An Overview of the Typology of the Morphological Features of the Arabic Language Based on WALS Database

The study of the typology of languages seems to be approaching languages at a micro level. For instance and with reference to the WALS database, the study of the typology of morphological features of Arabic results into ending up with examining Arabic [languages] other than the Arabic Language. This is clearly indicated according to the conducted studies on some Arabic language varieties which have some of these morphological features that are not observable in the other varieties of the Arabic language. Is this a plus for the Arabic language or is it a minus feature that could result into weakening the linguistic features of Arabic

Micro and Macro Typological Features of the Morphology of the Turkish Language: Conflicting Views between WALS Database and Non-WALS Database

Typology of morphology can be examined in terms of certain features e.g. fusions, exponence, inflectional synthesis, locus, affixation, reduplication, syncretism, etc. or with broader typological features like multifunctional inflectional features, compounding, genitive construction, etc. We refer to the former as macro level features of the typology of morphology of the Turkish language with reference to data presented from WALS database and we refer to the latter as micro level of the typology of morphology of the Turkish language with references to some linguists and researchers in the field of morphology. This two-folded presentation brings about an argument about the possible limitation of the WALS database as claimed and argued by the presented views - assuming contradicting conclusions about some typological features of morphology of the Turkish languag

Architecture of information structure: implications from the t-model on the realisation aspects of topic and focus using examples from modern standard Arabic, English and Turkish languages

The placement of information structure seems to be controversial when approached with reference to T-model architecture of grammar and have debatable theoretical determinations. These include but not limited to: 1) the grammar of the information structure is not considered as an autonomous component; 2) how linguistically the information structure units (in various languages) could bring problems when coding units in the grammatical components; 3) the various aspects of contrastive focus and presentational focus, and how they are realised in (Standard) Arabic, English and Turkish yet (French); and 4) scrambling (free word order) and information structure relationship with illustrations from these mentioned language

A multi-dimensional assessment of developmental trajectories of pragmatic language development in preschoolers with and without pragmatic language impairment

Scopo: Negli ultimi decenni, si è assistito a un'accumulazione prolifica e completa di conoscenze riguardanti la valutazione dello sviluppo del linguaggio pragmatico (PLD) e la diagnosi del deficit del linguaggio pragmatico (PLI) in individui in tutto lo spettro dell'età. Tuttavia, le prove raccolte presentano una miriade di contraddizioni e ambiguità, rendendo difficile delineare le caratteristiche specifiche del PLI, determinare i criteri di valutazione appropriati e individuare le strategie diagnostiche ottimali. Di conseguenza, questo studio si propone di chiarire queste discrepanze esaminando le spiegazioni concorrenti nella letteratura esistente. Partendo da questa premessa, questa ricerca pone le seguenti domande: (1) Quali sono gli sviluppi, le sfide e le opportunità più recenti nella valutazione del PLD e nella diagnosi del PLI rivelati attraverso una revisione dello stato dell'arte? (2) Quali sono i concetti chiave, i modelli e gli strumenti di valutazione utilizzati per valutare lo sviluppo del linguaggio pragmatico (PLD) e diagnosticare il deficit del linguaggio pragmatico (PLI) nei bambini in età prescolare con sviluppo tipico e atipico, come identificato da una revisione ad ampio raggio? (3) In che modo l'efficacia relativa e le differenze chiave tra gli interventi sul linguaggio pragmatico, nonché le opinioni prevalenti concorrenti, influenzano il miglioramento delle abilità del linguaggio pragmatico negli individui con PLI, come valutato da una revisione ombrello? (4) In che modo il genere, l'età e lo sviluppo del linguaggio pragmatico si interrelazionano tra i bambini italiani in età prescolare con e senza disturbi dello sviluppo neurologico, e quali schemi emergono nelle abilità del linguaggio pragmatico quando valutate utilizzando le scale Pragmatic Language Abilities (APL), Children's Communication Checklist-Version 2 (CCC-2) e Targeted Observation of Pragmatics in Children's Conversations (TOPICC) in uno studio trasversale? Metodi: Questo studio adotta la visione del mondo pragmatico come suo quadro guida, utilizzando il design sequenziale esplorativo per affrontare le domande di ricerca poste. In conformità con questo design, sia il modello di sviluppo degli strumenti che quello della tassonomia si allineano alle indagini formulate. La raccolta dei dati comprende quattro fasi distinte: (1) una revisione dello stato dell'arte che esplora la letteratura recente relativa al PLI, (2) una revisione ad ampio raggio che esamina la concettualizzazione del PLD e del PLI, (3) una revisione ombrello che analizza l'efficacia degli approcci di intervento esistenti e gli strumenti di valutazione per il PLI, e (4) uno studio empirico che valuta le disparità tra gli strumenti formali e informali per valutare il PLD e diagnosticare il PLI in contesti scolastici e clinici in Italia. Risultati: La revisione dello stato dell'arte sottolinea la necessità di ulteriori ricerche per districare le spiegazioni concorrenti e stabilire un approccio coeso alla valutazione del PLD e alla diagnosi del PLI. La revisione ad ampio raggio individua delle incoerenze nella terminologia e nella metodologia all'interno del campo, sottolineando l'importanza di integrare valutazioni dirette e indirette per una diagnosi precisa del PLI. La revisione “ombrello” rivela che gli interventi cognitivo-linguistici possiedono le prove più forti a sostegno della loro efficacia, sottolineando anche la necessità di interventi personalizzati e multifattoriali che affrontino le complessità del PLI. Lo studio trasversale non rivela alcuna associazione significativa tra genere e PLD, sebbene l'età mostri una correlazione positiva con alcuni aspetti delle abilità del linguaggio pragmatico. Inoltre, i bambini con disturbi dello sviluppo neurologico mostrano differenze notevoli nello sviluppo del linguaggio pragmatico rispetto ai loro coetanei con sviluppo tipico.Purpose: In recent decades, there has been a prolific and comprehensive accrual of knowledge surrounding the assessment of pragmatic language development (PLD) and the diagnosis of pragmatic language impairment (PLI) in individuals across the age spectrum. Nevertheless, the amassed evidence presents a myriad of contradictions and ambiguities, rendering it challenging to delineate the specific characteristics of PLI, determine the appropriate assessment criteria, and ascertain optimal diagnostic strategies. Consequently, this study endeavours to elucidate these discrepancies by examining competing explanations within the existing literature. Building upon this premise, this investigation poses the following questions: (1) What do the most recent advancements, challenges, and opportunities in the assessment of PLD and the diagnosis of PLI reveal through a state-of-the-art review? (2) What are the key concepts, models, and assessment tools utilized for evaluating pragmatic language development (PLD) and diagnosing pragmatic language impairment (PLI) in preschoolers exhibiting typical and atypical development, as identified by a scoping review? (3) How do the relative effectiveness and key differences among pragmatic language interventions, as well as the prevailing competing views, influence the improvement of pragmatic language skills in individuals with PLI, as evaluated by an umbrella review? (4) How do gender, age, and pragmatic language development interrelate among Italian preschool children with and without neurodevelopmental disorders, and what patterns emerge in pragmatic language skills when assessed using the Pragmatic Language Abilities (APL), Children's Communication Checklist-Version 2 (CCC-2), and Targeted Observation of Pragmatics in Children's Conversations (TOPICC) scales in a cross-sectional study? Methods: This study adopts the pragmatic worldview as its guiding framework, employing the exploratory sequential design to address the posed research questions. In accordance with this design, both the instrument and the taxonomy development models align with the formulated inquiries. Data collection encompasses four distinct phases: (1) a state-of-the-art review exploring recent literature related to PLI, (2) a scoping review examining the conceptualization of PLD and PLI, (3) an umbrella review scrutinizing the effectiveness of existing intervention approaches and assessment tools for PLI, and (4) an empirical study assessing disparities between formal and informal tools for evaluating PLD and diagnosing PLI in school and clinical settings in Italy. Results: The state-of-the-art review accentuates the necessity for additional research to untangle competing explanations and establish a cohesive approach to PLD assessment and PLI diagnosis. The scoping review discerns inconsistencies in terminology and methodology within the field, underscoring the importance of integrating direct and indirect assessments for precise PLI diagnosis. The umbrella review unveils that cognitive-linguistic interventions possess the strongest evidence supporting their efficacy, while also emphasizing the need for customized, multifaceted interventions that address the intricacies of PLI. The cross-sectional study reveals no significant association between gender and PLD, although age exhibits a positive correlation with specific aspects of pragmatic language skills. Moreover, children with neurodevelopmental disorders display notable differences in pragmatic language development compared to their typically developing counterparts. Conclusions: This dissertation underscores the significance of early identification and intervention for children with PLI, advocating for continued research to enhance comprehension and methodologies within the realm. A comprehensive, unified approach to assessment and diagnosis, as well as tailored, multifaceted interventions, is paramount for addressing the complex nature of PLI in preschoolers

Mentalese: the conflict between language and thought

What does mentalese refer to as a theory introduced in the science of language is the main concern of this paper. The study is mainly descriptive where previous and related studies are reviewed and presented to reach a view about mentalese as an introduced theory in the science of languag

Okul Öncesi İçin Hazırlanmış Kısa Öykülerdeki Sözcük Sınıfı Sıklığı ve Simüle Edilmiş Erken Sözcüksel Gelişim Arasındaki Bağıntının Ölçülmesi

This paper aimed at examining the claim that short-stories prepared for preschool children contain a theory-based system which could be reflected on early lexical development. Besides, we investigated the claim that word-class frequency and/or occurrence could be used as a predictor for a child’s early lexical development based on views from behaviourism, the frequency hypothesis and ZIPF’s law. The correlational approach was followed to measure the two identified variables, namely, simulated early lexical development (represented by preschool materials) as the dependent variable and word-class frequency and/or occurrence (with and without repetition/ frequency) as the independent variable. A series of short-story consisting of ten short-stories was analysed in terms of word-class into eight word-classes and then into different semantic categories. The use of Minitab (17th) version yet running both descriptive and inferential statistical tools indicated that the calculated percentage of the content words were clearly higher than those of the function words (43%, 5%, 6%, 26% and 6%) as compared to only (5%, 8% and 1%) respectively. Moreover, Pearson’s product-moment correlation indicated a strong yet positive correlation between word-class frequency and/or occurrence and simulated early lexical development, r=0.965, p < .0005. Similarly, independent t-test result further indicated that word-class with repetition has statistically significantly higher early lexical development rate (378 ± 438) compared to word-class without repetition (99 ± 111), t(7) = 1.72, p = 0.130. Based on our presented results, it could be concluded that short-stories prepared for preschool children contained a theory-based system which could be reflected on early lexical development-supported by the fact that there was a clear word-class classification and systematised system for the distribution of word-class in terms of content words (over majority) and function words (minor representation) yet semantic categorisation. Also, word-class frequency and/or occurrence could be used as a predictor simulating child’s early lexical development-supported with the reached strong positive correlation between the two correlated variables.Bu çalışma, okul öncesi çocuklara yönelik hazırlanan kısa öykülerin, erken sözcüksel gelişimi açıklayan kuram tabanlı bir sisteme dayandığı savından hareket ederek, sözcük sınıfı sıklığının ve / veya oluşumun erken sözcüksel gelişimi açıklamak için kullanılabileceği iddiasını incelemek amacıyla yapılmıştır. Bu çalışmanın kuramsal temeli, davranışçılığa, sıklık varsayımına ve ZIPF yasalarına dayanmaktadır. Bağımlı değişken olarak simüle edilmiş erken sözcüksel gelişim (okul öncesi materyaller tarafından temsil edilen) ve bağımsız değişken olarak da sözcük sınıfı sıklığı ve / veya oluşumu (yinelemeli / yinelemesiz) alınmıştır. Bu iki değişkeni ölçmek için de bağıntısal yaklaşım temel alınmıştır. On kısa öyküyü içeren kısa öykü dizisi, sözcük sınıfları açısından sekiz sözcük sınıfına ayrılmış ve daha sonra farklı anlamsal ulamlara göre sınıflanmıştır. Betimleme yapma ve istatistiksel sonuçlara ulaşabilmek için Minitab (17) sürümü kullanılmıştır. Yapılan istatistik sonucunda içerik sözcüklerinin (% 43, % 5, % 6, % 26 ve % 6) kullanım yüzdelerinin işlev sözcüklerinin kullanım yüzdelerinden (% 5, % 8 ve % 1) açık bir biçimde daha yüksek olduğu saptanmıştır. Ayrıca, Pearson ürün momenti bağıntısı, sözcük sınıfı sıklığı ve / veya oluşumu ile simüle edilmiş erken sözcüksel gelişim arasında güçlü ve pozitif bir bağıntı olduğunu göstermektedir (r = 0.965, p <.0005). Benzer şekilde, bağımsız t-testi sonucunda, yinelemeli (378 ± 438) sözcük sınıfının, yinelemesiz sözcük sınıfına (99 ± 111) göre oldukça yüksek bir erken sözcüksel gelişim oranı taşıdığı saptanmıştır (t (7) = 1.72, p =0.130). İçerik sözcüklerinin işlev sözcüklerinden daha fazla kullanılan dilsel birimler olduğuna dönük sözcük sınıflamasına ve dağılımsal özelliklerine ilişkin sonuçlar, okulöncesi çocuklara yönelik kısa öykülerin erken sözcüksel gelişimi yansıtan kuram temelli bir sistem içerdiğini göstermektedir. Ayrıca, iki değişken arasındaki güçlü bağıntı, sözcük sınıfı sıklığı ve / veya oluşumuna ilişkin elde edilen değerlerin çocuğun erken sözcüksel gelişimini yansıtan bir nitelik taşıdığını göstermektedir

Correctional education system in China: Is it practical? Insights from a systematic review and the practical theory

AbstractThe correctional education system in China is an under‐researched area, and there is no evidence of a published systematic review, especially when it has been over 10 years since the enforcement of the National Plan (2010–2020). Therefore, this systematic review examines the practicality of this area and informs policy‐makers, practitioners, and national and international readership on its status. That said, we reviewed 28 eligible studies between 1987 and 2019, which included quantitative, qualitative, and mixed designs conducted by both insider and outsider researchers. The systematic review was guided by PRISMA and generated insights from the practical theory. The paper concludes with a presentation of constituents of the practical theory on correctional education: conceptualisations, patterns, normative criteria, design principles and models. The extracted data resulted in various views on the correctional education system. For instance, outsider researchers focused more on human rights, enforcing political education, inflexibility and opaque environment for data accessibility and human intrusion, although a few researchers appreciated the efforts being put on correctional education system development, whether it concerned being a social‐oriented system or quantitatively reported data on correctional education development. Dissimilarly, insider researchers praised the integration of family education, political education, moral education, or integrating social work, technology, and western methods. Context and implicationsRationale for this studyChina's correctional education system has been either optimistically viewed as 'vastly effective in its efforts' (Hobler, 1989, p. 68) or pessimistically as 'having the biggest penal colony in the world' (Decu, 2013, p. 46). Therefore, it is worth exploring this area to decide the practicality of China's current correctional education system.Why the new findings matterRecent Chinese government policies and plans indicated that 'the fundamental requirement of education equity is that all citizens have equal rights to receive education according to law' (Ministry of Education & People's Republic of China, 2010, p. 8). That said, a systematic review on correctional education could give policymakers, and local and international readership some indicators about the nature and status of correctional education in the country.Implications for educational researchers and policymakersThe findings provide insights to policymakers, decision‐makers, and researchers who are interested in conducting systematic reviews. These include: Social, cultural, and political factors enhance the practicality of the correctional education system in China; Unequal distribution of correctional education services increases the gap between rural and urban areas yet hinders the practicality of the correctional education system in China; While variable terminology describing correctional education leads to misconceptualisation of the field; examining it from different perspectives increases the chances of development; and The Prevention‐Provision‐Treatment and the Exclusion‐Inclusion‐Integration‐Reintegration model based on practical theory helps to observe the practicality of the correctional education system in China

Correctional education development in China: an exploratory analysis of quantitative data between 2009 and 2016

Purpose: We examined the development of correctional education in China with reference to the National Plan (2010-2020

The effect of the National plan (2010-2020) on the development of preschool education in China: evidence from before-after design at a 7-year interval and policy analysis

This paper examines the effect of the National plan 2010-2020 policy that focuses on the development of the pre-school education system in Chin

Non-verbal Communication across Cultures: a Case Study of Chinese, Polish, Turkish and (Yemeni) Arabic Cultures

To establish for a further study examining the degree of similarity and dissimilarity across cultures through four selected cultures (Chinese, Polish, Turkish and Yemeni) in fifteen identified paralanguage features. A non-experimental study was conducted where four participants from the four different countries took part in the study. Each was either interviewed or engaged in a guided discussion towards collecting the required data. Both reliability and validity within the qualitative research framework - credibility, transferability, dependability and confirmability have meet the basic requirement