Onomatopoeic Words in Slovak: Everyday Use and Stylistic Function

Onomatopoeias — words that echo sounds from the extra-linguistic reality — are usually understood as units representing direct relationship between form and meaning. Lexical onomatopoeias are part of a language system and their meaning can be found in dictionaries. It is assumed that onomatopoeias are crucial in communication by and to infants and are also considered important stylistic devices in poetry. However, they seem to be only marginal in adults’ speech. This paper presents the results of an analysis of the understanding of Slovak onomatopoeias in everyday communication as well as of the stylistic dimension of these expressions in poetry. First, attention was paid to the comprehension of sound-imitating words in context by the sample of 30 native Slovak language speakers. Then, a sample of ten Slovak poems, well-known due to their usage of various sound-symbolic elements (onomatopoeias included) as stylistic devices, was examined to verify the supposed stylistic dimension of onomatopoeias in poetry. The results indicate that the understanding of the real meaning of lexical onomatopoeias depends on the specifics of the context and that onomatopoeias play a less important role in poetry than expected.Straipsnis skiriamas slovakų kalbos onomatopėjai kaip leksikos daliai. Onomatopėjiniai žodžiai yra garsažodinės kilmės, jais mėgdžiojami įvairūs nekalbinės tikrovės garsai. Šie žodžiai paprastai suprantami kaip vienetai, reprezentuojantys tiesioginį formos ir reikšmės ryšį. Straipsnyje daroma prielaida, kad onomatopėjiniai žodžiai yra svarbūs bendravimui su kūdikiais, suagusiųjų kalboje jie užima nežymią vietą. Onomatopėja taip pat laikoma populiaria poezijos stilistine priemone. Straipsnyje nagrinėjamos šios dvi onomatopėjinių žodžių vartosena, pateikiami onomatopėjinių žodžių pavyzdžių kasdienėje komunikacijoje analizė bei tokių žodžių poezijoje stilistinės dimensijos tyrimo rezultatai. 30 žmonių, kuriems slovakų kalba yra gimtoji, atkreipė dėmesį į garsą imituojančių žodžių supratimą kontekste. Be to, siekiant patikrinti tariamą onomatopėjos stilistinę dimensiją poezijoje, buvo ištirta dešimties slovakų recepcija gerai žinomų eilėraščių, kuriuose vartojami įvairūs garsiniai-simboliniai elementai (įskaitant onomatopėjinius) kaip stilistinė priemonė. Tyrimo rezultatai rodo, kad onomatopėjinių žodžių reikšmių supratimas priklauso nuo konteksto ir kad onomatopėjos vaidmuo poezijoje yra mažesnė nei tikėtasi. Onomatopoje v slovenčine: každodenné používanie a štylistická funkcia Onomatopoje — slová, ktoré imitujú zvuky z mimojazykovej skutočnosti — sú chápané ako jednotky reprezentujúce priamy vzťah medzi formou a obsahom. Lexikálne onomatopoje sú súčasťou jazyka ako systému a ich významy možno nájsť v slovníkoch. Predpokladá sa, že onomatopoje sú dôležité v komunikácii s dieťaťom, ako aj v reči dieťaťa, a sú vnímané aj ako významný štylistický prostriedok v poézii. Avšak, zdá sa, že v reči dospelých majú iba okrajové postavenie. Tento príspevok predstavuje výsledky výskumu zameraného na porozumenie slovenských onomatopojí v každodennej komunikácii, ako aj na štylistický rozmer týchto slov v poézii. Najprv sme pozornosť zamerali na analýzu významu zvuk imitujúcich slov v kontexte na vzorke 30 rodených hovoriacich. Následne sme skúmali vzorku desiatich slovenských básní, ktoré sú známe využívaním rôznych zvukovo-symbo­lických prvkov (vrátane onomatopojí) ako štylistických prostriedkov, aby sme overil predpokladané štylistické uplatnenie onomatopojí v poézii. Výsledky naznačujú, že pochopenie skutočného významu lexikálnych onomatopojí závisí od špecifikácie kontextu a že onomatopoje zohrávajú v poézii menej dôležitú úlohu, ako sa očakávalo. Kľúčové slová v slovenčine: spisovná slovenčina, onomatopoja, štylistický prostriedok, kontextové použitie, ustálenosť

An acoustic analysis of a sample of English and Ukrainian onomatopoeias: A pilot study

Much has been written about the position of onomatopoeias in languages nevertheless, sources dealing with the phonetic nature of these sound-echoing words are very rare. Some notes about the phonetic substance of onomatopoeias can be found in the work of Bredin and also Tsur who offers a more detailed phonetic investigation of sound-imitating expressions in relation to real sounds. On the basis of acoustic analysis of the onomatopoeic expression /ku:ku:/ and of the real sound the cuckoo produces, Tsur comes to the conclusion that such speech sounds are used as equivalents of natural sounds/noises whose phonetic properties best fit the imitated natural sounds. To evaluate this assumption, this pilot study includes acoustic analysis of onomatopoeias from English and Ukrainian. The selected English and Ukrainian verbal imitations of natural sounds (a cat’s meowing, an owl’s hooting, hitting two metal objects together and knocking on a door) were acoustically analyzed in terms of the structure of their sound spectra for comparison with the sound spectra of the natural sounds they imitate

The influence of very-low calorie diet and pharmacologic interventions on adipose tissue metabolism in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and obesity.

Obezita a diabetes mellitus 2. typu (DM 2. typu) patří mezi metabolická onemocnění se stále vzrůstající incidencí a prevalencí. V soustředěný na objasnění patofyziologických mechanizmů vedoucích k rozvoji těch onemocnění. Vedle faktorů vnějších, jakými jsou životní styl a skladba a množství přijímané klíčovou roli v včetně inzulínové rezistence (IR) a DM 2. typu tuková tkáň Cílem naší práce bylo hlouběji prozkoumat možnou úlohu recentně popsaného adipokinu omentinu a dále zhodnotit úlohu podkožní tukové tkáni (SCAT) a periferních monocytech (PM) při rozvoji inzulínové rezistence a diabetu u pacientů s Do studie bylo celkem zařazeno 118 jedinců rozdělených do 3 skupin: pacienti s diabetes mellitus 2. typu (T2DM), skupina pacientů s prostou obezitou (OB) a zdravé štíhlé stoupily několik typů intervencí - 2 až 3 týdny nízkokalorické diety (VLCD, denní příjem 600 kcal), program pravidelné fyzické aktivity nebo bariatrický výkon (laparoskopická tubulizace žaludku, laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy, LSG). Dosažené výsledky poukazují na možnou spoluúčast nízkých sérových tělesnou hmotnost a metabolický profil pacientů může být částečně zprostředkován e ukázali, že pacienti s mají mitochondriální dysfunkci ve SCAT a částečně i v PM, přičemž VLCD nevedla zásadnímu zlepšení této dysfunkce. Intervence vedoucí ke zvýšení...(EN) Obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) are among metabolic disease with increasing incidence and prevalence. Last decade has been devoted to intensive research focused on pathophysiological mechanisms underlying development of these diseases. Besides environmental factors, lifestyle and amount and composition of food, adipose tissue is a key player in the pathogenesis of obesity and its metabolic complications including insulin resistance (IR) and T2DM. Primary aim of our work was to evaluate the role of recently discovered adipokine omentin and the role of mitochondrial dysfunction in subcutaneous adipose tissue (SCAT) and in peripheral monocytes (PM) in patients with obesity and T2DM with respect to the development of insulin resistance and diabetes. A total number of 118 subjects enrolled in the study were divided into three groups: patients with obesity and T2DM (T2DM group), obese non-diabetics (OB) and healthy lean subjects as a control group (KO). Study subjects underwent several types of interventions - 2 to 3 weeks of very-low calorie diet (VLCD, energy intake 600 kcal per day), regular physical activity program or bariatric surgery (laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy, LSG). Results indicate that low serum omentin concentrations may contribute to development of obesity-associated...Ústav lékařské biochemie a laboratorní diagnostiky 1. LF UK a VFN v PrazeInstitute of Medical Biochemistry and Laboratory Medicine First Faculty of MedicineFirst Faculty of Medicine1. lékařská fakult

Stress in compounds: An experimental research

The paper deals with the role of stress in distinguishing between compounds and phrases. An experimental laboratory research aims (a) to examine the nature of stress in N + N constructions in terms of its relative value, i.e., in relation to the values measured in neighbouring syllables; (b) to compare precise laboratory data with expectations of native speakers; (c) to compare precise laboratory measurement data with those obtained from native speakers who listened to a recording read by native speakers, in order to find out whether human ear perception corresponds to the results produced by computer technology; (d) to compare the laboratory data with the structural predictions using Giegerich’s criteria (2004); (e) to compare the laboratory data with the semantic predictions based on Olsen (2000). The laboratory data are analyzed and commented on with regard to the individual research tasks and objectives specified in points (a) to (e) above

Morphological, immunohistochemical, and molecular analysis of leiomyocellular tumors of the female reproductive system

Introduction Leiomyoma with bizarre nuclei (LBN) and cellular leiomyoma (CL) are rare variants of uterine smooth muscle tumors. In diagnostic practice, LBN can be mistaken for leiomyosarcoma (LMS), while CL may mimic low grade endometrial stromal sarcoma (LG ESS). Careful evaluation of morphological features is necessary when making the diagnosis; in some borderline cases, immunohistochemical and molecular examinations may help. Literature data on molecular genetic alterations in LBN and CL is limited, but some of these tumors appear to share certain aberrations with classical leiomyomas (UL) and LMS. Aims The aim of the work is to expand the knowledge about smooth muscle tumors of the uterus, especially LBN and CL, and perform a complex morphological, immunohistochemical (IHC), and molecular evaluation of their features. The individual goals include: 1) confirmation of the hypothesized benign behaviour of LBN, 2) morphological analysis of LBN, 3) more detailed clarification of LBN tumorigenesis with a focus on the FH gene, 4) clarification of CL tumorigenesis, 5) the use of IHC FH antibody as a screening method to identify FH gene mutations, 6) the use of morphological evaluation and results of IHC examination to facilitate differential diagnostic balance between benign and malignant smooth muscle...Úvod Leiomyom s bizarními jádry (LBN) a celulární leiomyom (CL) patří mezi vzácné varianty hladkosvalových nádorů dělohy. V diagnostické praxi může u LBN dojít k záměně s leiomyosarkomem (LMS) a u CL hlavně s low grade endometriálním stromálním sarkomem (LG ESS). Při stanovení diagnózy je nutné pečlivé zhodnocení morfologických znaků, v některých hraničních případech nám může pomoct imunohistochemické a molekulární vyšetření. Literární data týkající se molekulárně genetických alterací vyskytujících se u LBN a CL jsou limitovaná, ukazuje se však, že část těchto nádorů sdílí některé aberace s klasickými leiomyomy (UL) a LMS. Cíle Cílem práce je prohloubení znalostí o hladkosvalových nádorech dělohy, zejména LBN a CL, jejich komplexní morfologické, imunohistochemické (IHC) a molekulární zhodnocení. Cíle zahrnují: 1) podpoření hypotézy benigního chování LBN, 2) morfologickou analýzu LBN, 3) bližší ozřejmění tumorigeneze LBN se zaměřením na gen FH, 4) ozřejmění tumorigeneze CL, 5) využití IHC protilátky FH jako screeningové metody k identifikací mutací genu FH, 6) využití morfologického zhodnocení a výsledků IHC vyšetření k usnadnění diferenciálně diagnostické rozvahy mezi benigními a maligními hladkosvalovými nádory, a dále mezi nádory jiné histogeneze, 7) IHC analýzu prognosticko-prediktivních...Institute of Pathology First Faculty of Medicine Charles University and General University Hospital in PragueÚstav patologie 1. LF UK a VFN1. lékařská fakultaFirst Faculty of Medicin

Disinfection of Water Used for Human and Animal Consumption

This chapter deals with disinfection of water used for human and animal consumption. Water is the most abundant chemical component of the Earth and is very extensively used by mankind. Anthropogenic pressure on the environment leads to decrease in water quality. The quality of water is determined using the most important range of parameters (physical, chemical, and microbiological). This chapter discusses major pollutants of water, protection of water sources, micro-organisms causing the main waterborne diseases and methods of treatment, and disinfection of water. Different methods are used to disinfect drinking water. One of the most frequently used methods is disinfection with active chlorine, which is the only method providing continuous protection against microbial regrowth. However, this method has also some disadvantages (e.g., formation of trihalomethane and haloacetic acid precursors) linked to increased risk of cancer. It is important to remember that none of the products used to disinfect water is capable of ensuring complete safety of treated water if the water comes from unsuitable sources

Toxin Accumulation in Avena Species after Different Spray Inoculation by Fusarium graminearum and F. culmorum

Avena spp. were artificially inoculated with Fusarium culmorum Sacc. (FC) and F. graminearum Schwabe (FG) causing Fusarium head blight (FHB). This disease is often accompanied by the accumulation of Fusarium mycotoxins mainly deoxynivalenol (DON) in grains. The contaminated grains with this mycotoxin are toxic to their consumers. Genotypes Avena spp. with low DON accumulation in grains can be used as genetic resources suitable for the formation of new resistant varieties of oats against FHB caused by fungi FC and FG. The aim was to find out and to compare the potential for mycotoxin accumulation in grains between genotypes of Avena spp. after artificial inoculation panicles by FC and FG using three spray methods and identify genotypes of Avena (A. abyssinica, A. byzantina, A. canariensis, A. fatua, A. ludoviciana, A. nuda, A. sativa, A. sterilis, A. strigosa) with low toxin accumulation in whole grain. The average accumulations of DON in the grains of Avena spp. gradually increased from the spray inoculation (0.68 mg · kg−1), spray + polyethylene (PE) bag cover 24 hrs (2.75 mg · kg−1) and spray + PE bag/48 hrs. (9.46 mg · kg−1) methods. We found out that after application of each used method, the high DON accumulation in grains was found in A. canariensis, and low DON levels were found in A. byzantine and A. sterilis

RAPD analysis of the genetic polymorphism in european wheat genotypes

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is one of the main crops for human nutrition. The genetic variability of grown wheat has been reduced by modern agronomic practices, which inturn prompted the importance of search for species that could be useful as a genepool for the improving of flour quality for human consumption or for other industrial uses. Therefore, the aim of this study was to analyze the genetic diversity among 24 European wheat genotypes based on Random Amplified Polymorphism (RAPD) markers. A total of 29 DNA fragments were amplified with an average 4.83 polymorphic fragments per primer. The primer producing the most polymorphic fragments was SIGMA-D-P, where 7 polymorphic amplification products were detected. The lowest number of amplified fragments (3) was detected by using the primer OPB-08. The size of amplified products varied between 300 bp (OPE-07) to 3000 bp (SIGMA-D-P). The diversity index (DI) of the applied RAPD markers ranged from 0.528 (OPB-07) to 0.809 (SIGMA-D-P) with an average of 0.721. The polymorphism information content (PIC) of the markers varied from 0.469 (OPB-07) to 0.798 (SIGMA-D-P) with an average 0.692. Probability of identity (PI) was low ranged from 0.009 (SIGMA-D-P) to 0.165 (OPB-07) with an avarage 0.043. The dendrogram based on hierarchical cluster analysis using UPGMA algorithm was prepared. Within the dendrogram was separated the unique genotype Insegrain (FRA) from the rest of 23 genotypes which were further subdivided into two subclusters. In the first subclaster were grouped 13 genotypes and the second subcluster involved 10 genotypes. The first subcluster also included the genotype Bagou from France, in which were detected novel high - molecular - weight glutenin subunits using SDS-PAGE. Using 6 RAPD markers only two wheat genotypes have not been distinguished. Through that the information about genetic similarity and differences will be helpful to avoid any possibility of elite germplasm becoming genetically uniform

Flower density and winter damage of apricot and peach varieties

Hungary is located on the northern boundary of economical apricot and peach production. The present assortment of varieties and the actual, not adequately selected growing sites cause a permanent risk of winter and spring frosts in their cultivation. The field observations are performed at Debrecen, the Experiment Station Pallag, on 20 apricot and 21 peach varieties. The flower density among the varieties attained 3-4-fold differences. Three categories have been suggested for both species. The density was inferior in Hungary established varieties compared with the new varieties of foreign origin. The minimum temperatures of January 9, 2009 was –17,6 °C , and of December 21, 2009 also –17,6 °C. In some varieties the damage of buds attained 100%. For estimating the yield security, we need to consider also the flower density and the frost damage together. For a mediocre yield, we need a flower density in both species of at least 0.2 living bud/cm. The results confirm the statement that in Hungary, the revision of growing sites is indispensable in order to develop a profitable and competitive apricot and peach growing industry