Partial synonymy of terms: Diverse labels for, and interpretations of, light verb constructions

The point of departure of this paper is the hypothesis that, by examining the various labels used for the verbal expressions (also) known as light verb constructions (e.g., periphrastic constructions, pleonastic expressions, semi-compositional constructions), it is possible to pinpoint the features that the various approaches dealing with that particular category and that phenomenon interpret as definitive, essential specificities of the linguistic units in question (cf. 2.1). In addition, the exploration of the differences across categories referred to by terms that are synonymous (at least in some of their uses) might contribute to outlining the features of prototypical and non-prototypical light verb constructions, and refining the systematization of the above-mentioned expressions. In this article, I will first review the general characteristics of denomination (2.1), and those of terminology formation (2.2). After that, I will briefly sketch the approaches typically connected to the terms that are occasionally used synonymously with the term light verb construction (3). Then, on the basis of the intersection of the different approaches, I will outline a definition of light verb constructions that can currently be regarded as being the most general and accepted (4). Finally, combining several views found in the literature, I will attempt a prototype-based approach to the construction type under discussion and determine the features of prototypical light verb constructions (5)

Review of Koutny, Stria, Farris, Michael (eds.) 2020: The role of languages in intercultural communication / Rolo de lingvoj en interkultura komunikado / Rola języków w komunikacji międzykulturowej. Poznań: Rys

Intercultural exchange is undoubtedly a fact of our time. Over the last few decades, globalisation has enabled people from various parts of the world to interact for various purposes, from tourism to business, from education to international politics, from people working abroad to war refugees finding a new home. This trend was further accentuated after the 2020 pandemic, which made distance on-line communication popular and accessible on a very large scale. Despite the bright side of this phenomenon, language remains an issue (not to say a barrier) for intercultural communication

Konferenzbericht: 32. Jahrestagung der Gesellschaft für Interlinguistik e. V., Berlin, 18.–20.11.2022

Berlin-Brandenburgische Akademie der Wissenschaften Jägerstraße 22/23 , 10117 Berlin

Bringing constructed languages back to the debate: The contributions of interlinguistics to general linguistics

In the first half of the twentieth century, the fields of interlinguistics and Esperanto studies emerged as branches of linguistics focused on the study of languages designed for international communication (such as Volapük, Esperanto, and Ido). Yet, why are there specific fields to study language creation and why should linguists care about this? Looking at the history of constructed languages, this article explores the institutionalization of interlinguistics by focusing on the history of the Centre for Research and Documentation on World Language Problems (CED, in its Esperanto acronym), a research center founded in 1952 whose developments encapsulate certain aspects of this broader narrative. From an analysis of CED’s 44th Esperanto Studies Conference, in 2022, I flesh out the potential of interlinguistics to contribute back to linguistics and to the humanities disciplines that originated it. Ultimately, this article calls for the reinsertion of constructed languages into general linguistics debates

La dulingva modelo de F. H. L. Donckermann el 1826

This article highlights the relationship between Neo-Latin Philology and Esperantology. Both these disciplines focus on a language that is non-native, international, and used in many different contexts. The benefit of Neo-Latin Philology for Esperantology can be expressed through the saying historia magistra vitae (history is life’s teacher), while, vice versa, Esperantology can fulfill its role in relation to Neo-Latin Philology in that it functions according to a modified version of this saying—namely, vita interpres historiae (life is history’s interpreter). More specifically, this article deals with the tract entitled Commentatio de hodierno linguae Latinae usu in litteris doctrinisque tradendis (A Commentary on the Use of the Latin Language in Scholarship and Education) which was written by F. H.L. Donckermann in 1826. In it, the author considers the advantages and disadvantiges of the use of vernacular languages in education and science, and he comes to the conclusion that a common international language, which for him is Latin, is necessary. Finally, he proposes a bilingual, Latin-vernacular model, while at the same time discussing the means through which this model could be continually maintained. The ideas and proposals of Donckermann correspond admirably to later development within the Esperanto community

Sajnovics’s Demonstratio (1770) A linguistic treatise based on methods of natural sciences

Sajnovics János (1733–1785) was the author of the basic work of comparative linguistics (Demonstratio 1770), which is considered the first scientific demonstration of the affinity of Hungarian and a Finno-Ugric language, Saami. This work was created on the occasion of the 1769 astronomical expedition in Denmark as unplanned side research. After the expedition the leader, Maximilian Hell reported on the transition of Venus (Transitio Veneris) and his assistant, János Sajnovics on the Hungarian–Lappish linguistic identity (Demonstratio).[1] This paper will deal with the scientific research methodology of Demonstratio comparing it with the methodology applied in Hell’s astronomical treatise. We also consider some contemporary critics of the methodology of Demonstratio.   [1] In this paper I will use the term Lappish instead of politically correct Saami, according to the 18th-century terminology

Tolkien: Esperanto, Sindarin and Welsh

La majstroverko de Tolkien estas sendube La Mastro de la Ringoj, en kiu la aŭtoro rakontas fantastan epopeon de lando, kiun li nomas Meza Tero. Por ĉi tiu mondo, li kreis almenaŭ dek kvar lingvojn, unu por ĉiuj popoloj, kiuj enloĝas ĝin. La du plej bone konataj estas Quenya  kaj Sindarin, kiuj estas la lingvoj, kiujn parolis la Elfoj. Dum sia tuta vivo, Tolkien interesiĝis pri lingvoj, aparte mezepokaj ĝermanaj lingvoj, sed li ankaŭ multe amis la kimran lingvon, kaj multe admiris la finnan. Unu el la ĉefaj kialoj de tiuj admiro kaj amo de tiuj lingvoj estis la fakto, ke ĉiuj posedis literaturon, kiun li konsideris eposa kaj epopea, kaj li esprimis bedaŭron, ke la moderna angla ne havis tian literaturon. Junaĝe, li promesis verki epopeojn por dediĉi al la angla kaj la angla nacio. Kiam li unue renkontis Esperanton, li plene subtenis ĝiajn idealojn, sed, pro la fakto, ke la lingvo estis tro juna por posedi eposan literaturon, li iom post iom forlasis la movadon. Uzante sian konon de la finna lingvo, lia unua provo de lingvokreado estis la pra-Quenya, en kiu li verkis poezion. Li poste kreis Sindarin-on, bazita sur la kimra lingvo. Li verkis la epopeon La Mastro de la Ringo, por doni al siaj lingvaj kreaĵoj kvazaŭan historian fundamenton. Sindarin kaj Quenya pluevoluis kaj estas nun parolataj de komunumoj tra la tuta mondo

Analiza mowy jako narzędzie diagnozy chorób neurodegeneracyjnych

Objective: The aim of the work is to compare the results of research on the oral language of people with neurodegenerative diseases. On the basis of literature, research results and available information, research methodologies in the subject and test results are presented. Speech variables that have been considered in the studies were presented, including linguistic, phonetic and phonological features, prosodic, acoustic, lexical, semantic, syntactic and morpho-syntactic features. Material and methods: A comprehensive review and analysis of literature, articles in peer-reviewed journals, in the field of language disorders resulting from brain damage resulting from neurodegenerative diseases. Conclusions: Studies show that the speech analysis is a crucial diagnosis tool, which can be used for early neurodegenerative changes recognition. No such studies have been carried out in the Polish language so far.Objective: The aim of the work is to compare the results of research on the oral language of people with neurodegenerative diseases. On the basis of literature, research results and available information, research methodologies in the subject and test results are presented. Speech variables that have been considered in the studies were presented, including linguistic, phonetic and phonological features, prosodic, acoustic, lexical, semantic, syntactic and morpho-syntactic features. Material and methods: A comprehensive review and analysis of literature, articles in peer-reviewed journals, in the field of language disorders resulting from brain damage resulting from neurodegenerative diseases. Conclusions: Studies show that the speech analysis is a crucial diagnosis tool, which can be used for early neurodegenerative changes recognition. No such studies have been carried out in the Polish language so far

Konferenzbericht: 31. Jahrestagung der Gesellschaft für Interlinguistik e. V., Berlin, 12.–14.11.2021

Konferenzbericht: 31. Jahrestagung der Gesellschaft für Interlinguistik e. V., Berlin, 12.–14.11.2021

Growing Networks – Modelling the Growth of Word Association Networks for Hungarian and English

In the new era of information and communication technology, the representation of information is of increasing importance. Knowing how words are connected to each other in the mind and what processes facilitate the creation of connections could result in better optimized applications, e.g. in computer aided education or in search engines. This paper models the growth process of a word association database with an algorithm. We present the network structure of word associations for an agglutinative language and compare it with the network of English word associations. Using the real-world data so obtained, we create a model that reproduces the main features of the observed growth process and show the evolution of the network. The model describes the growth of the word association data as a mixture of a topic based process and a random process. The model makes it possible to gain insight into the overall processes which are responsible for creating an interconnected mental lexicon