Problematizzazione, contesa e rivalutazione del bello nell’arte, tra relativismo filosofico, pratica artistica e senso comune

Aesthetic perception is today a confused and controversial experience. In common sense relativistic conception of beauty, coexists with the consideration of the so-called “masterpieces” as works in which there is a stable aesthetic value. Philosophical and scientific relativism seems to have definitively set aside the conception of beauty not only as a universal value, but also as the essence of art, as it is counted among those universal metaphysical values, which have long been questioned. But some philosophers, such as Severino, say the opposite. Today seems to be a tendency to rediscover beauty above all in art, as a contemplative perception. Would the eventual return of art to beauty mean a return to universal metaphysical values? The difference between Kantian adherent beauty and free beauty is analyzed. The first is linked to metaphysical values, as an expression of an idea. The second, free beauty, on the other hand, has no metaphysical characteristics because it is not linked to a concept, therefore an expression of empirical harmonies. But also with regard to free beauty, the Kantian idea that sentiment can perceive its universality as an intersubjective value, is today difficult to accept both theoretically and empirically. This happens because today sentiment is no longer cultivated in the perception of beauty through canons, which are also disqualified for the pretense of universality in determined forms. Here, too, a distinction must be made between classical anthropometric canons and archaic non-naturalistic canons. We discover that the former are affected by a metaphysical foundation, while the latter reveal a different structure with other functions. According to Florenskij, the canon is not oppressive but liberating. On these suggestions and on empirical evidence we theorize that the (non-naturalistic) canon constitutes a guide for the recognition of a polyvalence of expressive language in which feeling coordinates with the other functions of consciousness, leading to transcend language itself in a non-metaphysical dimension. This suggests that this polyvalent structure that emerges from the canons is associated with beauty, as aimed at its realization.

THE EFFECTIVENESS OF READ-ALOUD LEARNING METHODS WITH PICTURE STORYBOOK MEDIA TO IMPROVE RECEPTIVE AND EXPRESSIVE LANGUAGE SKILLS IN EARLY CHILDREN

This study aims to conduct empirical research to determine the difference in effectiveness between the read-aloud learning method and serial image media with other methods usually used by teachers to improve receptive language skills in early childhood. This type of research uses a nonequivalent control group experimental design with a quantitative approach. The variables in this study consisted independent variable in this study is the read-aloud learning method with picture story media (X), the dependent variable in this study is expressive language ability (Y1) and expressive language ability (Y2). The results showed that (1) the read-aloud learning method with picture series media was more effective than the learning methods commonly used by teachers to improve receptive language skills in early childhood, statistically, the F = 5.766 with a significant level of p = 0.022 smaller than 5%; (2) The read-aloud learning method with serial picture story media is more effective than the learning methods commonly used by teachers to improve expressive language skills in early childhood; statistically, the value of F = 1,028 significant level p = 0.012 less than 5%. The results of this study can provide new insights and innovations in the effectiveness of learning the read-aloud method in storytelling activities that are useful for developing children's receptive and expressive language skills

Early Word Order Usage in Preschool Mandarin-Speaking Typical Children and Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder: Influences of Caregiver Input?

This study explores the emergence and productivity of word order usage in Mandarin-speaking typically-developing (TD) children and children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and examines how this emergence relates to frequency of use in caregiver input. Forty-two caregiver-child dyads participated in video-recorded 30-min semi-structured play sessions. Eleven children with ASD were matched with 10 20-month-old TD children and another 11 children with ASD were matched with 10 26-month-old TD children, on expressive language. We report four major findings: (1) Preschool Mandarin-speaking children with ASD produced word order structures with pervasive ellipsis at similar rates to language-matched TD children, but also displayed differences from TD children in their usage of SVt and VtO frames; (2) Grammatical productivity was observed in both TD children and children with ASD; moreover, children with ASD with higher expressive language produced less stereotyped language; (3) Both TD children and children with ASD heard a range of word orders in their caregivers’ input, with TD children’s input greater in amount and complexity; however, caregivers of both groups also showed no age/language-related changes in word order usage; (4) Few word-order-specific correlations emerged between caregivers and their children; however, strong correlations were observed for mean length of utterances (MLU) for both groups: Caregivers who produced longer/more complex utterances had children who did the same. Taken together, it seems that despite their pragmatic deficits, the early grammatical knowledge of word order in Mandarin-exposed children with ASD is well preserved and in general follows the typical developmental pattern. Moreover, caregiver input is broadly rather than finely tuned to the linguistic development of TD children and children with ASD, and plays a more important role in children’s general syntactic development than in specific word order acquisition. Thus, early word order usage in preschool Mandarin-speaking TD children and children with ASD may be influenced by both caregiver input and child abilities.

Animal Imagery in George Orwell's novel “Animal Farm”

The present paper is a literary stylistic study that illustrates in George Orwell's novel Animal Farm the imagery, the allegorical meaning, linguistic exploitation or manipulation of words. One of the most traditional features of the Animal Farm and an integral part of its imagery is Orwell 's sophisticated sensitivity to political abuse of language Inwardly, this novel is an allegory that relates to power struggle, usurpation, coercion, manipulation, hypocrisy, oppression, political racket and fear of the ruling classes in any shape they may exist (human or animal). It seems to be a simple tale of animals. However severe the subject is, through his vivid imagery and artful use of literary instruments, Orwell has made it imaginative and humorous. With its clear, deceptively simple, but creatively honed prose style and expressive language, the novel is a source of great aesthetic and intellectual pleasure and political insight.

Making interpretive policy analysis critical and societally relevant: emotions, ethnography and language

This article summarises the main achievements of interpretive approaches to policy analysis and signposts ways to develop them to strengthen inclusivity and diversity. By visualising tangible strategies used in the approach, it demonstrates how we can better understand how policies are made and understood. At the same time, the article places a strong focus on emotions and ethnography as a way to strengthen the societal relevance of the approach. Focusing on emotions in policy research goes beyond a simple interest in emotions, using them as a specific critical lens to view the researched phenomenon while considering how policy ideas are framed as relevant or irrelevant through expressive language. Analogously, the article describes ethnography as an epistemological lens for analysing policy wherein researchers embrace human bias and the normativity of their research. To illustrate how these two lenses work in practice, the article concludes by discussing the research design of an analysis of the role of fathers in the policy debate around birth care in Czechia.

Evidence of Neuroinflammation and Immunotherapy Responsiveness in Individuals with Down Syndrome Regression Disorder

Background Down syndrome regression disorder is a symptom cluster consisting of neuropsychiatric regression without cause. This study evaluated the incidence of neurodiagnostic abnormalities in individuals with Down syndrome regression disorder and determine if abnormalities are indicative of responses to therapeutic intervention. Methods A retrospective, multi-center, case-control, study was performed. Patients were required to have subacute onset and the presence of four of five symptom groups present (cognitive decline, expressive language, sleep derangement, loss of ability to perform activities of daily living and/or a new movement disorder) and no other explanation for symptoms. Results Individuals with Down syndrome regression disorder were comparable to a cohort of individuals with only Down syndrome although had higher rates of autoimmune disease (p= 0.02, 95%CI: 1.04-1.75). Neurodiagnostic abnormalities were found on EEG (n=19, 26%), neuroimaging (n=16, 22%) and CSF (n=9, 17%). Pleocytosis was appreciated in five cases, elevated total protein in nine, elevated IgG index in seven, and oligoclonal bands in two. Testing within two years of symptom onset were more likely to have neurodiagnostic abnormalities (p= 0.01, 95%CI: 1.64-37.06). In individuals with neurodiagnostic abnormalities immunotherapy was nearly four times more likely to have a therapeutic effect than in those without neurodiagnostic abnormalities (OR: 4.11, 95%CI: 1.88-9.02). In those with normal neurodiagnostic studies (n=43), IVIg was effective in 14 of 17 (82%) patients as well although other immunotherapies were uniformly ineffective. Conclusions This study reports the novel presence of neurodiagnostic testing abnormalities in individuals with Down syndrome regression disorder, providing credence to this symptom cluster potentially being of neurologic and/or neuroimmunologic etiology.

Outcomes of Intervention in Children with Language Difficulties in Bangladesh

Background: Both clinical audits within hospitals, and population-based surveys of childhood disability in Bangladesh, have shown that large numbers of children have speech and language difficulties. This study determined the improvement of language skills of children presenting with difficulties to the Speech, Language and Communication (SLC) clinic of the Child Development Center (CDC) in Dhaka Shishu (Children) Hospital (DSH). Methodology: This is a retrospective study where records of children enrolled from April 2009 to March 2014, who had visited the SLC Clinic at least 3 times over a span of 6 months were analyzed. Preverbal language skills, comprehension, and expressive language levels were measured informally based upon play and interactive sessions and observation of function. Interventions involved training parents on informal intervention techniques following some international standard guidelines. Pre and post-intervention observations on preverbal, comprehensive, and expressive language skills were recorded to determine outcomes. Results: Of the 706 enrolled children 11.0%, 79.2%, 9.5%, .3% were 0-<2 years, 2-<5 years, >5-9 and 10-16 years old, respectively. 69.5% of children were males. Preverbal skills (attention span, awaiting, eye contact, attention sharing, turn-taking, copying), comprehension, and expressive language status showed significant improvement between the first and last visit (p= 0.000) Conclusions: Interactive play, music, books, etc. are important means of improving communication between parents and children. Professionals working with developmentally delayed children need to be trained to utilize these strategies, with the provision of appropriate facilities within clinical settings. A large majority of children can be assisted to overcome delays and optimize their potential.

Using Telehealth-Delivered Procedures to Collect a Parent-Implemented Expressive Language Sampling Narrative Task in Monolingual and Bilingual Families With Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Pilot Study

Language impairments are frequent, severe, and of prognostic value in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Unfortunately, the evaluation of the efficacy of treatments targeting the language skills of those with ASD continues to be hindered by a lack of psychometrically sound outcome measures. Expressive Language Sampling (ELS) procedures offer a promising alternative to norm-referenced standardized tests for assessing expressive language in treatment studies. Until now, however, research on the validity and utility of ELS as outcome measures has been limited to administrations by a trained professional in a clinic setting and to use with English-speaking families. These limitations are a barrier for many families accessing the benefits of participation in treatment studies. The current study examines the feasibility of teaching native English-speaking parents (NESP) and native Spanish-speaking parents (NSSP) how to administer the ELS narrative task (ELS-N) to their sons and daughters with ASD (between ages 6 and 21) at home through telehealth-delivered procedures. The parent training was provided in the primary language of the participating parent (i.e., 11 NSSP and 11 NESP) and administered by the parent to the youth in the language that the parent reported to use to communicate with the youth at home (i.e., 9 Spanish and 13 English). Families were able to choose between using their own technology or be provided with the technology needed for participation. Of the 19 parents who completed the training, 16 learned to administer the ELS-N procedures. In addition, strong test-retest reliability and no practice effects over the 4-week interval were observed for ELS-N derived youth outcome measures (i.e., talkativeness, vocabulary, syntax, dysfluency, and intelligibility) for both NSSP and NESP. Results from this pilot study suggest that the home-based parent-implemented ELS-N procedures can be learned and administered at acceptable levels of fidelity by parents, with good test-retest reliability and limited practice effects observed in terms of outcome measures for youth with ASD. Implications for treatment studies and future directions are discussed.