ORAL PROFICIENCY IN PAKPAK LANGUAGE: AN ISSUE IN MAINTAINING PAKPAK LANGUAGE

Students’ low proficiency speaking in their mother language has attracted the attention of previous researchers for decades. This study was conducted in one Primary School in Desa Bintang, Sidikalang, Dairi District, North Sumatera Province. Fifteen students of primary school, year 4 -6, were involved as the participants. They were native speakers of Pakpak language just like their parents. The students were asked to describe a picture on celebrating Indonesian Independence Day in their mother language. As the generic structure of descriptive text includes identification and description, the study focuses on the students’ proficiency in these two parts. The research question is: How do the primary students describe the picture in their mother language? The results show that: a) In the identification part, no student (0%) shows speaking proficiency in Pakpaknese; Five 5 students (33.4%) spoke the identification part by mixing Indonesian and Pakpaknese. For example, ‘Kalak en sedang kibaen kerejo (they were working); and the majority, ten students (66.7%), speak in Indonesian only. b) In description part, the students produce 66 verbs/verb phrases which only 17 (25.7%) verbs/verbs phrases were produced in Pakpaknese and 49 verbs/verbs phrases (74.3%) were Indonesian verbs/verb phrases. In terms of consistency, only 1 (6.6%) student was consistent in using Pakpak verb vocabularies, and the majority 14 students (93.4%) was inconsistent, i.e some verbs/verb phrases were produced in Pakpaknese and some in Indonesian. Only 1 student could say ‘kipajekken’ (menaikkan) for ‘bendera’ which implies the potential loss of the vocabulary. c) There were 130 nouns/noun phrases produced by the students which only 26 (20%) nouns/noun phrases were in Pakpaknese and the majority 104 nouns/noun phrases (80%) were in Indonesian. In terms of consistency, none (0%) of the students could produce nouns/noun phrases consistently. d) In the production of adjectives, there were 29 adjectives were used and only one adjectives were in Pakpaknese which was ‘bagak’ means ‘good’. It implies that adjectives are the most difficult vocabulary for the students to think of. Only 12 students (80%) produced adjectives in their description and 3 students did not use any adjectives at all. From the 80% students, only 1 student (6.7%) produced it in Pakpaknese. The results imply that the students do not show good oral proficiency when speaking in their mother language. It is suggested for curriculum designers at schools and book writers to make use of the data to ensure the exposure of the vocabularies to the students to help reverse the language shift and maintain Pakpak Language

The strategies of multilatinas: from the quest for regional leadership to the myth of the global corporation \r\n

The emerging Latin American corporations come essentially from Brazil and Mexico. Their prime motivation lies in the acquisition of natural resources and the search for market openings. With the exception of Cemex and Embraer who aspire to be global players, the majority of the multilatinas are regional or bi-regional companies. To a large extent, the sectorial breakdown of the multilatinas reflects the productive and technological specialisation of Latin America. They do not have at their disposal the same specific advantages as the emerging Asian multinational corporations in the high-tech industries or in the high capital-intensive sectors. The recent growth of their international activities has certainly impacted the dynamics of the global economy, particularly as regards the re-establishment of North-South links and the strengthening of South-South co-operation.Emerging multinational corporations, multilatinas, foreign direct investment, re-establishment of North-South links, South-South co-operation

The entry of multinational banks into Latin America: a source of stability or financial fragility?

This paper aims to contribute to the debate regarding the presence of foreign banks in Latin America. To clarify the discussion, we shall conduct a survey of the theoretical and empirical literature devoted to internationalisation in the banking sector so as to provide a better analysis of the determinants that currently underpin foreign banking investments. The international banks concerned come mainly from the European Union, particularly Spain, and primarily focus their investments in the region’s large emerging economies. They display profitability indicators that are on a par with those of domestic banks, generate a significantly lower level of operational efficiency, but are more efficient in their management of risk. Multinational banks can help reinforce banking stability by spreading new risk management methods, by introducing new control procedures and strengthening asset solidity. However, they are partly responsible for the credit squeeze from which Latin America is suffering. Foreign banks can be the cause of new sources of banking fragility such as the exposure to foreign exchange risks, the increase in market influence, persistently high intermediation spreads and the moral hazard.Foreign banks, multinational banks, Latin America, financial stability, credit squeeze, banking fragility

Corrosion protection of magnesium alloys

Práce se zabývá alternativním postupem povrchové úpravy běžných hořčíkových slitin AZ31 a AZ91 povlakovaním vrstvou fluoridů. Byla provedena syntéza vrstev fluoridů v tavenině NaBF4, přičemž se sledovali vlastnosti povlaku v závislosti na nastavených technologických parametrech, především teploty. Na hodnocení povlaku bylo využito rastrovací elektronové mikroskopie (scanning electron microscopy, SEM), světelné mikroskopie (light microscopy, LM) a ponorových testů v 3,0% roztoku NaCl v trvání 1, 8, 24, 48 hod. Kromě toho byl proveden krátkodobý ponorový test v silně korozivní 70% HNO3. Povlak byl analyzován energiově-disperzní spektroskopií (energy dispersive spectroscopy, EDS nebo EDX) pro zjištění chemického složení. Testy ukázali velmi dobrou korozní odolnost a ukázalo se, že tímto způsobem vzniká reprodukovatelný kompaktní povlak. Analýza identifikovala vrstvy stechiometrických sloučenin MgF2 a NaMgF3. Zároveň byla provedena aktuální rešerše z oblasti protikorozní ochrany slitin Mg. Připravený povlak byl konfrontován se současnými technologiemi a ve spojení s rešerší byly navrhnuty možnosti, jakými se může výzkum tohoto druhu povlaku dále ubírat.This work deals with an alternative procedure to conventional surface treatment of magnesium alloy AZ31 and AZ91 by fluoride coating layer. Synthesis of fluoride layers was carried out in the melt of NaBF4, while were following coating properties depending on the set process parameters, particularly temperature. The evaluation of coating were used scanning electron microscopy (SEM), light microscopy (LM) and immersion tests in 3.0% NaCl solution of 1, 8, 24, 48 h addition was carried out a short immersion test, in the strongly corrosive 70% HNO3. The coating was analyzed by energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS or EDX) to determine the chemical composition. Tests showed very good corrosion resistance and showed that in this way, a reproducible compact coating was formed. The analysis identified a layer of stechiometric compounds MgF2 and NaMgF3. At the same time was the current research in the field of corrosion protection of Mg alloys. The prepared coating was confronted with current technology and in conjunction with searches were designed options such research can continue this kind of coating proceed.