Relative pronouns in a variety of languages are analyzed. Earlier analyses focusing mainly on the Promotion Theory are evaluated and the Promotion Theory is rejected as it cannot elegantly explain...Show moreRelative pronouns in a variety of languages are analyzed. Earlier analyses focusing mainly on the Promotion Theory are evaluated and the Promotion Theory is rejected as it cannot elegantly explain resumptive pronouns and it cannot handle coordinated antecedents. It is concluded that an adequate theory cannot raise the antecedent out of the relative clause. A new theory is introduced that analyses relative clauses as being selected by an Adjectival Phrase with a phonologically null head while the relative pronoun is simply coreferential with the antecedent.Show less
Research master thesis | Linguistics (research) (MA)
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Different speech variants can exist of one word, but how much information of these variants is actually stored in the mental lexicon of the speaker? I hypothesise that dialect makes for different...Show moreDifferent speech variants can exist of one word, but how much information of these variants is actually stored in the mental lexicon of the speaker? I hypothesise that dialect makes for different reduction patterns in the consonant cluster /st/ and that consequently, phonetic detail of reduced word forms is stored in the mind of the speaker. This was tested by a production experiment in which spontaneous speech and read speech are compared and a perception experiment in which participants had to perform a lexical decision task. Results showed that different dialects indeed show different frequencies and patterns of cluster reduction. Specifically, the Ede dialect reduced and deleted /s/ more frequently than the dialect Roosendaal. Reaction times of the third experiment showed that reduced word forms are not stored next to the canonical form. However, response data revealed that phonetic detail was influential when recognising reduced forms. I propose a hybrid model of the episodic and abstract model of storage of word forms in that phonetic detail of variants is stored next to the canonical form.Show less
Though the history of Japanese railway companies share similarities with those found for example in the Netherlands and Belgium, there are differences. I argue that these differences facilitated...Show moreThough the history of Japanese railway companies share similarities with those found for example in the Netherlands and Belgium, there are differences. I argue that these differences facilitated the control of private railway companies in Japan. Furthermore, Japanese railway companies expand on their service by undertaking various side businesses such as department stores, being active in real estate, and so on. Because of this difference in activities, I argue that their impact on the development of railway stations as a public space has been greater than those found in Europe. Even though it can be argued that space is political, space itself is shaped by historical and natural elements. Thus, to understand how Japanese railway companies have influenced public space, it is important to look at its historical component. I will first discuss space and social theory and use this as a starting point for my theoretical framework, allowing for an insight into how spaces are defined and how they influence social interaction. After discussing general theory on space, I will discuss space within an urban setting in order to demonstrate how different aspects of theory on space come into play. I will delve into how urban environments like cities are divided but also how on the other hand these are connected with each other. Within the established framework, I will then focus on two railway stations, Ikebukuro Station and Tokyo Station, to demonstrate that even though they are both a public space they differ in their representation of a public spaceShow less
Research master thesis | Literary Studies (research) (MA)
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What makes it possible to turn science, a field that is supposedly grounded in fact and objectivity, into a topic that untrained readers can engage with and enjoy? Connecting science with art,...Show moreWhat makes it possible to turn science, a field that is supposedly grounded in fact and objectivity, into a topic that untrained readers can engage with and enjoy? Connecting science with art, popular science writing relies heavily on the evocation of affect as a rhetorical strategy. In works that are written for children, and not intended as textbooks, creating an affective bond with the work is necessary in order to entice a child to voluntarily engage with the object outside the classroom. I have investigated Nick Arnold and Tony De Saulles’s Horrible Science series (1997-present) as a case study, as the long-lasting international success of these works indicates the effectiveness of their rhetorical strategies. The ways in which the authors attempt to evoke an affective response ranges from the direct evocation of positive affects such as enthusiasm, to employing negative affect such as disgust. Such affective responses are an effective way to mark reading the book as different from engaging with knowledge in the classroom, which in its turn is marked as tedious and dull. The affect theories of Silvan Tomkins in psychology and Gilles Deleuze in philosophy might at first sight look dissimilar, but both make the distinction between positive and negative affects a centrepiece of their theories: Deleuze calls this ‘joy’ and ‘sadness’. The Horrible Science series problematises this distinction, as it employs the evocation of negative affects to strengthen the bond with the reader, a method that at first sight seems to be counterintuitive. Therefore, I will look at what defines whether an affect is considered positive or negative, and to what extent it is a rhetorically effective strategy to evoke what at first sight seems to be a negative affective response in the young reader.Show less
Bachelor thesis | Nederlandse taal en cultuur (BA)
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Semi-kwantitatieve termen zijn woorden die een hoeveelheid uitdrukken maar in het midden laten hoe groot de hoeveelheid precies is en dus veel interpretatievrijheid overlaten aan de luisteraar...Show moreSemi-kwantitatieve termen zijn woorden die een hoeveelheid uitdrukken maar in het midden laten hoe groot de hoeveelheid precies is en dus veel interpretatievrijheid overlaten aan de luisteraar/lezer. In dit stuk doe ik verslag van het onderzoek naar strategische manoeuvres met semi-kwantitatieve termen in het politiek debat; hoe zetten politici de termen in om zo effectief mogelijke uitspraken te creëren zonder dat zij de indruk wekken daarbij onredelijk te zijn (Van Eemeren & Houtlosser 1999)? Welke van de tien discussieregels die Van Eemeren en Snoeck Henkemans (2011) onderscheiden worden in het geding gebracht met deze strategische manoeuvres? Ik richt me in dit onderzoek op ervaren sprekers, namelijk de fractievoorzitters van de Partij van de Vrijheid (PVV) en de Partij van der Arbeid (PvdA) tijdens de jaren 2006 tot en met 2013. Het onderzochte corpus bestaat uit de transcripties van de speeches uit het eerste termijn en de reacties op interrupties naar aanleiding van de speeches die voorgenoemde fractievoorzitters tijdens de Algemene Politieke Beschouwingen van 2006 tot en met 2013 hebben gegeven. Mijn onderzoek laat zien dat de PVV-fractievoorzitter vaker gebruik maakt van strategische manoeuvres met semi-kwantitatieve termen in het onderzochte corpus. De strategische manoeuvres van de PVV- en PvdA-fractievoorzitters zijn vooral strijdig met de taalgebruik-, verdedigingsplicht- en de uitgangspuntregel (Van Eemeren & Snoeck Henkemans 2011: 234). Centraal bij de strategische manoeuvres staan onderwerpen die kenmerkend zijn voor de politieke partijen.Show less
In this thesis the aim is to work on questions related to soft power in the cultural policies of the Lee government. As previous research on hallyu had been focusing mainly on the reason of its...Show moreIn this thesis the aim is to work on questions related to soft power in the cultural policies of the Lee government. As previous research on hallyu had been focusing mainly on the reason of its spread, presidencies in the early stages of hallyu, the economic aspects of hallyu and research dealing with state power was more focused on South Korea’s engagement in military peace operations and development aid not much could be found on the relation of the Lee government with cultural soft power. Even though this was eminent in his cultural policies throughout the years. Therefore this thesis focuses on the questions of how the Lee administration’s goals and uses of soft power are reflected and pursued in the cultural industry policy. How does the government see the use of cultural policy for economic and image goals and why this is deemed important. These questions were researched in a framework of soft power as coined by Joseph Nye and this framework was used while analysing the cultural White Papers that were published during the five years of Lee’s presidency. In the end the concept of soft power is very applicable to South Korea and its situation. If one were to catch the importance of soft power to South Korea in one word it would be: visibility.Show less
Research master thesis | Classics and Ancient Civilizations (research) (MA)
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It has long been recognised that ancient Egyptian women occupied a unique position within society in comparison to women in other ancient Mediterranean and Near Eastern civilisations. This was...Show moreIt has long been recognised that ancient Egyptian women occupied a unique position within society in comparison to women in other ancient Mediterranean and Near Eastern civilisations. This was already characteristic of the culture in antiquity and recognised by ancient Greek and Roman historians. Classical visitors of Egypt, like Herodotus, commented on the position of women as unusual and different from the situation they knew from their own cultures. This situation persisted even after the introduction of Greek and Roman traditions, which more heavily restricted women’s position and activities. Women participated in the economy of Egypt to a greater extent than can be documented for women from any other society in antiquity. When compared to women from other ancient cultures, such as Greece or Rome, the average Egyptian woman was relatively independent. She could inherit, own and dispose of property in her own right. She enjoyed a legal status, in theory equal to a man, and could act independently in business and court settings. In contrast to some cultures, no male guardian was required to act for her. Considering all these examples of female independence within society, it seems to be expected that women also enjoyed a certain degree of freedom when it comes to their occupational activities.Show less
Dit onderzoek gaat over de invloed van de Arabisch-islamitische magie op de Europees-christelijke magie. Deze invloed wordt onderzocht aan de hand van een analyse van drie magische handboeken: de...Show moreDit onderzoek gaat over de invloed van de Arabisch-islamitische magie op de Europees-christelijke magie. Deze invloed wordt onderzocht aan de hand van een analyse van drie magische handboeken: de Picatrix, de Ghayât al-Hakim en het München handboek.Show less
De Spaanse Burgeroorlog (1936-1939) bleef op den duur niet slechts een interne aangelegenheid. Aan de zijde van Franco en de nationalisten schaarden zich Nazi-Duitsland en fascistisch Italië; de...Show moreDe Spaanse Burgeroorlog (1936-1939) bleef op den duur niet slechts een interne aangelegenheid. Aan de zijde van Franco en de nationalisten schaarden zich Nazi-Duitsland en fascistisch Italië; de Spaanse Republiek werd gesteund door de Sovjet-Unie en een grote schare aan internationale vrijwilligers. Bekende namen onder hen zijn onder meer George Orwell en Willy Brandt. De Amerikaanse schrijver Ernest Hemingway was ook in Spanje gedurende het conflict, maar hanteerde in tegenstelling tot bovengenoemden de pen in plaats van het zwaard. Tijdens zijn bezoeken aan het door burgeroorlog verscheurde Spanje schreef hij een dertigtal journalistieke stukken, enkele korte verhalen en een toneelstuk. Veel van zijn ervaringen verwerkte hij later in de beroemde roman For Whom the Bell Tolls (1940). Tijdens de burgeroorlog zelf werkte hij mee aan de propagandafilm The Spanish Earth van de Nederlandse communistische filmmaker Joris Ivens. Hoewel Hemingway zich niet bij duidelijk een van de strijdende partijen voegde, kon ook hij zich niet onttrekken aan de ideologie. Zoals veel internationale toeschouwers bevond hij zich achter de linies van de Republiek en onderhield daarnaast nauwe banden met verscheidene Spaanse, Italiaanse, Nederlandse en Russische communisten. In zijn journalistieke werk lijkt een kritische houding absent en zijn werk voor The Spanish Earth is een duidelijk ideologisch statement. Een positie waar hij in zijn fictie nuances in aanbrengt en er soms zelfs van afstapt. Deze spanning tussen fictie en non-fictie bij Hemingway levert een gemengd beeld op van zijn politieke houding gedurende het conflict. Aan de hand van de analyse van al zijn werk over de Spaanse Burgeroorlog, aangevuld met zijn persoonlijke correspondentie, biografische gegevens, en historische context, schetst deze scriptie een duidelijk beeld van Ernest Hemingway's politieke zienswijze en hoe deze zich ontwikkeld gedurende de Spaanse Burgeroorlog.Show less
The portrayal of women has undergone dramatic change from the Middle English Romance to the Disney films featuring princess. While women in Middle English romances could never be the hero, in the...Show moreThe portrayal of women has undergone dramatic change from the Middle English Romance to the Disney films featuring princess. While women in Middle English romances could never be the hero, in the newest Disney films they can be the hero. Although the Middle English romances "Sir Launfal" and "Sir Gowther", the fairytale "Snow White" and the Disney films "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" and "Brave" share several motifs and themes like courtly love and chivalry, there has been a shift concerning their portrayal of women. It can be concluded that the portrayal of women in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is in line with its direct predecessor, Snow White, as well as with the medieval romances “Sir Launfal” and “Sir Gowther”. The female characters in these tales are described in a rather passive way. Brave, on the other hand, presents Merida in an active way and, therefore, breaks with the ‘anti-feminist’ tradition. This newest film has become in favour of women who take control over their own future by pursuing their dreams.Show less
Second language learning is difficult when social context is involved, especially if the culture of the target language is inherently different from the native one. A full command of a second...Show moreSecond language learning is difficult when social context is involved, especially if the culture of the target language is inherently different from the native one. A full command of a second language involves a linguistic and ideological ‘reframing’ process. At this stage, pragmatic competence is crucial to interlanguage learners. The realization of speech acts, such as implementing politeness strategies, requires a high command of not only linguistic but also social knowledge. This research investigated Chinese English learners’ command of making polite requests with regard to applying different politeness strategies by conducting tests amongst Chinese high school and university students. After analysing the results, some problems are displayed and explanations are ventured.Show less
According to Venuti, the translation strategy of domestication is the dominant strategy in Anglo-American translation culture. However, domestication also seems to be the dominant strategy in Dutch...Show moreAccording to Venuti, the translation strategy of domestication is the dominant strategy in Anglo-American translation culture. However, domestication also seems to be the dominant strategy in Dutch translations of children's literature. This article will first give an explanation of children's literature, then discuss both the foreignization and domestication strategy and lastly will outline a casestudy of different translations of Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling and Koning van Katoren by Jan Terlouw.Show less
This thesis has aimed to shed light on the correspondences between religious and social changes in early modern England on the one hand and changes in the early modern will on the other. Some...Show moreThis thesis has aimed to shed light on the correspondences between religious and social changes in early modern England on the one hand and changes in the early modern will on the other. Some researchers have questioned how much value the wording of wills has as evidence for the development of religious and social matters in early modern England. However, in this thesis I have argued that the correspondence between religious and social changes is in fact not questionable at all. To understand the will in early modern England, we need to know about the social and religious function that the last will had in early modern society and the role the Church played in the process of will-making. Did the church have a hand in the content of the will, or is it just the testator talking? The influence of the church on will-making diminished and people started looking for more independence and secrecy for their wills. Not only the content changed because of this, but also the circumstances in which the wills were made. In this study I was particularly interested in the differences between medieval and early modern wills. Because of the overlapping features, the differences between the two eras can tell us all the more about changes in social and religious life. In addition to this, the Protestant rejection of Purgatory is a crucial starting point for studying changes in the early modern will, as the end of payments for the good of the soul was beneficial for relatives. In the medieval period, there was a tension between the Church’s wishes for donations on the one side and family expectations on the other. Throughout the early modern period, by contrast, bequests for family were the testator’s main duty. As the will became less important as a religious document, it became more important as a reflection of family relations. The will changed from an ‘afterlife insurance’ for the testator to more of a life insurance for the living, and more similar to the will as we know it today: a secular document that provides for the family that is left behind.Show less
Bachelor thesis | Griekse en Latijnse taal en cultuur (BA)
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De lezing en interpretatie van ‘de nieuwe Sappho’, dat de naam Broersgedicht draagt, vormt het onderwerp van mijn scriptie. De vraag die ik in deze scriptie beantwoord is de volgende: hoe kan op...Show moreDe lezing en interpretatie van ‘de nieuwe Sappho’, dat de naam Broersgedicht draagt, vormt het onderwerp van mijn scriptie. De vraag die ik in deze scriptie beantwoord is de volgende: hoe kan op basis van de tekst en in vergelijking met andere werken van Sappho en contemporaine auteurs het Broersgedicht vanuit literair oogpunt worden geïnterpreteerd? Om die vraag te beantwoorden zal ik in een aantal stappen te werk gaan. Ten eerste zal ik een Nederlandse vertaling van dit nieuwe gedicht voorstellen en een beknopt commentaar geven (hoofdstuk 2). Vervolgens zal ik enkele methodische opmerkingen maken over de manier waarop ik het gedicht zal interpreteren en een voorlopige, enkel op de tekst gebaseerde, interpretatie van het gedicht voorstellen (hoofdstuk 3). Aan de hand van deze interpretatie wordt een aantal thema’s uit het gedicht vergeleken met andere fragmenten van Sappho en in sommige gevallen ook met teksten van andere auteurs (hoofdstuk 4). In het afsluitende hoofdstuk (5) zal ik bezien of deze vergelijking noopt tot aanpassing van mijn voorlopige interpretatie en komen tot een literaire interpretatie van ‘de nieuwe Sappho’.Show less
