This research is aimed at characterizing the Dutch law of perjury with theories of lying as described by philosophers of language. In American law various inconsistencies of perjury cases led to...Show moreThis research is aimed at characterizing the Dutch law of perjury with theories of lying as described by philosophers of language. In American law various inconsistencies of perjury cases led to research on the topic. Those studies all have concluded that lying and perjury differ greatly in several notable areas. Often discussed is the well-known perjury case of former US President Clinton. Research states Bill Clinton obviously was not speaking the truth, but he was never impeached with perjury. Possible explanations could be a political agenda or the lack of adequate evidence. This research paper will discuss the differences between the Dutch and American legal systems, as well as offering a critical analysis of why these systems differ. The central question in this research answers in what ways the Dutch law of perjury can be characterized by the pragmatic theories of lying. Four court cases, all different in outcome, will be linguistically analysed. The linguistic analysis performed in this research is based on Grice’s maxims of Cooperation, Searle’s Speech Act theory, the provided definition of lying and the analytic tools as described by Shuy. This will provide various insights in the interpretation of the Dutch perjury law. Based on the results, this research paper concludes that lying cannot perfectly characterize the Dutch law of perjury, however, they cannot be fully separated from each other either. What this analysis clearly shows are the possibilities of a linguistic analysis when discussing perjury lawsuits. The discourse analysis can provide insights in someone’s intentions, as well as the weaknesses in someone’s statements. This paper strongly promotes the statement that using linguistic analyses is beneficial to the legal system, especially in court cases concerning crimes of language.Show less
In this master thesis, I did research on the frenchification of Dutch in a corpus of pamflets from the Low Countries in the period 1525 - 1875. The results showed that the period 1525 - 1675...Show moreIn this master thesis, I did research on the frenchification of Dutch in a corpus of pamflets from the Low Countries in the period 1525 - 1875. The results showed that the period 1525 - 1675 consisted significantly more suffixes than the period 1725 - 1875, which was in contrary with the hypotheses.Show less
L’immigration nord-africaine a été étudiée par de nombreux auteurs , d’un point de vue historique et social. En revanche, nous avons essayé de combiner ces aspects avec un autre point de vue :...Show moreL’immigration nord-africaine a été étudiée par de nombreux auteurs , d’un point de vue historique et social. En revanche, nous avons essayé de combiner ces aspects avec un autre point de vue : celui de la presse écrite. Aussi la question de recherche traite-t-elle de la manière dont l’immigration maghrébine en France a été perçue par la presse française dans l’entre-deux-guerres. Nous voulons savoir s’il y a eu des signes d’une polémique autour du mouvement migratoire et ses conséquences pour la France et si les Nord-Africains ont été représentés plutôt d’une manière positive ou davantage d’une façon négative, quand et par qui.Show less
The paper seeks to replicate the effects of the three-point distributional training paradigm found by Chládková et al. (2020, under review), while using an acoustic dimension which allows for the...Show moreThe paper seeks to replicate the effects of the three-point distributional training paradigm found by Chládková et al. (2020, under review), while using an acoustic dimension which allows for the direct comparison of two second-language perceptual learning scenarios: category creation and boundary shift (i.e. NEW and SIMILAR sounds under the L2LP framework (Escudero, 2009)). To this end, an EEG-experiment was run using a pre-test – training – post-test design. The pre- and post-tests involved a passive-oddball paradigm, whereby participants (Dutch native speakers without formal English phonetic training) heard a sequence of repetitive synthetic vowel sounds, where the standard was /ɛ/ (which exists in both Dutch and English), and the deviants were /ɪ/ (which also exists in both Dutch and English) and /æ/ (which only exists English). Between the pre- and post-tests, participants underwent distributional training of either the /æ/-/ɛ/ or the /ɪ/-/ɛ/ contrast, following a three-point paradigm, as set out by Chládková et al. (2020, under review). The /æ/-/ɛ/ group therefore constitutes a case of category creation, whereas the /ɪ/-/ɛ/ group constitutes only a case of boundary shift. The electrophysiological data was intended to measure the mismatch negativity (MMN) response – an ERP component which indicates perceived deviation from a repetitive sequence of sounds (Näätänen & Kreegipuu, 2012). It is expected that in the pre-test, the participants will distinguish the /ɪ/-/ɛ/ contrast, but not the /æ/-/ɛ/ contrast, since the latter does not exist in their L1 (Dutch). In the post-test, it is expected that the /ɪ/-/ɛ/ boundary will have shifted as a result of training, although it is to be discovered whether the /æ/ category will be created. It was found that the /ɪ/-/ɛ/ trained group were able to shift their /ɪ/-/ɛ/ boundary as a result of the training. For the category creation scenario, however, no significant effects of training were found. Given the very small sample size in this experiment, however (n per training group = 5), these results must be viewed with caution.Show less
This study investigates language use and code switching (CS) in parliamentary sessions of the People’s Council of Representatives in Aceh, Indonesia. Three recordings of plenary sessions of the...Show moreThis study investigates language use and code switching (CS) in parliamentary sessions of the People’s Council of Representatives in Aceh, Indonesia. Three recordings of plenary sessions of the Council were transcribed and used as data sources for the research. The study used transcriptions to obtain frequency and syntactic constructions and interviews with speakers of Acehnese to obtain social functions and perceived attitudes toward CS. It was found that the use of Acehnese relative to Indonesian and other languages in the parliamentary was 26.5% in terms of word count and 3.3% in terms of continuous speech duration and furthermore could be classified as CS wherein Acehnese served either as Matrix and Embedded Language based on Matrix Language Framework (MLF – Myers-Scotton and Jake, 2009). The CS were mostly intersentential in both direction and extrasentential CS were found only from Indonesian to Acehnese. In addition, the CS mainly functioned as a manner of quotation and interlocutor addressing. This study contributed to a better understanding of language and code switching in politically-motivated settings in Aceh or other multilingual regions in Indonesia. Future research in this area could focus on the intellectual and political factors underlying deliberate code switching.Show less
With the popularization of courtroom dramas, fictional legal subtitling is in high demand. However, correct legal subtitling might be difficult to achieve due to the nature of legal translation and...Show moreWith the popularization of courtroom dramas, fictional legal subtitling is in high demand. However, correct legal subtitling might be difficult to achieve due to the nature of legal translation and the constraints of subtitling. This study is a qualitative and quantitative analysis of the legal terms in the Dutch subtitles of the first season of Suits. Pedersen’s (2005/2011) taxonomy of translation strategies to transfer Extralinguistic Cultural References (ECRs) was used to identify which translation strategies were used for the translation of legal terms in the subtitles and Pedersen’s (2017) FAR model for error assessment in subtitles was used to assess the subtitles that contained legal terms according to functional equivalency, acceptability and readability. The results showed that direct translation was the most used translation strategy in the Dutch subtitles of the first season of Suits. Error assessment showed that the subtitles were at least 80% functionally equivalent, acceptable and readable. Applying Pedersen’s (2005/2011) translation strategies in combination with his (2017) FAR model to other courtroom dramas can help generate more data and formulate which translation strategies work best for legal subtitling as a general recommendation for future legal subtitlers.Show less
This thesis investigates the persuasion methods used by ISIS in several propaganda videos and how these methods psychologically appeal to western male youths.
This thesis focuses on the explicitation of Latin-Greek terms in medical brochures that are intended for laypeople. It analyzes the presence of LG terms and the explicitation strategies in English...Show moreThis thesis focuses on the explicitation of Latin-Greek terms in medical brochures that are intended for laypeople. It analyzes the presence of LG terms and the explicitation strategies in English medical brochures that were translated from Dutch in comparison to non-translated medical brochures originally written in English. This study uses a comparable corpus methodology and its aim is to determine whether the translated brochures contain more LG term explicitation compared to the non-translated brochures. This is because research in Translation Studies has shown that the level of health literacy differs among laypeople, meaning that the medical brochures should be written in an understandable manner for everyone (Montalt, Zethsen, & Karwacka, 2018). Making a text comprehensible for laypeople can be done by using explicitation, which is adapting a unit of the text more extensively, for instance by omitting or adding terms. In this thesis, the LG terms found are classified into the following six categories that determine the explicitation strategy: definition/explanation, reformulation, exemplification/illustration, analogy, synonym, and hyperonym. This thesis compares the explicitation of LG terms in translated Dutch-English to non-translated English brochures, because it has been shown that English has had a better influx of Latin-based terminology compared to Northern European languages, that is Scandinavian or Germanic languages (Askehave and Zethsen, 2002; Zethsen, 2004). The results of this thesis show that the non-translated medical brochures in English actually contain a higher frequency of LG term explicitation compared to the medical brochures translated from Dutch. Possible reasons for these results could be that LG terms in everyday English are not as well-known and present as expected and there might exist a discrepancy between what can and cannot be considered lay terms when writing and translating medical brochures.Show less
The bilingual brain has the ability to control and switch between languages at any given moment. This alternation between two languages is known as code-switching (Bullock & Toribio, 2009),...Show moreThe bilingual brain has the ability to control and switch between languages at any given moment. This alternation between two languages is known as code-switching (Bullock & Toribio, 2009), which requires cognitive control mechanisms to inhibit the first language once the second language is encountered (Green & Wei, 2014). During the process of switching from one language to the other, costs have been observed, which are assumed to mirror the effort required to access the target language schema. With this background in mind, this study examined the influence of intra-sentential code-switch types on cognitive control costs on (N= 70) L1 Greek L2 English bilinguals. We used an executive function task, where participants were presented with code-switched and non-code-switched sentences that were followed by either a comprehension question or a Flanker trial. Comprehension findings showed that higher scores in Accuracy lead to greater cognitive effort, and thus, costs on monolingual conditions, and in the presence of a code-switch, the costs and levels of Accuracy were decreased. Results from the Flanker task demonstrated a significant link between code-switching type and direction: the performance on Alternational Conditions demanded greater levels of inhibition, and entailed larger costs compared to Insertional Conditions, that caused lower costs. However, the overall performance was better when on the direction of the switch occurred from the L2 to L1, in all levels. Lastly, it was observed that after a code-switch sentence, the performance on Flanker Congruency was faster and more accurate in incongruent than congruent trials. These results provide evidence of the processing demands that intra-sentential code-switch types generate in terms of domain-general cognitive control cost mechanisms.Show less
Cross-linguistic studies have shown that despite variations across languages, universal patterns are found within semantic domains. In sign language linguistics, cross-linguistic studies of the...Show moreCross-linguistic studies have shown that despite variations across languages, universal patterns are found within semantic domains. In sign language linguistics, cross-linguistic studies of the iconic patterns per semantic domain have received major attention in recent years. This study investigates iconicity in the semantic domain of animals in Berbey Sign Language – an emerging family sign language in Mali – and compares it to 10 other sign languages. The results of the analysis of the iconic strategies and iconic image in 10 animal signs reveal notable patterns. An overview of the universal tendencies found in the semantic domain of animals is included in the study as well.Show less
Several scholars have already studied how certain groups are in- and excluded in discourse. Their studies have demonstrated how certain stylistic choices from textual analyses denote that certain...Show moreSeveral scholars have already studied how certain groups are in- and excluded in discourse. Their studies have demonstrated how certain stylistic choices from textual analyses denote that certain groups are excluded in discourse. Contemporary studies have already covered Trump’s verbal style and rhetoric during the 2016 presidential election. Previous research, however, has not covered how Trump’s campaign rhetoric during the 2016 presidential election contributed to the general impression that he excludes immigrants. Therefore, this thesis aims to provide an answer to which stylistic choices contribute to the impression that the Republican presidential candidate Donald J. Trump excludes immigrants in his immigration speech held on 31 August 2016.Show less
This thesis provides a terminology for mutual legal assistance using a selection of terms from the WOTS (Wet Overdracht Tenuitvoerlegging Strafvonnissen). Each Dutch term is accompanied by an...Show moreThis thesis provides a terminology for mutual legal assistance using a selection of terms from the WOTS (Wet Overdracht Tenuitvoerlegging Strafvonnissen). Each Dutch term is accompanied by an English term, definitions of both the Dutch and the English term, a reliability number and often by additional information. The terms are extracted from treaties, national law and the work of legal scholars. The terminology differentiates between US and UK terms when necessary. The approach of the terminology is founded on the theoretical framework, which discusses legal terminology by means of legal translation, terminology and equivalence.Show less
The phenomenon of Russian honorific agreement was first mentioned and used as evidence in Agreement Hierarchy by Greville Corbett (1979). Since then it has received little attention in the...Show moreThe phenomenon of Russian honorific agreement was first mentioned and used as evidence in Agreement Hierarchy by Greville Corbett (1979). Since then it has received little attention in the literature, unlike the other, more famous, cases of semantic agreement, e.g. hybrid nouns (Corbett 2015), pancake sentences (Enger 2004). This thesis is dedicated to investigating honorific agreement in Russian on the basis of independently collected data from the Russian National Corpus and a number of individually selected literary works.Show less
Climate change is a scientific discipline that received extensive attention from both specialists and general public. This puts additional pressure on scientific writers in this domain to use...Show moreClimate change is a scientific discipline that received extensive attention from both specialists and general public. This puts additional pressure on scientific writers in this domain to use language means successfully to render their ideas to such a wide readership. Manty studies have researched the use of rhetorical moves and metaphors in scientific writing, but never in climate change writing and never in interrelation. This thesis, therefore, aims at bridging this gap and studies rhetorical moves, metaphors and the ways they may be interrelated in abstracts of climate change research articles in high-impact journals Science Advances and Nature Climate Change. It has been found that many abstracts in the data favor the Introduction-Purpose-Product-Conclusion structure, and overall the Product move is obligatory for all abstracts. However, Science data showed more variation both in the use of moves and in the usage of metaphors. The results of this study could be a starting point for a more in-depth research in the area, as well as of use to those studying scientific discourse for academic or practical reasons.Show less
Effective communication between physicians and patients in bad news conversation is essential, especially when it concerns decisions about treatment and quality of life issues. In this thesis, the...Show moreEffective communication between physicians and patients in bad news conversation is essential, especially when it concerns decisions about treatment and quality of life issues. In this thesis, the central theme is how the semantics and pragmatics of personal pronouns, in particular ‘I’, ‘you’ and ‘we’, contribute to the inclusiveness of exclusiveness of the patient in the treatment discussion and, therefore, influence the discussion of the oncological treatment process. By means of evaluating the pronouns used by the physicians in eleven bad news conversations, the strategic function of this word class is revealed. These pronouns could, specifically, be interpreted as ‘actual pronouns’, as ‘generic pronouns’ (‘enlarged inclusiveness’, ‘rhetorical’ and ‘specific’) or as ‘other’ (dysfluencies, fillers and ‘no code’). The concept of strategic maneuvering that is used here, serves to evaluate the argumentative moves the physician makes to effectively and dialectically present the ‘best’ treatment option, determined by the activity type of medical consultations. In this thesis, the focus lies on examining the ‘rhetorical we’ and ‘specific we’, and the pronouns ‘you’ and ‘I’ in the analysis. The findings suggest that physicians use implicit propositions to seemingly follow the principles of shared decision making, but in fact oftentimes do not.Show less
