Research master thesis | Linguistics (research) (MA)
open access
Dutch grammar prescriptions decree that in subject position, the subject pronoun 'zij' and not the oblique 'hun' should be used. Consequently, the following sentence can only exemplify proper...Show moreDutch grammar prescriptions decree that in subject position, the subject pronoun 'zij' and not the oblique 'hun' should be used. Consequently, the following sentence can only exemplify proper written and spoken Dutch if 'zij' is selected: *Hun/Zij hebben dat gedaan! ("Them/They did that!"). Scholars have revealed that university students disapprove of *hun in a spoken Dutch story (Janssen 2004), and that the more highly educated a group of speakers is, the lower that group’s self-reported use of *hun is likely to be (Bennis & Hinskens 2014). Yet, it remains unclear whether and, if so, how different educational groups perceive 'hun hebben' as well as other 'taalergernissen' (“language annoyances”, or “usage problems”) in spoken Dutch. My sociolinguistic study into 45 young Dutch females’ perception and evaluation of five usage problems in spoken Dutch confirms that speakers’ education is a relevant social variable that future studies about related topics should consider. The speakers with a WO degree (“university degree”) more often commented on the non-standard features in a radio listening task than speakers with HBO (“higher vocational education”) or MBO (“intermediate vocational education”) degrees did. Additionally, the university graduates also were less tolerant of, and more strongly distanced themselves from, spoken sentences that included such non-standard features as compared to the HBO and MBO graduates.Show less
This thesis focuses on theoretical accounts of code-switching with regard to Papiamento-Dutch bilinguals. It examines two contrasting theories, the Matrix Language Framework model (Myers-Scotton,...Show moreThis thesis focuses on theoretical accounts of code-switching with regard to Papiamento-Dutch bilinguals. It examines two contrasting theories, the Matrix Language Framework model (Myers-Scotton, 2002) and the Minimalist Program (Cantone and MacSwan, 2009), and compares them by examining which accounts for what happens at conflict sites in occurrences of Papiamento-Dutch code-switching, looking specifically at switching in noun-adjective word-order conflict sites. An event-related potential study was carried out at Leiden University with Papiamento-Dutch bilinguals. Its aim was to provide an objective measure of the neurocognitive processes underlying code-switching in bilinguals (Parafita Couto, Pablos, Boutonnet, de Jong, Perquin, de Haan and Schiller, under review). The two theories were tested using code-switched sentences which comprised six conditions: two control sentences that were not code-switched, two code-switched conditions where the predictions of the theories differed, and two code-switched conditions where the predictions of the theories matched. It was predicted that the results would support the Myers-Scotton MLF model, as that was the case with a similar project carried out with Welsh-English bilinguals ((Parafita Couto, Boutonnet, Hoshino, Davies, Deuchar and Thierry, 2013). The results of the Papiamento-Dutch experiment showed a slight trend in support of the Minimalist Program. These results differed from those of the project regarding Welsh-English bilinguals which found significant results in support of the Matrix Language Framework model (Parafita Couto, Boutonnet, Hoshino, Davies, Deuchar and Thierry, 2013). The disparity between the conclusions in these two experiments could be due to the difference in the types of bilinguals which participated. Further research will benefit from considering the sociolinguistic features of the bilingual group which participated in the Papiamento-Dutch study discussed in this thesis.Show less
“Can equivalent effect be reached in Korean to Dutch translation?” I want to examine this by analyzing Oh Jung-hee’s novel: ‘새’ (2009) and its Dutch translation: ‘Vogel’. I want to answer this...Show more“Can equivalent effect be reached in Korean to Dutch translation?” I want to examine this by analyzing Oh Jung-hee’s novel: ‘새’ (2009) and its Dutch translation: ‘Vogel’. I want to answer this question by searching for units that might pose a problem for translating 새 regarding communicative equivalence. I will discuss why it is problematic to reach an equivalent effect with the help of various translation strategies.Show less
The Batavian society consisted of people of different nations. It was a society that started from scratch with the building and populating of Batavia in 1619. The process of people arriving in the...Show moreThe Batavian society consisted of people of different nations. It was a society that started from scratch with the building and populating of Batavia in 1619. The process of people arriving in the city and creating a living for themselves made visible the underlying organization: the formation of groups, leadership and the establishing of power. I relate and refer to texts on the topics of racialism, social biology, cultural communication and awareness, and colonial culture that allow insights in the Batavian situation.Show less
The trade of the servants of the East India Companies, known as private trade, forms the core of this thesis. It is argued that the studies on the Dutch maritime empire in Asia have hitherto...Show moreThe trade of the servants of the East India Companies, known as private trade, forms the core of this thesis. It is argued that the studies on the Dutch maritime empire in Asia have hitherto neglected the theme of private trade. In order to understand the decline of the VOC vis-à-vis the English EIC, it is crucial to have a better understanding of the Dutch private trade.Show less
Research master thesis | Linguistics (research) (MA)
open access
2016-08-31T00:00:00Z
Intra-sentential code-switching in Dutch-Papiamento bilingualism may create a conflict within the determiner phrase, because in Dutch the adjective precedes the noun (1), whereas in Papiamento the...Show moreIntra-sentential code-switching in Dutch-Papiamento bilingualism may create a conflict within the determiner phrase, because in Dutch the adjective precedes the noun (1), whereas in Papiamento the adjective follows the noun (2). 1.Het rode huis [Dutch]. 2.E kas kòrá [Papiamento]. “The red house”. The Matrix Language Framework (MLF – Myers-Scotton, 1993) suggests that the matrix language will provide the grammatical frame and that the embedded language will supply some content elements. The matrix language will thus determine the word order in a code-switched determiner phrase. In the case of Dutch-Papiamento intra-sentential code-switching, the MLF will predict an [adjective-noun] order when the matrix language is Dutch, and the MLF will predict a [noun-adjective] order when the matrix language is Papiamento. However, the MLF does not make a prediction about the origin of the adjective or the noun. Thus, when the matrix language is Dutch, both combinations of [Dutch adjective-Papiamento noun] and [Papiamento adjective-Dutch noun] would be possible according to the MLF. The same principle applies for Papiamento as the matrix language, both language combinations [Papiamento noun-Dutch adjective] and [Dutch noun-Papiamento adjective] would be possible according to the MLF. The aim of the present study is to test the predictions of the MLF in Dutch-Papiamento code-switching production. The four code-switching patterns mentioned above were used as conditions that match the predictions of the MLF (“MLF+ conditions”). Another four conditions were created by reversing the order of the adjective and the noun in both matrix language paradigms, to create a violation of the predictions of the MLF (“MLF- conditions”). A total of eight conditions were used in this study. The MLF predictions were tested by using an advanced psycholinguistic method, namely electro-encephalography (EEG). The integration of a psycholinguistic method in a code-switching experiment is an innovative way of testing the predictions of a theoretical model. In this study, an EEG signal was recorded while Dutch-Papiamento bilingual speakers conducted a modified picture naming task. The conditions were analysed by looking at naming latencies and by looking at the part of the EEG signal following target presentation. Based on results of previous picture naming tasks (Christoffels, Firk & Schiller, 2007; Rodriguez-Fornells, Van Der Lugt, Rotte, Britti, Heinze & Münte, 2005; Misra, Guo, Bobb & Kroll, 2012), I expected slower naming latencies and a more negative waveform for the conditions that violate the predictions of the MLF. The expected slower naming latencies were observed in two MLF- conditions: Papiamento adjective followed by a Dutch noun (Papiamento matrix language) and Papiamento noun followed by a Dutch adjective (Dutch matrix language). The expected negative waveform was observed in only one MLF- condition: Papiamento adjective followed by a Dutch noun (Papiamento matrix language). Furthermore, a P300 (with an early peak in the frontal/central area and a later peak in the occipital area) and a late positive component seem to be elicited in code-switching production. The amplitude of the P300 peak was higher in the conditions that contain a violation of the MLF, which could be explained by the higher complexity of the MLF- conditions. The occurrence of the P300 could be explained in terms of the context-updating theory (Donchin, 1981; Donchin & Coles, 1988) or the neural inhibition theory (Polich, 2007). On the whole, the results do not provide conclusive support for the predictions of the MLF.Show less
In this thesis, an analysis of cultural differences through language in film translation is made. Looking at three versions of the Disney film Frozen, cultural elements have been illustrated and...Show moreIn this thesis, an analysis of cultural differences through language in film translation is made. Looking at three versions of the Disney film Frozen, cultural elements have been illustrated and compared to show how American, Japanese and Dutch culture differ from each other.Show less
Master thesis | Theology and Religious Studies (Master)
open access
After the Second World War church members abandoned the traditional churches in large numbers in The Netherlands. At the same time a new movement started to grow, namely the evangelical movement....Show moreAfter the Second World War church members abandoned the traditional churches in large numbers in The Netherlands. At the same time a new movement started to grow, namely the evangelical movement. This research looks into the cultural and social factors that stimulated the growth of the evangelical movement from 1945 till 1980 in The Netherlands. Special attention is given to the cultural and social changes in the 1960’s and what the influences were on the evangelical movement. The thesis also contributes to the question: how the religious landscape in The Netherlands has changed in the second half of the twentieth century and how these changes and the growth of the evangelical movement are connected with each other.Show less
Een hypothetische conditionele vraag is een vraag waarin een hypothetische werkelijkheid wordt geschetst. Aan de hand hiervan moet een geïnterviewde een uitspraak doen over zijn/haar gedrag of...Show moreEen hypothetische conditionele vraag is een vraag waarin een hypothetische werkelijkheid wordt geschetst. Aan de hand hiervan moet een geïnterviewde een uitspraak doen over zijn/haar gedrag of gedachten wanneer deze situatie werkelijkheid zou zijn. In deze studie wordt dit type vraag geplaatst binnen bestaande theorieën over interviewstijlen en conditionele constructies. Vervolgens worden de verschillende vormen door middel van een corpusanalyse geanalyseerd en wordt een continuüm gemaakt waarin de vormen die in gesproken interviews voorkomen, zijn gerangschikt op mogelijke effectiviteit. De hypothetische conditionele vraag kan worden gezien als een conditionele taalhandeling waarbij welwillendheid van de geïnterviewde nodig is om deze te beantwoorden. De hypothese is dat hoe dichter de geschetste hypothetische situatie bij de werkelijke wereld ligt, hoe effectiever de vraag. Daarnaast is de hypothese dat een hoge mate van syntactische integratie zorgt voor een effectievere vraag. In de praktijk lijkt ontkenning van een hypothetische vraag sporadisch voor te komen en met name bij vragen die als mogelijk minder effectief zijn geclassificeerd.Show less
“Oh shit, [I have] said fuck! Oh fuck, [I have] said shit!” Brian Blessed spoke these words on an episode of Stephen Fry’s show Planet World (Fry, 2011b). Why might some people perceive this...Show more“Oh shit, [I have] said fuck! Oh fuck, [I have] said shit!” Brian Blessed spoke these words on an episode of Stephen Fry’s show Planet World (Fry, 2011b). Why might some people perceive this sentence as shocking, rude or offensive? For the simple reason that it contains swearwords. Swearing is not something one is supposed to do and this is told us in, amongst others, the Bible: “But I say unto you, Swear not at all ; neither by heaven ; for it is God’s throne : / Nor by the earth ; for it is his footstool : neither by Jerusalem ; for it is the city of the great King. / Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black” (The Bible, Mat. 5.34–36). Swearing has always been taboo (Montagu, 1967; Stapleton 289). In one of his comedy routines, the American comedian George Carlin talked about the number of swearwords in the English language compared to the total number of words in it: “There are 400,000 words in the English language, but there are seven of them you cannot say on television. What a ratio that is!” (2011; Pinker, 2008). These seven words are shit, piss, fuck, cunt, cocksucker, motherfucker and tits. As a reaction to this sketch, the US Supreme Court and the federal government established a law which could regulate speech on broadcast television and radio in the United States (Poetry Genius): if one uttered one of the ‘seven dirty –’ or ‘filthy words’ on television or radio, one had to pay a large fine. The ban has been established about thirty years ago and there is an ongoing debate on whether it should be lifted (Nighty News, 2012). What makes a word an effective swearword? “In order to be useful for the purposes of swearing, a word […] must have reference to an object possessing, or thought to possess, force or power of some kind” (Montagu 15). Many of these words refer to excrement and filth, like shit, or sexual intercourse, like fuck. Not all words can function as swearwords, “because they [lack] the acquired weight of tradition in the speech community” (Hughes, 1992:22). All swearwords are therefore emotionally charged terms (Hughes, 1992). Native speakers of English mainly use English words when they swear. Native speakers of Dutch, however, swear both in their native tongue and in English (van de Krol, 2013). Are people these days really offended when someone utters a “filthy word”? Is the perceived rudeness of swearing dependent on factors such as nationality and gender? Do British people perceive swearwords with a different level of harshness than Americans? How do their results compare to people who are native speakers of Dutch? These are questions which this thesis would like to answer.Show less
Food and eating habits are good indicators of wider social changes and appetite for multi-ethnic eating can be perceived as one step forward to accepting and understanding the meaning of diversity....Show moreFood and eating habits are good indicators of wider social changes and appetite for multi-ethnic eating can be perceived as one step forward to accepting and understanding the meaning of diversity. In migration studies, the socio-historical analysis of the relationship between migrants and food practices provides a fresh perspective on the cultural encounters between communities. The aim of my research is to explore the private space of the Dutch eating habits and the more or less successful integration of foreign kitchens. In detail, this paper looks at how and to what extent have foreign cuisines, especially the Indonesian and Moroccan, affected the Dutch eating culture from 1950 until 2000. The results show trends of appropriation of culinary knowledge and adoption of culinary authenticity.Show less
This study focuses on the variation in pronunciation of 18 Dutch loanwords. These loanwords know variation in a vowel or consonant, or in their stress pattern. With the help of a questionnaire and...Show moreThis study focuses on the variation in pronunciation of 18 Dutch loanwords. These loanwords know variation in a vowel or consonant, or in their stress pattern. With the help of a questionnaire and wordlist, the varying pronunciation forms of these Dutch loanwords were analysed. By studying the origin of these loanwords, it became evident whether the donor language influenced the pronunciation. It became clear that French is the most influential donor language with regards to the pronunciation. Correlations with sex, age, region, educational level, and dialect proficiency were also studied to find any patterns. The social variables sex and educational level influenced the choices speakers made for a certain pronunciation form the most.Show less
The results of this research show that female participants have more positive attitudes towards English loanwords than male participants. Female participants were consistently more positive...Show moreThe results of this research show that female participants have more positive attitudes towards English loanwords than male participants. Female participants were consistently more positive regarding statements 1, 2 and 3 or, respectively, this is an ordinary Dutch sentence, the use of [loanword] is appropriate in this sentence and I would also make use of this sentence as can be found in Figure 1. Furthermore, there is significant correlation at the 0.05 level between both statement 2 and statement 3 and gender, which means that female participants have scored significantly higher than male participants for these statements. The results of this research also suggest that the mean scores of the participants become consistently lower when age increases for each of the statements. Figure 2 shows that the mean scores for the statements mentioned above consistently decrease when ages of the participants increase. These data suggest that older participants have more negative attitudes towards loanwords than younger participants. In furthermore, there is significant negative correlation at the 0.05 level between the statement I would also make use of this sentence and age. This implies that the attitudes towards using these loanwords are significantly more negative when the ages of the participants increase. This research indicated that most participants do not prefer alternative words to the used loanwords. Table 11 (in section 4.3) indicates that crash is the loanword with the most preferred alternatives as it is preferably replaced by ongeluk and neerstorten, according to nine and ten participants, respectively. Table 11 also indicates that seven participants prefer vraaggesprek to interview, six participants prefer behaald or gepresteerd to gescoord and five participants prefer peiling(en) and voorlopige uitslagen to exit polls. Preferred alternatives to the other loanwords were only provided by four participants or less, and are therefore not widely supported among the participants. In addition, the majority of the loanwords (all except crash) are catachrestic. Furthermore, the results of this research suggest that the participants generally consider that the used loanwords are more precise than other Dutch words. The second favoured reason is that participants consider that the used loanwords sound better regarding pronunciation, which can be found in Table 12.Show less
In this thesis the debate that led to the Dutch slavery momument is shown. This debate is compared with the English debate and other cases of historical injustice.
