The present study aims to investigate the use of Japanese loanwords in Mandarin Chinese-speaking Otaku communities by combining database observation with three elicitation tasks: 1) a questionnaire...Show moreThe present study aims to investigate the use of Japanese loanwords in Mandarin Chinese-speaking Otaku communities by combining database observation with three elicitation tasks: 1) a questionnaire on knowledge and using circumstances of the loans, 2) a set of read-aloud tasks following the questionnaire in Task 1 for tonal assignment strategies, and 3) a timed loanword-identification task. Linguistic dimensions of the data are carefully investigated, and variations in different individuals’ uses are also observed. Based on these findings, the role of misperception and identity in tonal adaptation, the limbo between code switching and lexical borrowing, as well as the role of orthographic representations are reflected on.Show less
The Guaporé-Mamoré language area hosts a large amount of linguistic diversity; however, its history of contact remains understudied. This thesis aims to shed light on the contact patterns in the...Show moreThe Guaporé-Mamoré language area hosts a large amount of linguistic diversity; however, its history of contact remains understudied. This thesis aims to shed light on the contact patterns in the region through a study which compares languages in area with regards to their word stress and phonological tone. For this aim, a sample of 40 languages belonging to the area, plus 9 control languages, was collected which gathered the characteristics of their word stress and tone systems. The results show that languages in the Guaporé-Mamoré area tend to prefer right-bound, fixed stress, although only the languages south-west of the Guaporé river, corresponding to the Mojo-Chiquito culture area, are significantly different from the control languages (p = .003) in this regard. The results thus imply different levels of contact in sub-regions of the proposed area. Further research is needed into the commonalities and differences between languages in the region, as well as documentation of the languages.Show less
Research master thesis | Linguistics (research) (MA)
open access
The Slavic proto-language was subject to a tendency commonly referred to as the “Opening of Syllables”, which is somehow connected to a number of sound changes that all had an opening effect, e.g....Show moreThe Slavic proto-language was subject to a tendency commonly referred to as the “Opening of Syllables”, which is somehow connected to a number of sound changes that all had an opening effect, e.g. nasalization and loss of various coda consonants. The nature of the phenomenon is not quite understood and no language-internal explanations have proven to be successful. This thesis explores the possibility that the Opening of Syllables was due to contact, specifically with the (unknown) language of the Avars, spoken in and around Pannonia during the Migration Period. In order to find out, the relative and absolute chronology of syllable-opening sound changes is examined and mapped onto the spread of the Slavs and the Avars, and the sound changes themselves are compared to possible phonological traits of Avar. Based on this it is argued that contact with Avar was possibly responsible for only two sound changes (monophthongization and the certain developments of consonant clusters), but that this was not the result of a contact-induced tendency toward open syllables. In general, the Opening of Syllables as a whole was not induced by contact with Avar or with any other language.Show less
Research master thesis | Linguistics (research) (MA)
closed access
Although there have been many studies looking into the integration process, likelihood and types of loans, the position of loans in the recipient language is less clear. They seem to be part of a...Show moreAlthough there have been many studies looking into the integration process, likelihood and types of loans, the position of loans in the recipient language is less clear. They seem to be part of a grey area, between the lexicon and incidental language use, bordering on code-switching. Through the analysis of a Dictionary Project, a Survey Project and Language Expert Interviews, this study attempts to map the factors that influence the perceived Dutchness of English loans in Dutch and attempts to narrow the grey area that loans are part of. The results show that the Linguistic Aspects, Age and Semantics of loans most strongly influence the perceived Dutchness. Moreover, the loans should not be a niche concept or be rarely used. Subsequently, the results make it possible to create a tentative blueprint for the characteristics a loan should have to be perceived as part of Dutch, in effect slightly narrowing the grey area loans are part of.Show less
Research master thesis | Linguistics (research) (MA)
open access
The present study explores the relationship between multilingualism and expressiveness, with reference to the case of ideophones in Zulu. Ideophones make up a large and productive word class in...Show moreThe present study explores the relationship between multilingualism and expressiveness, with reference to the case of ideophones in Zulu. Ideophones make up a large and productive word class in Zulu, as they do in most Bantu languages (Nkabinde, 1986; Doke & Vilakazi, 1951). However, a study by Childs (1996) found that ideophone knowledge and use is in decline among young Zulu speakers in South Africa, likely because of influence from Afrikaans and English as prestige languages which do not have ideophones. This study seeks to follow up on this and expand upon it with the inclusion of gestures and an investigation of the attitudes surrounding ideophone use. The central finding is that the results here conform to Childs’s (1996) prediction that ideophone use is decreasing among Zulu speakers; however, ideophones are generally positively perceived by urban speakers, which stands in stark contrast to what Childs (1996) found. The implications of these positive attitudes are discussed in light of South Africa’s sociolinguistic history and current context. Lastly, I posit the tentative hypothesis that many of the functions of ideophones have persisted into urban Zulu in the form of onomatopoeia and even code-switching.Show less
This thesis critically assesses the arguments presented by previous scholars who have claimed for the existence of a Tai-Kadai substratum in Yue. The main focus of falls into two areas, namely...Show moreThis thesis critically assesses the arguments presented by previous scholars who have claimed for the existence of a Tai-Kadai substratum in Yue. The main focus of falls into two areas, namely grammatical and lexical features observable in Yue that are proposed to be linked to an ancient substratum left over by the former non-Sinitic inhabitants of modern-day Southern China. Evidence is considered from a pan-Sinitic and pan-Tai-Kadai perspective. Comparisons are also drawn with Hmong-Mien and Austroasiatic languages, the two other language families that have been linked to the Baiyue. This thesis shows that evidence presented by previous scholars is in most cases far from sufficient, painting a much more complex picture of the development of the features attributed to substratum interference in Yue by previous scholars.Show less
The 'Epistula de observatione ciborum ad theudericum regem francorum', or in short ‘De observatione ciborum’, written by the Byzantine physician Anthimus, is a treatise from the early sixth century...Show moreThe 'Epistula de observatione ciborum ad theudericum regem francorum', or in short ‘De observatione ciborum’, written by the Byzantine physician Anthimus, is a treatise from the early sixth century, addressed to the Frankish king Theuderic. It concerns which foodstuffs do and do not fit a healthy lifestyle, and includes preparation methods for all food items that are discussed in the work. The tractate has long drawn scholars’ attention for its peculiar style and language. Written in a much more colloquial style than was usual, de observatione ciborum also contains a fairly large amount of non-Latin lexis. The aim of this thesis is to examine some of that lexis. Whilst Anthimus’ language has been researched and analysed in the past, this research focuses on the cooking terminology only. Moreover, it includes only words that appear to have been introduced into Latin relatively recently, possibly under the influence of the new peoples that had moved into the traditional Latin speaking area. Thus, it aims to sketch an image of the linguistic situation of the time and place in which Anthimus composed his epistula de observatione ciborum. The focus of the linguistic research is on the etymology and provenance of the included lemmata.Show less
This thesis argues against a recent claim which states that English is a Scandinavian language which came about during and after the Viking settlement and reign in England.
In this thesis I have researched the lexical influence the Dutch language has had on the Japanese language during the Edo period (1603-1868). To do this I have analyzed several sources which...Show moreIn this thesis I have researched the lexical influence the Dutch language has had on the Japanese language during the Edo period (1603-1868). To do this I have analyzed several sources which document this influence and I have used the framework of Johanson (2001) for this analysis. From this analysis I have concluded that the lexical influence of Dutch on Japanese is mostly limited to words related to trade or science, and that these words are mostly copied globally or combinationally and that whether they are copied globally or combinationally depends on whether they are compound words consisting of words of the native language or not.Show less
This research is about the use of the ba construction in Taiwan Mandarin. This construction marks the object by inserting the morpheme ba, and preposes it to the front of the sentence structure. It...Show moreThis research is about the use of the ba construction in Taiwan Mandarin. This construction marks the object by inserting the morpheme ba, and preposes it to the front of the sentence structure. It has also been called a disposal construction, since it denotes how the object is affected by the subject. Taiwan Mandarin is heavily influenced by Southern Min, a language which is spoken by a large proportion of the Taiwanese population. The Southern Min ka7 construction is very similar to the ba construction: it marks the object as patient and preposes it in the sentence structure. However, its use is also quite different from the use of the ba construction. In order to find out if this ka7 construction has influenced the ba construction, I took spoken example sentences from Taiwanese television shows and written example sentences from Taiwanese Facebook pages. The data from these sources suggests that in some cases the ba construction in Taiwanese Mandarin does behave differently, and some of the differences can indeed be explained by the ka7 construction.Show less
