Non-written Language Research Articles

Deaf Signers’ Processing of the Sentence: An Indicator of Their Specific Pathway to the Written Word?

This article addresses the issue of access to the written word for deaf people whose main language is sign language. We question the status of sentence processing in the acquisition of a written language by deaf people, visual beings par excellence. This written language is both the written form of another language (namely a vocal language) and another modality, that of writing (as opposed to the oral form of language i.e., the face-to-face form of language), which they have not experienced in their own, non-written language. We highlight two points in the literature that we feel are crucial to addressing this issue: first, the significant linguistic distance between their L1 (SL) and their L2 (written vocal language), which severely limits the possibility of positive transfer from one to the other; and secondly, the evidence of a cognitive functioning specific to deaf people, marked in particular by higher processing capacities in the visual domain. Based on the results of two studies on the written output of deaf people, we suggest that particularities in the acquisition of the sentence are closely linked both to the structure of SL and to the visual functioning of this population. Finally, we emphasize the importance of using sign language as a metalanguage in teaching writing to deaf signers.

Шугнанский перевод сказки Вильгельма Гауфа «Маленький Мук»

This article presents the Shughnani translation of “Little Muck”, a fairy tale by the 19th century German writer Wilhelm Hauff. This is the story of a tiny man whose appearance causes others to make fun of him. When he comes into possession of a pair of magic shoes, Muck’s hopes of attaining happiness are close, but then envious people take the shoes away. With the help of some magic fruit, Muck gets his shoes back and punishes the offenders. In the 1930s, as part of the Soviet campaign to create alphabets for non-written languages of the Mountainous Badakhshan Autonomous Region, work began on an alphabet and writing system for the Shughnani language based on the Roman script. Based on this alphabet, primers, educational books, and translated literature were published in the Shughnani language. “Little Muсk” was translated into Shughnani and published in 1938. Here it is presented according to the 1938 edition of the Shughnani text. The text is accompanied by morphemic glossing, using the currently accepted system of Iranian transcription in Roman script with addi‑ tional characters, and a translation into Russian. The presentation of the text in this format makes it suitable for use in comparative language research, as well as in research related to intertextuality.

Megrelian conjunction -ni «that» in hypotactic constructions: main and secondary meanings

The paper analyzes the functions of the conjunction -ni “that” in hypotactic constructions based on the material of the Megrelian language. The issue is significant from two viewpoints: Megrelian is an oral, non-written language; the conjunction -ni is a clitic. It is well known that a clitic is very flexible from the viewpoint of information(grammatical-pragmatic). Hence, apart from the chief meaning, in oral speech, secondary meaning is frequently applied. The Megrelian conjunction-clitic -ni easily performs both functions – the chief and secondary functions. Multifunctional nature of -ni is due to its generic meaning. The hypotactic construction with the conjunction -ni is also specific due to the peculiar order of the main and subordinate clauses: constructions of this type are characterized by the shift of the syntactic boundary. In such cases, the typologist linguistics chiefly note that the subordinate clause is shifted to the left. In this regard, Megrelian has revealed a different situation: the position of the subordinate clause does not make a difference in Megrelian. Whether it follows the main clause or precedes it, the traditional syntactic boundary may be destroyed in both cases.

A-41 Not Just a “Clumsy” Kid: A Case Study of Developmental Coordination Disorder

Abstract Objective Developmental Discoordination Disorder (DCD) is an often overlooked and seldom diagnosed neurodevelopmental condition marked by impairments in motor skills. Lacking identifiable medical or neurological etiology, children with DCD often have preserved intellectual abilities. Comorbidity is common, including ADHD and specific learning disability. Despite extensive evidence of significant impact on daily activities and academics due to differences in motor behaviors, DCD difficulties are regularly treated as behavioral problems. Method Neuropsychological evaluation of an 8-year-old boy with a possible reading delay and inability to perform some age-appropriate academic and self-care tasks. Results Average overall ability with very strong verbal performances; intact visual perceptual processing, memory, and non-written language. Academics are within expected range, although graphomotor weakness impacted academic performances on tasks with written demands. Patient appeared clumsy and awkward with low muscle tone, poor balance, and difficulty learning new motor skills. Impaired fine motor control, handwriting, gait, gross motor skills, motor planning, coordination, and oromotor weakness as well as inferior verbal language abilities were evident. Impulsivity, inattention, poor planning, and poor self-monitoring were also evident. Conclusions DCD is evidenced by impairment in fine and gross motor skills, oromotor skills, motor planning, energy, and coordination with clear discrepancy between motor abilities and abilities in other areas, specifically language. In our case, DCD features were overlooked despite wide ranging impact. ADHD and SLD with impairment in written expression were concurrent. This case highlights the need for greater appreciation of DCD so that children can benefit from early detection and intervention considering the life-long implications of the disorder.

Правила орфографии для младописьменного языка: случай кильдинского саамского

The article discusses principles for designing alphabets and spelling rules for non-written languages, taking into account their sociolinguistic status. The negative experience of spelling rules developed for the Kildin Saami language is analyzed.

Messages, Texts, and Rhetorical Detachment in Contemporary Mahri Poetry

Despite its geographical and linguistic proximity to the Arabic language, the Mahri (or Mehri) language (ISO 639-3: gdq) of Eastern Yemen and Western Oman has remained a non-written language into the present era. While older generations of Mahri speakers never considered the prospect of a written idiom for their language, recent years have witnessed efforts to compose and circulate texts in the Mahri language. These circumstances have yielded a poetic praxis that traverses the domains of orality and literacy; they also enable us to identify lexical and syntactic characteristics that betoken where in the shifting terrain of oral and literary composition a poetic work occurs. I will examine the appearance of one such lexical and structural motif – the dispatched messenger – in a recently composed collection of Mahri language poetry, The Dīwān of Ḥājj Dākōn (2011). Embarking from the notion of textual autonomy developed by Chafe, Olson, and Tannen, I argue that the sudden appearance of the messenger motif in Ḥājj Dākōn’s poetic collection is a by-product of his adoption of a written practice. In this way, we can establish that a stance of rhetorical detachment is a hallmark feature of an emergent written practice, even at its earliest stages.

Review to the “Kryz-Azerbaijani-English Dictionary”

In February 2020, a unique publication came out under the title “Kryz-Azerbaijani-English dictionary”, prepared by I. A. Gummetov and M. Rind-Pavlovsky. The publication was presented on February 8, 2020 in the Khachmas ethnographic Museum in Azerbaijan with the invitation of the Kryz intelligence and representatives of the Khachmas city hall. Employees of the Tsadasa Institute of language, literature and art of the Russian Academy of Sciences were also invited to the presentation of the dictionary in Azerbaijan. The present dictionary is exceptional in its originality and completeness as far as the various lexical units are concerned from the point of their description and specification. The Kryz language is one of the non-written Lezgian languages of the Nakh-Dagestan language family. The Kryz language is used in the household sphere. The reviewed book with a description of the Kryz language lexemes consists of an introduction, two chapters, a list of abbreviations, and an Appendix. The description of the Kryz language lexemes is confirmed by thematic indexes from the Azerbaijani and English languages. The dictionary entry includes grammatical and stylistic characteristics of the three languages. In general, the dictionary is characterized by a consistent description of both the vocabulary and toponymy of the non-written language. Keywords: the Kryz language, I. A. Gummetov, M. Rind-Pavlovsky, dictionary, description of lexemes

Construction with adverbial participle clauses in the Kadar language

This article is dedicated to examination of polypredicative constructions formed by means of adverbial participle clause in one of the non-written languages of Dargin group – the Kadar language. The goal of this work is to describe the preterite adverbial participles used in formation of circumstantial subordinate clauses, study the problems of co-reference, and establish the key factors that affect the reduction of the co-referential element or its substitution with demonstrative pronoun. Main attention is turned to determination of grammatically correct constructions with adverbial participle clauses with co-referential element. The article employs the methods of synchronic description and field linguistics. The research material was accumulated during the 2019 expedition to Kadar rural localities of Karamakhi and Chankurbe of Buynaksky District of the Republic of Dagestan. The novelty consists in the fact that this work is first to examine the problems of co-reference in constructions with adverbial participle clauses, identification of factors that affect the reduction or substitution of co-referential element,  as well as determination of all grammatically correct sentences with adverbial participle clause that function in polypredicative constructions of the Kadar language. For solution of this problem, the author created the tables that considered the semantic role of predicate actants of superordinate and subordinate parts, position of subordinate part in relation to superordinate part, and the proximity of subordinate part to co-referential element in superordinate part in the compound sentence. As a result, the author establishes the positions with most and least grammatically correct constructions. The presented materials can be used in studying this type of compound sentences in other Dargin and Dagestanian languages.

KRYZ ETUDES: CRITERIA FOR FILLING ONOMASTIC DATA IN THE LEZGIN LANGUAGES

The article examines the criteria for filling the database of the Kryz language, carried out by the analysis of the Kryz-Azerbaijani-English dictionary. A unique thematic publication prepared by I. A. Gummetov and M. Rind-Pavlovsky was published in Azerbaijan in February 2020. Speaking about a special ethnographic type of dictionary, it is impossible to ignore the description of toponymic data of the Kryz language in the non-written Lezgin language. The main sources for describing the vocabulary of the non-written language were data on the toponymy of Azerbaijan.

NATIONAL LANGUAGE POLICY IN THE POST-SOVIET PERIOD OF DAGHESTAN

The article analyzes the national language policy of the post-Soviet period of Daghestan, considers the necessary conditions for survival of the national languages with different social status and the prospects of their coexistence with the languages of the more numerous peoples. The problems connected with the language policy are investigated, the reasons of the occurring process of disappearance of non-written languages are analyzed and the conditions under which their preservation is possible are discussed.

Analysis of Language Legislation of All 85 Russian Federation’s Subjects (Regions)

The analysis of the language legislation of all 85 subjects of the Russian Federation shows complete heterogeneity and diversity. Common legal guidelines in Federal law do not exist, because Federal legislation is obsolete and is largely whitespace and conflict. The subjects of the Russian Federation, on whose territory different ethnic groups, both large and indigenous, historically live, solve the problem of preservation and development of the languages of these peoples on their own. This activity leads to the fact that the unique languages of the peoples of the Russian Federation, especially those that do not have a written language, are gradually disappearing and are in danger of complete disappearance. The absence of Federal full-fledged language legislation that would guarantee funding, the possibility of full-scale scientific research of languages, the creation of alphabets for rare non-written languages and a whole range of other measures of state support, leads to the fact that we in Russia today do not even know a clear number of languages of the peoples of Russia. Two now existing law at the Federal level is absolutely not govern the scope of the considered relations. The constitutional consolidation of the possibility of granting state status to the languages of the peoples of the republics that are part of the Russian Federation does not guarantee the preservation of these languages. On the contrary, this situation may lead to the fact that the Russian Federation will have 55 state languages, which will significantly complicate the state structure of our already complex country. In addition, the presence of many state languages is also a cause of ethnic tension. The research conducted by the author allows to formulate a number of conclusions and proposals, among which the main place is the need for a full-scale language reform in the Russian Federation.

Digital Dictionary Development for Torwali, A Less-studied Language: Process and Challenges

Torwali is an endangered and less-studied language spoken in the north of Pakistan. Recently, the community celebrated publication of the first ever Torwali dictionary both in print and an online version. This paper discusses issues and challenges regarding lexicography of a previously non-written language; from data collection by the native speakers having no set goals and training or institutional support, to organization and presentation of the data for producing multiple versions of the dictionary. The first section describes the process of developing the database using the methods of wordlists and semantic domains. The proceeding sections describe the technical development of its printed and online version in detail, and discuss orthographical, technical, computational and social concerns of the project. The paper concludes with recommendations for future dimensions of the present work and for similar projects with special consideration to lexicographical work on non-written languages.

Продукты питания и напитки сельскохозяйственного происхождения в годоберинском языке

Godoberi (self-name gibdidi) is one of the ethnic groups of Dagestan, in terms of language and cultural development, which belong to the Andian subgroup of the Avaro-Ando-Tsezy subgroup of Nakh-Dagestan languages. Godoberians live compactly only in two villages in the north of Dagestan - in Zibirkhali and Godoberi. Godoberians speak a non-written language (gibdidi mizzi). Nevertheless, the speech of the inhabitants of the villages of Godoberi and Zibirhali differs, making up two dialects, each of which has a number of phonetic and lexical features. According to rough estimates, the total number of Godoberians is about 8 thousand people. The language is threatened with extinction, as it is a common language among a limited number of native speakers. The Avar language is studied in the school as the native language, the official language of the Godoberians is Russian.

Mehrsprachigkeit in Algerien, zwischen dem Proklamierten und dem Erlebten

Multilingualism in Algeria between the proclaimed and the experienced
 In the Maghreb, the term Arabization is synonymous to the restoration of the Arabic language. Why? The mother tongue of the Algerian population is Arabic or one of the Berber languages, depending on the region. As non-written languages, mother tongues come in numerous varieties, sometimes referred to as dialects. Before colonization, the only written language was what is known as classical or written Arabic, introduced along with Islam in the seventh century. Later, spoken and written French was forced to become the official language of the country. In this paper, we will discuss the coexistence of these varieties within the Algerian context between what is proclaimed and reality.

Building Capacity to Address Women's Health Issues in the Mixtec and Zapotec Community

IntroductionMixtecs and Zapotecs are indigenous populations from Mexico. Many are unable to read and write, and speak only their native nonwritten languages, Mixteco and Zapoteco. About one-half of California's indigenous farm worker population is estimated to be Mixteco-speaking (82,000–125,000), and about 20,000 Mixtecs and a smaller number of Zapotecs live in Ventura County. ObjectivesA community–academic partnership conducted mixed-methods research with the aims of 1) collecting preliminary data on women's health needs, 2) training promotoras to assist with this effort, and 3) engaging community members and obtaining their input through community dialogues. MethodsPromotoras who were bilingual in Spanish and either Mixteco or Zapoteco were trained to conduct surveys that included questions on breast feeding and receipt of breast and cervical cancer screening examinations. Barriers to and facilitators of women obtaining these cancer screening tests were discussed in small groups. ResultsIn 2013, 813 Mixtec and Zapotec women completed surveys. Although most women reported breast feeding (94%), and receipt of a pelvic examination (85%) and a breast examination (72%), only 44% of women 40 years and older had ever heard of and 33% had ever had a mammogram. Community members recommended offering free mammograms on the weekend by female providers, having women accompanied by promotoras who can translate, conducting door-to-door outreach, advertising cancer screening on the radio and providing small incentives to women. DiscussionTrained bilingual promotoras can assist in increasing the capacity of indigenous communities to conduct collaborative research by engaging community members and collecting local data.

Social determinants of health in the Mixtec and Zapotec community in Ventura County, California.

IntroductionThere are an estimated 165,000 indigenous Mexicans living in California, including Mixtec and Zapotec immigrant farm workers. Because many of these immigrants speak only their native non-written languages, there is little information about the needs of this community. An academic-community partnership research team developed a survey to assess basic needs that are known to be social determinants of health in the Mixtec and Zapotec community in Ventura County.MethodsIn summer 2013, Spanish-Mixteco and Spanish-Zapoteco bilingual promotoras conducted surveys in Spanish, Mixteco and Zapoteco in the greater Oxnard area in Ventura County, California to assess the following basic needs: ability of adults and children to obtain health services; household needs regarding work opportunities, food, housing, transportation, safety and education; and discrimination. Independent variables included respondent characteristics such as age, gender, marital status, living part of the year in another city, and household characteristics such as Spanish spoken in the household, number of household members and number of health care providers/agencies used. Several sets of analyses examined the relationship between basic needs and independent variables.ResultsRespondents (N = 989) reported insufficient employment opportunities (74%), food for the family (59%) or housing (48%), lack of transportation (59%), and discrimination or bullying (34%). Most reported access to medical care for children (90%), but only 57% of respondents were able to get health care for themselves.ConclusionsMany basic needs in the Mixtec and Zapotec community in Ventura County are unmet. It will require many different resources and services to address the needs of this community and to overcome longstanding inequities that are experienced by immigrant farm workers. Our findings will guide the development of future health programs and will serve as a baseline to evaluate the impact of services to improve the health conditions in this community.

Social Languages of the Skin

Visual imagery has merged with philosophical structures to build the scale of a non-written language in which thoughts are metaphorically transferred beyond the brain's barriers in a series of texts that allow the exercise of a daily conversation; these are physical forms that contain vivid visual representations, and the whole is a semantization of the body. The signs of the skin and of the body and their grammatical derivations achieve a loyal semblance of the ideas that they represent; they are therefore considered iconic forms of which metaphoric typology and intrinsic beauty are elements that one must stop and reflect upon, because they are very important accounts of human nature and human socialization through body language. This article is based on the principles of hermeneutics. While theory on the phenomenon of understanding, hermeneutics has integrated a number of models, without systematic implications of the methods of the natural sciences if they are to make valid or appropriate to approach the objects of knowledge rules, however, these actions do not complete the generic theoretical reflection on the act of understanding and interpreting texts, it is not hermeneutic. (Schokel 1994, 16) Hermeneutics express prior conceptualization of mediation of meaning, but the exercise of interpretation is based on the hermeneutical principles. The previous interpretations is precisely the sign of his character to be. As constitutive and certainly decisive element of interpretation, which itself is one with being here, shares his character of being: being - possible, a tangible and concrete being-possible which varies according to the factually according the situation to which is directed the hermeneutic dialogue. (Heidegger 1999, 35) Hermeneutics is the framework from which the possibility of interpreting the visual arts. Interpretation is present, is based on multiple media manifestations of graphic messages on their references and modifications of visuality and behavior; hermeneutics well considered it will be daily and will vary in their procedures under the terms of apprehension of the world, context, characteristics and intentions.

Evaluation of a Diabetes Education Video Among the Tz'utujil Maya in Guatemala

The prevalence of diabetes is rising throughout Latin America, particularly in the Tz’utujil Maya town of Santiago Atitlan, Guatemala. Major gaps in biomedical knowledge about the causes, chronicity, and long-term complications of diabetes have been reported in rural Guatemala among diabetes patients. In one rural Guatemalan study, respondents believed that ‘‘strong emotions’’ caused diabetes. Diabetes education services are limited in Santiago Atitlan, as the primary language for 94% of the population is Tz’utujil Maya, one of 21 distinct Mayan dialects spoken in Guatemala, and few biomedical clinicians are conversant in this non-written language. To address this need, a health education video was developed for a target audience of Tz’utujil-speaking community residents living with type 2 diabetes mellitus for use by the local hospital and other healthcare posts. Health education videos are an increasingly utilized medium of communication, with over 500 American hospitals currently having produced publicly available health education videos. The purpose of this letter is to provide an evaluation for this Tz’utujil-language diabetes education video. Mixed qualitative and quantitative methods for this study included semistructured interviews and preand post-testing of the video’s content immediately before and after the video screening as a rough metric of understanding and retention. The stratified random sample included 20 community residents (stratified as 17 urban and three rural) who were selected via randomly generated Global Positioning System points on a satellite map of the town. A Tz’utujil–Spanish translator was present to assist with each semistructured interview. Responses from the interviews were captured on digital audio recordings and paper-based field notes. Interviews were conducted between 09:00 and 15:00 h Monday– Friday in March 2010 and typically lasted 30–60 min. SPSS version 12.0 for Windows (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL) was used to analyze preand post-video responses using v tests and t tests for comparisons of means. The study was approved by the Committee on Human Research at the University of California, San Francisco and the Mayor and Ministry of Health of Santiago Atitlan, Guatemala.

Language and gender in Moroccan urban areas

A central issue in the interaction between language and gender in Morocco is urbanity. The written languages, namely Modern Standard Arabic and French, are the languages of institutions which have always been closely linked to urban areas, the typical loci of knowledge and power. Non-written languages, namely Berber and Moroccan colloquial Arabic, are represented as rural and indigenous because they are unlearned and are associated with rural areas, particularly Berber. Unlike the latter, Modern Standard Arabic and French are powerful because they are elitist, given their relation to education, government, and religion (Modern Standard Arabic). Berber and Moroccan Arabic are considered low or powerless because they lack the above-mentioned qualities and they are unimportant for social promotion. Language representations in Morocco are also important because they interact in significant ways with gender. Whereas Modern Standard Arabic and French are associated with public space, Berber and Moroccan Arabic are linked to private space, which happens to be the typical space of women; given the correlation between women, native tongues, and private space. However, with women's access to free education and to work in postcolonial Morocco, the notion of space changed, resulting in the recent mass feminization of the public sphere and women's access to “urban” languages, i.e., French and Modern Standard Arabic. As women have become more active in public life and the public sphere in general, they are considerably contributing to linguistic change and diversity and intensely instigating significant social changes.

From Color Naming to a Language Space: An Analysis of Data from the World Color Survey

AbstractThe World Color Survey was a large-scale cross-cultural experiment in which informants used the color lexicons of 110 non-written languages to label a standard set of stimuli. Here those data are explored with a novel analysis which focuses on the averaged location of boundaries within the stimulus set, revealing the system of color categories native to each language. A quantitative index of inter-language similarity was defined, comparing these average boundaries. Analyzing the similarities among color-naming patterns led to a 'language space', in which languages are grouped into clusters according to linguistic families (i.e., descent from common ancestors). This implies that each language's departures from the cross-cultural consensus about color categories are systematic (non-random). Given the non-unanimity about the color lexicon within languages, the persistence of these language families across the course of linguistic evolution is paradoxical.