Profile-Based Linguistic Uniformity as a Generic Method for Comparing Language Varieties

In this text we present``profile-based linguistic uniformity', a methoddesigned to compare language varieties on thebasis of a wide range of potentiallyheterogeneous linguistic variables. In manyrespects a parallel can be drawn with currentmethods in dialectometry (for an overview, see,Nerbonne and Heeringa, 2001; Heeringa, Nerbonneand Kleiweg, 2002): in both casesdissimilarities between varieties on the basisof individual variables are summarized inglobal dissimilarities, and a series oflanguage varieties are subsequently clusteredor charted using multivariate techniques suchas cluster analysis or multidimensionalscaling. This global similarity between themethods makes it possible to compare them andto investigate the implications of notabledifferences. In this text we specifically focuson, and defend one characteristic of ourmethodology, its profile-based nature.     

Developing and evaluating language courseware

The paper sets out twenty proposals for the development and evaluation of Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL) programs. These proposals emerge from special characteristics of language instruction and of the use of computers to assist in language instruction. We combine theoretically-based assumptions with empirical findings drawn from investigation of language courseware for Hebrew speakers in Israel. We first list four unique features of language instruction: (1) the object-language-meta-language distinction; (2) computer as written medium vs. language as primary spoken medium; (3) teaching of second language skills vs. linguistics; (4) the computer as an electronic tool vs. the computer as a cognitive entity simulating the speaker. We then show how these unique characteristics of language instruction (mother-tongue and foreign language) impose special proposals on language courseware. These proposals should be observed in the development of language courseware and in the evaluation of such programs. Clearly, these proposals integrate with general courseware proposals. Michal Ephratt (Ph.D., computational linguistics) completed post-doctoral studies at the University of Rochester. She has been on the staff of the Dept. of Hebrew Linguistics, University of Haifa, since 1988. Some of her publications include Root-Pattern Array: The Main Tool of Hebrew Word Formation (Hebrew University, 1985); and What's in a Joke? in Advances in Artificial Intelligence, Natural Language and Knowledge-based Systems (Springer-Verlag, 1990).This paper is based on work the author did as a consultant in the National Courseware Evaluation Department of the Ministry of Education. I wish to thank Esther Diamant, head of the department, for making the study possible.     

西方诗经学中的创作年代之辨

西方诗经学经历了传播、译介、研究3个阶段,在第三阶段,各种西方文学批评流派将其理论运用于《诗经》研究,取得了不少成果。加拿大学者多布森将语言学运用于《诗经》创作年代的考证,结论与我国传统诗经学关于其创作年代的考证基本一致。而美籍华裔王靖献运用套语理论对《诗经》进行数据分析,对多布森的《诗经》创作年代的＂连续阶段＂提出疑问,争论的焦点是4个连续阶段的过渡时间问题。     

英语习语教学的语源观

依据Frank Boers关于引导学生认识一些习语的语源能够促进他们对习语理解和记忆的研究发现,探索了语源信息促进习语习得的理据,并提出了两种相应的教学活动。     

《论语》《世说新语》判断句比较浅析

《论语》用先秦时期的汉语写成,它在语言学方面有很大影响。从语言学的角度来说,南朝刘义庆的《世说新语》对研究汉语从上古到中古的演变具有很重要的价值。本文考查了《论语》和《世说新语》中判断句,通过对二书中判断句结构形式方面的比较,观察由《论语》到《世说新语》判断句的发展变化,希望展示判断句从上古到中古的演变情况。     

认知转喻理论和翻译

认知语言学的建构主义意义观认为意义是语言使用者通过使用认知机制建构的。这里的认知机制包括隐喻、转喻、概念合成等。这一意义观对翻译有重要启示,即：各类识解方式的运作对翻译中涉及的意义的推导和语言表达的选择上起着不可或缺的作用。通过译者的识解操作,译者提供出译文文本,用于导引出原文意义。转喻源于人的基本认知能力,是识解方式的一种,它帮助人们推导意义,形成语言表达。将以认知语言学的转喻理论为视角,以期说明认知语言学转喻理论及认知语言学在翻译研究方面的作用。     

对语料库、语料库语言学的种种误解

语料库以及语料库语言学引起了各国学者的极大的兴趣。可是,与此相关的误解一直存在着。例如,语料库是老大,一个小型的语料库比一个大型的好。本文讨论了10个关于语料库和语料库语言学的流传得最广的误解。最后,本文对语料库语言学的发展进行了展望。     

自然语言生成综述

自然语言生成（NLG）技术利用人工智能和语言学的方法来自动地生成可理解的自然语言文本。NLG降低了人类和计算机之间沟通的难度,被广泛应用于机器新闻写作、聊天机器人等领域,已经成为人工智能的研究热点之一。首先,列举了当前主流的NLG的方法和模型,并详细对比了这些方法和模型的优缺点;然后,分别针对文本到文本、数据到文本和图像到文本等三种NLG技术,总结并分析了应用领域、存在的问题和当前的研究进展;进而,阐述了上述生成技术的常用评价方法及其适用范围;最后,给出了当前NLG技术的发展趋势和研究难点。     

简论转换生成语言学的创新及走向

转换生成语言学自从其诞生起便因其科学性质而受到广大语言学者以及其他研究领域学者们的关注。其理论内部在不断修正和完善。在生物语言学的背景下,转换生成语言学已成为生物语言学的重要组成部分,转换生成语言学的新阶段,即最简方案思想的形成和发展,尤其是语段理论的设想为建立自然科学的语言学进行了有益的探索。     

论语料库语言学的学科地位

按照一个独立学科构成要素的相关要求,从语料库语言学的哲学基础、语言学理论基础、研究对象和研究目标、研究方法和学科应用前景等方面论述语料库语言学作为一门独立学科的地位,以澄清目前人们仅把语料库语言学看成一种研究工具或研究方法的浅显认识;理清语料库语言学中的一些基本理论问题。作为一门新兴交叉学科的语料库语言学,其不断发展和壮大将极大地推动人们对语言本质的认识、推进语言学研究方法和理论创新,给外语教学带来深远的影响。