6,182 research outputs found

    Improving Cross-Lingual Transfer Learning for Event Detection

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    The widespread adoption of applications powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI) backbones has unquestionably changed the way we interact with the world around us. Applications such as automated personal assistants, automatic question answering, and machine-based translation systems have become mainstays of modern culture thanks to the recent considerable advances in Natural Language Processing (NLP) research. Nonetheless, with over 7000 spoken languages in the world, there still remain a considerable number of marginalized communities that are unable to benefit from these technological advancements largely due to the language they speak. Cross-Lingual Learning (CLL) looks to address this issue by transferring the knowledge acquired from a popular, high-resource source language (e.g., English, Chinese, or Spanish) to a less favored, lower-resourced target language (e.g., Urdu or Swahili). This dissertation leverages the Event Detection (ED) sub-task of Information Extraction (IE) as a testbed and presents three novel approaches that improve cross-lingual transfer learning from distinct perspectives: (1) direct knowledge transfer, (2) hybrid knowledge transfer, and (3) few-shot learning

    Milton's Hellenism

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    This thesis investigates the Hellenism of the English poet John Milton from his student writings at Cambridge through to Paradise Lost. It explores Milton’s engagement with classical, Hellenistic, Byzantine, and Early Modern Greek texts and it considers Milton’s reading of Greek scholarship and interactions with Greek scholars and Hellenic scholarship. Chapter 1, ‘Milton’s Cambridge Greek’, consists of two sections: ‘Protestant Hellenism at Milton’s Cambridge: A Case Study of James Duport’s Greek Paraphrase of the Book of Job, Threnothriambos (1637)’ and ‘Greek and the “Lady of Christ’s College”: Latin–Greek Code-Switching in Milton ‘Prolusion VI’’. Chapter 2, ‘Milton Among the Hellenists in England and Italy’ considers the role that Greek played in Milton’s correspondence and poetic exchanges with Charles Diodati and Lucas Holstenius; it also considers the nature of Milton’s own Hellenic research at libraries in Rome and Florence during his travels in Italy from 1638–39. Chapter 3 considers the political and polemical roles that Greek texts played for Milton from the mid-1640s to 1660 and consists of three sections: ‘Marshall’s Ignorant Hand: Milton’s Greek Epigram and the 1645 Poems Frontispiece and the First Edition of Langbaine’s Longinus (1636)’; ‘O Soul of Sir John Cheek: Milton and the Legacy of Sixteenth-Century Greek Humanism’; and ‘John Milton, Leonard Philaras, and Early Modern Advocacy for Greece’s Liberation from the Ottoman Empire’. The final, fourth chapter explores the influence of Greek texts—ranging from the Homeric epics and the fragmentary Epic Cycle through to Byzantine and Early Modern Greek texts—upon Milton’s design of Books 1 and 2 of Paradise Lost

    From Trenches to the Crest, effectuating a Greater Beneficence of Terminology Development to National Language Policy: the Nigeria Case

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    Terminology development as a tool that propels the evolvement of educational and translation materials and services besides enhancing the formation of a robust terminology is widely celebrated as a great linguistic tool. This is because of its’ potency in knitting together a multilingual society like Nigeria towards a common understanding and purpose. The afore-stated promotion of national unity, effective communication and the preservation of indigenous languages directed towards the creation of an inclusive nation are the same goals pursued by the National Policy on Education which couches Nigeria’s Language Policy. Consequently, this study titled, ‘From Trenches to the Crest, effectuatinga Greater Beneficence of Terminology Development to National Language Policy: The Nigeria Case’, primarily aims to explore the meritorious services of terminology development in the evolution, realization and implementation of an effective language policy in Nigeria. By surveying the historical development of Nigeria language policy, it identifies and condemns the overemphasis of the usage of English language for instructional and legislative purposes, pointing out its disservices to indigenous languages. The study also highlights the fundamental roles and challenges impeding a fuller beneficence of a symbiosis of terminology development and the National Language Policy in achieving national integration. Adopting the hermeneutical and content analysis methods of enquiry, the research in conclusion, suggests a novel pragmatic and proactive terminology development model, which will drive a vibrant language policy and implementation

    Accessibility at Film Festivals: Guidelines for Inclusive Subtitling

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    In today's media-dominated world, the imperative for accessibility has never been greater, and ensuring that audiovisual experiences cater to individuals with sensory disabilities has become a pressing concern. One of the key initiatives in this endeavour is inclusive subtitling (IS), a practice rooted in the broader contexts of subtitling for the deaf and hard of hearing (SDH/CC), audiovisual translation studies (AVTS), media accessibility studies (MAS), and the evolving field of Deaf studies (DS). This study aims to offer a comprehensive exploration of how inclusive subtitling contributes to fostering accessible and inclusive audiovisual experiences, with a particular focus on its implications within the unique environment of film festivals. To gain a holistic perspective of inclusive subtitling, it is essential to examine its lineage in relation to analogous practices, which is the focus of the first chapter. Inclusive subtitling is an extension of SDH/CC, designed for individuals with hearing impairments, and SDH/CC, in turn, is a nuanced variation of traditional subtitling extensively explored within the realm of AVTS. To encapsulate the diverse techniques and modalities aimed at making audiovisual content universally accessible, the study recognises the term "Audiovisual Accessibility" (AVA). The second chapter explores the interconnection of accessibility studies (AS), AVTS, and MAS, highlighting their symbiotic relationship and their role in framing inclusive subtitles within these fields. These interconnections are pivotal in shaping a framework for the practice of inclusive subtitling, enabling a comprehensive examination of its applicability and research implications. The third chapter delves into Deaf studies and the evolution of Deafhood, which hinges on the history and culture of Deaf individuals. This chapter elucidates the distinction between ‘deafness’ as a medical construct and ‘Deafhood’ as a cultural identity, crucial to the understanding of audiovisual accessibility and its intersection with the Deaf community's perspectives. In the fourth chapter, the focus turns to the exploration of film festivals, with a specific emphasis on the crucial role of subtitles in enhancing accessibility, particularly when films are presented in their original languages. The chapter marks a critical point, highlighting the inherent connection between subtitles and the immersive nature of film festivals that aspire to promote inclusivity in the cinematic experience. The emphasis on inclusivity extends to the evolution of film festivals, giving rise to more advanced forms, including accessible film festivals and Deaf film festivals. At the core of the chapter is a thorough examination of the corpus, specifically, the SDH/CC of films spanning the editions from 2020 to 2023 of two highly significant film festivals, namely BFI Flare and the London Film Festival. The corpus serves as the foundation upon which my research unfolds, providing a nuanced understanding of the role subtitles play in film festival contexts. The main chapter, chapter five, thoroughly analyses the technical and linguistic aspects of inclusive subtitling, drawing insights from the Inclusive Subtitling Guidelines - a two version document devised by myself - and offering real-world applications supported by a case study at an Italian film festival and another case study of the short film Pure, with the relevant inclusive subtitles file annexed. In conclusion, the research sets the stage for a comprehensive exploration of inclusive subtitling's role in ensuring accessible and inclusive audiovisual experiences, particularly within film festivals. It underscores the importance of accessibility in the world of audiovisual media and highlights the need for inclusive practices to cater to diverse audiences

    Methodological Challenges in Conducting Cross-Cultural/Language Research with Spanish Speakers: The Role of the Researcher/Translator

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    With the increase in global research, it is common for researchers to investigate topics in intercultural settings, both in their own home countries and abroad. Although findings from this research are prolific, rarely are detailed examples given or practical suggestions offered, particularly in relation to the role of the translator/researcher. The significant and often undervalued role of the translator/researcher in cross cultural/language qualitative research warrants methodological considerations at the onset and throughout the research. Nonetheless, few qualitative studies transparently report the process of how the translation findings were developed. This paper addresses this gap by examining a Latinx postgraduate student’s role in the qualitative research on teacher induction in Chile. I used reflexivity to assess my positionality of insiderness and outsiderness and its influence in the process of recruitment, conducting interviews, transcription, and translation. Interviews were conducted, transcribed and analysed in Spanish. Examples of data translation that can help to identify the main issues associated with reporting the findings in English are provided. These applied examples are used to illustrate the gaps and misinterpretations possible in intercultural research. The importance of researcher’s culture competence, contextual skills and knowledge of the field of the study are highlighted

    Charles Spurgeon and a Biblical View of Wealth

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    Charles Spurgeon preached wealth as a spiritual commodity based on his Christological exposition which countered the preaching of wealth as a divine right. Some people have come to view earthly wealth as a substance that comes as a result of obedience to God. There are also a number of people that believe that any biblical theology pertaining to wealth is amendable and see no lasting truth in the text. Spurgeon critiques these approaches. He saw earthly wealth primarily as a spiritual commodity and believed it to be a substance that should be utilized for the purpose of bringing glory to God. The researcher will present a study of what the Bible teaches with regards to wealth as perceived by Spurgeon by applying biblical theological categories and an analysis of wealth from its inception until the present day

    What effect does short term Study Abroad (SA) have on learners’ vocabulary knowledge?

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    This thesis describes a study which tracks longitudinal changes in vocabularyknowledge during a short-term Study Abroad (SA) experience. A test ofproductive vocabulary knowledge, Lex30 (Meara & Fitzpatrick, 2000),requiring the production of word association responses, is used to elicit vocabulary from 38 Japanese L1 learners of English at four test times at equal intervals before and after an SA experience. The study starts by investigating whether there are changes in both the total number of words and in the number of less frequently occurring words produced by SA participants. Three additional ways of measuring the development of lexical knowledge over time are then proposed. The first examines changes in the ability of participants of different proficiency levels in producing collocates in response to Lex30 cue words. The second tracks changes in spelling accuracy to measure if improvements take place over time. The third analysis uses an online measuring instrument (Wmatrix; Rayson, 2009) to explore if there are any changes in the mastery of specific semantic domains. The results show that there is significant growth in the productive use of less frequent vocabulary knowledge during the SA period. There is also an increase in collocation production with lower proficiency participants and evidence of some improvement in the way certain vocabulary items are spelled. The tendency for SA learners to produce more words from semantic groups related to SA experiences is also demonstrated. Post-SA tests show that while some knowledge attrition occurs it does not decline to pre-SA levels. The studyshows how short-term SA programmes can be evaluated using a word association test, contributing to a better understanding of how vocabularydevelops during intensive language learning experiences. It also demonstrates the gradual shift of productive vocabulary knowledge from partial word knowledge to a more complete state of productive mastery

    Predicate Matrix: an interoperable lexical knowledge base for predicates

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    183 p.La Matriz de Predicados (Predicate Matrix en inglĂ©s) es un nuevo recurso lĂ©xico-semĂĄntico resultado de la integraciĂłn de mĂșltiples fuentes de conocimiento, entre las cuales se encuentran FrameNet, VerbNet, PropBank y WordNet. La Matriz de Predicados proporciona un lĂ©xico extenso y robusto que permite mejorar la interoperabilidad entre los recursos semĂĄnticos mencionados anteriormente. La creaciĂłn de la Matriz de Predicados se basa en la integraciĂłn de Semlink y nuevos mappings obtenidos utilizando mĂ©todos automĂĄticos que enlazan el conocimiento semĂĄntico a nivel lĂ©xico y de roles. Asimismo, hemos ampliado la Predicate Matrix para cubrir los predicados nominales (inglĂ©s, español) y predicados en otros idiomas (castellano, catalĂĄn y vasco). Como resultado, la Matriz de predicados proporciona un lĂ©xico multilingĂŒe que permite el anĂĄlisis semĂĄntico interoperable en mĂșltiples idiomas
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