The theme-recipient alternation in Chinese: tracking syntactic variation across seven centuries

2021 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yi Li ◽  
Benedikt Szmrecsanyi ◽  
Weiwei Zhang

Abstract Previous research has tracked the history of the theme-recipient alternation (or: “dative” alternation) in Chinese, but few studies have embedded their analysis in a probabilistic variationist framework. Against this backdrop, we explore the language-internal and language-external factors that probabilistically influence the alternation between theme-first and recipient-first ordering in a large diachronic corpus of Chinese writing (1300s–1900s). Our analysis reveals that the recipient-first variant is consistently more frequent than its competitor and even more common in more recent texts than in older texts. Regression analysis also suggests that there are stable linguistic constraints (i.e., animacy and definiteness of theme) and fluid constraints (i.e., end-weight, recipient animacy). Notably, the diachronic instability of end-weight and animacy points to cross-linguistic parallels for ditransitive constructions, including the English dative alternation. We thus contribute to theory building in variationist linguistics by advancing the field’s knowledge about the comparative fluidity versus stability of probabilistic constraints.

2014 ◽  
pp. 140-152
Author(s):  
Manh Hoan Nguyen ◽  
Ngoc Thanh Cao

Background and Objective: HIV infection is also a cause of postpartum depression, however, in Vietnam, there has not yet the prevalence of postpartum depression in HIV infected women. The objective is to determine prevalence and related factors of postpartum depression in HIV infected women. Materials and Methods: From November 30th, 2012 to March 30th, 2014, a prospective cohort study is done at Dong Nai and Binh Duong province. The sample includes135 HIV infected women and 405 non infected women (ratio 1/3) who accepted to participate to the research. We used “Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) as a screening test when women hospitalized for delivery and 1 week, 6weeks postpartum. Mother who score EPDS ≥ 13 are likely to be suffering from depression. We exclude women who have EPDS ≥ 13 since just hospitalize. Data are collected by a structural questionaire. Results: At 6 weeks postpartum, prevalence of depression in HIV infected women is 61%, in the HIV non infected women is 8.7% (p < 0.001). There are statistical significant differences (p<0.05) between two groups for some factors: education, profession, income, past history of depression, child’s health, breast feeding. Logistical regression analysis determine these factors are related with depression: late diagnosis of HIV infection, child infected of HIV, feeling guilty of HIV infected and feeling guilty with their family. Multivariate regression analysis showed 4 factors are related with depression: HIV infection, living in the province, child’s health, past history of depression. Conclusion: Prevalence of postpartum depression in HIV infected women is 61.2%; risk of depression of postnatal HIV infected women is 6.4 times the risk of postnatal HIV non infected women, RR=6.4 (95% CI:4.3 – 9.4). Domestic women have lower risk than immigrant women from other province, RR=0.72 (95% CI:0.5 – 0.9). Past history of depression is a risk factor with RR=1.7 (95% CI:1.02 – 0.9. Women whose child is weak or die, RR=1.7(95% CI:0.9 – 3.1). Keywords: Postpartum depression, HIV-positive postpartum women


Author(s):  
Daniel Massoth

When technology is used for assessment in music, certain considerations can affect the validity, reliability, and depth of analysis. This chapter explores factors that are present in the three phases of the assessment process: recognition, analysis, and display of assessment of a musical performance. Each phase has inherent challenges embedded within internal and external factors. The goal here is not to provide an exhaustive analysis of any or all aspects of assessment but, rather, to present the rationale for and history of using technology in music assessment and to examine the philosophical and practical considerations. A discussion of possible future directions of product research and development concludes the chapter.


2005 ◽  
Vol 38 (3) ◽  
pp. 304-326 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jason Sorens

This article analyzes the “risk factors” of secessionism at the substate, regional level. It seeks to answer the question, What regions are more likely to support more successful secessionist parties? Using new data in cross-sectional regression analysis, the author finds that secessionism involves unique factors not common to other kinds of ethnic conflict. Specifically, in addition to “identity” variables such as regional language and history of independence, the following variables explain secessionist strength: lack of irredentist potential, relative affluence, geographical noncontiguity, population, and multiparty political system. These factors generally serve as activators of ethnic identity rather than a substitute for the same, although there are important cases of nonethnic secessionism.


2021 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Eva Zehentner

Abstract This paper discusses the role of cognitive factors in language change; specifically, it investigates the potential impact of argument ambiguity avoidance on the emergence of one of the most well-studied syntactic alternations in English, viz. the dative alternation (We gave them cake vs We gave cake to them). Linking this development to other major changes in the history of English like the loss of case marking, I propose that morphological as well as semantic-pragmatic ambiguity between prototypical agents (subjects) and prototypical recipients (indirect objects) in ditransitive clauses plausibly gave a processing advantage to patterns with higher cue reliability such as prepositional marking, but also fixed clause-level (SVO) order. The main hypotheses are tested through a quantitative analysis of ditransitives in a corpus of Middle English, which (i) confirms that the spread of the PP-construction is impacted by argument ambiguity and (ii) demonstrates that this change reflects a complex restructuring of disambiguation strategies.


2021 ◽  
Vol 23 (Supplement_G) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marrco Vitolo ◽  
Vincenzo Livio Malavasi ◽  
Marco Proietti ◽  
Igor Diemberger ◽  
Laurent Fauchier ◽  
...  

Abstract Aims Cardiac troponins (cTn) have been reported to be predictors for adverse outcomes in atrial fibrillation (AF), patients, but their actual use is still unclear. To assess the factors associated with cTn testing in routine clinical practice and to evaluate the association of elevated levels of cTn with adverse outcomes in a large contemporary cohort of European AF patients. Methods and results Patients enrolled in the ESC-EHRA EORP-AF General Long-Term Registry were stratified into three groups according to cTn levels as (i) cTn not tested, (ii) cTn in range (≤99th percentile), and (iii) cTn elevated (&gt;99th percentile). The composite outcome of any thromboembolism/any acute coronary syndrome (ACS)/cardiovascular (CV) death, defined as major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) and all-cause death were the main endpoints. 10 445 (94.1%) AF patients were included in this analysis [median age 71 years, interquartile range (IQR): 63–77; males 59.7%]. cTn were tested in 2834 (27.1%). Overall, cTn was elevated in 904 (8.7%) and in-range in 1930 (18.5%) patients. Patients in whom cTn was tested tended to be younger (P &lt; 0.001) and more frequently presenting with first detected AF and atypical AF-related symptoms (i.e. chest pain, dyspnoea, or syncope) (P &lt; 0.001). On multivariable logistic regression analysis, female sex, in-hospital enrollment, first-detected AF, CV risk factors, history of coronary artery disease (CAD), and atypical AF symptoms were independently associated with cTn testing. After a median follow-up of 730 days (IQR: 692–749), 957 (9.7%) composite endpoints occurred while all-cause death was 9.5%. Kaplan–Meier analysis showed a higher cumulative risk for both outcomes in patients with elevated cTn levels (Figure) (Log Rank tests, P &lt; 0.001). On adjusted Cox regression analysis, elevated levels of cTn were independently associated with a higher risk for MACE [hazard ratio (HR): 1.74, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.40–2.16] and all-cause death (HR 1.45, 95% CI: 1.21–1.74). Elevated levels of cTn were independently associated with a higher occurrence of MACE, all-cause death, any ACS, CV death and hospital readmission even after the exclusion of patients with history of CAD, diagnosis of ACS at discharge, those who underwent coronary revascularization during the admission and/or who were treated with oral anticoagulants plus antiplatelet therapy. Conclusions Elevated cTn levels were independently associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality and adverse CV events, even after exclusion of CAD patients. Clinical factors that might enhance the need to rule out CAD were associated with cTn testing.


2011 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 9-20 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vanessa Beck ◽  
Martin Quinn

This paper analyses the relationship between health and employability in the context of the East Midlands, a high employment region with a history of manufacturing and coal mining, though both sectors’ importance has declined due to considerable industrial restructuring. It is argued that the health of the unemployed and economically inactive cannot be considered without an understanding of such contextual factors. Gender, age, the socio-economic context and other external factors are key to the complex relationship between health and employability. Within a broad framework of employability, health is not merely a personal characteristic. The paper argues for more qualitative research into employability and health to establish what factors influence the relationship.


Author(s):  
Aleksandar Gajic

Theories of social collapse are not only the views that characterize ?societies deep in crisis?, but rather an expression of lack of belief in prosperity and central importance of the civilization in which we live. These theories follow processes of degradation of human societies, the decline of civilization`s powers and the loss of its cultural values resulting in their complete disappearance. This paper defines the subject of study and provides an overview of the history of these theories and their contemporary types by taking the main causes of collapse criteria as the basis for theory building. After the review of contemporary multi-factor analysis of collapse, mainly within the science of complex systems, full attention is focused on two atypical, yet very productive, contemporary theories of social collapse that are elaborated in detail: Jared Diamond`s theory, which studies social collapses by observing relations of other variables that can lead to collapse with environmental problems as central; and Peter Turchin`s theory which, revitalizing with modern scientific achievements Ibn Khaldun`s classical theory of ?asabia? (group feeling, spirit of community), sees social collapses as a consequence of the decline of cohesion provided by asabia. The final part of the work gives a critical review of these two theories and their relation with classical theories of social collapse (primarily those of Arnold Toynbee) and points to their mutual productive complementarity.


2016 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 31-78 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kari Kinn ◽  
Kristian A. Rusten ◽  
George Walkden

This paper investigates the possibility of subject omission in the history of Icelandic, including the syntactic and pragmatic conditions under which it could arise. Based on regression analysis of substantial data drawn from the IcePaHC corpus, we provide robust quantitative support for Hjartardóttir's (1987) claim that null subjects persist until a very late stage in Icelandic. We also argue, contra Sigurðsson (1993), that only one licensing mechanism is needed for null subjects in early Icelandic. Moreover, on the basis of the position of the null subjects and their person features, we argue that the modern stage, where (predominantly 3rd person)pro-drop yields to a system permitting topic drop of all persons, arises in Icelandic in the early twentieth century.*


2018 ◽  
Vol 53 (8) ◽  
pp. 1251-1270 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rahman Dag

The Kurdish question has been one of the most protracted issues in the political history of Turkey. Given such a long securitization of the Kurdish question, it almost came to an end due to the peace process initiated by the AK Party government and the imprisoned leader of the PKK, Abdullah Öcalan in 2013. Apparently it was not a solid process because it failed immediately after the June 2015 general election. There may have been many internal and external factors explaining the reason why it failed but this paper looks specifically at one of them: the influence of the Syrian crisis on the peace process in Turkey in light of spillover effects and spreading insurgency theories.


Author(s):  
Diane Frost

‘Community and Social Organisation’ is the last chapter in ‘The Kru Community in Freetown’, and provides an understanding of the social and economic history of the Kru in Freetown, and the respective internal and external factors that shaped it. The chapter focuses on community organisation amongst the Kru, rather than political organisation, which was shaped largely by forces outside the Kru’s social control.


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