Person Marking Research Articles

Narrating the unspeakable. Person marking and focalization in Nabokov's short story ‘Signs and Symbols’

Abstract This article investigates the interaction of person marking and focalization in the short story ‘Signs and Symbols’ (first published 1948, The New Yorker) by Russian-American author Vladimir Nabokov. This story has been studied extensively for its symbolism, its metafictional aspect, and its narrative structure. However, researchers have consequently ignored its most striking linguistic features: the almost exclusive use of pronouns in referring to the main characters and their characterization solely through lexical expressions focusing on outward appearances. This article offers a cognitive-stylistic analysis of these linguistic features in order to explain why many readers of ‘Signs and Symbols’ report a feeling of uncanniness while reading. Drawing on insights both from empirical linguistics and literary studies, the article aims to explain the role of pronominal expressions and deictic descriptions in reader's theme-construction and affective response to the text.

Language contact in Jharkhand: Linguistic convergence between Munda and Indo-Aryan in eastern-central India

The present study takes a closer look at language convergence in Jharkhand in eastern-central India, concentrating on Indo-Aryan and Munda languages. Although it is well-known that the Indo-Aryan languages which function as linguae francae in the region – such as Sadri, Bengali and Oriya – have had an enormous impact on the morphosyntax and lexicon of the Munda languages, in this study I call attention to a number of convergences which to my knowledge have so far gone unnoticed, many of which appear to originate in Munda, while others are of uncertain origin. These include, among others, the emergence of inalienable possession as a morphological category and incipient dual marking in the pronominal paradigm in Sadri, similarities in categories denoting 'from' and 'to' or 'begin' and 'keep on', as well as a number of interesting areal developments of the genitive, including 3rd person marking, focus marking, or becoming part of the copular stem in several languages of the region.

BNP and NT-proBNP as prognostic markers in persons with acute decompensated heart failure: a systematic review.

A systematic review was undertaken to examine the evidence for B-type natriuretic peptides (BNP and NT-proBNP) as independent predictors of mortality, morbidity, or combined mortality and morbidity outcomes in persons with acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF). Electronic databases (Medline(®), Embase™, AMED, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and CINAHL) were searched from 1989 to June 2012. Reference lists of included articles, systematic reviews, and the gray literature were also searched. English language studies were eligible if they included subjects with ADHF and measured BNP/NT-proBNP using FDA approved assays. Standardized forms were used to select studies, extract data, and assess risk of bias. Seventy-nine studies, ranging over followup intervals from 14days to 7years, evaluating levels of BNP (n=38), NT-proBNP (n=35), or both (n=6) were eligible. The majority of studies predicted mortality outcomes for admission BNP/NT-proBNP levels, with fewer studies evaluating serial, change from admission, or discharge levels. In general, higher levels of admission BNP or NT-proBNP predicted greater risk for all outcomes. Decreased levels post-admission predicted decreased risk. Overall, these studies were rated as having moderate risk of bias. This systematic review shows that BNP and NT-proBNP are independent predictors of mortality (all-cause and cardiovascular) in ADHF despite different cutpoints, time intervals, and prognostic models. Findings for morbidity and composite outcomes were less frequently evaluated and showed inconsistency. Further research is required to assess cutpoints for admission, serial measurements, change following admission, and discharge levels to assist clinical decision-making.

The social importance of a kiss: a Honnethian reading of David Levithan's young adult novel, Two Boys Kissing

ABSTRACTAlthough trends in young adult literature (YAL) indicate that authors are constructing more positive renditions of gay characters, curricular and pedagogical choices seem to remain quite unsympathetic and “conservative,” reproducing harmful stereotypes. This paper contends that the kiss in YAL can symbolize the physical, social, and moral manifestation of same-sex desire, and thus functions as a personal, social, and moral marker of one's relation to oneself and to others. To aid our discussion, we employ Axel Honneth's theory of recognition. Integrating Honneth's theory of recognition with lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer and questioning (LGBTQ) young adult novels offers researchers the potential to conduct literary analysis that offers readers, teachers, and students new or alternative “readings” of LGBTQ individuals as well as the social constraints that obstruct social recognition for everyone within a given space. This paper provides a brief literature review of LGBTQ YAL in education and then explicates Honneth's theory of recognition, followed by an application of Honneth's theory to David Leviathan's novel, Two Boys Kissing.

BNP and NT-proBNP as prognostic markers in persons with chronic stable heart failure.

Prognosis permits clinicians to separate persons with heart failure (HF) into subgroups based on likely health outcomes. Treatment is partly guided by these likely outcomes. This systematic review explores whether brain natriureticpeptide (BNP) and N-terminal proBNP (NT-proBNP) are independent predictors of prognosis in persons with chronic stable HF. We electronically searched Medline, Embase, AMED, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and CINAHL for English-language articles published between 1989 and mid-2012. We utilized trained reviewers and standardized forms to screen articles for inclusion and extracted data from included articles. All included studies were summarized in narrative and tabular form. We used the Hayden criteria to assess the risk of bias. Sixteen BNP publications and 88 NT-proBNP publications were included in the systematic review. BNP was positively associated with all-cause and HF mortality. NT-proBNP was positively associated with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. BNP and NT-proBNP levels are useful for estimating prognosis in persons with chronic stable HF. Further research is required to establish optimal cutpoints and to assess whether prognostic effects differ by age, sex, or time period.

Second person verb forms in Tibeto-Burman

Since the beginning of research on the PTB verb agreement, 2nd person marking has posed a persistent problem. Every scholar who has dealt with the problem reconstructs a set of person/number suffixes including 2sg #-n(a). But there is also strong evidence for a #t‑prefix which also indexes 2nd person. My purpose in this paper is to summarize the results of a number of descriptions and analyses which have appeared over the last decade or so, which provide new evidence concerning the #t‑prefix, and resolve some of the problems which had previously impeded our understanding of this form. I will show that there were two distinct verb forms used for 2nd person reference in PTB. In the final section of the paper I will speculate about the implications of this fact.

Subject marking interrupted: Perturbations from the development of Northern Mao’s future tense suffix

Northern Mao, an Omotic-Mao language of Ethiopia, exhibits three partially overlapping but distinct subject-marking paradigms in its verbal system: subject prefixes on realis verbs which correspond closely to free pronouns, subject suffixes on irrealis negative non-future verbs which exhibit regular changes from the realis prefixes, and a third, more divergent, subject suffix system on irrealis future verbs which exhibits an [m] form not attested as a person marker elsewhere in the language or extended family. It is argued (from internal evidence) that the irrealis future verbs developed from a periphrastic subordinate + final verb complexes and that the intrusive [m] was, at an earlier stage, part of a subordinating morpheme.

The Pragmatic Role Of Meta-Discourse Markers In The Attainment Of Persuasion: A Study Of An Iranian Newspaper Advertisement Headlines

The present study aimed at investigating the persuasive role of metadiscourse markers in an Iranian newspaper advertisement headlines; say, Hamshari. To achieve the afore-mentioned purpose, the study adopted Fuertes-Olivera, et. al. (2001)s framework of pragmatic elements of advertising which is, in turn, adapted based on Jakobsonian communication model of the advertising discourse, and Fuertes-Olivera et al. (2001)s framework suggesting different functions of metadiscourse in advertising English. The selected examples showed that while textual metadiscourse helps addressees to interpret headlines within the constraints of genre and epistemology, interpersonal metadiscourse provides a kind of balance between informing and persuading the addressees. Moreover, the findings indicated a variety of metadiscourse strategies used by the advertisers in order to persuade prospective customers, including person markers, hedges, emphatics, endophoric markers and evidents. Regarding pedagogical implications, the present study attempted to broaden the pragmatics of advertising discourse and to stress the important role of metadiscourse in EFL courses.

Metadiscourse Markers Misuses; A Study of EFL Learners’ Argumentative Essays

The present study was conducted to investigate the misuses of two main categories of metadiscourse markers used by a group of university students. To this end, 50 EFL learners of intermediate language proficiency level were chosen by means of administering a TOEFL proficiency test. The participants were female junior students majoring in English literature at Kerman Azad University.These learners were regarded as intermediate ones scoring 400-550 in the proficiency test. Then, the learners were provided with an argumentative topic to write a 250-word essay in 45 minutes. The number of misuses of metadiscourse markers were counted with regard to their use of textual and interpersonal markers of this kind, and the subcategories of textual (logical connectives, frame markers, endophoric markers, evidentials, and code glosses), and the subcategories of interpersonal metadiscourse markers (hedges, emphatics, attitude markers, relational markers, and person markers). Moreover, different classifications of misuses were explored. The results of Chi-square analysis indicated that misuses of metadiscourse makers can be due to overuse of these markers (e.g. logical connective and person markers), punctuation,interlingua, and intralinguaerrors. Finally, using a Pearson correlation to investigate the correlation between the participants’ TOEFL score and essay score, it was concluded that language proficiency has a positive relationship with the uses of metadiscourse markers and essays quality.

Bem-estar Subjetivo, Personalidade e Vivências Acadêmicas em Estudantes Universitários

O objetivo deste estudo foi investigar se vivências acadêmicas positivas estão associadas com o bem-estar subjetivo (BES) de universitários, bem como as relações entre as vivências acadêmicas e a personalidade. Mais especificamente, procurou-se avaliar o quanto as variáveis de vivências acadêmicas predizem a variância do BES controlando o efeito dos fatores de personalidade. Participaram do estudo 227 universitários (59% mulheres e 41% homens). Os instrumentos utilizados foram um questionário sobre vivências acadêmicas, adjetivos marcadores reduzidos da personalidade, uma escala de satisfação de vida e uma escala de afetos positivos e negativos. Os resultados mostraram que a personalidade é o preditor mais saliente do bem-estar subjetivo. Porém, foram verificadas correlações significativas entre vivências acadêmicas e bem-estar subjetivo.

The stability of adult personality varies across age: Evidence from a two-year longitudinal sample of adult New Zealanders

We model developmental patterns in the stability of Big-Six personality markers over a two-year period in a multi-cohort panel study of adult New Zealanders (n=3910). Structural Equation Models testing patterns of linear, quadratic and cubic effects identified considerable variation in the stability of most aspects of personality across the adult age range (20–80years). Agreeableness showed a slight linear decrease in consistency with increasing age. Extraversion, Conscientiousness, Neuroticism, Openness to Experience, and Honesty–Humility exhibited quadratic ‘inverted U’ patterns of rank-order stability. Unlike Agreeableness, the two-year consistency of these other personality dimensions increased from young adulthood towards middle age, then decreased as people progressed toward old age. Implications for personality research and emerging trends are discussed.

Personality Resilience Following a Natural Disaster

We examine changes in the Big Six personality markers (Extraversion, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, Emotional Stability, Openness to Experience, and Honesty–Humility) before and after the 2010/2011 Christchurch earthquakes in a longitudinal study of New Zealand residents (N = 3,914). Results show remarkable stability in personality, save for one exception: Those who were affected by the earthquakes evidenced a slight decrease in Emotional Stability over the 2-year test–retest period relative to those unaffected by the earthquakes. These findings indicate that most aspects of personality are resilient following a major natural disaster. The slight decrease in Emotional Stability, however, points to a possible increase in vulnerability to depression and anxiety for those affected by the earthquakes. Our study provides important insights into a central question about stability and change in personality following major life events.

Um . . . Who Like Says You Know

Filler words ( I mean, you know, like, uh, um) are commonly used in spoken conversation. The authors analyzed these five filler words from transcripts recorded by a device called the Electronically Activated Recorder (EAR), which sampled participants’ language use in daily conversations over several days. By examining filler words from 263 transcriptions of natural language from five separate studies, the current research sought to clarify the psychometric properties of filler words. An exploratory factor analysis extracted two factors from the five filler words: filled pauses ( uh, um) and discourse markers ( I mean, you know, like). Overall, filled pauses were used at comparable rates across genders and ages. Discourse markers, however, were more common among women, younger participants, and more conscientious people. These findings suggest that filler word use can be considered a potential social and personality marker.

Molecular-genetic polymorphisms of serotonin system and COMT as molecular markers of personality in young men from Russia

The gene-molecular approach may add substantially to our understanding of the heritability and environmental loading on the Big-five personality traits. Self-ratings on NEO Form S (Costa-McCrae, 1992) were obtained for the sample of 79 young men. All respondents provided buccal-epithelium for DNA analyses. The associations of tree genes connected to the circulation of brain serotonin (5HTT, HTR1A, HTR2) and dopamine (COMT) with self-ratings on the Big-five factors were tested. The regression analyses with all four genes as independent factors and each of five personality factors as dependent variables were conducted. The association of the serotonin receptor, HTR2 with Neuroticism factor was significant ( p = 0.042), the high activity alleles prevailed in carriers of higher emotional stability. The allelic polymorphism in the gene of serotonin promoter, 5HTTLPR, was associated with Openness to experience ( p = 0.029), in such a way that carriers of low activity alleles demonstrated higher intellectual curiosity and creativity.

EPA-1630 – Personality and somatic markers of adjustment disorders in university students

Stress related problems caused by intensive academic pressure, interpersonal relations, and identity formation can seriously affect the progress in studies, as well as the mental state, physical health and quality of life of University students. More than 60% students experience different mental health difficulties connected with their age and psychosocial specificity, especially at the beginning of their education. The research was conducted to investigate somatophysiological and psychological predictors of adjustment disorders in University students andto apply it into the detection and prevention programme. 1-2years students were studied with structured clinical interview, somatic examination and psychodiagnostic tests on anxiety by Spilberger, stress coping strategy by Amirkhan, personality traits accentuation by Shmishek, life style index by Plutchik-Kellerman-Konte. High prevalence of the sleep disturbances, meteosensitivity, weight and mood fluctuations were found inrisk group in comparison with the control. Manifested affective spectrum disorders were correlated with allergy and connective tissue dysplasia in nearly 80%. Negative prognostic factors were also connected with such personality traits and affective states as emotional instability, sensitivity and affective rigidity. Support seeking as amal adaptive coping strategy, lack of sociability and low self esteem have a special meaning for the early recognition of adjustment disorders. Preventive measures being a part of integrative programme of medical and psychosocial accompaniment should include annual somatic examination, counseling, trainings of skills and psychoeducational course which is organized to improve adjustment process and quality of life for the freshmen as well as their health state and psychological competence.

Body composition markers in older persons with COPD

Body composition has been shown to be correlated with physical performance, but data in older persons with diverse chronic diseases are lacking. We aimed at investigating the associations of body composition to gait speed and nutritional status of older people in different stages of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Cross-sectional analysis of data from Pulmonary Rehabilitation Geriatric Unit at INRCA in Casatenovo, Italy including 132 consecutively admitted COPD patients (mean age: 75 years) with data on body composition, walking speed and respiratory parameters. Body mass parameters were assessed using bioelectrical impedance analysis. Pulmonary function tests included spirometry and arterial blood gases. Differences among body composition markers were compared according to gender. Separate multivariate linear regression models with gait speed as the dependent variable were used to test for independent associations with body composition markers after adjusting for multiple confounders. Walking speed deteriorated with increasing severity of COPD. Men were heavier and had more lean mass than women. Participants in the fastest gait tertile were younger, had lower body mass index and fat mass (FM); higher lean-to-fat ratio and albumin levels and better respiratory function (FEV1, FVC) compared with those in the slower tertiles. Total body FM was an independent determinant of walking speed, while fat-free mass and lean-to-fat ratio were not. Excess body fat may be harmful for physical functioning among elders with COPD.

The point of agreement

This paper reconsiders arguments suggesting that sign language analyses must proceed differently to take into account their gestural, iconic origins. Lillo-Martin & Meier (2011) argue that agreement is ‘person marking’, shown by directionality. Liddell (2003, 2011) argues that directional verbs move between locations associated with referents; given an infinite number of points, the forms of these verbs are unlistable, and therefore just gestural indicating; he claims that this makes sign languages different from spoken languages, a position that I will argue against. In their response, Lillo-Martin & Meier then agree that real-world referent locations are not part of grammar, so language must interface closely with the gestural system. In contrast, Quer (2011) argues that Liddell’s reasoning is flawed. I will present evidence to agree with Quer and argue that the linguistic discussion was prematurely derailed by noting the recent alternate analysis offered by Gökgöz (2013). There may well be a role for visual iconicity in relation to sign language structure, as demonstrated by Schlenker (2013a,b), but unless we pursue linguistic analysis further, we will never get a clear understanding of what that role is.

The eyes don’t point: Understanding language universals through person marking in American Signed Language

In American Sign Language (ASL), pronouns are directed to locations in space associated with specific referents to refer to them (e.g., BOB on the left, BILL on the right). Despite the relative lack of ambiguity in identifying referents, Meier (1990) argues that second and third person cannot be distinguished in the ASL grammar, and instead proposes a single category “non-first” (an analysis adopted for many signed languages). If true, signed languages stand in stark contrast to spoken languages, for which three-person systems prevail. Alternatively, signed languages could mark a three-way distinction using eye gaze patterns to grammatically distinguish between second/third person referents (Berenz, 2002), just as eye gaze is known to mark verb agreement (Thompson et al., 2006). Using eye-tracking, we measured gaze occurring with pronouns, considering three different ways in which eye gaze could be used to mark pronouns. Results indicate that ASL does not use eye gaze to mark person, thus providing further support for a lack of a second/third person distinction. However, there is evidence for the use of eye gaze to mark locatives, which look like pronouns, but pick out a locative referent. We discuss possible reasons for the difference in person marking systems between signed and spoken languages, providing insight into what is universal across languages.

Associations between personal and ambient air pollution and markers of inflammation, thrombosis and endothelial function in diabetic patients

Background and Aim: It has been suggested that diabetics are particularly susceptible to the effects of air pollutants. The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of air pollutants on marke...

Associations between 25-Hydroxyvitamin D and Immunologic, Metabolic, Inflammatory Markers in Treatment-Naive HIV-Infected Persons: The ANRS CO9 «COPANA» Cohort Study

ObjectivesLow 25(OH)D has been associated with dyslipidemia, insulin resistance and inflammation in both general and HIV-infected (mostly treated) populations. We investigated these associations in antiretroviral-naïve HIV-infected persons.DesignWe measured plasma 25(OH)D, metabolic, immunologic and inflammatory markers in 355 persons (204 Whites, 151 Blacks) at enrollment in the ANRS COPANA cohort.Methods25(OH)D levels were categorized <10 ng/mL (severe deficiency) and <20 ng/mL (deficiency). Statistical analyses were adjusted for sampling season, ethnicity and the interaction between season and ethnicity.Results25(OH)D insufficiency (<30 ng/mL), deficiency (<20 ng/mL) and severe deficiency (<10 ng/mL) were highly prevalent (93%, 67% and 24% of patients, respectively). Blacks had significantly lower 25(OH)D than Whites (median: 13 vs. 17 ng/mL, P<0.001), with markedly less pronounced seasonal variation. Smoking and drinking alcohol were associated with having a 25 OHD level<10 ng/mL. In patients with 25(OH)D<10 ng/mL, the proportion of persons with a CD4 count<100/mm3 was higher than in patients with 25(OH)D≥10 ng/mL (18.8% vs. 10.7%, P = 0.04). Persons with 25 OHD<10 ng/mL had higher levels of hsCRP (1.60 mg/L [IQR: 0.59–5.76] vs. 1.27 mg/L [0.58–3,39], P = 0.03) and resistin (16.81 ng/L [IQR: 13.82–25.74] vs. 11.56 ng/L [IQR: 8.87–20.46], P = 0.02), and, among Blacks only, sTNFR2 (2.92 ng/mL [2.31–4.13] vs. 2.67 ng/mL, [1.90–3.23], P = 0.04). The strength and significance of the association between CD4<100/mm3 and 25 OHD<10 ng/mL were reduced after adjustment on sTNFR1, sTNFR2, and hsCRP levels. In multivariate analysis, a CD4 count <100/mm3, resistin concentration and smoking were independently associated with 25(OH)D<10 ng/mL.ConclusionsSevere vitamin D deficiency was associated with low CD4 counts and increased markers of inflammation in ARV-naïve HIV-infected persons.