexicalisation patterns, both within and across languages. The significance of emotions for human interaction and their complexity is reflected in the rich inventory of emotion terms in many cultures. Their processing in a second or foreign language requires conceptual restructuring, …
Lexicon And Grammar, Dr. Anna Herwig
Lexicon And Grammar, Dr. Anna Herwig
The ITB Journal
Over the past decades it has become generally acknowledged that lexicon and grammar are inseparably linked, constituting “a continuum of symbolic structures“ (Langacker 1990:2). Yet, a comprehensive integration of the two realms of knowledge appears to be a difficult task. The present article offers a unified psycholinguistic perspective, which is centred on the mental lexicon, considering grammatical knowledge as part of the information structure of lexical items. It aims to model the complexity of lexical knowledge such that its perceived psychological reality, including various levels of linguistic description, becomes discernible.