Function Symbols Research Articles

The Role of the Symbol in the Formation of Plot

Along with its own component of the plot, the symbol can be considered as one of the active components in its construction, development and illuminating (clearing). The symbol, which initially acts as an image, realizes the dynamic development of the artistic text, the process of bringing the language components together and realizing the idea. In the article, the role of the symbol, which has a multifaceted and complex function within the plot, in the construction of the literary text, in revealing thoughts and ideas, and the author’s object and purpose is considered. At the same time, image-symbol relations, the function of the symbol in the literary text, and its relationship with other poetic categories are widely studied and analyzed.The artistic text manifests not only its poetic aspects, but also the historical and social conditions and the demands of the time. A symbol, as an artistic system, can be changed and get renewed from time to time in terms of idea-artistic vision in relation to time. In this, the symbolic function is performed by various means. One of the main means of determining the dynamic development in the process of establishing plot-symbol relations in a literary text is natural manifestations, events and objects. They are symbolized within the text; the construction of the plot allows the author’s position and idea to be revealed.In the research work, diverse function of the symbol in the formation of the plot is followed by referring to many theories and concepts, and based on the application of the scientific-theoretical literature available in this field to the artistic material, the main leading function of the symbol in the artistic text is revealed.In the article, with reference to the theoretical views of scientists V.F.Hegel, A.F. Losev, A. Potebnya, Y. M. Lotman, A.Auer, A. Avarentsev, A.V.Korpenko, P.D.Minichkin and others, analyzes are conducted by applying comparative-analysis, generalization research methods, and finally our thoughts and opinions are summarized.

Spatial identification of public spaces’ functions: a case study of Bach Dang Wharf Park in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Abstract Urban public spaces serve various functions and roles, such as physical, symbolic, ecological, economic, political, social, psychological, and aesthetic. Each function has specific design requirements and holds different meanings for space users. This study aims to identify the location of various functions within Bach Dang Wharf Park, one of the famous central riverside parks of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, and test hypotheses about the concentration of hotspots for each function. To achieve these, we combined participatory GIS methods and face-to-face interviews using quantitative questionnaires and then used SPSS software to examine the relationship between park users’ identification of functions and other factors. We conducted two surveys, each lasting one week, in June 2022 and April 2023, with a total of 223 respondents and 1,413 marked points for park functions. The results showed that how people perceive park functions significantly relates to the characteristics of their park visitation rather than personal information. The hotspots of physical, symbolic, ecological, economic, and political functions appeared with high confidence levels and differed in size and location between the survey times. Meanwhile, in the 2022 survey, hotspots of social function appeared at the old pier near the high-speed boat station and opposite Nguyen Hue walking street. Later in 2023, these areas were mostly concentrated by markers of psychological function. At the same time, hotspots of aesthetic function were recorded in the space in front of the ASEAN flagpole. This approach effectively promotes community involvement in urban planning by better understanding citizens’ needs for public space.

Role of Tourism in Preservation and Support of Minority Languages: Russian and Global Context

This article explores the role of tourism in the preservation and support of minority languages in Russia, focusing on the Karelian, Tatar, and Buryat languages. The study is framed within the methodological scope of language commodification research, language landscape, and language economy. Fieldwork data from Tatarstan, Karelia, and Buryatia in 2021, 2022, and 2024, as well as findings from other researchers, form the basis of this investigation. The article highlights the uneven use of minority languages as a tool for ethnographic branding from region to region. The authors conclude that minority languages exist in the language landscape through the naming of various realities, from toponyms to gastronomic terms, serving ethnographic branding and symbolic functions by providing specific words and morphemes. Contrary to expectations, tourism does not contribute to an increase in the number of speakers of minority languages or their use in discourse, both in Russia and globally. However, the increased presence of these languages in public spaces, including for marketing purposes, indirectly enhances their prestige and aids in their normalization.

Three-dimensional quasi-umbilical locally strongly convex homogeneous affine hypersurfaces

The study of strongly convex, locally homogeneous hypersurfaces in the affine space ℝn+1 has a rich history. In dimension 2, these hypersurfaces were first examined in Guggenheimer's 1977 book “Differential Geometry” [4], and the classification was completed by Nomizu and Sasaki in their 1991 paper “A new model of unimodular-affinely homogeneous surfaces” [6]. Apart from the work of Magid and Vrancken in their 1995 paper [5] and Ooguri’s 2013 paper [9], most studies have focused on locally strongly convex affine hypersurfaces. These are characterized by an induced affine metric that is positive definite, and have been extensively studied in Sasaki’s 1980 paper “Hyperbolic affine hyperspheres” [10]. When the hypersurface is an affine sphere, where the shape operator has all eigenvalues equal to zero, Dillen and Vrancken provided a complete classification in a series of papers. In dimension 3, their 1993 paper “The classification of 3-dimensional locally strongly convex homogeneous affine hypersurfaces” [3] offers a comprehensive classification for any dimensions of eigenvalues of the shape operator. In dimension 4, the quasi-umbilical case was explored by Dillen and Vrancken in their 1994 paper “Quasi-umbilical, locally strongly convex homogeneous affine hypersurfaces” [2]. The case where the affine shape operator has two distinct eigenvalues, each with a multiplicity of two, was investigated by Chikh-Salah and Vrancken in their 2017 paper “Four-dimensional locally strongly convex homogeneous affine hypersurfaces” [1]. In this paper, we provide a different proof of the final theorem in Dillen and Vrancken’s [3], utilizing Mathematica software to calculate all Christoffel symbol functions.

Spanish in The Linguistic Landscape of San Diego County: A Case of Linguicism?

This study aims to examine the linguistic landscape of six neighborhoods in San Diego County, focusing on the prevalence of languages and the role of Spanish, a heritage language in the region. The neighborhoods were categorized into three areas with predominantly Latinx populations (Latin areas) and three with predominantly White populations (White areas). Signage in these areas was analyzed across five categories: (a) language(s) used on signs, (b) dominant languages displayed, (c) functional purposes of languages (informative vs. symbolic), (d) types of translations provided, and (e) public vs. private authorship. The findings reveal a preference for English in White areas, whereas Latin areas exhibit greater use of both English and Spanish, with bilingual signage being common. Moreover, Latin areas show greater diversity in types of translations and a significant symbolic function of Spanish on signs. These patterns shed light on local power dynamics between the two predominant languages in the area. They suggest that Spanish and bilingualism are predominantly confined to Latin areas, with even these neighborhoods displaying relatively low levels of Spanish presence. This marginalisation of Spanish diminishes linguistic empowerment and influence for speakers of this heritage language. The study exposes opaque relationships between the dominant White population and the subordinated Latinx group, interpreted through power dynamics and the expansion of White public space alongside linguistic imperialism of English. These dynamics perpetuate racialisation and oppression, particularly affecting speakers of minoritised languages such as Spanish. The consequences include language anxiety among historically underrepresented groups and identity crises. Ultimately, this research provides insights into the status of Spanish as a heritage language in Southern California.

The Role of Quanzhou Taishi in the Revitalization of Rural Culture under the Perspective of Semiotics

The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of Quanzhou Taishi in the process of revitalizing rural culture from the semiotics perspective. Quanzhou Taishi (a local folk art Combining Quanzhou Southern Shaolin Martial Arts and Lion Dance), has unique cultural characteristics and can serve as a cultural symbol. This paper will study its visual and auditory symbolic composition, explore its referential, symbolic, and value functions, delve into its spiritual connotations and significance in the new era, and develop the role of the Quanzhou Taishi in the process of rural cultural revitalization. Specifically, we will focus on the role of Quanzhou Taishi culture in revitalizing rural culture.

Linguistic Landscape Analysis of Language Function at Tourist Places Signboard in Banjar Bali

This research aims to identify signboards at three tourist places in Banjar District, namely Brahmavihara Arama Banjar, Air Panas Banjar and Krisna Funtastic Land in terms of the function of the language on the signboards and the languages used on the signboard. This research was designed using qualitative descriptive research and data collection was carried out using observation and documentation techniques from signboards at three tourist attractions in Banjar District, namely Brahmavihara Arama, Banjar Hot Springs, and Krisna Funtastic Land. The function of language on public space signs in three tourist attractions in Banjar District (Brahmavihara Arama, Banjar Hot Springs and Krisna Funtastic Land) was found to be informational, symbolic, mythological and commercial. These four functions were analyzed based on the theory from Yanhong and Rungruang (2013) regarding the function of language on public space signs. The result of this research found that information functions, commercial functions and mythological functions are found on public signs at the three tourist places, namely Brahmavihara Arama Banjar, Banjar Hot Springs and Krisna Funtastic Land. Meanwhile, symbolic functions are only found in two tourist attractions, namely Krisna Funtastic Land and Brahmavihara Arama Banjar. And the language used on the public space signs at these three tourist places uses more than one language or is called bilingual public space signage.

Fixed-time control and estimation of discontinuous fuzzy leakage-delayed networks: Indefinite and economical conditions of Filippov systems

This paper considers the fixed-time stability of Filippov systems and discontinuous networks described by the Filippov systems. Firstly, the more generalized and economical inequality condition on Lyapunov function is proposed, which can not only improve the previous negative definite conditions, but also the indefinite conditions. Based on the definition of the Lyapunov stability and finite-time convergence, new fixed-time stability lemmas are proposed and the settling-time is also estimated. In order to apply the new fixed-time stability lemmas to the neural networks, fixed-time stabilization of a class of fuzzy leakage-delayed neural networks with discontinuous activations is considered which is rarely studied since the delay is leakage and activations are discontinuous and they are not easy to deal with simultaneously. By means of the Filippov regularization and differential inclusions theory, new criteria on the stabilization of the considered networks are derived via the new modified non-chattering controller, which can improve the previous ones with parameter and symbolic function. Finally, example and numerical simulations further examine the correctness of the main results.

Axiomatization of Non-Recursive Aggregates in First-Order Answer Set Programming

This paper contributes to the development of theoretical foundations of answer set programming. Groundbreaking work on the SM operator by Ferraris, Lee, and Lifschitz proposed a definition/semantics for logic (answer set) programs based on a syntactic transformation similar to parallel circumscription. That definition radically differed from its predecessors by using classical (second-order) logic and avoiding reference to either grounding or fixpoints. Yet, the work lacked the formalization of crucial and commonly used answer set programming language constructs called aggregates. In this paper, we present a characterization of logic programs with aggregates based on a many-sorted generalization of the SM operator. This characterization introduces new function symbols for aggregate operations and aggregate elements, whose meaning can be fixed by adding appropriate axioms to the result of the SM transformation. We prove that our characterization coincides with the ASP-Core-2 semantics for logic programs and, if we allow non-positive recursion through aggregates, it coincides with the semantics of the answer set solver CLINGO.

Class Symbolic Regression: Gotta Fit ’Em All

We introduce “Class Symbolic Regression” (Class SR), the first framework for automatically finding a single analytical functional form that accurately fits multiple data sets—each realization being governed by its own (possibly) unique set of fitting parameters. This hierarchical framework leverages the common constraint that all the members of a single class of physical phenomena follow a common governing law. Our approach extends the capabilities of our earlier Physical Symbolic Optimization (Φ-SO) framework for symbolic regression, which integrates dimensional analysis constraints and deep reinforcement learning for unsupervised symbolic analytical function discovery from data. Additionally, we introduce the first Class SR benchmark, comprising a series of synthetic physical challenges specifically designed to evaluate such algorithms. We demonstrate the efficacy of our novel approach by applying it to these benchmark challenges and showcase its practical utility for astrophysics by successfully extracting an analytic galaxy potential from a set of simulated orbits approximating stellar streams.

Apocalypses

This entry analyzes the notion of apocalypses in various socio-cultural contexts, highlighting the evolution of research and its diversification, from the field of religious science to that of socio-anthropology. It highlights the symbolic, social and political functions of social movements based on such perspectives, and the place they occupy in representations of contemporary popular culture. The latter uses them to give meaning to current events, pandemics and climate change, interpreted from hybrid apocalyptic matrices borrowing elements from religious, scientific and secular images and discourses.

Embroidering the city map

Street names are omnipresent but hold an often-overlooked symbolic function of representing societal power balances, rendering women largely invisible. With this embroidered T-shirt, we aim to bring attention to this gendered imbalance and create a conversation starter around the topic of equality.

A Sociocultural Approach to Funeral Jokes in the Moaaga Community in Burkina Faso: Analysis of the Forms, Place and Role of Amusements in a Mourning Situation

This study conducted in the moaaga environment in the province of Namentenga in Burkina Faso aims to pinpoint and analyze the forms of jokes taking place during traditional funerals. It is built on research hypotheses which show that during funerals, jokes take many forms, play an important role in relaxing the atmosphere while fulfilling many functions. This study, which is part of the overall framework of the sociology of culture, allows us to identify three types of jokes. On the one hand, there are the jokes involving the retention of corpses, demands for payment of funeral procession pass fees, provocative speeches and songs, as well as physical struggles. On the other hand, we have the jokes developed by the bi-paagba (daughters-in-law), the yagense (grandsons) and the crowd through dances, musical entertainment and comical sacrificial gestures, claims for money, meat, millet beer (dolo) and food from their uncles and aunts (pugdba). Finally, we have the jokes played by specific characters such as the Kט-togsa (funeral announcer) and her clown, the mask of the Yarsés, and the one between the Fulani, the Yarsés and the masks etc. These jokes have undeniable entertaining, symbolic, social, cultural and educational functions, through the lessons of solidarity and compassion learned.

The Fantastic East: Carnivalesque Public Space and Civil Sphere in Brazilian National Identity Building

Abstract In this article, I bring together the theory of the civil sphere and the concept of carnivalesque public space to analyze the function of symbols and discourses about the non-Western world in the construction of national identity in Brazil. I argue that the carnivalesque public space contributes to broadening and reinforcing solidarity in the civil sphere by de-nationalizing national identity. The orientalist representations that took place in Salvador’s carnival consolidated the “oriental” imaginary as an important dimension of the incipient national identity building process, as well as highlighted the ambivalences and discontinuities of the mosaic of symbolic references associated to it. This fantastic representation of the East corresponded to a particular expectation of meaning: the aesthetic contours of the national-popular boundaries in Brazil and its sense of belonging. The article analyses how national identities are created through symbolic references that are both within and beyond its own borders.

Artistic Expressions in Tuareg Jewelry of Niger: Design, Craftsmanship, and Cultural Significance

This paper explores the artistic expressions found in Tuareg jewelry of Niger, delving into the intricate design elements, craftsmanship techniques, and the profound cultural significance these pieces hold. By examining the historical context and cultural background, we understand the evolution and enduring heritage of Tuareg jewelry. The study highlights traditional methods of jewelry making and the specific tools and materials used, shedding light on the artisans’ expertise and the symbolic meanings embedded in each piece. The cultural significance of Tuareg jewelry is analyzed through its roles in social identity and status, as well as its symbolic functions. Additionally, the paper addresses modern influences and global perceptions, discussing how contemporary practices intersect with traditional craftsmanship. Case studies provide a comparative analysis of ancient and contemporary jewelry, revealing both continuity and innovation in Tuareg artistic practices. This comprehensive study underscores the resilience of Tuareg cultural heritage in the face of modernization and global market dynamics.

The symbolic function of the portrait of Pope Innocent the X in F.M. Dostoevsky’s story “The Meek One”

RELEVANCE. Pictorial discourse is an essential element of F.M. Dostoevsky’s artistic creativity, which performs a special symbolic function and provides additional semantic load. The purpose of the study is to analyze the symbolic content of the canvas by the Spanish artist D. Velasquez “Portrait of Pope Innocent the X” (1650) in the context of the author’s idea for the story by F.M. Dostoevsky “The Meek One” (1876).MATERIALS AND METHODS. The object of the study is the novel by F.M. Dostoevsky “The Meek One”, published in the November issue of the Writer’s Diary for 1876, as well as handwritten editions and rough sketches for the story. The methodological basis of the research includes the method of comparative historical and hermeneutical-interpretative analysis. The interdisciplinary nature of the research is due to the appeal to theological, philosophical, historical and art criticism issues.RESULT AND DISCUSSION. During the research, the presence of a symbolic correlation between the portrait of the pontiff and the image of the Pawnbroker was revealed. The motives of deception, despotic domination, fear and secret voluptuousness mutually intersect and complement each other, forming a double portrait of the pope and the hero of the story. For Dostoevsky himself, the image of Pontiff Innocent X could be a kind of personification of the Catholic institution of the Papacy and the tendencies hidden in it towards spiritual despotism and absolute domination over man. A vivid artistic device, which was never realized in the final version of the story, acquires special significance and sound in the context of Dostoevsky’s anti-Catholic polemic. CONCLUSION. The symbolic function of the papal portrait has an important conceptual significance, both within the author’s idea of the story “The Meek One” and beyond it in the context of Dostoevsky’s anti-Catholic discourse. The obtained conclusions make important adjustments to the further study of the story by F.M. Dostoevsky, deepening its semantic meaning.

Unveiling Wordsworth's Daffodils: A Semiotic Tapestry of Signs and Symbols

This research aims to identify and analyze signs and symbols in William Wordsworth’s poem I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud. This study employs a descriptive qualitative research design through a semiotic approach to investigate the function of signs and symbols in poetic discourse. The data in this research was collected from Wordsworth’s. I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud as the primary data source, while the secondary data sources are books, articles, and other online sources that support the primary data. The obtained data were analyzed using Charles Sanders Peirce’s semiotic model, which consists of an icon, index, and symbol. The data analysis was conducted in three stages: classification, display, and verification. The result of this research shows that the poem employs various phrases, which can be categorized as icons, indexes, and symbols. The signs function to surpass linguistic barriers and convey significant insights about the human spirit and its connection to the natural world. These can also serve as a reminder that even the most basic words, when skillfully composed and infused with symbolic significance, can have a lasting effect on readers, encouraging them to delve into their feelings and establish a stronger bond with the world.

Allegorie/Symbol (Allegory/Symbol)

For Goethe, allegory and symbol function as poles of the dyad “sinnliche Darstellung” (representation). He introduced the contrasting pair in the second half of the 1790s, in the context of his project for a German classical aesthetics with Friedrich Schiller, his translation of Germaine de Staël’s Essai sur les fictions (Essay on Fiction), his ongoing work on morphology and optics, and his engagement with idealist philosophy. Despite the priority given to the symbol in Goethe’s scientific writings, he applied the term only occasionally to literature; he remained committed to the sophisticated allegorical poetics and imagery of the high baroque drama (e.g. Shakespeare, Calderón) in essentially all his mature work and was sympathetic to its use by the German Romantics. While Goethe’s own terminology often wavered between the poles of symbol and allegory, his distinction became the standard theme in discussions of poetic representation for more than a century, with symbol heavily prioritized over allegory, and it remains a theme in Goethe scholarship. The post-modernist return to allegory in the writings of Walter Benjamin and Paul de Man is more a skeptical version of the Goethean symbol than earlier definitions of either allegory or symbol.

Traditional Chinese Medicine: Communicating Informational and Symbolic Functions in the Linguistic Landscape

ABSTRACT While dissemination of information is a key function of health communication, signage at medical facilities has other functions: signs can be a type of marketing (e.g., services offered), can promote credibility and inspire trust, can exacerbate or ameliorate social inequalities and can provide educational opportunities. All of these functions are influenced by cultural, contextual and social factors as evidenced by a linguistic landscape (LL) perspective. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is a particularly instructive case for considering the functions of signage in healthcare LL as it has a strong cultural component from its historical Chinese roots, but its practice has been popularized around the globe in recent years. Given the role of TCM as a main or complementary medical treatment and healthcare option, this study investigates TCM LLs as sites of healthcare communication. Specifically, we analyze a set of 1,659 signs from two TCM hospitals in a multilingual, ethnic minority region of China as a case study which can be useful for healthcare providers when considering their own use of LL. We describe the way language and other sign features are used for informational, symbolic and other functions, showing how explicit communication channels as well as implicit ideological channels can impact healthcare communication. We discuss these findings in light of the need for healthcare communication which is sensitive to stakeholder needs.

Some variable exponent boundedness and commutators estimates for fractional Rough Hardy operators on central Morrey space

In this article, we study the boundedness of the fractional Rough Hardy operator and its adjoint operators on the central Morrey space with a variable exponent. We also establish the same boundedness for their commutators when the symbol functions are on the λ-central BMO space with a variable exponent.