Language extinction and linguistic fronts

Language diversity has become greatly endangered in the past centuries owing to processes of language shift from indigenous languages to other languages that are seen as socially and economically more advantageous, resulting in the death or doom of minority languages. In this paper, we define a new language competition model that can describe the historical decline of minority languages in competition with more advantageous languages. We then implement this non-spatial model as an interaction term in a reactiondiffusion system to model the evolution of the two competing languages. We use the results to estimate the speed at which the more advantageous language spreads geographically, resulting in the shrinkage of the area of dominance of the minority language. We compare the results from our model with the observed retreat in the area of influence of the Welsh language in the UK, obtaining a good agreement between the model and the observed data

To 'be', and not to 'have': auxiliary selection in unaccusative verbs in Italian

This paper investigates the characteristics of unaccusative verbs in Italian with respect to the consistency with which these verbs select the auxiliaries ‘be’ (essere) and ‘have’ (avere) in compound tense forms. The study builds on the gradient approach to split intransitivity (Sorace 2000) by exploring the behaviour of 29 intransitive Italian verbs with respect to their core-peripheral features: auxiliary selection acceptability ratings and associated variance measures. Although there is clear support for the gradient approach in relation to the general order of semantic categories along the unaccusativity gradient, the results reveal that the ordering of subclasses within the Change group conflict with that currently proposed in the literature. In addition, the findings demonstrate the aspectual and lexical semantic characteristics of internally-caused change-of-state verbs in Italian require further investigation before their auxiliary selection behaviour can be properly understood. Furthermore, contrary to the gradient account, Existence verbs, the most stative and therefore the most peripheral subclass in the unaccusativity hierarchy, exhibit behaviour more characteristic of core unaccusative verbs. This study examines a wider range of semantic subclasses of unaccusative verbs than has hitherto been reported and identifies the core-peripheral boundary for Italian.1

Trait emotional intelligence: Evidence from italian adolescents and adults

Emotional intelligence (EI) represents an attribute of contemporary attractiveness for the scientific psychology community. Of particular interest for the present thesis are the conundrum related to the representation of this construct conceptualized as a trait (i.e., trait EI), which are in turn reflected in the current lack of agreement upon its constituent elements, posing significant challenges to research and clinical progress. Trait EI is defined as an umbrella personality-alike construct reflecting emotion-related dispositions and self-perceptions. The Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire (TEIQue) was chosen as main measure, given its strong theoretical and psychometrical basis, including superior predictive validity when compared to other trait EI measures. Studies 1 and 2 aimed at validating the Italian 153-items forms of the TEIQue devoted to adolescents and adults. Analyses were done to investigate the structure of the questionnaire, its internal consistencies and gender differences at the facets, factor, and global level of both versions. Despite some low reliabilities, results from Studies 1 and 2 confirm the four-factor structure of the TEIQue. Study 3 investigated the utility of trait EI in a sample of adolescents over internalizing conditions (i.e., symptoms of anxiety and depression) and academic performance (grades at math and Italian language/literacy). Beyond trait EI, concurrent effects of demographic variables, higher order personality dimensions and non-verbal cognitive ability were controlled for. Study 4a and Study 4b addressed analogue research questions, through a meta-analysis and new data in on adults. In the latter case, effects of demographics, emotion regulation strategies, and the Big Five were controlled. Overall, these studies showed the incremental utility of the TEIQue in different domains beyond relevant predictors. Analyses performed at the level of the four-TEIQue factors consistently indicated that its predictive effects were mainly due to the factor Well-Being. Findings are discussed with reference to potential implication for theory and practice.

The study of Italian in the United States /

Mode of access: Internet.

Polyglot reader, and guide for translation : consisting of a series of English extracts, with their translation into French, German, Spanish, and Italian : the several parts designed to serve as mutual keys /

[v. 1] English text -- [v. 2] German translation / Reinhold Solger. 1867. -- [v. 3] Spanish translation. 1870. -- [v. 4] Italian translation / Vincenzo Botta. 1856.

A new dictionary of the English and Italian languages : containing the whole vocabulary in general use ... /

[v. 1] English and Italian.--[v. 2] Italiano-inglese.

Italian grammar,

Mode of access: Internet.

A new dictionary of the Italian and English languages : based upon that of Baretti / compiled by John Davenport and Guglielmo Comelati.

Mode of access: Internet.

Dizionario italiano ed inglese : A dictionary Italian and English, containing all the words of the vocabulary della Crusca /

Armorial bookplate of Sir Archibald Edmonstone, of Duntreath, Bart.

Lexicon tetraglotton, an English-French-Italian-Spanish dictionary: whereunto is adjoined a large nomenclature of the proper terms (in all the four) belonging to several arts and sciences, to recreations, to professions both liberal and mechanick, &c. Divided into fiftie two sections; with another volume of the choicest proverbs in all the said toungs, (consisting of divers compleat tomes)

"Proverbs d'elite ... " "Proverbi gli più scelti nella lingua italiana ... " "Refranes ... " "Diharebion Cymraeg ... " and "Divers centuries of nevv sayings ... " preceded by half-title pages.

The Italian and English phrase-book: serving as a key to Italian conversation.

Shoemaker

A key to Bottarelli's Italian exercises, referring to Veneroni's grammar : with a few extracts in prose and verse /

Mode of access: Internet.

Elementary Italian grammar,

Maps on end-papers.

First Italian readings;

Mode of access: Internet.

Primary lessons in Italian.

At head of title: Ollendorff's method.