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

Manifestations of Humour in Serbian Folklore Material: The Example of Šala

Studia Fennica; Folkloristica 2

Challenges in Translating Culturally Specific Items from a Less Dominant Culture

This thesis comprises five annotated translations, accompanied by a discussion. Excerpts from two books and one document were translated from English into Croatian, while one novel and an article were translated from Croatian into English. Source texts in English were taken from Avrum Stroll’s Did My Genes Make Me Do It?(And Other Philosophical Dilemmas), Rick Hanson’s Hardwiring Happiness: How to Reshape Your Brain and Your Life, and Mass Casualty Incidents, A Framework for Planning (Scotland). The source texts in Croatian were Tanja Radović’s novel Pitanje Nade and Dejan Kršić’s article Vrijeme je za neke nove priče. The discussion focused on challenges translators face when translating culture-specific items from a less dominant culture, i.e. Croatian into a more dominant culture, i.e. Anglo-American, and the implications this entails. The focus was on Retention and Substitution as the two main strategies that can be used to render CSIs. Examples used in the discussion were taken from Tanja Radović’s novel Pitanje Nade.Ovaj se diplomski rad sastoji od pet prijevoda i rasprave. Tri su teksta prevedena s engleskog jezika na hrvatski, dok su dva teksta prevedena s hrvatskoga na engleski jezik. Izvorni tekstovi na engleskome jeziku isječci su iz djela Did My Genes Make Me Do It? (And Other Philosophical Dilemmas) autora Avruma Strolla, Hardwiring Happiness: How to Reshape Your Brain and Your Life autora Ricka Hansona te dokumenta Mass Casualty Incidents, A Framework for Planning (Scotland). Izvorni tekstovi na hrvatskome jeziku isječak su iz romana Pitanje Nade autorice Tanje Radović te dio članka Dejana Kršića pod naslovom Vrijeme je za neke druge priče. Tema su rasprave izazovi pri prevođenju kulturološki specifičnih elemenata iz manje dominante kulture u dominantniju kulturu, kao i posljedice koje takvi prijevodi uključuju. Dva su glavna postupka za prevođenje elemenata retencija (zadržavanje) i supstitucija (zamjenjivanje). Primjeri su preuzeti iz isječka romana Pitanje Nade, autorice Tanje Radović

PHONOLOGICAL SURVEY OF ROMAN JAKOBSON AS A THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK FOR METHODOLOGICAL INNOVATIONS IN TEACHING

This work analyzes Roman Jakobson's phonological survey, which was inspired by poetic texts, verse structure and direct observation of the work of certain poets. Changes in poetry, especially in the verse space, brought about a new view of the sounds in speech and their real linguistic (communicative) function. The survey will show that there is a lot of symmetry and regularity in grammatical opposition among various poets across different epochs and nations. In that way, a composition role of grammatical categories which recur or are contrasted was confirmed. Jakobson’s phonological survey can be a theoretical framework for methodological innovation in teaching grammar which correlates with teaching literature.

Weathered Words : Formulaic Language and Verbal Art

Formulaic phraseology presents the epitome of words worn and weathered by trial and the tests of time. Scholarship on weathered words is exceptionally diverse and interdisciplinary. This volume focuses on verbal art, which makes Oral-Formulaic Theory (OFT) a major point of reference. Yet weathered words are but a part of OFT, and OFT is only a part of scholarship on weathered words. Each of the eighteen essays gathered here brings particular aspects of formulaic language into focus. No volume on such a diverse topic can be all-encompassing, but the essays highlight aspects of the phenomenon that may be eclipsed elsewhere: they diverge not only in style, but sometimes even in how they choose to define “formula.” As such, they offer overlapping frames that complement one another both in their convergences and their contrasts. While they view formulaicity from multifarious angles, they unite in a Picasso of perspectives on which the reader can reflect and draw insight.Peer reviewe

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

Annotated bibliography 1986-1990

The following compilation represents the third installment of Oral Tradition's ongoing annotated bibliography of scholarship relevant to the field. This addition, covering the years 1986-1990, maintains the goals of the first two installments: 1) to update John Miles Foley's original bibliography, Oral-Formulaic Theory and Research (Garland 1985), which provided an annotated listing of scholarship on the Parry-Lord theory of oral composition up until 1982, and 2) to expand the scope of the bibliography into other fields related to the study of oral traditions. The initial year of this installment also marks the beginning of Oral Tradition itself, and all articles published in the journal from 1986-1990 are herein annotated.Not