Characterising WIMPs at a future e+e−e^+e^- Linear Collider

We investigate the prospects for detecting and measuring the parameters of WIMP dark matter in a model independent way at the International Linear Collider. The signal under study is direct WIMP pair production with associated initial state radiation $e^+e^- \rightarrow \chi\chi\gamma$. The analysis accounts for the beam energy spectrum of the ILC and the dominant machine induced backgrounds. The influence of the detector parameters are incorporated by full simulation and event reconstruction within the framework of the ILD detector concept. We show that by using polarised beams, the detection potential is significantly increased by reduction of the dominant SM background of radiative neutrino production $e^+e^- \rightarrow \nu\nu\gamma$. The dominant sources of systematic uncertainty are the precision of the polarisation measurement and the shape of the beam energy spectrum. With an integrated luminosity of 500 fb the helicity structure of the interaction involved can be inferred, and the masses and cross-sections can be measured with a relative accuracy of the order of 1 %.Comment: 20 pages, 11 figure

»Če ne bi obstajali, bi si jih morali izmisliti.« Vloga priseljencev in njihovo reguliranje v ameriškem družbeno-političnem kontekstu

The article explores the multidimensional, heterogeneous and complex role that immigrants and their regulation played and play in the American socio-political context. It argues that immigrants have played and play a crucial role in the establishment and development of the American republic. They were and are crucial for the continuous re-inscriptions of symbolic and material boundaries of the American na- tion and citizenship and in the development of the capacities and legitimacy of state apparatuses to regulate the US population. They are also indispensable for the functioning of the American economy.Članek obravnava večdimenzionalno, heterogeno in kompleksno vlogo, ki so jo v ameriškem družbenopolitičnem kontekstu igrali in jo še vedno igrajo priseljenci ter zakonodaja o njih. Utemeljuje stališče, da so priseljenci v formiranju in razvoju ameriške republike igrali in še vedno igrajo ključno vlogo. Bili so in so še vedno ključnega pomena za trajno ponovno potrjevanje simboličnih in fizičnih meja ameriške države in državljanstva ter pomembno vplivajo na razvoj zmogljivosti in pravnih podlag državnega aparata za zakonsko urejanje ameriškega prebivalstva

MORFO-LEKSIKALNE ZNAČILNOSTI ANGLEŠKIH IN SLOVENSKIH MOŠKIH/ŽENSKIH SAMOSTALNIKOV ZA POKLICE

The article presents an analysis of masculine and feminine nouns denoting professions in English and Slovenian. The researched expressions are first discussed from the point of view of word-formation (derivation and compounding), then corpora are employed to examine the frequency of the forms in both languages. The corpus data are complemented with an analysis of collocators with the purpose of identifying the semantic preferences and associative meanings of gender-marked expressions for professions. The results reveal that some feminine nouns for professions are stylistically unmarked (especially in Slovenian), whereas others co- occur (in English and Slovenian) with words that reflect the societal attitudes to gender roles, appearance and character.predstavi kontrastivno analizo moških in ženskih samostalnikov za poklice na jezikovnem paru angleščina-slovenščina. Obravnavani izrazi so najprej predstavljeni z besedotvornega vidika, prek izpeljave oziroma zlaganja. Prispevek nato s pomočjo korpusov preverja pogostnost opazovanih oblik v obeh jezikih. Zbrane korpusne podatke razčleni tudi s pregledom njihovih kolokatorjev, s čimer opredeli semantične preference in pomenske asociacije obravnavanih feminativov in maskulinativov. Rezultati pokažejo, da so feminativi za poklice lahko nezaznamovani (sploh v slovenščini) ali pa se pojavljajo z izrazi, ki (v angleščini in v slovenščini) odsevajo družbeni odnos do spolnih vlog, videza in osebnostnih lastnosti

Lectura para una prueba: El efecto de los exámenes de alto riesgo en las estrategias de lectura

This paper presents a study which investigates the reading strategies employed by Slovenian EFL students whose classroom context is influenced by a high-stakes, curriculum-aligned national examination. The findings show that there are only minor differences between strong and weak students in their use of reading strategies. The results are discussed in light of the washback effect and the development of the reading skill/strategies in the classroom. The discussion suggests that educators should be aware of the limitations of high-stakes examinations, and introduce reading tasks not directly linked to such examinations, in order to minimise their potential negative effect in the classroom.Este artículo presenta un estudio sobre las estrategias de lectura de los estudiantes eslovenos de ILE cuyo contexto del aula está influido por el examen nacional de alto impacto, añadido al currículo. Los resultados muestran que hay solo diferencias mínimas entre los estudiantes competentes y los incompetentes en el uso de las estrategias de lectura. Los resultados se discuten a la luz del efecto rebote y el desarrollo de la habilidad/las estrategias de lectura en clase. La discusión propone que los educadores deberían ser conscientes de las limitaciones de los exámenes de alto impacto e introducir tareas de lectura indirectamente relacionadas con tales exámenes para minimizar su potencial efecto negativo

Predodžbe skala: englesko-slovenska kontrastivna analiza idiomatskih minimizatora i maksimizatora

The paper investigates the syntactic, semantic, and cultural properties of minimizers and maximizers from a contrastive perspective. Minimizers and maximizers are scalar constructions whose function is to strengthen the speaker’s (negative) assertion by pointing to the minimal (minimizers) or the maximal (maximizers) point on a pragmatic scale. The syntactic analysis reveals that these items are predominantly sub-clausal (V+NP/PP or NP/PP), and polarity sensitive, requiring the presence of a polarity licenser. The lexical analysis identifies three possibilities with regard to lexical selections in the two languages: a complete, partial, and a non-existent lexico-semantic overlap. Furthermore, the corpus data indicate that there is considerable variation in the lexical items appearing in minimizers and maximizers (e.g., give a damn/shit/toss/fuck/monkey’s/fig/rat’s (arse, ass, fart)/hoot). Even though minimizers and maximizers in both languages involve the metaphor MORE IS UP, LESS IS DOWN / GOOD IS UP, BAD IS DOWN and PART-FOR-WHOLE metonymy, the analysis shows that the lexical selection in the two languages diverges due to different cultural conceptualisations and cultural background. The observation and results of the analysis presented herein aim at contributing to a better understanding of idiomatic expressions from the viewpoint of contrastive linguistics, cultural studies, and cultural conceptualisation.U radu se istražuju sintaktička, semantička i kulturna obilježja minimizatora i maksimizatora iz kontrastivne perspektive. Minimizatori i maksimizatori skalarne su konstrukcije, čija je funkcija pojačavanje govornikove (negativne) tvrdnje pokazivanjem na minimalnu (minimizatori) ili maksimalnu (maksimizatori) točku na pragmatičkoj skali. Sintaktička analiza otkriva da je većinom riječ o podrečeničnim jedinicama (GLAGOL + IMENSKA SKUPINA/PRIJEDLOŽNA SKUPINA ili IMENSKA SKUPINA/PRIJEDLOŽNA SKUPINA), koje su osjetljive na polarnost, odnosno zahtijevaju prisutnost izraza koji dopušta polarnost. Leksičkom raščlambom utvrđene su tri mogućnosti leksičkog odabira u dvama jezicima: potpuno, djelomično i nepostojeće leksičko-semantičko preklapanje. Usto, podaci dobiveni iz korpusa pokazuju da postoji značajna varijacija u leksičkim jedinicama koje se pojavljuju u minimizatorima i maksimizatorima (npr. give a damn/shit/toss/fuck/monkey\u27s/fig/rat\u27s (arse, ass, fart)/hoot). Iako minimizatori i maksimizatori u oba jezika uključuju metafore VIŠE JE GORE, MANJE JE DOLJE/DOBRO JE GORE, LOŠE JE DOLJE te metonimiju DIO-ZA-CJELINU, analiza pokazuje da se leksički odabir u dvama jezicima razlikuje zbog različite kulturne konceptualizacije i kulturne pozadine. Zapažanja i rezultati izneseni u ovom radu nastoje doprinijeti boljem razumijevanju idiomatskih izraza s gledišta kontrastivne lingvistike, kulturnih studija i kulturne konceptualizacije

ENGLESKI UZDIŽUĆI PREDIKATI I (NE)FINITNE REČENICE: DIJAKRONIJSKA I SINKRONIJSKA PERSPEKTIVA

In this paper, we present a diachronic and synchronic analysis of raising and extraposition constructions in the historical Brown Corpus and the more contemporary English Web Corpus 2015. We begin by establishing two diachronic facts: first, raising constructions are used much more frequently than their semantically equivalent extraposition variants, and second, the distribution of raising and extraposition remains – rather exceptionally in comparison to other structures allowing for finite/non-finite variation – diachronically consistent from the beginning of the 20th century to 2015. We then supplement this unique diachronic distribution with an analysis of the most recent corpus data, which shows that the choice between the two semantically equivalent constructions is governed by distinct structural factors unique to each construction. Concretely, we show that the raising construction is frequently used as a relative clause, whereas the extraposition variant generally resists such a syntactic role. By contrast, we show that a prominent factor in favour of extraposition relates to the negative marker, which is placed with similar frequency both in the matrix and in the embedded clause of the extraposition construction in contrast to the raising variant, which uses the negative marker almost exclusively in the matrix clause. Lastly, we show that extraposition constructions contain modal verbs in the matrix clause more frequently than the raising variants and we tie this observation to the idea that the clausal composition of the extraposition construction is structurally more suited for expressing tentativeness.U ovome radu predstavljamo dijakronijsku i sinkronijsku analizu konstrukcija s uzdižućim predikatima (engl. raising predicates) i konstrukcija s ekstrapozicijom u povijesnoj bazi Brown Corpus i suvremenijoj English Web Corpus 2015. Počinjemo utvrđivanjem dviju dijakronijskih činjenica: 1. uzdižuće (engl. raising) konstrukcije koriste se puno češće od semantički ekvivalentnih inačica s ekstrapozicijom, i 2. distribucija uzdižućih konstrukcija i ekstrapozicije – prilično iznimno u usporedbi s drugim strukturama koje dopuštaju varijaciju finitno/nefinitno – dijakronijski je dosljedna od početka 20. stoljeća sve do 2015. godine. Ovu jedinstvenu dijakronijsku distribuciju potom dopunjavamo analizom suvremenijega korpusa koja pokazuje da izborom između ovih dviju semantički ekvivalentnih konstrukcija upravljaju različiti strukturalni čimbenici svojstveni svakoj od njih. Konkretno, pokazujemo da se uzdižuća konstrukcija često koristi kao relativna rečenica, dok se inačica s ekstrapozicijom u toj sintaktičkoj ulozi rijetko javlja. Nasuprot tomu pokazujemo da se istaknut čimbenik u korist ekstrapozicije odnosi na oznaku niječnosti koja se podjednako često smješta i u glavnu i u uklopljenu rečenicu u slučaju konstrukcije s ekstrapozicijom, nasuprot uzdižuće inčice u kojoj se oznaka niječnosti javlja gotovo isključivo u glavnoj rečenici. Konačno, pokazujemo da konstrukcije s ekstrapozicijom češće sadrže modalne glagole u glavnoj rečenici nego li uzdižuće inačice te tu opservaciju povezujemo s idejom da je rečenična struktura konstrukcija s ekstrapozicijom strukturalno prikladnija za izražavanje nesigurnosti/uvjetnosti

Pleonastična negacija iz međujezične perspektive

In recent linguistic theory, pleonastic negation is treated either as an instance of a lexically present but semantically vacuous negation, often placed in relation to negative polarity (e.g. Portner and Zanuttini 2000; Espinal 1992; van der Wouden 1994, among others) or as a special subtype of negation that differs from “proper” or sentential negation in terms of its syntactic, as well as semantic scope, and may actually be considered a form of (negative) modality (Mueller 1991; Abels 2005; Yoon 2011). We follow the latter approach and discuss pleonastic negation as it appears in different languages with the primary focus on Croatian and Slovenian. In doing so, we observe that, even though the syntactic environments in which pleonastic negation occurs are highly comparable, there seems to be a parametric variation as to the level of optionality of pleonastic negation, and to the type of mood with which pleonastic negation is used (Ilc 2012; Zovko Dinković 2015). Based on empirical data, we argue that the difference in the scope of negation between sentential and pleonastic negation is mirrored directly in their syntactic properties: while the former licenses n-words, the latter cannot license them. Both types of negation, however, may trigger the Genitive of Negation in languages still displaying the Genitive of Negation in negated clauses as is the case with Slovenian. The observations and the analysis presented in this paper are aimed at contributing to a better understanding of pleonastic negation by attempting to prove that it is neither semantically empty nor a feature of sentence negation, but rather a linguistic phenomenon akin to other means of expressing modality in language.U novijoj lingvističkoj teoriji pleonastična negacija smatra se ili pojavom leksički prisutne, ali semantički prazne negacije, koja se često dovodi u vezu s niječnom polarnosti (npr. Portner i Zanuttini 2000, Espinal 1992, van der Wouden 1994, te drugi), ili posebnom podvrstom negacije, koja se razlikuje od “prave” ili rečenične negacije po svojem sintaktičkom i semantičkom dosegu te koja se doista može smatrati jednim oblikom (niječne) modalnosti (Mueller 1991, Abels 2005, Yoon 2011). U ovom radu slijedimo potonji pristup i razmatramo pojavu pleonastične negacije u različitim jezicima, s osobitim naglaskom na hrvatski i slovenski. Pritom utvrđujemo da se pleonastična negacija pojavljuje u vrlo sličnim sintaktičkim okružjima, no da istovremeno postoji parametrička varijacija u stupnju (ne)obaveznosti pleonastične negacije, kao i glagolskog načina uz koji se koristi (Ilc 2012, Zovko Dinković 2015). Na temelju empirijskih podataka tvrdimo da se razlika u dosegu rečenične i pleonastične negacije izravno ogleda u njihovim sintaktičkim obilježjima: prva dopušta pojavljivanje n-riječi, dok ih potonja ne dopušta. S druge strane, oba tipa dopuštaju pojavu slavenskog genitiva u jezicima u kojima se on pojavljuje u niječnim surečenicama, kao što je to slučaj sa slovenskim. Cilj je zapažanja i raščlambe iznesene u ovom radu doprinijeti boljem razumijevanju pleonastične negacije tako što će se dokazati da ona nije semantički prazna niti je oblik rečenične negacije, već jezična pojava srodna drugim sredstvima izražavanja modalnosti u jeziku

Numerical modelling of semi-adiabatic test

The paper deals with the possibility of using a semi-adiabatic test to determine the adiabatic hydration curve of concrete mixtures. Therefore, a temperature was measured at certain points of a concrete specimen during the test and an adiabatic temperature rise was estimated with a numerically determined heat loss compensation. The determined adiabatic hydration curve was inserted into a numerical program, which is used to calculate a temperature field within the concrete element using a finite element method. A comparison between numerically and experimentally determined values indicates the adequacy of the proposed numerical model. Moreover, the semi-adiabatic test proved to be an appropriate method to determine the adiabatic temperature rise