As humans, we spend most of our time by standing, sitting or lying. These verbs that are used to refer to states of being in a position are used more extensively than one would expect at first...Show moreAs humans, we spend most of our time by standing, sitting or lying. These verbs that are used to refer to states of being in a position are used more extensively than one would expect at first sight. In different languages, these posture verbs can be used in a grammaticalized way. This is the case with Tsafiki and Cha'palaa, two languages spoken in the northwest of South America. In these two languages, the verb 'sit' (in Tsafiki) and 'lie' (in Cha'palaa) are grammaticalized into continuative markers. These are the main instances of grammaticalized posture verbs in these languages, besides other minor examples.Show less
Research master thesis | Linguistics (research) (MA)
open access
This thesis is a study of the personal pronoun system of Cuquila Mixtec, spoken by approximately 11.000 people in South-Central Mexico, in the state of Oaxaca. This Mixtec variety, which has not...Show moreThis thesis is a study of the personal pronoun system of Cuquila Mixtec, spoken by approximately 11.000 people in South-Central Mexico, in the state of Oaxaca. This Mixtec variety, which has not been previously described or documented, exhibits interesting features such as seven different third person pronouns and dedicated respect forms on the first, second and third person.Show less
This thesis will research the process of the granting of the construction license for the Belo Monte dam. It will focus on how the Brazilian government and the building consortium NESA have been...Show moreThis thesis will research the process of the granting of the construction license for the Belo Monte dam. It will focus on how the Brazilian government and the building consortium NESA have been able to obtain this grant after the violations of human rights of the indigenous peoples affected by the dam, the prospect of serious degradation of the biodiversity of the region and the displacement of many locals living in the Xingu river basin area. This thesis will therefore try to pose an answer to the question: “How has the Brazilian government been able to obtain the construction license for the Belo Monte dam despite large domestic and transnational opposition and the violation of human rights and environmental norms?” To answer the question the five-stage spiral model of Risse and Sikkink is used and applied on the case of the Belo Monte dam.Show less
We are living in the 21st century, a century that is witnessing huge leaps forward in technological innovation, systemic complexity, as well as in societal and environmental challenges which...Show moreWe are living in the 21st century, a century that is witnessing huge leaps forward in technological innovation, systemic complexity, as well as in societal and environmental challenges which continuously confront our identities. Indigenous communities have been especially susceptible to such external pressures, arguably reinforcing their distinct vulnerability levels. Historical marginalization and disempowering processes have not rarely threatened the biological and cultural existence of indigenous groups, which includes ancient cultural forms of identification. In an attempt to unravel Yawanawá-specific intergroup dynamics in threat situations, the thesis at hand seeks to contribute to the study of indigenous survival strategies by employing an innovative approach. This approach draws on psycho-social theories (notably Collective Angst Theory) in order to better understand the responses of the indigenous Yawanawá group to realistic and symbolic challenges affecting biological and cultural group vitality.Show less
The main focus of this thesis will lie on answering the question of how illness and health are linguistically expressed in the language of the Wayana, in order to acquire a more culturally...Show moreThe main focus of this thesis will lie on answering the question of how illness and health are linguistically expressed in the language of the Wayana, in order to acquire a more culturally appropriate understanding of the Wayana conceptualization of illness and health, which might result into an improvement of the health care system for the Wayana communities.Show less
Cultures and languages are not new to us or the world, these concepts were born a long time ago. How do know? Research. And what happens with the research results? Exactly, we archive it so we can...Show moreCultures and languages are not new to us or the world, these concepts were born a long time ago. How do know? Research. And what happens with the research results? Exactly, we archive it so we can preserve it. As a result of the rapidly digitalizing world, a part of these researches is preserved by digital means. An excellent solution as it provides worldwide access, and the material is protected against non-digital threats, like theft or fire. However, how can we guarantee the use of these materials in the future? What format should be used now, in order to prevent access or usage problems in the future? Previous research has been done on different formats and their function, but also in the relevance of language and culture archives. However, the connection between those two topics, has not been researched, as digital archives have not been the first concern to research in the last years. In addition, digital archives are relatively young, and the above-stated potential problems may lay far ahead in the future for some archives. This study researched the format possibilities for the ‘Archivo de Lenguas, Culturas y Memorias Históricas del Ecuador’ (ALCME), an archive in Ecuador. The results consist of a list of proposed formats, based on the media type used, desired options, and original characteristics of the file. Furthermore, in order to be useful and accessible for the coming fifty years, backup methods are recommended as well for ALCME. These results are relevant for ALCME itself, as they prepare and build a solid base in regard to formats for the coming fifty years. However, this is not only relevant for ALCME, as other digital archives can follow the same steps that are described in this study. Furthermore, besides digital archives, other companies who work with formats and backup methods can extract relevant information from this study, suited to their company.Show less
The recent adaption of formal legal pluralism in the Ecuadorian constitution marks a historical change for the indigenous nations of Ecuador, which have been restrained from political participation...Show moreThe recent adaption of formal legal pluralism in the Ecuadorian constitution marks a historical change for the indigenous nations of Ecuador, which have been restrained from political participation for centuries (Lupien 2011, 775-792). Notwithstanding, it remains unanswered to what extent autonomy, constitutionally granted to indigenous peoples, is effectively actualised. This thesis investigates: To what extent has the constitutional recognition of legal pluralism resulted in an enhanced autonomy of indigenous peoples from the Ecuadorian nation-state? It carries out a comparative case study analysis of two murder cases from the community of La Cocha in the years of 2002 and 2010. The analysis substantialises that formal legal pluralism vastly strengthens the autonomy of indigenous peoples. Nonetheless, ambiguities in the existing legal regulations allow room for manoeuvre for the extent to which customary law can be applied. Until those legal gaps are closed, the Constitutional Court will make judgments that – despite its attempts of impartiality and inclusiveness of customary worldviews – can be influenced by Westernised perceptions of justice (Thomas 2012, 74-76). Further, until an establishment of conflict rules, indigenous authorities will use practices of customary law as counterhegemonic instruments to preserve or perhaps broaden the scope of autonomy for indigenous peoples that is granted within the state apparatus.Show less
Jippie, bah en wauw lijken simpele non-woorden die slechts gebruikt worden als uitroepen. In het Nederlands noemen we dit tussenwerpsels. Deze woorden geven echter een heleboel informatie over de...Show moreJippie, bah en wauw lijken simpele non-woorden die slechts gebruikt worden als uitroepen. In het Nederlands noemen we dit tussenwerpsels. Deze woorden geven echter een heleboel informatie over de staat van de spreker weer: iemand is blij, vindt iets vies of is geschokt of verbaasd. Deze drie voorbeelden zijn interjecties, uitingen die de emotie van de spreker weergeven. Interjecties komen veelvuldig voor in de spreektaal van alle talen, en dus ook in het Quechua. Het Quechua is een zelfstandige taalfamilie die vanouds wordt gesproken door de oorspronkelijke bewoners in de Andes in de landen Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chili en Argentinië. Het Quechua is een taalfamilie, maar verdeeld over verschillende vertakkingen die weer eigen talen kennen. Tussen verschillende talen zijn er verschillen en overeenkomsten te vinden in interjecties, zowel in betekenis als in vorm. Het doel van deze studie is om vast te stellen hoe interjecties tot uiting komen in de talen van het Quechua. Hierbij stel ik mijzelf de vragen wat een definitie van een interjectie is, of interjecties gekenmerkt worden door een specifieke structuur, wat de functies zijn van interjecties, en of er een verband is tussen de functie en de structuur van interjecties.Show less
From 1993 onwards, Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, became the epicentre of the abduction and murder of women. This phenomenon is referred to as feminicide, the misogynistic killing of women for gender...Show moreFrom 1993 onwards, Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, became the epicentre of the abduction and murder of women. This phenomenon is referred to as feminicide, the misogynistic killing of women for gender reasons, for being women. Due to the lack of State responsibility, the killings were not investigated, perpetrators were not prosecuted or convicted, victims were blamed, and the access to justice was thus restricted. Therefore, feminicides are associated with a high level of impunity. In order to address the high feminicide rate and the issue of impunity accordingly, the Mexican State implemented gender-based violence legislation that includes the act of feminicide as its most extreme form. Moreover, feminicides have been classified as an official crime in the Federal Criminal Code and in the Criminal Code of the State of Chihuahua. Hence, this thesis aims to examine the feminicides of Ciudad Juárez and the impact of the changes in legislation in relation to the issue of impunity, in order to establish what this reveals about how impunity can be addressed effectively.Show less
Awa Pit is a Barbacoan language spoken in Colombia and Ecuador. Although there has been some research on this language before, the exact sibilant system is still up for discussion. In the current...Show moreAwa Pit is a Barbacoan language spoken in Colombia and Ecuador. Although there has been some research on this language before, the exact sibilant system is still up for discussion. In the current study, it is argued that there are two sibilant phonemes in Awa Pit, and that other sibilants are allophones of these two. Additionally, palatalization is put forth as a phonological process and argued to occur under certain circumstances in Awa Pit.Show less
