Stimulus und Kognition. Zur Aktivierung mentaler Raumbilder

Within the context of investigations of cognitive spatial models, the study analyzes the effect of varying the informational structure of linguistic survey instruments. A group of informants was asked to draw German language areas on different types of geographic maps. First, in a quantitative approach we show how the specific informational structure of each map type influences the frequency and prominence of the named language areas. The second part of the study focuses on the localization of the mentioned language areas. Here we discuss the specific effects of each type of map and the information it contains on the localization. We also discuss general characteristics of the conceptualization of linguistic space as well as differences in the perception of the prominent language areas

Crowdsourcing the linguistic landscape of a multilingual country. Introducing Lingscape in Luxembourg

This paper introduces the citizen science mobile application Lingscape. This free research tool for Android and iOS smartphones uses a crowdsourcing approach for research on linguistic landscapes. The paper discusses the use of mobile applications and crowdsourcing in linguistics, methodological requirements and problems of an app-based approach to the study of linguistic landscapes, and the key features of the app Lingscape. It considers the Luxembourgish cultural super-diversity as well as existing studies about the Luxembourgish linguistic landscape to set the background for the pilotstudy

Whatever happened to the Scene Encoding Hypothesis? Salience and pertinence as the missing links between the Usage-Based Model and Scene Encoding

peer reviewedWe argue that there has been a shift of focus from the Scene Encoding Hypothesis (SEH) to the Usage-Based Model (UBM) within the research on Construction Grammar (CxG) and that this shift was (and continues to be) characterized by the negligence of the SEH tradition. It is discussed what is the relationship between the respective explanatory scopes of the SEH and the UBM within the larger context of cognitive constructionist linguistics. A practical though not programmatic one-sided focus on the UBM produces theoretical problems leading to “flat” explanations. The UBM crowd in cognitive-functional linguistics has increasingly become aware of that problem which has led to the parallel increase in the prominence of the notion of “salience” within the UBM. We will argue that this notion, as it is applied in current research, is a potential bridge between the SEH and the UBM, since it may potentially (re-)introduce the neglected phenomenal qualities into the modeling of language competence and structure. However, in its current state within the theory of the UBM, the notion of “salience” falls short of the involved cognitive and practical intricacies and thus needs a careful theoretical and empirical re-evaluation. We will attempt to indicate a potential direction of this re-evaluation by introducing the concepts of 'salience and pertinence under a pragmatic motive’. In the course of our considerations, we will show that not only the UBM needs complementation by the SEH, for which salience and pertinence may be the bridge, but also that the SEH, despite its principal correctness, is itself fundamentally underspecified with respect to its qualifications. The potential bridge between the UBM and the SEH via salience and pertinence will also provide the qualifications the SEH was lacking so far

Capturing Regional Variation with Distributed Place Representations and Geographic Retrofitting

No abstract availabl

Bird handling techniques and data acquisition in the tropics and subtropics

Der Fang von Vögeln zu wissenschaftlichen Zwecken in den Tropen und Subtropen stellt eine Herausforderung für Ornithologen dar. Probleme aufgrund rechtlicher sowie sozioökonomischer und soziokultureller Rahmenbedingungen lassen sich oft durch eine intensive Vorbereitung und Kooperationen mit lokalen Partnern vermeiden oder reduzieren. Beim eigentlichen Fang sind logistische Herausforderungen wie die Materialbeschaffung vor Ort, aber auch die Ökologie einiger überwiegend tropischer Vogelgruppen zu berücksichtigen. Hier wie auch bei der Probennahme und -lagerung beeinflussen die herrschenden Umweltbedingungen die Arbeit, insbesondere extreme Witterung. Problemlösungenlassen sich jedoch teilweise nur schwer verallgemeinern. Wir unterstreichen die Bedeutung lokaler und regionaler Besonderheiten anhand zahlreicher Beispiele aufgrund eigener Erfahrungen.Capturing birds for scientific purposes in tropical and subtropical areas is particularly challenging. Problems due to general judicial, socio-economic and socio-cultural conditions can often be avoided or reduced by an intensive prearrangement and cooperation with local partners. When actually capturing birds, logistical challenges, differences in predation and the ecology of specific tropical bird groups need to be considered. In this respect and also for sampling and sample storage, environmental conditions, especially extreme weather conditions, are factors to be considered. Troubleshooting and resolving issues related to ornithology in the tropical biomes is not always straightforward. Here we emphasize the importance of local and regional peculiarities by numerous examples based on our own experiences