Can Peripherality Support Centrality? Some empirical Evidence from Morphological Margins

This article puts forward the results of a survey on the process of creation and realization of initialisms (acronyms and alphabetisms) and abbreviations. This survey was devised to acquire a better understanding of a field of word formation which is usually neglected due to its unpredictable and language specific quality. The survey shows that customary use and background knowledge (i.e. social and individual factors) are determinant for the realization of these items, whereas other criteria, such as phonotactic possibilities, time saving principles, or the orthographic or semantic influence of already existing words, seem to be much less significant. Besides verifying that prototypes or central cases do play a role as points of reference for categorization judgements, the results of the survey evince a central principle of languages: they are dynamic instruments ultimately conditioned by their users and their communicative contexts

The sex variable in foreign language learning: an integrative approach

The purpose of this article is to determine the role of the sex variable in foreign language learning success by reviewing and connecting data gathered from several tests and studies, all of them dealing with boys’ and girls’ achievement, attitudes, motivation, opinions and learning strategies as regards foreign languages. In the light of the data analysed, the hypothesis put forward for consideration is that girls’ achievement in foreign language learning is enhanced by the interaction of neurological, cognitive, affective, social and educational factors. Each factor is activated in a different way for boys and for girls, with the result that girls are equipped with a combined network of variables whose mutual influence is eventually responsible for their success in foreign language learning.El propósito de este artículo es determinar el papel de la variable del género en el aprendizaje de lenguas extranjeras. Para ello se procedió a la revisión de datos procedentes de distintas pruebas y estudios sobre competencia, actitud, motivación, opiniones y estrategias de aprendizaje de lenguas extranjeras por parte de niños y niñas. A la luz de los datos analizados, la hipótesis sometida a consideración es que los logros obtenidos por las niñas se deben a la interacción de factores neurológicos, cognitivos, afectivos, sociales y educativos. Cada uno de estos factores se activa de forma distinta para niños y niñas configurando una red de variables que, debido a su combinación e influencia mutua, es responsable en último término del mayor éxito de las niñas en el aprendizaje de una lengua extranjera

Transgressive Codes in Contemporary English: An Analysis of Lexical Creativity in the Field of Music

[Abstract] This paper reports the results of the morphological analysis of a corpus of names of singers and bands ascribed to alternative musical trends. The analysis evinces that language is a suitable instrument to convey their desire for self-assertment and their rejection of stablished commercialism; therefore, it is used to break away from the norm, and also from what is foreseeable or even politically correct. In morphological terms, this innovation through trangression is reflected in inflectional and derivational deviation (Red Sparrowes, Unsane), as well as in the productive use of word formation devices (The Boredoms, Funkadelic, VNA). Moreover, the fragile correspondence between an orthographic word, a phonological word and a lexeme is constantly challenged by a creative use of graphemes and punctuation, and semantically anomalous word combinations (P:ano, Sixtringcanvas). The study concludes that this domain of human interaction illustrates the invaluable capacity of language to adjust itself to the users’ needs and provides further evidence on the importance of usage vs. prescription in language development

SPV, bienpensar, no-mujeres y demoxie: neologismos morfológicos en cuatro novelas distópicas

In this paper I analyse the neologisms used in four dystopian novels –Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World (1932), George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four (1949), Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale (1985) and Dave Eggers’s The Circle (2013)– from a morphological point of view. Lexical innovation is accounted for in the light of three criteria: types of neologisms according to morphological analysis, fields of use, and motivations for their creation. It is concluded that the shared reasons behind the use of neologisms built by means of word-formation devices (derivation, composition and shortening) are basically pragmatic and manipulative, and that, as part of discourse, the new lexical items thus created become efficient tools, since they provide a hint of authenticity in the fictional worlds portrayed and contribute to the critical and didactic quality of dystopian narrative.El objetivo de este artículo es llevar a cabo un análisis de los neologismos empleados en cuatro novelas distópicas —Brave New World (1932) de Aldous Huxley, Nineteen Eighty-Four (1949) de George Orwell, The Handmaid’s Tale (1985) de Margaret Atwood y The Circle (2013) de Dave Eggers— desde un punto de vista morfológico. La innovación léxica se estudiará teniendo en cuenta tres criterios: tipos de neologismos de acuerdo con su análisis morfológico, con sus esferas de uso y con las motivaciones para su creación. Se concluye que las razones que estas obras comparten para emplear neologismos construidos por medio de mecanismos de formación de palabras (derivación, composición y abreviación) son básicamente pragmáticas y manipulativas, y que, como parte del discurso, los nuevos elementos léxicos se convierten en herramientas eficientes, ya que proporcionan autenticidad a los mundos ficticios que se presentan y contribuyen al carácter crítico y didáctico de la narrativa distópica

Teaching L2 vocabulary through SMS language: some didactic guidelines

This article focuses on texting or SMS language, which is nowadays the most popular means of communication for a whole generation of mobile phone users. The introductory section comprises a parameter-based description of texting and a brief explanation of the features shared with other modalities of text-based electronic communication, after which the article provides an overview of the linguistic peculiarities of the system, i.e. its shortening mechanisms. It is suggested that an incursion into a subcode with which youngsters feel so identified could be beneficial for both L2 and L1 learning. This suggestion is illustrated by a series of exercises of different formats intended to practise the codification and interpretation of English texting. The conclusion drawn is that the exploitation of texting in the L2 classroom may be extremely interesting for several reasons: first, it may contribute to improving the students’ spelling and pronunciation skills in both the L1 and the L2, and it may also contribute to increasing their lexicon in the L2; second, students may acquire a better understanding of the notion of linguistic appropriateness and at the same time gain an insight into the functioning of languages and their flexibility to adapt themselves to different communicative situations.El presente artículo trata sobre el lenguaje SMS, actualmente el medio de comunicación más popular para toda una generación de jóvenes usuarios de teléfonos móviles. La introducción comprende una descripción del subcódigo y una breve explicación de los rasgos compartidos con otras modalidades de comunicación electrónica escrita, tras lo cual se proporciona una visión general de los mecanismos de abreviación empleados en este sistema. La principal idea defendida en este artículo es que la explotación pedagógica de un subcódigo con el que los jóvenes se sienten identificados puede ser beneficiosa para el aprendizaje de la L1 y la L2. Esta sugerencia se acompaña de ejercicios de diferentes formatos destinados a la práctica de la codificación e interpretación del lenguaje SMS en inglés. Se concluye que las ventajas de esta actividad son múltiples: por una parte, se puede contribuir a mejorar los conocimientos de ortografía y pronunciación de los alumnos en la L1 y la L2; por otro lado, los alumnos pueden aumentar su vocabulario en la L2, comprender cómo las lenguas son instrumentos flexibles que se adaptan a distintas situaciones comunicativas y entender lo que implica la utilización apropiada de un código lingüístico

Possibilities and Limitations of Cooperative Leaning in the EHEA: Reporting on an Experience in the FL Classroom

Este estudio pretende comprobar el funcionamiento del aprendizaje cooperativo en la educación superior a través del análisis de una actividad inspirada en la técnica del juego-­concurso por equipos ideada por D. DeVries (1973;; 1974) y llevada a cabo en una asignatura de inglés dentro del grado de Maestro de Educación Primaria. Se concluye la conveniencia de impulsar este tipo de aprendizaje en la formación universitaria, aunque la disminución de la personalidad, el elevado número de alumnos y su deficiente formación previa en cuanto a responsabilidad en el aprendizaje, planificación y hábitos para operar en grupos pueden limitar la implantación exitosa del EEES.The aim of this study is to check the functioning of cooperative learning in higher education by reporting on an activity carried out in an English course in the new degree in Primary School Teaching. The activity is partially based on the TGT (Teams-Games-Tournaments) technique devised by D. DeVries (1973; 1974). The conclusions point at the convenience of promoting this kind of learning in university education. However, the study also reveals that the successful implementation of the EHEA may be hindered by the decrease in the hours of classroom instruction, large class sizes, and the students' poor training as regards their responsibility for learning, planning habits and efficient team-work.Este trabajo ha sido subvencionado por el Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (FFI2012-31450) y la Consellería de Educación de la Xunta de Galicia (CN2012/81)

Aprendizaxe cooperativa na universidade: a experiencia dun modelo híbrido na aula de idiomas

Neste traballo expóñense os resultados dunha experiencia de aprendizaxe cooperativa realizada durante o curso 2008-2009 cun grupo de alumnos universitarios na materia “Lingua Inglesa”. En diferentes apartados dáse conta do contexto de aprendizaxe, os obxectivos que xustifican a posta en práctica da experiencia, as características da técnica elixida (neste caso, unha combinación da técnica do crebacabezas de Aronson e a do xogo-concurso por equipos de DeVries), as diferentes fases do desenvolvemento da actividade e o seu proceso de avaliación, tanto polo profesor como polos alumnos participantes. O éxito da experiencia apunta á conveniencia de fomentar este tipo de actividades de aprendizaxe no eido universitario, especialmente considerando que moitos dos obxectivos da aprendizaxe cooperativa, tales como o fomento da responsabilidade individual, o desenvolvemento de habilidades interpersoais para o seu emprego na futura profesión, ou a mellora xeral do rendemento, particularmente no eido das linguas estranxeiras, son tamén obxectivos básicos do Espazo Europeo de Educación Superior

TEACHING L2 VOCABULARY THROUGH SMS LANGUAGE: SOME DIDACTIC GUIDELINES

AbstractThis article focuses on texting or SMS language, which is nowadays the most popular means of communication for a whole generation of mobile phone users. The introductory section comprises a parameter-based description of texting and a brief explanation of the features shared with other modalities of text-based electronic communication, after which the article provides an overview of the linguistic peculiarities of the system, i.e. its shortening mechanisms. It is suggested that an incursion into a subcode with which youngsters feel so identified could be beneficial for both L2 and L1 learning. This suggestion is illustrated by a series of exercises of different formats intended to practise the codification and interpretation of English texting. The conclusion drawn is that the exploitation of texting in the L2 classroom may be extremely interesting for several reasons: first, it may contribute to improving the students’ spelling and pronunciation skills in both the L1 and the L2, and it may also contribute to increasing their lexicon in the L2; second, students may acquire a better understanding of the notion of linguistic appropriateness and at the same time gain an insight into the functioning of languages and their flexibility to adapt themselves to different communicative situations.ResumenEl presente artículo trata sobre el lenguaje SMS, actualmente el medio de comunicación más popular para toda una generación de jóvenes usuarios de teléfonos móviles. La introducción comprende una descripción del subcódigo y una breve explicación de los rasgos compartidos con otras modalidades de comunicación electrónica escrita, tras lo cual se proporciona una visión general de los mecanismos de abreviación empleados en este sistema. La principal idea defendida en este artículo es que la explotación pedagógica de un subcódigo con el que los jóvenes se sienten identificados puede ser beneficiosa para el aprendizaje de la L1 y la L2. Esta sugerencia se acompaña de ejercicios de diferentes formatos destinados a la práctica de la codificación e interpretación del lenguaje SMS en inglés. Se concluye que las ventajas de esta actividad son múltiples: por una parte, se puede contribuir a mejorar los conocimientos de ortografía y pronunciación de los alumnos en la L1 y la L2; por otro lado, los alumnos pueden aumentar su vocabulario en la L2, comprender cómo las lenguas son instrumentos flexibles que se adaptan a distintas situaciones comunicativas y entender lo que implica la utilización apropiada de un código lingüístico.

Biologic Therapy in Refractory Non-Multiple Sclerosis Optic Neuritis Isolated or Associated to Immune Mediated Inflammatory Diseases. A Multicenter Study

We aimed to assess the e cacy of biologic therapy in refractory non-Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Optic Neuritis (ON), a condition more infrequent, chronic and severe than MS ON. This was an open-label multicenter study of patients with non-MS ON refractory to systemic corticosteroids and at least one conventional immunosuppressive drug. The main outcomes were Best Corrected Visual Acuity (BCVA) and both Macular Thickness (MT) and Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer (RNFL) using Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT). These outcome variables were assessed at baseline, 1 week, and 1, 3, 6 and 12 months after biologic therapy initiation. Remission was defined as the absence of ON symptoms and signs that lasted longer than 24 h, with or without an associated new lesion on magnetic resonance imaging with gadolinium contrast agents for at least 3 months. We studied 19 patients (11 women/8 men; mean age, 34.8 13.9 years). The underlying diseases were Bechet?s disease (n = 5), neuromyelitis optica (n = 3), systemic lupus erythematosus (n = 2), sarcoidosis (n = 1), relapsing polychondritis (n = 1) and anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody -associated vasculitis (n = 1). It was idiopathic in 6 patients. The first biologic agent used in each patient was: adalimumab (n = 6), rituximab (n = 6), infliximab (n = 5) and tocilizumab (n = 2). A second immunosuppressive drug was simultaneously used in 11 patients: methotrexate (n = 11), azathioprine (n = 2), mycophenolate mofetil (n = 1) and hydroxychloroquine (n = 1). Improvement of the main outcomes was observed after 1 year of therapy when compared with baseline data: mean SD BCVA (0.8 0.3 LogMAR vs. 0.6 0.3 LogMAR; p = 0.03), mean SD RNFL (190.5 175.4 m vs. 183.4 139.5 m; p = 0.02), mean SD MT (270.7 23.2 m vs. 369.6 137.4 m; p = 0.03). Besides, the median (IQR) prednisone-dose was also reduced from 40 (10?61.5) mg/day at baseline to. 2.5 (0?5) mg/day after one year of follow-up; p = 0.001. After a mean SD follow-up of 35 months, 15 patients (78.9%) achieved ocular remission, and 2 (10.5%) experienced severe adverse events. Biologic therapy is e ective in patients with refractory non-MS ON