The play of codes and systems in pygmalion: Bernard Shaw and Roland Barthes

In Pygmalion, George Bernard Shaw deals with the social function of language (linguistic competence) as one of the markers of social status and as a source of social power. Pygmalion’s plot revolves around the linguistic idea of the critical period hypothesis. The linguist in the play bets that the phonetician cannot change the flower girl into a lady by teaching her a genteel language. The phonetician intends to flaunt his power and skill in fashioning a new ‘self’ for the florist girl through linguistic retraining, even though her ’critical period’ is over. Though this acculturation leads to a crisis of personality for the girl, Shaw’s play goes against the hypothesis of ‘critical period’ by showing the possibility of the language retraining of a grown-up girl. Drawing on the theories of Roland Barthes, this article examines the relation between education and the issues of social mobility and cultural codes in the class-conscious society of Pygmalion. Pygmalion could be read as indicating that culture does not come by nature and it is made of codes, which can be taught and learned. Shaw suggests that it is possible to educate lower class people in upper class cultural codes. Moreover, he demonstrates that culture is time-bound and the boundaries between lower and upper class cultural codes were fading at the time so that it was difficult to distinguish a real upper class agent from a fake one

WRITING AND LITERARY ACTIVITY IN THE VERNACULAR IN ANGLO-SAXON ENGLAND

У статті розглянуто процес виникнення і функціонування різних форм текстової фіксації на англійських територіальних діалектах давнього періоду розвитку англійської мови як наслідок розвитку суспільних функцій мови та розширення сфер функціонування її писемної форми в період формування англосаксонського суспільства. В історичній перспективі простежено становлення основних текстових категорій і видів текстів давньоанглійської писемності на основі функціональної класифікації писемних пам’яток давнього періоду. Описано формування англійської писемної традиції в соціолінгвістичному контексті та зазначено основні рукописні тексти-джерела деяких давньоанглійських писемних пам’яток

The application of artificial intelligence techniques to large distributed networks

Data accessibility and transfer of information, including the land resources information system pilot, are structured as large computer information networks. These pilot efforts include the reduction of the difficulty to find and use data, reducing processing costs, and minimize incompatibility between data sources. Artificial Intelligence (AI) techniques were suggested to achieve these goals. The applicability of certain AI techniques are explored in the context of distributed problem solving systems and the pilot land data system (PLDS). The topics discussed include: PLDS and its data processing requirements, expert systems and PLDS, distributed problem solving systems, AI problem solving paradigms, query processing, and distributed data bases

Can (Or Should) RP Serve as the Model for the Teaching of English Pronunciation in Cameroon?

This paper presents the case for and against the continued adoption of RP, but argues that the spread of English to many parts of the world should change our perception of what constitutes Standard English – that the speech of a tiny minority in Britain can no longer be considered the norm by which all others must be judged. In presenting Cameroon Standard English as the most suitable model for Cameroon, the author’s position is that we must recognize that English has become a cosmopolitan tongue and must cultivate a cosmopolitan attitude toward its various standard forms

A Study of Linguistic Behavior from the Perspective of Sociolinguistic—Taking My Fair Lady as an Example

People’s social background is closely related to people’s language behavior, and even people who use the same language will have many differences because of their social backgrounds. The movie “My Fair Lady” gives you a visual enjoyment. And this paper analyzes the film from the perspective of sociolinguistics. The language act presented in this film fully illustrates the relationship between language and social class, gender, and geographical factors, which explains the influence of people’s language behavior on their social status and gender, and also shows the influence of these factors on people’s language behavior

Tolerance in the Piil Pesenggiri of Lampung Society

This study aims to produce a description within the meaning of tolerance in piil pesenggiri Lampung society. The scope of the study includes: 1) an overview of tolerance of Lampung society; 2) Description of the meaning of tolerance in piil pesenggiri Lampung society; 3) the value of tolerance in guidance and counseling. This research uses a qualitative approach with the descriptive method. Participants were determined by purposive sampling, among other's traditional leaders (one person), community leaders (two people), and academics (three people) engaged in research in Lampung society. The research conducted, namely: 1) researchers construct the meaning of tolerance in pill pesenggiri passenger based on theory and research results; 2) the researcher clarifies to the participants (customary figures, community leaders, and academics) to constructions made through interviews; 3) the researcher performs data analysis by data reduction; and 4) the researcher conducts an interpretation of the constructs based on upon the results of the data analysis. Based on the results of data interpretation, the resulting definition of tolerance in piil pesenggiri is the recognition of the rights of others that are different from the cultural norms of Lampung culture applied in social life in the form of appreciating the difference, open and accept the opinions of others, caring, and give freedom to others in acting