Digital Commons Network^™

Central Vs. Back Vowels, Steve Parker

Work Papers of the Summer Institute of Linguistics, University of North Dakota Session

At least fourteen languages contrast a central and a back vowel which are otherwise identical (in height, rounding, tenseness, etc.). Three previous feature systems are argued to be inadequate for capturing these contrasts. A new model is proposed, redefining the feature [± back] (as a dependent of the Dorsal Node) so that it can distinguish between central and back vowels.

Explaining Multilingual Education: Information On Some Tough Questions, Stephen L. Walter

Work Papers of the Summer Institute of Linguistics, University of North Dakota Session

A 1999 seminar on multilingual education has resulted in a book which summarizes the investigative work of the seminar participants (from ten countries). This article provides a synopsis of the book. The evidence suggests that countries which do not develop and implement mother tongue education programs will incur long-term disadvantages outweighing any short-term gains that result from using only one language of education.

Juan Ramón Jiménez - Entry 2, Eva Núñez-Méndez

World Languages and Literatures Faculty Publications and Presentations

Entry. Juan Ramón Jiménez. Encyclopedia of Literary Translation, 1: 593-94. Fitzroy Dearborn Publishers, London, U.K. Juan Ramón Jiménez was a Spanish poet and prolific writer who received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1956 for his lyrical poetry, and an advocate of the French concept of "pure poetry."

Leveraging Analysis Operators In Incremental Generation, Deryle W. Lonsdale

Faculty Publications

This paper discusses the integration of an operator-based generation component with a similarly-designed natural-language comprehension system. It begins by sketching the cognitive theory and modeling system that frame both systems. A brief summary of the comprehension system and its characteristics follows, including the relevant operators. The generation system with its own operators and processing stages is then introduced. The degree to which these two systems exhibit shared functionality is then explored, and ongoing work is mentioned.

A Comparison Of The Child Directed Speech Of Traditional Dads With That Of Stay-At-Home Dads, Judith Nancarrow Barr

Dissertations and Theses

The speech that mothers use when addressing adults has consistently been shown to exhibit modifications when the conversation partner is their language-learning child. Fathers adopt similar changes in the structural linguistic aspects of their Child Directed Speech (CDS), but their patterns of discourse remain more of a challenge for the child. This contrast in parental language is thought to be beneficial to the language-learning child: a mother's language focuses on the child as a conversation partner, whilst a father's more demanding language is considered a "Bridge" between the mother's and that of adults in the outside world. With family roles …

Error Correction Preferences Of Latino Esl Students, John Burrell

Dissertations and Theses

The present study looked at the error correction preferences of 172 adult Latino ESL students. It was a modified replication of a study which looked at the error correction preferences of Japanese university students. A questionnaire was used to gather the data. The questionnaire measured the participants' general preferences for error correction, attitudes towards peer correction, the desired frequency of correction in five aspects of language and preferences for specific types or methods of error correction.

The study found a very positive attitude towards error correction by the teacher. There was a positive attitude towards peer correction, but only from …

Vowel Hiatus And Faithfulness In Tohono O'Odham Reduplication, Colleen M. Fitzgerald

Linguistics & TESOL Faculty Publications & Presentations - Archive

No abstract provided.

The Influence Of Cultural Backgrounds On The Interpretations Of Literature Texts Used In The Esl Classroom, Barbara Jostrom Gates

Dissertations and Theses

This study was a detailed descriptive investigation into the different interpretations and perceptions that are evoked by readers of United States literature, based on their cultural backgrounds and experience. Grounded in research that advocates for the convergence of culture and literature in the language classroom and a research design based on reader-response theory, this study explored the responses of two groups of students from the University of Portland: international students, the majority of whom were English as a Second Language (ESL), and U.S. citizens, all of whom were native speakers of American English.

Through a reader-response style questionnaire modeled after …

Chinese Numeratives And The Mass/Count Distinction, David Goodman

Dissertations and Theses

This study investigates the mass/count distinction for lexical nouns, and how this is formalized morphosyntactically in language. English is one language in which a grammaticized mass/count distinction can be seen--though there are varying explanations regarding what this distinction actually signifies. Chinese, on the other hand, is a language which might appear to be missing a formalized mass/count distinction. However, I postulate that Mandarin Chinese does in fact have a syntactic-distributional diagnostic available for teasing apart mass nouns from count nouns.

The diagnostic that I propose for finding a mass/count distinction among lexical nouns in Mandarin lies in the distribution of …

The Athabaskan Languages: Perspectives On A Native American Language Family, Theodore B. Fernald, P. R. Platero

Linguistics Faculty Works

No abstract provided.

Generalizations In Navajo, Theodore B. Fernald

Linguistics Faculty Works

No abstract provided.

Sacred And Secular Issues In Navajo Education, Theodore B. Fernald, P. R. Platero

Linguistics Faculty Works

No abstract provided.

Indeterminacy In First And Second Languages: Case Studies Of Narrative Development Of Chinese Children With And Without Language Disorder, Bee Hong Lo

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Bilingual children with specific language impairment (SLI) from non English speaking background (NESB) present a major diagnostic problem to speech pathologist and educationist in an English speaking country. There has been no known study on the simultaneous narrative development involving bilingual Chinese children with and without SLI. This longitudinal case study examined the relationship of Chinese (L1) and English (L2) in narrative development in a child with no language difficulty (Child LN) and a child (Child L1) diagnosed as having SLI. The hypothesis posed for this study was that Child L1 has the same developmental profile for narrative skill in …

Bilingual Sentence Processing: Relative Clause Attachment In English And Spanish, Eva M. Fernandez

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Monolingual studies have shown that the relative clause attachment ambiguity, illustrated by the sample English sentence below, is ultimately interpreted in different ways by speakers of English and Spanish: (1) Someone shot the maid of the actress that was on the balcony. English speakers tend to attach the relative clause to the lower noun, actress, while in the comparable sentence in Spanish, Spanish speakers generally prefer the attachment to be to the higher noun, maid. This thesis compares the relative clause attachment preferences of monolingual and bilingual speakers of English and Spanish. Data were collected using a speeded self-paced reading …

Learner Concerns At The Missionary Training Center In The Technology Assisted Language Learning Program, Elaine T. Lindsay

Theses and Dissertations

Chapelle (1997) states the following as a vital question to be asked with respect to computer assisted language learning, “How good is the language experience in CALL for L2 learning?” (n.p.) In order to truly answer this question, investigators need to look to the learner and his concerns. In planning curriculum or designing a program, teachers and administrators normally look toward learner needs. However, these educators are also known to fully implement a new program, at times, without consideration of learner concerns. This appears to be especially true with the use of technology in the second language classroom. Research is …

Fronting And Palatalization In Two Dialects Of Shoshoni, Dirk Elzinga

Faculty Publications

In Western Shoshoni, a Uto- Aztecan language spoken in northern Nevada, coronal obstruents are found in distributional patterns which depend on the presence or absence of a preceding front vowel ([i] or [e]). In the pattern I refer to as FRONTING, alveolar stops alternate with dental stops - dental stops occur following front vowels (la), while alveolar stops occur elsewhere (lb); this pattern is common to all dialects:

Implementing A Context-Based Teaching Curriculum For French Learners At The Mtc, Stephanie Wallace Olsen

Theses and Dissertations

Two control groups and two experimental groups of missionaries and teachers participated in a study comparing a grammar-based method of teaching to a context-based method. The study lasted for two weeks during June 1997. Each classroom was recorded using a timing-based observation system that captured 13 missionary and teacher language behaviors. The behaviors were recorded in real time and later evaluated to determine in which classroom setting the most real communication occurred. A second purpose was to determine the effectiveness of teacher training with respect to teachers in the experimental group. Findings revealed that missionaries in the context-based classroom received …

Attentional Modulation Of Language Performance, Lisa Tabor Connor, Martin L. Albert, Nancy Helm-Estabrooks, Loraine Obler

Publications and Research

No abstract provided.

The Current Relevance Of Nannul Collatikaram In Modern Tamil, Omonora K. Kathamuthu

Student Works (2000-2009)

Kajian ini adalah mengenai satu buku tatabahasa Tamil, Nannül, yang dikarang oleh seorang sami bernama Pavananti, pada tahun 1200 - 1300 A.D. Buku ini ada dua bahagian besar iaitu fonologi dalam bahagian pertama dan morfologi serta sintaksis dalam bahagian. Buku ini ditulis dalam bentuk sajak. Ia 462 sútra. Ramai pengulas telah menghasilkan ulasan dan keterangan mengenai buku Nannul yang telah menyenangkan jenerasi kini untuk memahami sutra-sutra yang terdapat dalam buku Nannul serta teori-teori dan peraturan-peraturan penulis buku Nannül. Kajian Inl menumpukan kepada bahagian kedua yang memperkatakan tentang morfologi dan sintaksis. Satu tajuk, "pataviyal' daripada bahaglan pertama juga diambll kira sebab …

Falsafah Etika Masyarakat Melayu Tradisional : Satu Kajian Berdasarkan Pantun Melayu, Zaleha Ahmat

Student Works (2000-2009)

The idea of this study is to put forward an analysis on the system of ethics of the traditional Malays. Nevertheless, it does not provide a listing of characters, attitudes and behaviour of the people. This writing is giving attention on a research of the existence and conscience of ethics from a philosophical view. This study is about attempts on seeking originality and authenticity in the significance of "budi" which is synonymous to the Malay people and its civilization. "Budi' defined as a soul process of purifying self consciousness in gaining truth to the result of choices and actions made …

Teaching Listening Comprehension Skills In An Intermediate Level English As A Foreign Language Classroom, Dwipa Janardhanan Pillai

Student Works (2000-2009)

This piece of action research was driven by the need to diagnose the problems that students of English as a Foreign Language face in developing better listening skills. As a teacher, I felt that it was essential to scaffold the learning experiences through various strategies so that a satisfactory level of development could be attained. This study therefore, probed the following questions : a) What are the problems EFL students encounter in comprehending audiotexts? b) Why do EFL students face difficulty in taking down notes or information from audio-texts? c) What are the effective teaching-learning strategies which will help students' …

Kecekapan Penggunaan Kamus Ekabahasa Dalam Meningkatkan Pengembangan Kosa Kata, Noraziah Ahmad Ghazali

Student Works (2000-2009)

A general survey of dictionary use would show that there is a tendency to agree that referring to the dictionary is a useful activity in enhancing and enriching one's vocabulary or word power, and that dictionary is a useful tool in language learning. However, the importance of introducing effective technique of dictionary use to students is neglected in the teaching and learning of language; as a matter of fact, it has been left to students to find their own way to acquire the skill. The dissertation seeks to examine how far an exposure to techniques of dictionary use can help …

Kesantunan Berbahasa Dalam Perbualan Keluarga Melayu, Mohammad Idris

Student Works (2000-2009)

Disertasi ini ditulis berdasarkan kajian yang dijalankan secara kerja lapangan dan kepustakaan yang berkaitan dengan aspek kesantunan dalam perbualan di kalangan keluarga Melayu. Selain itu penulis juga melakukan pemerhatian dan pengamatan terhadap perbualan di kalangan keluarga Melayu. Sesungguhnya kajian ini dapal melihat kembali betapa masyarakat Melayu yang sememangnya kaya dengan adat sopan, terutama dalam tutur kata mereka sehari-hari. Daripada kajian ini lah kita mendapat suatu gambaran bahawa terserlahnya unsur kesantunan dalam ujaran atau perbualan dan elemen ini masih diamalkan. Semoga kajian ini menjadi pedoman dan panduan kepada generasi muda agar sentiasa bersopan ketika berkomunikusi atau semasa mengemukakan pendapat atau buah …

Building Bridges : The Use Of Semantic Mapping To Enhance Reading Comprehension In A Form 6 English Language Class, Harbans Kaur

Student Works (2000-2009)

This piece of action research study investigates if the use of semantic mapping enhances reading comprehension. The study was conducted in a Form 6 ESL class in Sckolah Menengah Kcbangsaan Taman S.E.A. The purpose of th is study was to probe into the effec ti veness of semantic mapping as a reading comprehension strategy. It aimed at making students aware that understanding each individual word in a text was not necessary to understand the whole text. In essence, this study highlights the effect of the use of semantic mapping as a strategy to activate prior knowledge and enable students to …

Communicative Events In Sales And Marketing In The Hotel Industry : A Case Study, Sharifah Bahyah Syed Ahmad

Student Works (2000-2009)

This research is a study of the communicative events surrounding the discourse community of the sales and marketing staff in the hotel industry. Focusing on the internal and external communication of one company which is responsible for the sales and marketing of a local chain of hotels, the research is in essence a reality check, a look at text and how it is used in authentic context. Using the ethnographic approach, the researcher has attempted to expose the nonns, values and culture behind the patterns of communication of that particular community through the analysis of its communicative actions. These nonns, …

Perkamusan Melayu : Sumbangan Data Korpus Berkomputer, Norliza Haji Jamaluddin

Student Works (2000-2009)

This study is on the definition aspect in Malay lexicography with the focus on kamus Melayu Inqqeris Dewan. The definition aspect being discussed in this thesis is on the way the definition is done based on the COBUILD definition practice. The elaboration of every word entry is based on the analysis of the computer corpus data. There are six chapters in this thesis . The first chapter provides the background of the study, the objectives, scope and methodology. Chapter II is on the lexicographic convention and definition practice by the COBUILD and kamus Dewan projects. Chapter III presents the computer …

Pengajaran Ta'bir : Satu Kajian Kes Di Kolej Islam Sultan Alam Shah (Kisas), Normah Mohd Ariff

Student Works (2000-2009)

This dissertation on Arabic Language has been prepared focusing on problems faced by students in their oral practice . The writer has recognized that most students in schools and higher learning institution nowadays have difficulties in spoken Arabic. What is the reason? The writer has tried to identify the culprit through various methodologies , including survey on 120 respondents. With KISAS being the location, the survey was specifically focused on its students

Language Maintenance And Shift Among The Portuguese Eurasians In The Portuguese Settlement, Sudesh Nicholas Ramachandran

Student Works (2000-2009)

This study examines language maintenance and shift among the Portuguese Eurasians living in the Portuguese Settlement in Malacca. Firstly, this study focuses on the use of Kristang in seven domains: work/school, transaction, family, neighbourhood, friendship, entertainment and prayer. Secondly, it investigates the attitude of the subjects towards Kristang, English end Malay. The instrument used in conducting this study is a forty-two item questionnaire administered on sixty-four respondents based on the variables of age, gender and socioeconomic status. The findings indicate that the use of Kristang among the community members is decreasing in almost all the domains studied. The findings also …

Penilaian Penulisan Buku Tatabahasa Bahasa Melayu : Satu Analisis 'Teori' Atqakum, Rafizah Mohd Rasidi

Student Works (2000-2009)

Tesis ini adalah satu penilaian terhadap penulisan tiga buah buku tatabahasa bahasa Melayu, iaitu Pelita Bahasa Melayu (Penggal Satu), Tatabahasa Dewan, dan Sintaksis-Wacana "Yang" Dalam Bahasa Melayu. Kajian ini bersifat perbincangan dengan menggunakan 'Teori' Atqakum yang berlandaskan konsep-konsep penting dalam Pengajian Melayu yang lebih serasi dengan bawaan dan jati diri bangsa Melayu. Kajian ini cuba menetapkan ciri-ciri yang perlu ada di dalam penulisan sesebuah buku tatabahasa bahasa Melayu yang ber1andaskan ciri-ciri terbaik serta kekuatan yang ada dalam buku-buku tatabahasa tersebut. Kajian ini juga membuat perbandingan pengupayaan 'Teori' Atqakum berdasarkan buku-buku tatabahasa yang dikaji, serta mengemukakan model cadangan bagi penulisan tatabahasa …

An Analysis Of Errors In Tamil Daily Newspapers, Mayandi Sinappan

Student Works (2000-2009)

This is an exploratory study undertaken by the investigator to identify and classify the errors committed by editors of three Tamil daily newspapers in Malaysia. This study involves the three major Tamil daily newspapers, The Tamil Ne:san, Malaysia Nanpan and Thina Muracu. These dailies are the major Tamil newspapers published in Malaysia and are read by most of the Tamil readers.