From icon to naturalised icon:a linguistic analysis of media representations of the BP Deepwater Horizon crisis

This research explores how news media reports construct representations of a business crisis through language. In an innovative approach to dealing with the vast pool of potentially relevant texts, media texts concerning the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill are gathered from three different time points: immediately after the explosion in 2010, one year later in 2011 and again in 2012. The three sets of 'BP texts' are investigated using discourse analysis and semi-quantitative methods within a semiotic framework that gives an account of language at the semiotic levels of sign, code, mythical meaning and ideology. The research finds in the texts three discourses of representation concerning the crisis that show a movement from the ostensibly representational to the symbolic and conventional: a discourse of 'objective factuality', a discourse of 'positioning' and a discourse of 'redeployment'. This progression can be shown to have useful parallels with Peirce's sign classes of Icon, Index and Symbol, with their implied movement from a clear motivation by the Object (in this case the disaster events), to an arbitrary, socially-agreed connection. However, the naturalisation of signs, whereby ideologies are encoded in ways of speaking and writing that present them as 'taken for granted' is at its most complete when it is least discernible. The findings suggest that media coverage is likely to move on from symbolic representation to a new kind of iconicity, through a fourth discourse of 'naturalisation'. Here the representation turns back towards ostensible factuality or iconicity, to become the 'naturalised icon'. This work adds to the study of media representation a heuristic for understanding how the meaning-making of a news story progresses. It offers a detailed account of what the stages of this progression 'look like' linguistically, and suggests scope for future research into both language characteristics of phases and different news-reported phenomena.

Optimum Trajectory of Dynamic Input-Output Balance Model for Open Economy

When export and import is connected with output of basic production, and criterion functional represents a final state of economy, the generalization of classical qualitative results of the main-line theory on a case of dynamic input-output balance optimization model for open economy is given.

Systems Analysis: the Structure-and-Purpose Approach Based on Logic-linguistic Formalisation

Systems analysis (SA) is widely used in complex and vague problem solving. Initial stages of SA are analysis of problems and purposes to obtain problems/purposes of smaller complexity and vagueness that are combined into hierarchical structures of problems(SP)/purposes(PS). Managers have to be sure the PS and the purpose realizing system (PRS) that can achieve the PS-purposes are adequate to the problem to be solved. However, usually SP/PS are not substantiated well enough, because their development is based on a collective expertise in which logic of natural language and expert estimation methods are used. That is why scientific foundations of SA are not supposed to have been completely formed. The structure-and-purpose approach to SA based on a logic-and-linguistic simulation of problems/purposes analysis is a step towards formalization of the initial stages of SA to improve adequacy of their results, and also towards increasing quality of SA as a whole. Managers of industrial organizing systems using the approach eliminate logical errors in SP/PS at early stages of planning and so they will be able to find better decisions of complex and vague problems.

The Cascade Neo-Fuzzy Architecture and its Online Learning Algorithm

In the paper learning algorithm for adjusting weight coefficients of the Cascade Neo-Fuzzy Neural Network (CNFNN) in sequential mode is introduced. Concerned architecture has the similar structure with the Cascade-Correlation Learning Architecture proposed by S.E. Fahlman and C. Lebiere, but differs from it in type of artificial neurons. CNFNN consists of neo-fuzzy neurons, which can be adjusted using high-speed linear learning procedures. Proposed CNFNN is characterized by high learning rate, low size of learning sample and its operations can be described by fuzzy linguistic “if-then” rules providing “transparency” of received results, as compared with conventional neural networks. Using of online learning algorithm allows to process input data sequentially in real time mode.

Conical refraction healing after partially blocking the input beam

In conical refraction, when a focused Gaussian beam passes along one of the optic axes of a biaxial crystal, it is transformed into a pair of concentric bright rings at the focal plane. We demonstrate both theoretically and experimentally that this transformation is hardly affected by partially blocking the Gaussian input beam with an obstacle. We analyze the influence of the size of the obstruction both on the transverse intensity pattern of the beam and on its state of polarization, which is shown to be very robust.

Research on Linguistic Approaches, Used for Semantic Explanation of Bell’s Knowledge

This paper presents a research of linguistic structure of Bulgarian bells knowledge. The idea of building semantic structure of Bulgarian bells appeared during the “Multimedia fund - BellKnow” project. In this project was collected a lots of data about bells, their structure, history, technical data, etc. This is the first attempt for computation linguistic explain of bell knowledge and deliver a semantic representation of that knowledge. Based on this research some linguistic components, aiming to realize different types of analysis of text objects are implemented in term dictionaries. Thus, we lay the foundation of the linguistic analysis services in these digital dictionaries aiding the research of kinds, number and frequency of the lexical units that constitute various bell objects.

Linguistic Corpora as International Cultural Heritage: The Corpus of Bulgarian and Ukrainian Parallel Texts

The paper relates about our ongoing work on the creation of a corpus of Bulgarian and Ukrainian parallel texts. We discuss some differences in the approaches and the interpretation of some concepts, as well as various problems associated with the construction of our corpus, in particular the occasional ‘nonparallelism’ of original and translated texts. We give examples of the application of the parallel corpus for the study of lexical semantics and note the outstanding role of the corpus in the lexicographic description of Ukrainian and Bulgarian translation equivalents. We draw attention to the importance of creating parallel corpora as objects of national as well as global cultural heritage.

Teacher use of personal narratives in the Japanese university english language classroom

While storytelling in conversation has been extensively investigated, much less is known about storytelling in the English language classroom, particularly teachers telling their personal experience stories, termed teacher personal narratives in this study. Teacher personal narratives, a combination of the ancient art of human storytelling and the current practices of teaching, offer an innovative approach to language teaching and learning. This thesis examines teacher personal narrative use in Japanese university English language classrooms and is of relevance to both practicing classroom teachers and teacher educators because it explores the role, significance, and effectiveness of personal stories told by teachers. The pedagogical implications which the findings may have for language teaching and learning as well as for teacher education programs are also discussed. Four research questions were posed: 1. What are the characteristics of teacher personal narratives? 2. When, how, and why do language teachers use personal narratives in the classroom? 3. What is the reaction of learners to teacher personal narratives? 4. How do teacher personal narratives provide opportunities for student learning? A mixed methods approach using the tradition of multiple case studies provided an in-depth exploration of the personal narratives of four teachers. Data collection consisted of classroom observations and audio recordings, teacher and student semi-structured interviews, student diaries, and Japan-wide teacher questionnaires. Ninety-seven teacher personal narratives were analyzed for their structural and linguistic features. The findings showed that the narrative elements of orientation, complication, and evaluation are almost always present in these stories, and that discourse and tense markers may aid in student noticing of the input which can lead to eventual student output. The data also demonstrated that reasons for telling narratives mainly fall into two categories: affectiveoriented and pedagogical-oriented purposes. This study has shown that there are significant differences between conversational storytelling and educational storytelling.

Arlette Laguiller:does the mainstay of the French political far-left enjoy linguistic parity with her male counterparts?

While language use has been argued to reflect gender asymmetry, increasing parity has been evidenced in official settings (Holmes, 2000; Dister and Moreau, 2006). Our hypothesis is that the French national press has developed a norm of equal linguistic treatment of men and women. In a corpus of articles from Libération, Le Monde, and Le Figaro, we examine the treatment of Arlette Laguiller, the female leader of the French extreme-left 'Worker's Struggle' Party (Lutte Ouvrière), during the run-up to the 2007 presidential elections. How Laguiller is referred to and described in comparison with her male counterparts evidences no asymmetry. Breaches to parity are only found in the right-wing Figaro newspaper. The ideological distance between the newspaper and the candidate suggests that power struggles are a primary source of asymmetrical treatments. The discursive functions of such treatments can be understood through an investigation based on a portable corpus linguistics methodology for the measure of discrimination. © 2011 Elsevier B.V.

Making a difference:critical linguistic analysis in a legal context

One of the major problems for Critical Discourse Analysts is how to move on from their insightful critical analyses to successfully 'acting on the world in order to transform it'. This paper discusses, with detailed exemplification, some of the areas where linguists have moved beyond description to acting on and changing the world. Examples from three murder trials show how essential it is, in order to protect the rights of witnesses and defendants, to have audio records of significant interviews with police officers. The article moves on to discuss the potentially serious consequences of the many communicative problems inherent in legal/lay interaction and illustrates a few of the linguist-led improvements to important texts. Finally, the article turns to the problems of using linguistic data to try to determine the geographical origin of asylum seekers. The intention of the article is to act as a call to arms to linguists; it concludes with the observation that 'innumerable mountains remain for those with a critical linguistic perspective who would like to try to move one'. © 2011 John Benjamins Publishing Company.

Novel input-output prediction approach for biomass pyrolysis

Biomass pyrolysis to bio-oil is one of the promising sustainable fuels. In this work, relation between biomass feedstock element characteristic and pyrolysis process outputs was explored. The element characteristics considered in this study include moisture, ash, fix carbon, volatile matter, carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, and sulphur. A semi-batch fixed bed reactor was used for biomass pyrolysis with heating rate of 30 °C/min from room temperature to 600 °C and the reactor was held at 600 °C for 1 h before cooling down. Constant nitrogen flow rate of 5 L/min was provided for anaerobic condition. Rice husk, Sago biomass and Napier grass were used in the study to form different element characteristic of feedstock by altering mixing ratio. Comparison between each element characteristic to total produced bio-oil yield, aqueous phase bio-oil yield, organic phase bio-oil yield, higher heating value of organic phase bio-oil, and organic bio-oil compounds was conducted. The results demonstrate that process performance is associated with feedstock properties, which can be used as a platform to access the process feedstock element acceptance range to estimate the process outputs. Ultimately, this work evaluated the element acceptance range for proposed biomass pyrolysis technology to integrate alternative biomass species feedstock based on element characteristic to enhance the flexibility of feedstock selection.

Expanding the biomass resource:sustainable oil production via fast pyrolysis of low input high diversity biomass and the potential integration of thermochemical and biological conversion routes

Waste biomass is generated during the conservation management of semi-natural habitats, and represents an unused resource and potential bioenergy feedstock that does not compete with food production. Thermogravimetric analysis was used to characterise a representative range of biomass generated during conservation management in Wales. Of the biomass types assessed, those dominated by rush (Juncus effuses) and bracken (Pteridium aquilinum) exhibited the highest and lowest volatile compositions respectively and were selected for bench scale conversion via fast pyrolysis. Each biomass type was ensiled and a sub-sample of silage was washed and pressed. Demineralization of conservation biomass through washing and pressing was associated with higher oil yields following fast pyrolysis. The oil yields were within the published range established for the dedicated energy crops miscanthus and willow. In order to examine the potential a multiple output energy system was developed with gross power production estimates following valorisation of the press fluid, char and oil. If used in multi fuel industrial burners the char and oil alone would displace 3.9 × 105 tonnes per year of No. 2 light oil using Welsh biomass from conservation management. Bioenergy and product development using these feedstocks could simultaneously support biodiversity management and displace fossil fuels, thereby reducing GHG emissions. Gross power generation predictions show good potential.