Exploring Pragmatic Competence in Formal Communicative Contexts : the case of thanking by native and non-native speakers of Greek

The aim of the current study is to investigate the role of second language (L2) proficiency in the pragmatic competence of learners of L2 Greek. More specifically, it aims at exploring whether L2 proficiency can have an impact on the strategies that L2 learners use in order to express the speech act of thanking in L2 Greek. Participants were thirty-one (N=31) learners of Greek at different proficiency levels (from A2 to C2) who were enrolled in a summer intensive course of Greek at a university language school in Athens, Greece. Additionally, a group of native speakers of Greek has been included as a baseline (N=30). Oral data were elicited through a series of open role plays which represented various communicative situations with different social parameters. Furthermore, a retrospective verbal protocol has been used in order to gain more insights into the way L2 learners perform the speech act of thanking. Results showed that there is a difference in the number of strategies of L2 learners across the different proficiency levels, which is more evident between beginners and advanced learners. However, findings seem to suggest that the role of proficiency is not clear-cut and it also depends, firstly, on the social parameters of each communicative situation and also on learners' familiarization with each situation. The study concludes by discussing some implications for L2 pedagogy.L'objectiu d'aquest estudi preliminar és el d'explorar l'acte de parla de l'agraïment en contextos comunicatius formals. Més específicament, s'investiguen les possibles diferències en l'expressió de l'agraïment per part de parlants nadius i no nadius de grec. Els participants van ser trenta i un (N = 31) estudiants de grec com a segona llengua (L2) que pertanyien a cinc nivells de competència diferents (de A2 a C2) matriculats en un curs de grec intensiu d'estiu a Atenes, Grècia. A més a més, hi va participar un grup de parlants nadius de grec (N = 30). Les dades orals es van obtenir a través d'una sèrie de jocs de rol oberts que representaven tres situacions comunicatives formals amb diferents paràmetres socials. També es va portar a terme un protocol verbal retrospectiu amb el grup d'alumnes de L2. Les anàlisis es van centrar en el tipus i la quantitat d'estratègies utilitzades pels dos grups. Els resultats van mostrar una diferència en el tipus i el nombre d'estratègies que van emprar aquests dos grups. D'altra banda semblen indicar que l'entorn social i la direcció d'imposició van ser factors crucials per a l'expressió de l'agraïment d'ambdós grups. L'expressió dels alumnes també es va veure afectada per la seva familiaritat amb cada situació.El objetivo de este estudio preliminar es el de explorar el acto de habla del agradecimiento en contextos comunicativos formales. Más específicamente, se investigan las posibles diferencias en la expresión del agradecimiento por parte de hablantes nativos y no nativos de griego. Los participantes fueron treinta y un (N = 31) estudiantes de griego como segunda lengua (L2) que pertenecían a cinco niveles de competencia diferentes (de A2 a C2) matriculados en un curso intensivo de griego de verano en Atenas, Grecia. Además, participó un grupo de hablantes nativos de griego (N = 30). Los datos orales se obtuvieron a través de una serie de juegos de rol abiertos que representaban tres situaciones comunicativas formales con diferentes parámetros sociales. También se llevó a cabo un protocolo verbal retrospectivo con el grupo de alumnos de L2. Los análisis se centraron en el tipo y la cantidad de estrategias utilizadas por los dos grupos. Los resultados mostraron una diferencia en el tipo y el número de estrategias que emplearon estos dos grupos. También parecen indicar que el entorno social y la dirección de imposición fueron factores cruciales para la expresión del agradecimiento de ambos grupos. La expresión de los alumnos también se vio afectada por su familiaridad con cada situación.Σκοπός Σκοπός της παρούσας προκαταρκτικής έρευνας είναι ηδιερεύνηση της γλωσσικής πράξης της ευχαριστίας σε επίσημαεπικοινωνιακά περιβάλλοντα. Συγκεκριμένα, εξετάζονται οιπιθανές διαφορές στην έκφραση της ευχαριστίας από φυσικούς και μηφυσικούς ομιλητές της Ελληνικής. Οι συμμετέχοντες ήταν, αρχικά, 31μαθητές της Ελληνικής ως δεύτερης γλώσσας (Γ2) ενταγμένοι σε πέντεδιαφορετικά επίπεδα γλωσσομάθειας (από Α2 ως Γ2) και εγγεγραμμένοισε ένα εντατικό θερινό πρόγραμμα ελληνικών στην Ελλάδα. Δεύτερον,μια ομάδα 30 φυσικών ομιλητών της Ελληνικής αξιοποιήθηκε ως ομάδαελέγχου. Συλλέχθηκαν προφορικά δεδομένα μέσα από παιχνίδια ρόλωντα οποία αναπαριστούσαν τρία επίσημα επικοινωνιακά περιβάλλονταμε διαφορετικές κοινωνικές παραμέτρους. Επιπλέον, στους μαθητέςτης Ελληνικής χρησιμοποιήθηκε και ένα πρωτόκολλο προφορικούαναστοχασμού. Οι αναλύσεις εστίασαν στο είδος και τον αριθμότων στρατηγικών που χρησιμοποιήθηκαν από τις δύο ομάδες. Τααποτελέσματα έδειξαν διαφορές τόσο στο είδος όσο και στον αριθμό τωνστρατηγικών μεταξύ των δύο ομάδων και επισήμαναν ως σημαντικούςπαράγοντες για τον τρόπο πραγμάτωσης της ευχαριστίας το κοινωνικόπεριβάλλον και την κατεύθυνση επιβολής και στις δύο ομάδες. Επιπλέον,η εξοικείωση με την περίσταση επικοινωνίας επηρέασε τις πραγματώσειςτων μαθητών της Ελληνικής

Mutational analysis and modeling reveal functionally critical residues in transmembrane segments 1 and 3 of the UapA transporter

Earlier, we identified mutations in the first transmembrane segment (TMS1) of UapA, a uric acid-xanthine transporter in Aspergillus nidulans, that affect its turnover and subcellular localization. Here, we use one of these mutations (H86D) and a novel mutation (I74D) as well as genetic suppressors of them, to show that TMS1 is a key domain for proper folding, trafficking and turnover. Kinetic analysis of mutants further revealed that partial misfolding and deficient trafficking of UapA does not affect its affinity for xanthine transport, but reduces that of uric acid and confers a degree of promiscuity towards the binding of other purines. This result strengthens the idea that subtle interactions among domains not directly involved in substrate binding refine the selectivity of UapA. Characterization of second-site suppressors of H86D revealed a genetic interaction of TMS1 with TMS3, the latter segment shown for the first time to be important for UapA function. Systematic mutational analysis of polar and conserved residues in TMS3 showed that Ser154 is crucial for UapA transport activity. Our results are in agreement with a topological model of UapA built on the recently published structure of UraA, a bacterial homolog of UapA

Modeling, substrate docking, and mutational analysis identify residues essential for the function and specificity of a eukaryotic purine-cytosine NCS1 transporter

Background: The purine-cytosine FcyB transporter is a prototype member of the NCS1 family. Results: Using homology modeling, substrate docking, and rational mutational analysis, we identify residues critical for function and specificity. Conclusion: Important aspects concerning the molecular mechanism and evolution of transporter specificity are revealed. Significance: The first systematic approach on structure-function-specificity relationships in a eukaryotic NCS1 member is shown

Identification of amino acid residues critical for the substrate translocation in lactate permease JEN1p of saccharomyces cerevisiae

Lactic, acetic and propionic acids have been used for many years in industrial and pharmaceutical companies. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Jen1p is a major monocarboxylate:H+ symporter specific primarily for lactate, pyruvate and for acetate (TC # 2.A.1.12.2) (Casal et al., 1999). A phylogenetic tree of ScJen1p homologues (Casal et al., 2008) showed the existence of two main clusters: a Jen1 group (monocarboxylate transporters) and a Jen2-like (dicarboxylate transporters). Structure-function relationships in Jen1p have been approached by using a rational mutational analysis of conserved amino acid residues (Soares-Silva et al., 2007). Analysis of the conserved sequence 379NXX[S/T]HX[S/T]QDXXXT391, located in transmembrane segment seven (TMS-VII), showed that residues N379, H383 or D387 are necessary for function and specificity, while Q386 is important for the kinetics of Jen1p-mediated transport. In this work, we rationally designed and analyzed novel mutations in conserved regions located in TMS-II, TMS-V and TMS-XI of Jen1p, which we predicted to affect Jen1p specificity (distinction between mono and dicarboxylates) and function. Among the residues studied, F270 (TMS-V) and Q498 (TMS-XI) are specificity determinants for the distinction of mono- from dicarboxylates, and N501 (TMS-XI) is critical for function. Using a model based on Jen1p similarity with the GlpT permease, we show that all polar residues critical for function within TMS-VII and TMS-XI are aligned along the protein pore and substrate docking studies reveal a potential substrate translocation trajectory consisting mostly of the polar residues genetically identified as important for function. Overall, our results constitute a first step towards the genetic manipulation of substrate specificity in the lactate/pyruvate:H+ symporter subfamily and a tool for the in silico prediction of the function of Jen1p homologues in other fungi (Soares-Silva et al., 2011).I.S.S. (SFRH/BPD/22976/2005) and J.S.P. (SFRH/BD/61530/2009) received fellowships from FC

A substrate translocation trajectory in the monocarboxylate/h+ symporter jen1

Previous mutational analysis of Jen1p, a Saccharomyces cerevisiae monocarboxylate/H+ symporter of the Major Facilitator Superfamily, has suggested that the consensus sequence 379NXX[S/T]HX[S/T]QD387, located in transmembrane segment VII (TMS-VII), is part of the substrate translocation pathway. In this work, we rationally design and analyse novel mutations concerning residues in TMS-V and TMS-XI. Our analysis identifies several residues critical for Jen1p function. Among these, F270 (TMS-V) and Q498 (TMS-XI) function as specificity determinants for the distinction of mono- from di-carboxylates, whereas N501 is irreplaceable for function. Using a novel theoretical model created on the basis of Jen1p similarity with GltP permease, we demonstrate that all polar residues in TMS-VII and TMS-XI, shown previously and herein to be critical for function and/or specificity (N379, H383, D387, Q498, N501), are perfectly aligned in a row along an imaginary axis that lies parallel to a protein pore. The model also predicts that the flexible side-chain of an additional polar residue, R188 in TMSII, faces the pore and subsequent mutational analysis showed that this aminoacid, similar to most polar residues of the pore, is irreplaceable for function. Finally, our model shows that the location of F270 and Q498 could justify their role in substrate specificity. Independent substrate docking approaches reveal a ‘trajectory-like’ displacement of the substrate within the Jen1p pore. In this inward-facing trajectory the flexible side-chain of R188 plays a major dynamic role mediating the orderly relocation of the substrate by subsequent H-bond interactions involving itself and residues H383, N501 and Q498.I.S.S. (SFRH/BPD/22976/2005) and J.S.P. (SFRH/BD/61530/2009) received fellowships from FC

Basic quantitative characteristics of the modern greek language using the hellenic national corpus

ABSTRACT Modern Greek is one of the least quantitatively studied modern European languages and the goal of this paper is to fill this relative void. We use the Hellenic National Corpus (HNC), which is a growing corpus that currently includes 33 million words. The corpus and all the tools used in our work were developed by the Institute for Language and Speech Processing (ILSP). In this paper we focus on three main areas: the lists of the 1000 most common words and lemmas, word length and letter frequency. We also make some comparisons with earlier work, in which we had used the previous 13 million word edition of the HNC

Punctuation effects in English and Esperanto texts

A statistical physics study of punctuation effects on sentence lengths is presented for written texts: {\it Alice in wonderland} and {\it Through a looking glass}. The translation of the first text into esperanto is also considered as a test for the role of punctuation in defining a style, and for contrasting natural and artificial, but written, languages. Several log-log plots of the sentence length-rank relationship are presented for the major punctuation marks. Different power laws are observed with characteristic exponents. The exponent can take a value much less than unity ($ca.$ 0.50 or 0.30) depending on how a sentence is defined. The texts are also mapped into time series based on the word frequencies. The quantitative differences between the original and translated texts are very minutes, at the exponent level. It is argued that sentences seem to be more reliable than word distributions in discussing an author style.Comment: 13 pages, 7 figures (3x2+1), 60 reference

Xtralingua: An open-source tool for extracting quantitative text profiles

The Xtralingua project aims at developing a tool for extracting quantitative text profiles from large collections of texts. Existing solutions and tools are hard to use and require high technical knowledge, often absent in researchers of Digital Humanities. We developed an open-source working prototype that can also be used in combination with other tools to create an automated pipeline of text analysis