This book gathers original studies presented at the PROMS 2016 conference on Rasch theories and Rasch-based applications. It provides significant examples used to address practical measurement problems across a range of disciplines, including: Classic Testing Theory (CTT), Item Response Theory (IRT), philosophy of measurement, dimensionality, the role of fit statistics and research, business and industrial applications, health-related research and the latest Rasch-based computer software. PROMS welcomes empirical and theoretical studies and workshops, preferably with an emphasis on the Rasch model. Special attention is paid to manuscripts submitted by non-native English-speaking authors from Pacific Rim countries, regions and beyond. PROMS 2016 (Pacific Rim Objective Measurement Symposium) was held July 30-August 3, 2016 in Xi'an, China. The goal of the conference was to bring together researchers, scholars and professors from research institutes, universities, hospitals, business and management sectors, as well as professional practitioners, to exchange and share ideas, problems and solutions regarding the multifaceted aspects of the Rasch model and on the much debated yet highly topical issues of objective assessment.

"I am a Linguist" provides a fascinating account of the academic adventures of multi-faceted linguist, R.M.W. (Bob) Dixon. There is fieldwork (and lengthy grammars) on Dyirbal, Yidi and other Aboriginal languages of Australia, the Boumaa dialect of Fijian, and Jarawara from the dense jungles of Amazonia. Theoretical studies include adjective classes, ergativity and complement clauses. There are also detective novels, science fiction stories, and pioneering work on blues and gospel discography. Interspersed with the autobiographical narrative are explanations of how linguistics is a scientific discipline, of the development of universities, of diminishing academic standards, and of the treatment of Aboriginal people in Australia. The book is written in an easy, accessible style with numerous illustrative anecdotes. It will be an inspiration to young linguists and of interest to the general reader curious about what a scientific linguist does.

This familiar guide to information resources in the humanities and the arts, organized by subjects and emphasizing electronic resources, enables librarians, teachers, and students to quickly find the best resources for their diverse needs. Authoritative, trusted, and timely, Information Resources in the Humanities and the Arts: Sixth Edition introduces new librarians to the breadth of humanities collections, experienced librarians to the nature of humanities scholarship, and the scholars themselves to a wealth of information they might otherwise have missed. This new version of a classic resource-the first update in over a decade-has been refreshed to account for the myriad of digital resources that have rewritten the rules of the reference and research world, and been expanded to include significantly increased coverage of world literature and languages. This book is invaluable for a wide variety of users: librarians in academic, public, school, and special library settings; researchers in religion, philosophy, literature, and the performing and visual arts; graduate students in library and information science; and teachers and students in humanities, the arts, and interdisciplinary degree programs.

Quoting is all around us. But do we really know what it means? How do people actually quote today, and how did our present systems come about? This book brings together a down-to-earth account of contemporary quoting with an examination of the comparative and historical background that lies behind it and the characteristic way that quoting links past and present, the far and the near. Drawing from anthropology, cultural history, folklore, cultural studies, sociolinguistics, literary studies and the ethnography of speaking, Ruth Finnegan's fascinating study sets our present conventions into cross cultural and historical perspective. She traces the curious history of quotation marks, examines the long tradition of quotation collections with their remarkable cycling across the centuries, and explores the uses of quotation in literary, visual and oral traditions. The book tracks the changing defi nitions and control of quoting over the millennia and in doing so throws new light on ideas such as 'imitation', 'allusion', 'authorship', 'originality' and 'plagiarism'.

International scholars and researchers present cutting edge contributions on the significance of vocabulary in current thinking on first and second language acquisition in the school and at home. By pursuing common themes across first and second language and bilingual contexts, the editors offer a collection that tackles the most important issues.

The Longman Academic Writing Series helps English language students master the writing skills needed to succeed in their academic careers. The fi ve-level series spans writing topics from composing sentences to writing research papers. Each level covers the complete writing process from prewriting to revision. Level 4 teaches high-intermediate students to write various genres of academic essays. The text's proven approach integrates training in grammar, mechanics, vocabulary, and essay organization along with the writing process. Features Realistic writing models and systematic practice empower students to write effectively in different genres. Clear explanations help students grasp and apply key concepts. Sentence structure, grammar, and mechanics instruction helps students develop key writing skills. A step-by-step approach guides students seamlessly through the writing process. Vocabulary sections help students develop language awareness and improve the quality of their writing. Writing Tips provide useful strategies to enhance students' writing experience. Writing Expansions, including journals, timed writing, and summarizing, build written fluency and test-taking skills. Enhanced Digital Practice An improved MyEnglishLab includes additional practice activities and assessments. The Pearson Practice English App allows students to complete vocabulary, grammar, and sentence structure activities on their mobile devices.

A History of the Chinese Language provides a comprehensive introduction to the historical development of the Chinese language from its Proto-Sino-Tibetan roots in prehistoric times to Modern Standard Chinese. Taking a highly accessible and balanced approach, it presents a chronological survey of the various stages of the Chinese language, covering key aspects such as phonology, syntax, and semantics. The second edition presents a revised and updated version that reflects recent scholarship in Chinese historical linguistics and new developments in related disciplines. Features include: Coverage of the major historical stages in Chinese language development, such as Old Chinese, Middle Chinese, Early Modern Chinese, and Modern Standard Chinese. Treatment of core linguistic aspects of the Chinese language, including phonological changes, grammatical development, lexical evolution, vernacular writing, the Chinese writing system, and Chinese dialects. Inclusion of authentic Chinese texts throughout the book, presented within a rigorous framework of linguistic analysis to help students to build up critical and evaluative skills and acquire valuable cultural knowledge. Integration of materials from different disciplines, such as archaeology, genetics, history, and sociolinguistics, to highlight the cultural and social background of each period of the language. Written by a highly experienced instructor, A History of the Chinese Language will be an essential resource for students of Chinese language and linguistics and for anyone interested in the history and culture of China.

Het jy geweet dat as jy cappuccino drink, daar 'n aap in jou koffie is? Waarom staan 'n mens se strottehoof bekend as 'n adamsappel? Is die dahlia regtig na die Sweedse plantkundige Anders Dahl vernoem omdat die blomblare soos sy onversorgde baard en hare gelyk het? Dié vrae het almal met eponieme te make: woorde wat gevorm is op grond van mense of plekke se name. So is die dahlia, adamsappel en cappuccino eponieme. In Die Aap in jou koffie beantwoord die gewilde woordeboekmaker, Anton Prinsloo, ongeveer 2,000 van hierdie soort vrae. Die skrywer se besondere humorsin maak dit 'n andersoortige woordeboek – een wat 'n mens met 'n glimlag lees.

Biculturalism and Spanish in Contact: Sociolinguistic Case Studies provides an original and modern analysis of the development of Spanish and its contact with other languages using a sociolinguistic framework from both synchronic and diachronic angles. Split into three sections , (i) Border speech communities , (ii) Outcomes and perceptions in situations of language and dialect contact and (iii) Contact and alternation: social boundaries of language switching, this collection offers new perspectives in the field of language contact and change. Each chapter presents an original study detailing the social factors that have shaped contact varieties of Spanish, providing principal arguments and theories about language use, contact, and change, as well as guided topics for discussion. With its wide scope, this book is a landmark in language interaction processes and studies, and will be a valuable reference for educators, scholars, language professionals and students with an interest in the vitality of the Spanish language in contact with other languages.

The fourth edition of this essential Middle English textbook introduces students to the wide range of literature written in England between 1150 and 1400. Beginning with an extensive overview of middle English history, grammar, syntax, and pronunciation, the book goes on to examine key middle English texts -- including a new extract from Julian of Norwich's Revelation of Divine Love -- with helpful notes to direct students to key points within the text. Keeping in mind adopter feedback, this new edition includes a new model translation section with a student workbook and model exercise for classroom use. This new chapter will include sections on 'false friend' words, untranslatable idioms and notes on translating both poetry and prose. The text and references will be fully updated throughout and a foreword dedicated to the late J. A. Burrow will be included.

This book investigates and analyzes the way in which factors such as communication apprehension, self-perceived communicative competence and group dynamics influence the communicative behavior of a foreign-language learner. It also focuses on interpersonal communication, group communication and public speaking. Using selected models it characterizes and analyzes all types of communication with reference to communication in the language classroom, with a particular emphasis on the foreign-language context. The author also presents some conclusions and implications for both language teachers and language learners, as well as offering suggestions for further research in the field of classroom communication. The results of the study serve as a point of reference for teachers interested in the construct of willingness to communicate and other communication variables related to the issue of communication in a foreign language. The work also raises teachers' awareness of individual learner differences in the context of communication in the foreign-language classroom.

Proverbs supposedly contain the wisdom of the common folk--eternal truths to be passed down through the ages. They are short, often humorous, expressions that teach lessons or give practical advice, and they are perhaps the best indicators of attitudes and beliefs of any form of folklore. Not only reflecting culture, proverbs also perpetuate the cultural dictates of the past, including the fears, prejudices, and misconceptions of their predominately male authors. Because they are generalizations, proverbs sometimes impede accurate observation and analysis and stifle original thought. Like many other traditions and cultural practices, proverbs often promote misleading stereotypes of women. This reference book collects more than 800 American proverbs about women and analyzes their significance. The volume begins with introductory chapters that explore the relationship between proverbs and culture and the image of women presented in proverbs. The chapters that follow are devoted to particular categories, such as wives and 6~rriage, mothers and daughters, women as property, and old women and grandmothers. Each chapter includes a brief introductory overview and a listing of proverbs relating to the topic. The proverbs were gathered through an extensive review of journal articles, proverb dictionaries, and other literature. In addition to true proverbs, the volume includes some phrases, sayings, and proverbial comparisons. Not included are expressions that contain words like "mother" or "daughter" but do not really describe women or comment about them. The book then presents a concluding analysis of how American proverbs portray women, an alphabetical index of proverbs, and an extensivebibliography.

Routledge English Language Introductions cover core areas of language study and are one-stop resources for students.

Assuming no prior knowledge, books in the series offer an accessible overview of the subject, with activities, study questions, sample analyses, commentaries, and key readings – all in the same volume. The innovative and flexible ‘two-dimensional’ structure is built around four sections – introduction, development, exploration, and extension – that offer self-contained stages for study. Each topic can also be read across these sections, enabling the reader to gradually build on the knowledge gained.

Now in its fourth edition, this best-selling textbook:

Covers the core areas of the subject: speech acts, the cooperative principle, relevance theory, corpus pragmatics, politeness theory, and critical discourse analysis

Has updated and new sections on intercultural and cross-cultural pragmatics, critical discourse analysis and the pragmatics of power, second language pragmatic competence development, impoliteness, post-truth discourse, vague language, pragmatic markers, formulaic sequences, and online corpus tools

Draws on a wealth of texts in a variety of languages, including political TV interviews, newspaper articles, extracts from classic novels and plays, recent international films, humorous narratives, and exchanges on email, messaging, Facebook, Twitter, and WhatsApp

Provides recent readings from leading scholars in the discipline, including Jonathan Culpeper, Lynne Flowerdew, and César Félix-Brasdefer

Is accompanied by eResources featuring extra material and activities.

Written by two experienced teachers and researchers, this accessible textbook is an essential resource for all students of English language and linguistics.

Table of Contents

Contents cross-referenced

List of illustrations

Acknowledgements

A Introduction: concepts in pragmatics

1 Context and structure

2 Speech act theory

3 Cooperative principle

4 Politeness and impoliteness

5 Corpora and communities

6 Critical discourse analysis

7 Intercultural pragmatics

8 Pragmatics and language learning

B Development: studies in pragmatics

1 Analysing context

2 Using speech acts

3 Understanding implicature

4 Analysing politeness and impoliteness

5 Analysing markers

6 Detecting hidden values

7 Studying intercultural pragmatics

8 Teaching pragmatics

C Exploration: data for investigation

1 Contexts in writing

2 Culture and indirectness

3 Flouting and violating

4 Politeness and impoliteness

5 Variation and multimodal corpora

6 Language and power

7 Understanding each other

8 Pragmatics online and learning

D Extension: readings

1 Conversation analysis and ELF (Anita Santner-Wolfartsberger)

2 Speech acts and conversation analysis (J. César Félix-Brasdefer)

3 Relevance and emotion (Baiyao Zuo and Wen Yuana, Francis Y. Lin, and Richard P. Cooper)

4 Impoliteness and rudeness (Jonathan Culpeper)

5 Corpora and language teaching (Lynne Flowerdew)

6 Multimodal critical discourse analysis (Steve Buckledee and David Machin)

7 African face needs (Karen Grainger, Sara Mills, and Mandla Sibanda)

8 Pragmatic development, ELF, and TBLT (Neil Murray and Marta González-Lloret)

References

Index