Classifying Amharic News Text Using Self-Organizing Maps

The paper addresses using artificial neural networks for classification of Amharic news items. Amharic is the language for countrywide communication in Ethiopia and has its own writing system containing extensive systematic redundancy. It is quite dialectally diversified and probably representative of the languages of a continent that so far has received little attention within the language processing field. The experiments investigated document clustering around user queries using Self-Organizing Maps, an unsupervised learning neural network strategy. The best ANN model showed a precision of 60.0% when trying to cluster unseen data, and a 69.5% precision when trying to classify it

Genre - text - interpretation: Multidisciplinary perspectives on folklore and beyond

"This book presents current discussions on the concept of genre. It introduces innovative, multidisciplinary approaches to contemporary and historical genres, their roles in cultural discourse, how they change, and their relations to each other. The reader is guided into the discussion surrounding this key concept and its history through a general introduction, followed by eighteen chapters that represent a variety of discursive practices as well as analytic methods from several scholarly traditions. This volume will have wide appeal to several academic audiences within the humanities, both in Finland and abroad, and will especially be of interest to scholars of folklore, language and cultural expression.

South Slavic Oral Tradition and its Textualization

The concept of the transitional text has so far had a destiny of the spectre of oral studies – its disturbing presence occasionally comes into view, but somehow without a proper recognition and place in the real world. Initially rejected and then accepted by Albert Lord (1960: 129, 1986a: 479–481), the term subsequently gained certain currency among the leading theorists (Foley 1988, Finnegan 1992: 116), only to be questioned again in the more recent scholarship (Jensen 1998: 94–114, 2008: 50). By revisiting Lord’s analyses and South Slavic oral and written tradition, this article describes transitional texts as a distinctive generic form involving two principal modes of enunciation – literary notion of fixed textuality and oral performative principle of composition in performance in traditional oral-formulaic language. Following the discussions of Lord and Foley, it also offers a synthetic framework for their analysis, based on the phraseology, style, outlook and contextual evidences about their documentation and singers. South Slavic tradition offers a continuum of published texts with various degrees of oral traditionality, and upon closer examination some turn out to be literary works written by educated poets familiar with oral tradition, whereas others are nothing more but fixed, fossilized texts that do not involve oral composition in performance and are not part of a living oral tradition (see also: Miletich 1988: 100–102). But this still leaves us with a number of examples that involve both oral and written attitudes and techniques of composition and cannot be reduced to either. After examining early nineteenth-century examples of the emerging literary influence on the still predominantly oral Montenegrin culture of the time, I will argue that such transitional South Slavic texts emerged in two principal ways, either by educated writers adjusting their literary technique to accommodate an oral traditional content, or by oral singers appropriating originally literary characteristics to their oral performative manner and style. In the final instance, the article advocates that a consistent theoretical model of transitional texts can provide leverage for comparative studies of the contacts between orality and literacy, and invites further analyses of the interpellations between oral and literary culture in other traditions

Structure of Meaning (SOM): towards a three-dimensional perspective on translating between Chinese and English

The introductory first chapter begins with a brief survey, of translation in the pre-linguistics period. It holds that comparativeness and comparison should be the foundation of translation studies. The model of Structure of Meaning (SOM) is thus created by incorporating and extending the two three-dimensional models provided by systemic-functional grammar and speech act theory. It consists of three dimensions of linguistic composition, interactional dynamic and aesthetic impact, for the analysis of the SL text, for the creation of the TL text in translation, and for the comparison of the two in translation studies. In linguistic composition, the word-order is observed in terms of Agent)-V(erb)O(bject) sequence and its variations, elaborated by modification in text formation. The functions of linguistic elements are classified as syntactic bearer, information carrier and stylistic marker for analysis. The issue of Unit of Translation is also addressed. Information distribution is analyzed for the interactional dynamic of the SOM in terms of implicit versus explicit presentation of information and how this is dealt with in translating on the basis of thematic structure. Aesthetic impact combines form, function and effect to give a SOM its individuality. This is discussed via the translation of figurative language, and syntactic iconicity and enactment. Attention is also devoted to the relations between Shape, Sound and Sense in translation. The model of SOM, in conclusion, identifies Stance and Style within the conventional meaning of 'style', and proposes the practice of stylistic translating in the creation a TL SOM which matches the SL SOM in the three dimensions

Empirical studies in translation and discourse

The present volume seeks to contribute some studies to the subfield of Empirical Translation Studies and thus aid in extending its reach within the field of translation studies and thus in making our discipline more rigorous and fostering a reproducible research culture. The Translation in Transition conference series, across its editions in Copenhagen (2013), Germersheim (2015) and Ghent (2017), has been a major meeting point for scholars working with these aims in mind, and the conference in Barcelona (2019) has continued this tradition of expanding the sub-field of empirical translation studies to other paradigms within translation studies. This book is a collection of selected papers presented at that fourth Translation in Transition conference, held at the Universitat Pompeu Fabra in Barcelona on 19–20 September 2019

Empirical studies in translation and discourse (Volume 14)

The present volume seeks to contribute some studies to the subfield of Empirical Translation Studies and thus aid in extending its reach within the field of translation studies and thus in making our discipline more rigorous and fostering a reproducible research culture. The Translation in Transition conference series, across its editions in Copenhagen (2013), Germersheim (2015) and Ghent (2017), has been a major meeting point for scholars working with these aims in mind, and the conference in Barcelona (2019) has continued this tradition of expanding the sub-field of empirical translation studies to other paradigms within translation studies. This book is a collection of selected papers presented at that fourth Translation in Transition conference, held at the Universitat Pompeu Fabra in Barcelona on 19–20 September 2019

Structure of Meaning (SOM): towards a three-dimensional perspective on translating between Chinese and English

The introductory first chapter begins with a brief survey, of translation in the pre-linguistics period. It holds that comparativeness and comparison should be the foundation of translation studies. The model of Structure of Meaning (SOM) is thus created by incorporating and extending the two three-dimensional models provided by systemic-functional grammar and speech act theory. It consists of three dimensions of linguistic composition, interactional dynamic and aesthetic impact, for the analysis of the SL text, for the creation of the TL text in translation, and for the comparison of the two in translation studies. In linguistic composition, the word-order is observed in terms of Agent)-V(erb)O(bject) sequence and its variations, elaborated by modification in text formation. The functions of linguistic elements are classified as syntactic bearer, information carrier and stylistic marker for analysis. The issue of Unit of Translation is also addressed. Information distribution is analyzed for the interactional dynamic of the SOM in terms of implicit versus explicit presentation of information and how this is dealt with in translating on the basis of thematic structure. Aesthetic impact combines form, function and effect to give a SOM its individuality. This is discussed via the translation of figurative language, and syntactic iconicity and enactment. Attention is also devoted to the relations between Shape, Sound and Sense in translation. The model of SOM, in conclusion, identifies Stance and Style within the conventional meaning of 'style', and proposes the practice of stylistic translating in the creation a TL SOM which matches the SL SOM in the three dimensions

Associates or zamestnanci? Language choice, attitudes and code-switching practices: The case of workplace email communication in Slovakia

[ES] El cambio de co'digo esta' sujeto a una gran variedad de factores que dependen del medio de comunicacio'n y de la situacio'n comunicativa. En general, segu'n la lingu¿i'stica, el cambio de co'digo ocurre cuando un hablante alterna entre dos o ma's lenguas o variedades de una lengua en una misma conversacio'n. Estas pra'cticas comunicativas se han tratado en muchos contextos, lenguas y contacto entre culturas. Sin embargo, no hay estudios sobre el tema en el contexto eslovaco, de ahi' la relevancia del trabajo recogido en esta tesis doctoral que tiene como fin u'ltimo paliar esta escasez de estudios lingu¿i'sticos. En concreto, aqui' analizamos el cambio de co'digo exclusivamente en comunicaciones realizadas por correo electro'nico en un entorno laboral multilingu¿e y multicultural. El estudio se centra en la eleccio'n de lengua, las actitudes hacia una lengua y la mezcla de lenguas en las comunicaciones entre los compan¿eros de trabajo de una multinacional hotelera radicada en Eslovaquia. El ana'lisis examina u'nicamente los correos escritos en eslovaco que presentan cambios de co'digo al ingle's. Debido a la naturaleza multidisciplinar de este proyecto de investigacio'n, asi' como a su cara'cter dual, es decir, el examen de las actitudes hacia una lengua por una parte y las pra'cticas de cambio de co'digo por otra, esta tesis plantea varias preguntas de investigacio'n y tiene una serie de objetivos que pasamos a detallar. El objetivo principal del estudio cuantitativo basado en el cuestionario disen¿ado es examinar hasta que' punto los encuestados son conscientes de los cambios de co'digo al ingle's durante sus comunicaciones, en particular durante sus conversaciones electro'nicas, y determinar las razones por las que se lleva a cabo este cambio de co'digo, sacando a la luz las actitudes hacia este feno'meno lingu¿i'stico. Adema's, dado que los conocimientos que aportan los cuestionarios son generalmente limitados, se ha llevado a cabo un ana'lisis del discurso para observar ma's detalladamente el alcance de los cambios de lengua, los tipos y las funciones que presentan. La metodologi'a empleada, que sigue el me'todo mixto de investigacio'n, se utiliza para analizar las motivaciones y las razones por las que nuestros participantes prefieren usar el ingle's en lugar de su lengua nativa. Asi' pues, esta tesis doctoral recoge el primer ana'lisis completo de este tipo sobre el cambio de co'digo eslovaco/ingle's en la comunicacio'n electro'nica que examina conversaciones aute'nticas por Internet dentro de una corporacio'n. Palabras clave: cambio de co'digo, comunicacio'n electro'nica, correo electro'nico, comunicacio'n en entornos laborales, actitudes hacia la lengua[CA] El canvi de codi esta¿ subjecte a una gran varietat de factors que depenen del mitja¿ de comunicacio' i de la situacio' comunicativa. En general, segons la lingu¿i'stica, el canvi de codi ocorre quan un parlant alterna entre dues o me's llengu¿es o varietats d'una llengua en una mateixa conversa. Aquestes pra¿ctiques comunicatives han estat tractades en molts contexts, llengu¿es i contacte entre cultures. No obstant aixo¿, no hi ha estudis sobre el tema en el context eslovac, d'aqui' la relleva¿ncia del treball recollit en aquesta tesi doctoral que te' com a finalitat u'ltima pal.liar l'escassetat d'estudis lingu¿i'stics sobre el tema. En concret, aci' analitzem el canvi de codi exclusivament en comunicacions realitzades per correu electro¿nic en un entorn laboral multilingu¿e i multicultural. L'estudi se centra en l'eleccio' de llengua, les actituds cap a una llengua i la mescla de llengu¿es en les comunicacions entre els companys de treball d'una multinacional hotelera radicada a Eslova¿quia. L'ana¿lisi examina u'nicament els correus escrits en eslovac que presenten canvis de codi a l'angle's. A causa de la naturalesa multidisciplina¿ria d'aquest projecte d'investigacio', aixi' com al seu cara¿cter dual, e's a dir, l'examen de les actituds cap a una llengua per una part i les pra¿ctiques de canvi de codi per altra, aquesta tesi planteja diverses preguntes d'investigacio' i te' una se¿rie d'objectius que detallarem a continuacio'. L'objectiu principal de l'estudi quantitatiu basat en el qu¿estionari dissenyat e's examinar fins a quin punt les persones enquestades so'n conscients del canvi de codi a l'angle's durant les seues comunicacions, en particular durant les seues converses electro¿niques, i determinar les raons per les quals es duu a terme aquest canvi de codi, traient a la llum les actituds cap a aquest fenomen lingu¿i'stic. A me's, ate's que els coneixements que aporten els qu¿estionaris so'n generalment limitats, s'ha realitzat una ana¿lisi del discurs per a observar me's detalladament l'abast dels canvis de llengua, els tipus i les funcions que representen. La metodologia emprada, que segueix el me¿tode mixt d'investigacio', s'utilitza per a analitzar les motivacions i les raons per les quals els nostres participants prefereixen fer u's de l'angle's en comptes de la seua llengua nativa. Per tant, aquesta tesi doctoral recull la primera ana¿lisi completa d'aquest tipus sobre el canvi de codi eslovac/angle's en la comunicacio' electro¿nica que examina converses aute¿ntiques per Internet dins d'una corporacio'. Paraules clau: canvi de codi, comunicacio' electro¿nica, correu electro¿nic, comunicacio' en entorns laborals, actituds cap a la llengua.[EN] Code-switching (CS) is subject to the wide range of interrelations between medium and situation factors. Generally, from a linguistic point of view, CS occurs when a speaker alternates between two or more languages, or language varieties, in the course of a single conversation. The practice has been noticed all around the world in many contexts, language and culture contact situations. Hence, based on earlier studies of CS phenomenon, but shifting towards a more specific environment, the workplace, the present study aims to fill a considerable gap in scholarly knowledge about the online/ written CS practices of Slovak native speakers in the context of workplace email communication. Therefore, the study focuses on language choice, language attitudes and CS practices among colleagues in a multilingual workplace environment of a multinational hospitality company in Slovakia, focusing solely on the participants' workplace interactions, in particular their email messages written in Slovak (the national language) with switches to English. Due to the interdisciplinary nature of this research project, as well as its dual focus on language attitudes on the one hand and actual CS practices on the other, this thesis addresses a number of research questions and provides a series of analyses centring around the following objectives. The main focus of the quantitative, questionnaire- based study is to examine the participants' metalinguistic awareness of the extent of switching to English during their communication (particularly focusing on their CMC interactions) and to determine their reasons for doing so, while uncovering the attitudes they hold towards this phenomenon. Furthermore, as the depth of knowledge obtained through questionnaire survey is limited, the corpus analysis of email interactions is conducted in order to investigate more closely the extent of switching and the types, forms and functions of CS involved. Employing a mixed method approach in the process, motivations and reasons why our participants choose English over their native language are examined. Hence, the study represents the first comprehensive analysis of its kind on Slovak-English CS in CMC using authentic naturally-occurring computer-mediated corporate interactions. Keywords: code-switching, CMC, email, workplace communication, attitudesThe traineeship was partly funded by Erasmus+ grant, for which I am grateful.Lengyelová, A. (2019). Associates or zamestnanci? Language choice, attitudes and code-switching practices: The case of workplace email communication in Slovakia [Tesis doctoral no publicada]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/124352TESI

Topics of eighteenth century medical writing with triangulation of methods : LMEMT and the underlying reality

Peer reviewe

Complexity in Translation. An English-Norwegian Study of Two Text Types

The present study discusses two primary research questions. Firstly, we have tried to investigate to what extent it is possible to compute the actual translation relation found in a selection of English-Norwegian parallel texts. By this we understand the generation of translations with no human intervention, and we assume an approach to machine translation (MT) based on linguistic knowledge. In order to answer this question, a measurement of translational complexity is applied to the parallel texts. Secondly, we have tried to find out if there is a difference in the degree of translational complexity between the two text types, law and fiction, included in the empirical material. The study is a strictly product-oriented approach to complexity in translation: it disregards aspects related to translation methods, and to the cognitive processes behind translation. What we have analysed are intersubjectively available relations between source texts and existing translations. The degree of translational complexity in a given translation task is determined by the types and amounts of information needed to solve it, as well as by the accessibility of these information sources, and the effort required when they are processed. For the purpose of measuring the complexity of the relation between a source text unit and its target correspondent, we apply a set of four correspondence types, organised in a hierarchy reflecting divisions between different linguistic levels, along with a gradual increase in the degree of translational complexity. In type 1, the least complex type, the corresponding strings are pragmatically, semantically, and syntactically equivalent, down to the level of the sequence of word forms. In type 2, source and target string are pragmatically and semantically equivalent, and equivalent with respect to syntactic functions, but there is at least one mismatch in the sequence of constituents or in the use of grammatical form words. Within type 3, source and target string are pragmatically and semantically equivalent, but there is at least one structural difference violating syntactic functional equivalence between the strings. In type 4, there is at least one linguistically non-predictable, semantic discrepancy between source and target string. The correspondence type hierarchy, ranging from 1 to 4, is characterised by an increase with respect to linguistic divergence between source and target string, an increase in the need for information and in the amount of effort required to translate, and a decrease in the extent to which there exist implications between relations of source-target equivalence at different linguistic levels. We assume that there is a translational relation between the inventories of simple and complex linguistic signs in two languages which is predictable, and hence computable, from information about source and target language systems, and about how the systems correspond. Thus, computable translations are predictable from the linguistic information coded in the source text, together with given, general information about the two languages and their interrelations. Further, we regard non-computable translations to be correspondences where it is not possible to predict the target expression from the information encoded in the source expression, together with given, general information about SL and TL and their interrelations. Non-computable translations require access to additional information sources, such as various kinds of general or task-specific extra-linguistic information, or task-specific linguistic information from the context surrounding the source expression. In our approach, correspondences of types 1–3 constitute the domain of linguistically predictable, or computable, translations, whereas type 4 correspondences belong to the non-predictable, or non-computable, domain, where semantic equivalence is not fulfilled. The empirical method involves extracting translationally corresponding strings from parallel texts, and assigning one of the types defined by the correspondence hierarchy to each recorded string pair. The analysis is applied to running text, omitting no parts of it. Thus, the distribution of the four types of translational correspondence within a set of data provides a measurement of the degree of translational complexity in the parallel texts that the data are extracted from. The complexity measurements of this study are meant to show to what extent we assume that an ideal, rule-based MT system could simulate the given translations, and for this reason the finite clause is chosen as the primary unit of analysis. The work of extracting and classifying translational correspondences is done manually as it requires a bilingually competent human analyst. In the present study, the recorded data cover about 68 000 words. They are compiled from six different text pairs: two of them are law texts, and the remaining four are fiction texts. Comparable amounts of text are included for each text type, and both directions of translation are covered. Since the scope of the investigation is limited, we cannot, on the basis of our analysis, generalise about the degree of translational complexity in the chosen text types and in the language pair English-Norwegian. Calculated in terms of string lengths, the complexity measurement across the entire collection of data shows that as little as 44,8% of all recorded string pairs are classified as computable translational correspondences, i.e. as type 1, 2, or 3, and non-computable string pairs of type 4 constitute a majority (55,2%) of the compiled data. On average, the proportion of computable correspondences is 50,2% in the law data, and 39,6% in fiction. In relation to the question whether it would be fruitful to apply automatic translation to the selected texts, we have considered the workload potentially involved in correcting machine output, and in this respect the difference in restrictedness between the two text types is relevant. Within the non-computable correspondences, the frequency of cases exhibiting only one minimal semantic deviation between source and target string is considerably higher among the data extracted from the law texts than among those recorded from fiction. For this reason we tentatively regard the investigated pairs of law texts as representing a text type where tools for automatic translation may be helpful, if the effort required by post-editing is smaller than that of manual translation. This is possibly the case in one of the law text pairs, where 60,9% of the data involve computable translation tasks. In the other pair of law texts the corresponding figure is merely 38,8%, and the potential helpfulness of automatisation would be even more strongly determined by the edit cost. That text might be a task for computer-aided translation, rather than for MT. As regards the investigated fiction texts, it is our view that post-editing of automatically generated translations would be laborious and not cost effective, even in the case of one text pair showing a relatively low degree of translational complexity. Hence, we concur with the common view that the translation of fiction is not a task for MT