Syntactic and Semantic Properties of Intensive Reflexives in English

This thesis explores syntactic and semantic properties of intensive reflexives (IRs) in English. The study is based on examples selected from the following on-line databases: Wilson Humanities Abstracts and The New York Times Book Review Digest Abstracts. The analysis also incorporates examples cited from linguistic articles on the subject of RRs and IRs. As opposed to regular reflexives (RRs), IRs have not been given sufficient consideration in linguistic accounts. As a point of departure, the author utilizes Quirk\u27s and Greenbaum\u27s descriptive framework to examine the evidence from the database. Since RRs are discussed more extensively than IRs in this framework, RRs are studied first, and are regarded as circumscribing standards for the subsequent investigation of IRs. The descriptive analysis of IRs and RRs shows that IRs, in addition to having the same morphological forms as RRs, display other affinities with RRs. First, both RRs and IRs exhibit a marked preference for subject antecedents positioned in the same clause as themselves. Second, RRs and IRs accept NP antecedents from non-subject positions. Third, NP antecedents do not have to be located in the same clause as IRs and RRs but can be implied from a neighboring main clause. Subsequently, the author undertakes to look closely into the syntactic distribution of IRs and RRs. It is demonstrated that while IRs take optional syntactic positions (i.e., they appear in apposition with the NPs they intensify, come after an auxiliary/modal verb, or at the end of a clause), RRs fill obligatory syntactic slots (i.e., those associated with a direct and indirect object, object of a preposition, and a subject complement). On the assumption that reflexivity is tied to syntactic obligatoriness and intensivity to syntactic optionality, RRs and IRs may be described in terms of the features (reflexive) and (intensive). As a result, RRs and IRs are assigned the following set of features, respectively: RRs (maximally reflexive, minimally intensive); IRs {maximally intensive, minimally reflexive). Further, an attempt is made at defining the features (max intensive) and (max reflexive) built into IRs and RRs, respectively. Unlike the feature (maximally reflexive), the activation of the feature (maximally intensive) depends on the following contextual factors: contrastive or emphatic context and discourse-prominent NP antecedent. By contrast, the feature (maximally reflexive) conveys interaction with one\u27s self (i.e., an agent performs some action on himself or herself), which does not hold of the feature (maximally intensive). Finally, the author explores another context-related connection between IRs and their NP antecedents. Twofold assumptions are made. First, for NPs to be intensified by IRs, they should be referential and/or identifiable in addition to being discourse-prominent. Second, the link between the referential status of intensified NPs and the presence of IRs is likely to be affected by the syntactic positioning of IRs. In the process of examining Lyons\u27s notion of reference (singular/general and definite/indefinite) against examples from the database, the author discovers that the assumptions posed at the beginning of the analysis appear to be correct. On the one hand, there is a link between the referentiality of intensified NPs and IRs, and, on the other hand, the link in question seems to be relevant only to adjacent (i.e., appositional) IRs. This leads to the conclusion that IRs do not form a uniform grammatical category

Syntactic and Semantic Properties of Intensive Reflexives in English

This thesis explores syntactic and semantic properties of intensive reflexives (IRs) in English. The study is based on examples selected from the following on-line databases: Wilson Humanities Abstracts and The New York Times Book Review Digest Abstracts. The analysis also incorporates examples cited from linguistic articles on the subject of RRs and IRs. As opposed to regular reflexives (RRs), IRs have not been given sufficient consideration in linguistic accounts. As a point of departure, the author utilizes Quirk\u27s and Greenbaum\u27s descriptive framework to examine the evidence from the database. Since RRs are discussed more extensively than IRs in this framework, RRs are studied first, and are regarded as circumscribing standards for the subsequent investigation of IRs. The descriptive analysis of IRs and RRs shows that IRs, in addition to having the same morphological forms as RRs, display other affinities with RRs. First, both RRs and IRs exhibit a marked preference for subject antecedents positioned in the same clause as themselves. Second, RRs and IRs accept NP antecedents from non-subject positions. Third, NP antecedents do not have to be located in the same clause as IRs and RRs but can be implied from a neighboring main clause. Subsequently, the author undertakes to look closely into the syntactic distribution of IRs and RRs. It is demonstrated that while IRs take optional syntactic positions (i.e., they appear in apposition with the NPs they intensify, come after an auxiliary/modal verb, or at the end of a clause), RRs fill obligatory syntactic slots (i.e., those associated with a direct and indirect object, object of a preposition, and a subject complement). On the assumption that reflexivity is tied to syntactic obligatoriness and intensivity to syntactic optionality, RRs and IRs may be described in terms of the features (reflexive) and (intensive). As a result, RRs and IRs are assigned the following set of features, respectively: RRs (maximally reflexive, minimally intensive); IRs {maximally intensive, minimally reflexive). Further, an attempt is made at defining the features (max intensive) and (max reflexive) built into IRs and RRs, respectively. Unlike the feature (maximally reflexive), the activation of the feature (maximally intensive) depends on the following contextual factors: contrastive or emphatic context and discourse-prominent NP antecedent. By contrast, the feature (maximally reflexive) conveys interaction with one\u27s self (i.e., an agent performs some action on himself or herself), which does not hold of the feature (maximally intensive). Finally, the author explores another context-related connection between IRs and their NP antecedents. Twofold assumptions are made. First, for NPs to be intensified by IRs, they should be referential and/or identifiable in addition to being discourse-prominent. Second, the link between the referential status of intensified NPs and the presence of IRs is likely to be affected by the syntactic positioning of IRs. In the process of examining Lyons\u27s notion of reference (singular/general and definite/indefinite) against examples from the database, the author discovers that the assumptions posed at the beginning of the analysis appear to be correct. On the one hand, there is a link between the referentiality of intensified NPs and IRs, and, on the other hand, the link in question seems to be relevant only to adjacent (i.e., appositional) IRs. This leads to the conclusion that IRs do not form a uniform grammatical category

Syntactic and Semantic Properties of Intensive Reflexives in English

This thesis explores syntactic and semantic properties of intensive reflexives (IRs) in English. The study is based on examples selected from the following on-line databases: Wilson Humanities Abstracts and The New York Times Book Review Digest Abstracts. The analysis also incorporates examples cited from linguistic articles on the subject of RRs and IRs. As opposed to regular reflexives (RRs), IRs have not been given sufficient consideration in linguistic accounts. As a point of departure, the author utilizes Quirk\u27s and Greenbaum\u27s descriptive framework to examine the evidence from the database. Since RRs are discussed more extensively than IRs in this framework, RRs are studied first, and are regarded as circumscribing standards for the subsequent investigation of IRs. The descriptive analysis of IRs and RRs shows that IRs, in addition to having the same morphological forms as RRs, display other affinities with RRs. First, both RRs and IRs exhibit a marked preference for subject antecedents positioned in the same clause as themselves. Second, RRs and IRs accept NP antecedents from non-subject positions. Third, NP antecedents do not have to be located in the same clause as IRs and RRs but can be implied from a neighboring main clause. Subsequently, the author undertakes to look closely into the syntactic distribution of IRs and RRs. It is demonstrated that while IRs take optional syntactic positions (i.e., they appear in apposition with the NPs they intensify, come after an auxiliary/modal verb, or at the end of a clause), RRs fill obligatory syntactic slots (i.e., those associated with a direct and indirect object, object of a preposition, and a subject complement). On the assumption that reflexivity is tied to syntactic obligatoriness and intensivity to syntactic optionality, RRs and IRs may be described in terms of the features (reflexive) and (intensive). As a result, RRs and IRs are assigned the following set of features, respectively: RRs (maximally reflexive, minimally intensive); IRs {maximally intensive, minimally reflexive). Further, an attempt is made at defining the features (max intensive) and (max reflexive) built into IRs and RRs, respectively. Unlike the feature (maximally reflexive), the activation of the feature (maximally intensive) depends on the following contextual factors: contrastive or emphatic context and discourse-prominent NP antecedent. By contrast, the feature (maximally reflexive) conveys interaction with one\u27s self (i.e., an agent performs some action on himself or herself), which does not hold of the feature (maximally intensive). Finally, the author explores another context-related connection between IRs and their NP antecedents. Twofold assumptions are made. First, for NPs to be intensified by IRs, they should be referential and/or identifiable in addition to being discourse-prominent. Second, the link between the referential status of intensified NPs and the presence of IRs is likely to be affected by the syntactic positioning of IRs. In the process of examining Lyons\u27s notion of reference (singular/general and definite/indefinite) against examples from the database, the author discovers that the assumptions posed at the beginning of the analysis appear to be correct. On the one hand, there is a link between the referentiality of intensified NPs and IRs, and, on the other hand, the link in question seems to be relevant only to adjacent (i.e., appositional) IRs. This leads to the conclusion that IRs do not form a uniform grammatical category

Homogeneity in Luxury Fashion Consumption: an Exploration of Arab Women

Consumer perceptions and consumer motivations are complex and whilst it is acknowledged within literature that heterogeneity exists, homogenous models dominate consumer behaviour research. The primary purpose of this paper is to explore the extent to which Arab women are a homogeneous group of consumers in regard to perceptions and motivations to consume luxury fashion goods. In particular, the paper seeks to present a critical review of luxury consumption frameworks. As part of the research design, Vigneron and Johnson’s (1999) prestige seeking behaviour framework was selected as a means for empirical investigation. The study’s findings suggest that distinct value perceptions of luxury fashion among Arab females are evident, that is, this group of consumers are homogeneous in terms of prestige seeking behaviour. Homogeneity can be explained by the existence of interpersonal motives for luxury consumption. The findings of the study highlight that Arab women, many of whom wear the abaya ‘cloak’ when in public, seek to pursue mutual socially conforming consumption behaviours through luxury fashion. The study has both academic and practitioner implications. Firstly, the study contributes to fulfilling a gap in consumer behaviour literature, that being, an understanding of female consumption behaviour regarding luxury goods in the Arab world. Secondly, in terms of practitioner implications, the findings support retail marketing decisions in regard to profiling distinct consumer groups of Arab females, which luxury marketers can target with discrete marketing communications

Post-Purchase Consumer Behaviour, Sustainability and its Influence on Fashion Identity

The paper aims to explore how sustainability may be used as a form of self-expression, and whether it can endow individuals with an identity associated with ethical consumption at the post purchase consumption stage. Exploratory research was undertaken to investigate sustaining decisions and sustainability practices. It draws upon Jacoby et al.’s disposition model to explore factors extrinsic and intrinsic to the product in relation to fashion clothing sustainability and identity formation. Mixed qualitative methods were employed. The study’s findings indicate that clothing and fashion post-purchase sustainability relates to high level of involvement with the clothing and fashion item together with product attributes, benefits and situational factors relating to the product. A conclusion of the study is that an expressed ethical identity does not mean that individuals will behave in an ethical manner. Rather other identities emerged relevant to the individuals self concept and image

Design Considerations Regarding Ellipsoidal Mirror Based Reflectometers

Hemi-ellipsoidal mirrors are used in reflection-based measurements due to their ability to collect light scattered from one focal point at the other. In this paper, a radiometric model of this energy transfer is derived for arbitrary mirror and detector geometries. This model is used to examine the imaging characteristics of the mirror away from focus for both diffuse and specular light. The radiometric model is applied to several detector geometries for measuring the Directional Hemispherical Reflectance for both diffuse and specular samples. The angular absorption characteristics of the detector are then applied to the measurement to address measurement accuracy for diffuse and specular samples. Examining different detector configurations shows the effectiveness of flat detectors at angles ranging from normal to 50°, and that multifaceted detectors can function from normal incidence to grazing angles