Idioms Research Articles

Sleep disturbances, cognitive decline, and AD biomarkers alterations in early Parkinson's disease.

We aimed to investigate whether each type of sleep disturbances (i.e., pRBD, EDS, and insomnia) is specifically associated with faster decline in global cognition and different cognitive domains among de novo PD patients. We also assessed the influence of sleep disturbances on core AD CSF biomarkers alterations and conversion to dementia. Prospectively longitudinal data were obtained from the PPMI cohort. Sleep disturbances and cognition ability were assessed by questionnaires at baseline and follow-up visits. Generalized linear mixed models were utilized to assess the effect of sleep disturbances on cognitive decline and core AD CSF biomarkers change. The associations between sleep disturbances and conversion to dementia were analyzed using Cox regression analysis. Baseline pRBD was associated with faster decline in global cognition and all cognitive domains, including verbal episodic memory, visuospatial ability, executive function, language, and processing speed. EDS was associated with faster decline in three cognitive domains, including verbal episodic memory, executive function/working memory, and processing speed. Insomnia was associated with faster decline in global cognition and verbal episodic memory. Meanwhile, pRBD and EDS were associated with longitudinal decrease of CSF Aβ42. Baseline pRBD increased the risk of conversion to dementia. The risk of dementia in PD patients with multiple sleep disturbances also increased compared with those without sleep disturbance. Sleep disturbances (i.e., pRBD, EDS, and insomnia) were associated with cognitive decline in early PD. EDS and pRBD were associated with decrease of CSF Aβ42. Moreover, pRBD was associated with conversion to dementia.

Modal tense: if and wish

This paper is concerned with uses of certain morphemes, most notably the past, to represent meanings of distance from reality in modal expressions. This class of morphology has been identified with the names subjunctive, fake tense, fake past, modal past and is referred to here as X-marking, after von Fintel and Iatridou (Linguist Philos, 2020). X-marking has been most studied in the context of English conditionals however, it is well-known that the morphology is observed in many non-English languages and can appear in various other types of constructions, including counterfactual desire expressions. I motivate two desiderata for theories of X-marking in pursuit of an analysis that unifies the phenomenon across expression types and languages. I then develop a novel, formally explicit analysis of X-marking which I show to satisfy these desiderata while providing greater empirical coverage of well-known cases compared to existing accounts. The proposed analysis makes use of modal presupposition projection together with pragmatic inference via Maximize Presupposition to provide a unified treatment of X-marking in English conditionals and counterfactual desires expressions of English featuring wish. I show how previous proposals for X-marking cannot satisfy these desiderata, making them insufficient for a unified account. Lastly, I introduce a hypothesis that all varieties of morphology that can be used as X-marking cross-linguistically-including past, imperfective, plural and habitual-are vacuous in both their X-marked and ordinary uses.

Being able to be myself: Understanding autonomy and autonomy-support from the perspectives of autistic adults with intellectual disabilities.

Autistic young adults with intellectual disabilities want to be autonomous but are less autonomous than other people. However, they can be autonomous with appropriate support. We wanted to learn how we can support autistic adults with intellectual disabilities to be more autonomous. We designed our study with help from five autistic community partners to make sure the research was relevant to autistic people and would improve their lives. We talked with eight autistic young adults with intellectual disabilities about autonomy. We defined "talk" as verbal language, as well as non-verbal cues such as body language, facial expressions, vocalizations, and laughter. We did art projects and played games while we talked. We met in small groups over multiple sessions. Our participants told us that being autonomous meant being able to be themselves. They told us three main ways to support their autonomy: (1) having choice and control, (2) being able to communicate in their own way, and (3) being in a safe environment. Families, support staff, and caregivers can use this information to help autistic young adults with intellectual disabilities to be autonomous.

Nyelvében él a kor

The vocabulary of a language is constantly evolving, with new elements appearing and others passing out of usage, so it can reveal a lot about the time period in which it is studied as well as the worldview of its users. Through a study of Hungarian language usage, including words and expressions, some of the characteristics of the socialist era, the period after the regime change and of recent years can be illuminated. A comparison of them as well, as a comparison between an Internet survey of 10 years ago and a more recent one shows the changes in political, social, economic and cultural life, the multiplication of problems and the gloomy mood in Hungary.

Metaphorical Mapping and Cultural Significance in Chinese Death-Related Idiomatic Expressions

Metaphorical Mapping and Cultural Significance in Chinese Death-Related Idiomatic Expressions

Lexical Expressions of Motion in Physical Environments a Cognitive Linguistics Perspective

This study aims to delve into the interaction between motion verbs, manners, and paths in the Vietnamese language to look at the lexicalization of motion occurrences. Utilizing Talmy's lexicalization patterns for cognitive linguistics, the study seeks to understand how Vietnamese encodes and conceptualizes motion events in a variety of physical contexts, such as the air, water, and land. A mixed-methods approach is used in this work, integrating qualitative analysis of annotated textual data with quantitative frequency analysis. Vietnamese has a rich system of motion verbs that may be paired with manner and path expressions to produce complex and subtle descriptions of movement, according to the research. The language displays intricate differences when describing the direction, velocity, and kind of vehicle of motion, in addition to various linear, curved, vertical, circular, and multidirectional routes. The complex interplay between language, cognition, and the embodied experience of motion is highlighted by this linguistic variety, which is a reflection of Vietnamese speakers' astute observation and interpretation of the physical world. The work adds to our knowledge of how language organizes and expresses the basic idea of motion and provides insights into the cognitive and cultural bases of language expression.

Considerații privind valoarea de optativ a conjunctivului românesc și bulgăresc în propoziții independente

The Romanian and Bulgarian languages share common features stemming from the Balkan linguistic aria. Among the distinctive grammatical constructions in Balkan languages is the new-type analytic subjunctive, a replacement for the infinitive in various languages such as Romanian, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Albanian, and Greek. The subjunctive can manifest in present, imperfect, perfect, and pluperfect tenses in most languages. However, Romanian has more limited combinations, employing only the present and perfect tenses. Despite these differences, the subjunctive shares structural, semantic, and usage similarities across Balkan languages. The use of the subjunctive in optative sentences is a common feature in Balkan languages, conveying achievable desires in the present and strong but unrealizable wishes in the past. This paper aims to broaden the research on the Balkan-type subjunctive by illustrating parallels in the modal values of this mood in Romanian and Bulgarian in independent optative sentences. The research underscores numerous correspondences in the use of the subjunctive in optative sentences in Romanian and Bulgarian. In both languages, within the optative context, the subjunctive expresses various sentiments such as desire, wishes, regret, protest, and indignation. The expression of both factual and counterfactual desires using present and past subjunctive forms is also similar in both languages. The present forms of the subjunctive express a factual desire, meaning an achievable wish that could be fulfilled in the future. The present subjunctive forms are very often encountered in idiomatic expressions that convey wishes and imprecations. Many similarities are noted between expressions in the two languages, both in terms of structure and in semantics and lexical means. The use of present subjunctive forms is not typical for expressing counterfactual wishes (unrealizable or difficult to achieve) but occurs in specific contexts. Wishes expressed through past subjunctive forms are counterfactual because the circumstances in which they could have been realized are omitted. Such statements convey the speaker's regret regarding an unfulfilled desire. In Romanian grammar, detailed treatment of the uses of the perfect subjunctive is lacking, but it is noted to have optative value. In Bulgarian, counterfactual wishes are expressed using three past tenses of the subjunctive – pluperfect, imperfect, and perfect. In this regard, the capabilities of the perfect subjunctive in Romanian stand out for expressing multiple meanings. With the exception of some meanings of the imperfect subjunctive in Bulgarian, the perfect subjunctive in Romanian can convey nearly all the meanings of the three past tenses in Bulgarian. The study highlights numerous similarities in the use of the subjunctive in Romanian and Bulgarian in optative sentences, offering observations that contribute to a deeper understanding of this mood within the field of Romanian, Bulgarian, and Balkan linguistics.

Neurodevelopmental Outcomes Following Childhood Viral Meningitis in Canterbury New Zealand.

Most childhood meningitis is viral in countries with widespread conjugate vaccine use. This study assessed clinical features and neurodevelopmental outcomes in preschool children following enteroviral and parechoviral meningitis. Children 18-42 months of age in Canterbury, New Zealand were included, who had enterovirus (EV) or parechovirus (HPEV) meningitis from 2015 to 2021. Comprehensive neurodevelopmental assessments were completed by a psychologist using the Bayley Scale for Infant Development-3 (BSID-3). Mean composite and scaled scores and proportion below the cutoff were assessed in each domain. Clinical data was analyzed. There were 79 children 18-42 months old with previous EV or HPEV meningitis. BSID assessments were completed for 33 children (55% male), median age 32 months, from 2019 to 2022 including 23 with EV and 10 HPEV meningitis. At diagnosis, 32 (97%) received intravenous/intramuscular antibiotics, and 6 received a fluid bolus. Parents reported developmental speech concerns in 6 children, and delayed motor milestones in 1 child. There was no reported sensorineural hearing loss. BSID mean composite scores were in the expected range for cognition 102 (confidence interval: 98-106), language 96 (93-100) and motor 102 (98-106) domains. Overall, 12/33 (36%) children had below expected scores in 1 developmental domain, including scores 1-2 SD below the normative mean for cognition (2/33; 6%), receptive language (6/33; 18%), expressive language (5/33; 15%) and gross motor (6/33; 18%). There were no differences between scores in EV and HPEV meningitis. Following viral meningitis, more than a third of preschool children had a mild developmental delay with comprehensive neurodevelopmental assessment, suggesting targeted follow-up should be considered.

BEYOND LITERAL INTERPRETATIONS: EXPLORING THE CULTURAL AND COGNITIVE DIMENSIONS OF ENGLISH BODY PARTS IDIOMS

The present study aims at unraveling the deep cultural and cognitive dimensions embedded within English idioms that relate to body parts. Through a systematic analysis of a comprehensive corpus compiled from diverse sources such as dictionaries and websites, it scrutinizes not only the literal interpretations of these idioms but also their socio-cultural significance and cognitive underpinnings. The findings highlighted the solid interplay between language, culture, and cognition, shedding light on how these body parts idiomatic expressions reflect and shape socio-cultural norms and cognitive processes. These idioms are revealed to be more than mere linguistic quirks; they serve as conduits for conveying shared experiences and cultural heritage. The findings of the present study not only enrich our understanding of language and culture but also offer practical implications for English as a foreign language education and cross-cultural communication. The insights gained from this investigation contribute to various fields, such as linguistics, cultural studies, cognitive science, and language education.

Study on the Translation of Verbal Humor in Bridget Jones’s Diary from the Perspective of Relevance Theory

Humor is a common phenomenon in daily life. Essentially, it is a special form of verbal communication. Since humor bears special language and cultural characteristics, the difficulty of translation is self-evident for translators. For many years, the translatability and untranslatability of humor have been the focus of the argument among scholars. Relevance theory attempts to explain the mechanism of humor generation and its translation from the perspective of cognition. Under the framework of relevance theory, this paper takes Bridget Jones's Diary and its Chinese version as the research object to explore the translation strategies of verbal humor, and evaluate whether the Chinese translation can represent the same humorous effect as the original. The results show that the translator adopts direct and indirect translation strategies when translating verbal humor, and the translation strategies have effectively achieved the same humorous effect as the original to some extent if the target language readers share the similar cognitive environment with the source language readers in some situations. Nevertheless, the humorous effects may not be fully conveyed in the target texts, especially when translating culturally loaded words and idiomatic expressions. In such cases, the author puts forward some tentative suggestions for improving the translated texts. The study makes an attempt to provide a feasibility analysis for the studies on translation of verbal humor in diary novels.

The Influence of Social and Developmental Factors on the Timing of Autism Spectrum Disorder Diagnosis of Preschool-Aged Children: Evidence from a Specialized Chilean Center.

We investigated the influence of developmental and social factors on the age of autismdiagnosis (AoD) in a cohort of toddlers living in Chile. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 509 preschool childrendiagnosed with autismspectrum disorder [M = 40.2months (SD = 8.6), girls: 32%] in the neurodevelopmental unit of a university clinic in Santiago, Chile (2015-2023). Structural changes in the annual trend of AoD were tested. Generalized linear models (gamma distribution)with and without interaction terms were used for themultivariate analysis, adjusting for gender, residential area, year of diagnosis, developmental variables (language regression, delayed walking, and use of expressive verbal language), andprimary caregiver age and education level (CEL). 95% confidence intervals of the unstandardized regression coefficients (B) were calculated using 1000 bootstrap resampling to estimate associations. AoD increased between2021-2022 and decreased in 2023. Female gender (B = 2.72 [1.21-4.23]), no history of language regression (B = 3.97 [1.66-6.28]), and the presence of expressive verbal languageat diagnosis (B = 1.57 [0.05-3.08]) were associated with higher AoD. Children whose caregivers had tertiary education were diagnosed earlier than those with ≤ 12years of formal education. Although the influence ofCEL increased with caregiver age, differences between CEL groups were significant only for caregivers aged ≥ 30years. Improved education and early screening for clinical features of autism among healthcare professionals and the community, with a focuson young childrenwithout highly apparent developmental concerns and those from vulnerable social groups, are warranted.

Technical Perspective: A Fresh Look at Stream Computation through DSP Glasses

Technical Perspective: A Fresh Look at Stream Computation through DSP Glasses

The Association Between Gastrointestinal Issues and Psychometric Scores in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Developmental Delays, Down Syndrome, and Typical Development.

Investigate the association between gastrointestinal (GI) issues and psychometric scores among children with developmental delays and typical development. We examined the association between GI issues and the Mullen Scale of Early Learning (MSEL), Vineland Adaptive Behavior Subscales (VABS), and Aberrant Behavior Checklist (ABC) scores from participants with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), Down syndrome (DS),other developmental delays (DD) and typical development (TD) from the CHildhood Autism Risk from Genetics and Environment (CHARGE) Study (n = 1603). Approximately 32% of children with ASD, 31% of children with DD, and 20% of children with DS reported at least one GI issue, compared to 7% of TD controls.Constipation was the most frequently reported symptom for the entire population, including controls. In general, GI issues correlated with poorer behavioral scores (decreased communication, daily living, socialization, and motor skills on the VABS, and increased irritability/agitation, lethargy/social withdrawal, stereotypic behavior, and hyperactivity/noncompliance on the ABC) among ASD cases. Analysis by sex indicated that GI issues also correlated with poorer cognitive scores (fine motor, receptive language, expressive language, and MSEL composite scores), and adaptive behavior (communication skills, daily living skills, motor, and VABS composite scores) among boys with DD, but not girls with DD-suggesting sex differences among DD cases. Even TD controls showed increased stereotypic behavior and social withdrawal in association with GI issues. However, GI issues were not correlated with impairments in psychometric scores among DS cases. Given that GI issues correlate with deficits in behavioral and cognitive scores, future studies should investigate the treatment of GI symptoms in children with ASD and DD.

Visual perception verbs in Old Anatolian Turkish

Abstract This study aims at describing the verbs of the visual sensory domain in Old Anatolian Turkish (oat), including basic and compound verb forms. We shall specifically focus on intra-field and trans-field meaning extensions of visual perception verbs such as baḳ-, naẓar et-, gör-, and görin-/gözük-. Our findings are based on a corpus consisting of 11 texts both in prose and poetry from the 13th to 15th centuries. There are mainly two types of verbs that conceptualise mental and emotive states through visual perception: one pertains to idiomatic expressions with göz ‘eye’, such as göz-(ün) aç- (eye-poss.acc open), göz-den düş- (eye-abl fall), and göz dut- (eye hold). The second form includes basic verbs including baḳ- (to look at), gör- (to see), naẓar et- (to look at) and gör-in-/göz-ük- (to appear). We shall show that visual perception constitutes a rich source for expressing emotive states, and the use of vision verbs for the expression of emotions is as productive as it is for mental states. Similar to Sweetser’s body is mind metaphor, we suggest that vision is emotion. The domain of visual perception in oat texts displays a strong connection to intellection; however, there is no evidence in our data indicating that the verbs gör- and baḳ- have meaning extension to ‘to know’. The phenomenon-based verbs görin- and gözük- have mainly two meaning extensions: one is related to physical existence, as in ‘occur’ and ‘appear’ in English. When these verbs co-occur with nouns and adjectives, they reflect the speakers’ judgements and beliefs by means of a metaphor.

Finnish district judges' assessments of live versus video-mediated party statements in court.

The increase in remote hearings after the COVID-19 pandemic presents an urgent need to examine how judges assess video-mediated witness and party statements compared with live statements. There is currently a limited body of research on this subject. As for the assessment itself, professionals within the judicial system sometimes believe they can detect deception based on visible cues such as body language and emotional expression. Research has, however, shown that lies cannot be detected based on such cues. The Finnish Supreme Court has also given rulings in accordance with the scientific literature. In this study, we used a survey to investigate how much importance a Finnish sample of district judges (N = 47) gave to several variables pertaining to the statement or the statement giver, such as body language and emotional expression. We also investigated the association between the judges' beliefs about the relevance of body language and emotional expression and their preference for live statements or statements via videoconference. The judges reported giving more importance to body language and emotional expression than legal psychology research and Finnish Supreme Court rulings would call for. Our results also indicated that there was a slight bias to assess live statements more favorably than statements given via videoconference, as well as a slight bias in favor of the injured party. More effort must be put into making judges and Supreme Courts aware of findings in legal psychology to avoid biases based on intuitive reasoning where it is contrary to scientific evidence.

NR4A2 as a Novel Target Gene for Developmental and Epileptic Encephalopathy: A Systematic Review of Related Disorders and Therapeutic Strategies.

The NR4A2 gene encodes an orphan transcription factor of the steroid-thyroid hormone-retinoid receptor superfamily. This review focuses on the clinical findings associated with the pathogenic variants so far reported, including three unreported cases. Also, its role in neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson's or Alzheimer's disease, is examined, as well as a brief exploration on recent proposals to develop novel therapies for these neurological diseases based on small molecules that could modulate NR4A2 transcriptional activity. The main characteristic shared by all patients is mild to severe developmental delay/intellectual disability. Moderate to severe disorder of the expressive and receptive language is present in at least 42%, while neuro-psychiatric issues were reported in 53% of patients. Movement disorders, including dystonia, chorea or ataxia, are described in 37% patients, although probably underestimated because of its frequent onset in late adolescence-young adulthood. Finally, epilepsy was surprisingly present in 42% of patients, being drug-resistant in three of them. The age at onset varied widely, from five months to twenty-six years, as did the classification of epilepsy, which ranged from focal epilepsy to infantile spasms or Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. Accordingly, we propose that NR4A2 should be considered as a first-tier target gene for the genetic diagnosis of developmental and epileptic encephalopathy.

A Systematic Review of Using Deep Learning in Aphasia: Challenges and Future Directions

In this systematic literature review, the intersection of deep learning applications within the aphasia domain is meticulously explored, acknowledging the condition’s complex nature and the nuanced challenges it presents for language comprehension and expression. By harnessing data from primary databases and employing advanced query methodologies, this study synthesizes findings from 28 relevant documents, unveiling a landscape marked by significant advancements and persistent challenges. Through a methodological lens grounded in the PRISMA framework (Version 2020) and Machine Learning-driven tools like VosViewer (Version 1.6.20) and Litmaps (Free Version), the research delineates the high variability in speech patterns, the intricacies of speech recognition, and the hurdles posed by limited and diverse datasets as core obstacles. Innovative solutions such as specialized deep learning models, data augmentation strategies, and the pivotal role of interdisciplinary collaboration in dataset annotation emerge as vital contributions to this field. The analysis culminates in identifying theoretical and practical pathways for surmounting these barriers, highlighting the potential of deep learning technologies to revolutionize aphasia assessment and treatment. This review not only consolidates current knowledge but also charts a course for future research, emphasizing the need for comprehensive datasets, model optimization, and integration into clinical workflows to enhance patient care. Ultimately, this work underscores the transformative power of deep learning in advancing aphasia diagnosis, treatment, and support, heralding a new era of innovation and interdisciplinary collaboration in addressing this challenging disorder.

On the Pragmatic Functions of the Idiomatic Expression ‘Tamam’ in Jordanian Arabic

This study investigates the pragmatic functions of the idiomatic expression Tamam (lit. ‘complete’) as used by university students who speak Jordanian Arabic (JA). To this end, the researchers developed an electronic questionnaire that contained 14 different situations/contexts, each illustrating one pragmatic function as identified and determined by the researchers. The questionnaire was distributed electronically via the WhatsApp application to 164 BA Jordanian students at The University of Jordan. The students were requested to pass intuitive judgements on the acceptability of these situations and related functions. The results showed that nine of the proposed functions were accepted by 70 per cent or more of the subjects, while five were accepted by 51-68 per cent. The former set of functions included expressing approval, seeking confirmation, showing understanding, expressing appreciation, showing joy and pleasure, showing tolerance, expressing sadness and submission, reassuring, and checking the attention of the addressee. The latter included expressing dissatisfaction, ending a conversation and expressing impatience, ridiculing/mocking, threatening, and expressing shock and disappointment. The study recommends that future research may examine the acceptability of such scenarios and functions among older generations (45+) with the aim of comparing the two aforementioned groups. Future research may also investigate the pragmatic functions of other idiomatic expressions in JA and other Arabic dialects.

Reduced lateralization of multiple functional brain networks in autistic males

BackgroundAutism spectrum disorder has been linked to a variety of organizational and developmental deviations in the brain. One such organizational difference involves hemispheric lateralization, which may be localized to language-relevant regions of the brain or distributed more broadly.Methods In the present study, we estimated brain hemispheric lateralization in autism based on each participant’s unique functional neuroanatomy rather than relying on group-averaged data. Additionally, we explored potential relationships between the lateralization of the language network and behavioral phenotypes including verbal ability, language delay, and autism symptom severity. We hypothesized that differences in hemispheric asymmetries in autism would be limited to the language network, with the alternative hypothesis of pervasive differences in lateralization. We tested this and other hypotheses by employing a cross-sectional dataset of 118 individuals (48 autistic, 70 neurotypical). Using resting-state fMRI, we generated individual network parcellations and estimated network asymmetries using a surface area-based approach. A series of multiple regressions were then used to compare network asymmetries for eight significantly lateralized networks between groups.ResultsWe found significant group differences in lateralization for the left-lateralized Language (d = -0.89), right-lateralized Salience/Ventral Attention-A (d = 0.55), and right-lateralized Control-B (d = 0.51) networks, with the direction of these group differences indicating less asymmetry in autistic males. These differences were robust across different datasets from the same participants. Furthermore, we found that language delay stratified language lateralization, with the greatest group differences in language lateralization occurring between autistic males with language delay and neurotypical individuals.ConclusionsThese findings evidence a complex pattern of functional lateralization differences in autism, extending beyond the Language network to the Salience/Ventral Attention-A and Control-B networks, yet not encompassing all networks, indicating a selective divergence rather than a pervasive one. Moreover, we observed an association between Language network lateralization and language delay in autistic males.

Harmonious learning: songs in English for ESP

Abstract The ubiquitous nature and diffusion of songs sung in English has meant that a great number of EFL and ESP students are listening to English and acquiring some notions about the language almost subconsciously. Such songs have also been incorporated into English as an L2 practice for, probably, almost as long as English has been taught as a foreign language. However, sometimes they are used as filler exercises or only as an exercise to keep the students happy. Slowly, songs have been gaining more acceptance as a valid didactic tool to be used in various moments of the general English L2 lesson and for various functions (Tegg 2018). This article reports on a project to use songs in English for Specific purposes lessons at an Italian university with students of two Master degree courses (Social Work and Social Policy; Sociology and Social Research). During the English modules, songs from various artists were specifically chosen and language-learning exercises devised around them to be used in almost every lesson for different learning objectives: these included introducing a new subject, presenting and revising grammar, learning individual words or short phrases including idiomatic expressions, as lead-ins to discussions. At the end of the course, the students completed a questionnaire aimed at eliciting their opinions about the use of songs in ESP lessons. The results indicate that the use of popular songs is an effective tool in an ESP lesson and that their inclusion can help motivate students as well as help them learn.