Definition of Dialectology

The scientific study of dialects, or the regional differences in a language. Although to some extent an autonomous discipline, dialectology is regarded by some linguists as a subfield of sociolinguistics. What is Dialectology? Sociolinguists and dialectologists share some goals and methods. We both tend to be interested in the language of a particular place (a speech community), language in use, authentic speech, and defining a language variety in terms of how it might differ from the standard. A major difference is that in the past dialectologists or dialect geographers have been interested in the most divergent, traditional language of a community, assuming that other forms resulted from later movement toward the standard. Sociolinguists, on the other hand, are interested in the full range of forms in a community (and their social evaluation) ...The goals of dialect geography and dialectology have been to show where particular speech features are found, and to discover the boundaries between dialect regions. But dialect geography has also tried to find the most traditional speech in each region, on the assumption that regional dialects are most distinct when they havent been influenced by their neighbors , or by mainstream language.(Gerard Van Herk, What Is Sociolinguistics? Wiley-Blackwell, 2012) Dialect Geography Dialect geography [is] a methodology or (more accurately) a set of methods for gathering evidence of dialect differences systematically ...More than a century has elapsed since the first major project in dialect geography was undertaken, and in that time there have been hundreds of projects, great and small, that have made use of the methodology ...The resurgence [of dialect geography] began in the 1980s. We have already noted some of the benchmarks: the revival of the Middle and South Atlantic States project under Kretzschmar, the resumption of analysis of the survey of English dialects by Upton and his associates, and, of course, Pedersons Gulf States publications. In addition to these, significant regional projects are taking place in Spain directed by Manuel Alvar, in France sponsored by the Centre national de la Recherche Scientifique, and in many other places, including Mexico, Canary Islands, Vanuatu, and RÃ ©union. Dialect atlases are appearing in relative profusion, some of them belated culminations of old field work and others the end-products of more recent research.One reason for the resurgence is technological. Dialectology, the most data-oriented branch of language studies, finally found itself with tools commensurate to its task.(J. K. Chambers and Peter Trudgill, Dialectology, 2nd ed. Cambridge University Press, 1998) Social Dialectology Social dialectology differs from traditional dialectology in its shift of focus from rural, settled communities to communities characterized by immigration and mobility... A sign that social dialectology is maturing as a discipline is that scholars are now able to compare the results of a range of studies in order to locate and explain parallel developments.(David Britain and Jenny Cheshire, Introduction. Social Dialectology: In Honour of Peter Trudgill. John Benjamins, 2003) Forms of Dialectology In social dialectology, boundaries between varieties are identified on the basis of trained linguists observations of actual phonetic and grammatical features that constitute salient differences between varieties. In regional dialectology, boundaries are identified on the basis of what trained fieldworkers are able to elicit from speakers or speakers reports of what they usually say. In perceptual dialectology, the beliefs and thoughts that non-linguists have about language are used to distinguish varieties. Peoples perceptions about language, whether descriptively accurate or not, are just as important to the researcher as the objective facts about how speakers talk.(Miriam Meyerhoff, Introducing Sociolinguistics, 2nd ed. Routledge, 2011)

Building Trust through E-Commerce Free Essays

Suppose I am selling merchandises online – for instance, gift items for everyone – I know exactly how to convince my prospective buyers to trust my web site. Through the concept of â€Å"Free Information for All,† I would educate my web visitors, in the simplest way possible (without giving essential information to competitors), about the process of storing their credit card information and securing it from hackers and viruses. The rationale behind â€Å"Free Information for All,† is aiming at the minds of the potential customers, to make them think, feel and believe that they know all they need to know about where their credit card information is going. We will write a custom essay sample on Building Trust through E-Commerce or any similar topic only for you Order Now Images, such as secured vaults and huge powerful computers, will be used to instill in the minds of the viewers that my web site could not be any safer. In fact it is 100% safe and error-free. As for the action steps that I would take, I will begin by advertising banners and links that features a reverse psychology-inspired message, â€Å"Do not trust every online shop you see. Click to find the tricks of scammers. † Then, when they’re in my web site already, they will read another message, â€Å"Trust only those who can tell you everything you need to know about your shop and your account. Experience worry-free online shopping. † The second step is for me to make good on my word. Eventually, I will post â€Å"Testimonials† from the marketing department and from real people with pages in My Space. This will create a crisp, friendly feel in the website, and it will convince more people that my business and services are no hoax. The final step is just to ensure that my customers will enjoy a 24/7 customer support online and via toll-free number. Customers love to be pampered. I will pamper my customers, make them trust me, and make them go back to my store, with their friends in tow. Survey source: Safety in Numbers. June 25, 2002. The Resource for Security Executives. November 10, 2006. http://www. csoonline. com/metrics/viewmetric. cfm? id=393. How to cite Building Trust through E-Commerce, Papers

Driverless Cars free essay sample

A driverless car, also known as a self-driving car is an autonomous car which can perform the actions of the human being, as if a man were driving a traditional car. We can say that the car is independent of the human as the car only needs to be programmed with the destination. The mechanical part of the vehicle is held by the car its own. Moreover, to function, the car has some specific technology, for example laser, radar, GPS and computer vision. An example of an approved case of self-driving cars can be Google’s.In 2011 the state of Nevada was the first jurisdiction in the United States to pass a law concerning the operation of driverless cars. This law was turned into effect by March 2012 and the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles gave the first license for a self-driven car in May 2012. This license was given to Google’s car which was in this case a Toyota Prius. We will write a custom essay sample on Driverless Cars or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Google got involved with this issue as it is trying to develop technology for driverless vehicles. In addition, the project is currently being led by Google engineer Sebastian Thrun, director of the StanfordArtificial Intelligence Laboratory and the co-inventor of Google Street View. To develop this system, Google also had to hire 15 engineers. This topic about self-driving cars involves also other issues such as hardware and software, social and ethical issues and the social impact. As regards hardware and software involved, it integrates Google Maps with various hardware sensors and artificial intelligence software so as to take its passengers where they want safely and comfortably. Google Maps provides the car with road information; the hardware sensors provide the vehicle with real time environment conditions and the artificial intelligence software provides the car with real time decisions. Google Maps interacts with the GPS and acts as a database. In addition, it is in charge of looking for speed limits, upcoming intersections, traffic reports, nearby collisions and directions. Concerning hardware, we have to take in account that it uses an array of sensors to navigate public roads without a human driver, and many other components. Google’s Toyota Prius possesses a lidar, which is a rotating sensor on the roof that scans more than 200 feet in all directions to generate a precise three-dimensional map of the car’s surroundings.

Ocean Noise Pollution Essay Example

Ocean Noise Pollution Paper For millions of years, the oceans have been filled with sounds from natural sources such as the squeaks, moans and clicks of whales and dolphins, the snapping of shrimp, the sound caused by wind upon the surface and even the occasional rumble from earthquakes. Over millions of years, the oceans marine species have developed into what they are today, with their own specialized acute hearing abilities, communication skills and echo location abilities at natural sound levels. Hearing is generally as important to many marine creatures as sight is for humans. The oceans once referred to as the The Silent World by Jacques Southeast, has now become an increasingly noisy place since the industrial age. According to Wisped, Noise Pollution is excessive, displeasing human, animal or machine-created environmental noise that disrupts the activity or balance of human or animal life. Noise pollution could also be defined as a type of energy pollution in which distracting, irritating, or damaging sounds are freely audible. As with other forms of energy pollution (such as heat and light pollution), noise pollution contaminants are not physical particles, but rather waves that interfere with durably-occurring waves of a similar type in the same environment. Thus, the definition of noise pollution is open to debate, and there is no clear border as to which sounds may constitute noise pollution. In the narrowest sense, sounds are considered noise pollution if they adversely affect wildlife, human activity, or are capable of damaging physical structures on a regular, repeating basis. We will write a custom essay sample on Ocean Noise Pollution specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Ocean Noise Pollution specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Ocean Noise Pollution specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Hearing is the universal alerting sense in all vertebrates. Sound is extremely important because animals are able to hear events all around them, no matter where their attention is focused. Sound travels far greater distances than light under water. Light travels only a few hundred meters in the ocean before it is absorbed or scattered. Even where light is available, it is more difficult to see as far under water as in air, limiting vision in the marine environment It is similar to looking through fog on land. So, the best opportunity for long-range vision underwater especially in murky water is to swim beneath objects and see their silhouettes. In consequence, most marine animals rely on sound for survival and depend on unique adaptations hat enable them to communicate, protect themselves, locate food, and navigate underwater. Animals change the rate of sound production and the structure of the sounds to send different messages. Underwater sound allows marine animals to gather information and communicate at great distances and from all directions. The speed of sound determines the delay between when a sound is made and when it is heard. The speed of underwater sound is five times faster than sounds traveling in air. Sound travels much further underwater than in air. Thus marine animals can perceive sound coming from such further distances than terrestrial animals. Because the sound travels faster, they also receive the sounds after much shorter delays (for the same distance). It is no surprise that marine mammals have evolved many different uses for sounds. Marine mammals, such as whales, use sound to identify objects such as food, obstacles, and other whales. By emitting clicks, or short pulses of sound, marine mammals can listen for echoes and detect prey items, or navigate around objects. This animal sense functions just like the sonar systems on navy ships. It is clear that producing and hearing sound is ITIL to marine mammal survival. Whales and dolphins are celebrated for their sounds, but many species of fish and marine invertebrates also use sound. Fish produce various sounds, including grunt, croaks, clicks, and snaps, which are used to attract mates as well as ward off predators. For the taffies, sound production is very important in courtship rituals. Sound is produced by the male taffies to attract the female for mating and is especially important in the murky waters that taffies inhabit where sight is limited. Ashes also produce sound when feeding. When a fish eats hard food, such as coral, it will produce a sound. Fishes sometimes gnash their teeth without the presence of food, which may be a way to scare away predators. As you can see, sound is very important to its underwater inhabitants. It allows them to navigate, to hear approaching predators and prey, and is a way of communicating with other members of the same species. There are a lot of sources of noise in the marine environment. Naturally occurring noises include underwater volcanic eruptions and storms. Background noise in the ocean is produced by reeking waves, wind and rain, and by the huge number of small crustaceans and other animals. A typical background noise level is about 100 decibels (db), which is about the same in energy terms as 40 db in air. Wind and waves in storms, and choruses from fish and invertebrate can increase this level to about 1 20 db. Measurements show that the Pacific Ocean is still relatively quiet and that most of its background noise is produced by wind and by marine creatures. This is in contrast to the Atlantic Ocean, where most of the background noise is from the churning propellers of ocean-going ships. There are also several man-made (anthropogenic) sources of ocean noise, some of which are the unintended by products of human activity (e. G. Sell propulsion), while others are produced for a specific purpose (e. G. Military sonar). Whales, dolphins and porpoises today face a wealth of man-made threats including hunting, ship strikes, entanglement in fishing gear and issues arising from climate change. However, one man-made threat that is not as commonly acknowledged as others is ocean noise pollution. This is partly due to the fact that it is not a visible threat, so can be easily overlooked. The noi se becomes problematic and highly hazardous when it is man-made. In the past several years many studies have shown that man-made ocean noise emanating from such sources as are military sonar equipment, ship traffic, and underwater drilling, commercial shipping seismic surveys for Oil and gas exploration, mineral and aggregate extraction, construction (e. G. Drilling, dredging and explosions), acoustic deterrent and harassment devices(e. G. Pincers on fishing nets used to deter predators) and recreational activities(e. G. Boating). Noise pollution in the oceans has been shown to cause hysterical and behavioral changes in marine life, especially in dolphins and whales, which rely on sound for daily activities. However, low frequency sound produced by large scale, offshore activities is also suspected to have the capacity to cause harm to other marine life as well. It can also cause hemorrhage or other trauma to the marine mammals auditory system, sometimes leading to permanent hearing loss, and, indirectly, death. It also causes displacement from their natural habitat, disruption of feeding, breeding, nursing, and other behaviors vital to the species survival. Some of he sounds produced by these man-made sources can travel for hundreds of kilometers in marine environment, potentially affecting many marine animals over a huge are. The growing amount of human noise pollution in the ocean could lead fish away from good habitat and off to their death, according to new research from a KICK-led team working on the Great Barrier Reef. Noise pollution might also severely affect the distribution offish, and their ability to reproduce, communicate and avoid predators. For example, some studies have reported that Atlantic herring, cod and blue-fin tuna flee sounds and school less coherently in noisy environments. That could mean that fish distributions are being affected, as fish avoid places polluted by man-made noise. Not only can squids and octopuses sense sound, but as it turns out, these and other so-called asphodels might be harmed by growing noise pollution in our oceans?from sources such as offshore drilling, ship motors, sonar use and pile driving. Giant squid, for example, were found along the shores of Austria, Spain in 2001 and 2003 following the use of air guns by offshore vessels and examinations eliminated all known causes of lesions in Hess species, suggesting that the squid deaths could be related to excessive sound exposure. The effects of noise pollution on whales depend, among other things, on the distance the whales are from the source of the noise. If the sound is very powerful and close to the animals it could well bring about permanent ear damage, internal injuries, and even death. Even sounds less powerful can induce temporary deafness, as was shown by studies carried out on seals, dolphins and belugas in captivity. Knowing just how dependent whales are on sounds, there is much cause for concern. During March of 000, at least 17 whales stranded themselves in the Bahamas and the population of beaked whales in this region disappeared. A federal investigation identified testing of a U. S. Ana active sonar system as the cause. There are many things we can do to decrease ocean noise, Ocean Link, an organization dedicated to ocean education, says on its website. The first would be to simply recognize that there is a noise problem in the oceans, which some governments have begun to do. With formal recognition, it may be possible for national and international agencies to work together to help reduce this problem. For any new policies regarding ocean noise, scientists should follow the precautionary principal to ensure that no further harm will come to marine mammals. From this perspective, governments should adopt legislation with the habitats of marine mammals in mind, ensuring that important areas would receive the least impact possible. While these may come too late for hundreds of sea animals that have already been damaged by underwater noise, with the right and concerted action, the seas may resonate with the sounds of whale songs, not the human-produced lethal noises of engines and machinery.

Mistery of the Easter Island essays

Mistery of the Easter Island essays Easter Island is over 2,000 miles from the nearest population center, making it one of the most isolated places on Earth. A triangle of volcanic rock in the South Pacific- it is best known for the giant stone monoliths, known as Moai, that dot the coastline. The early settlers called the island "Te Pito O Te Henua" (Navel of The World). Admiral Roggeveen, who came upon the island on Easter Day in 1722, named it Easter Island. Today, the land, people and language are all referred to locally as Rapa Nui. Unfortunately, there is no written record to help the story of this remote island, its people, and the significance of the nearly nine hundred giant moai that punctuate Easter Islands barren landscape. The moai and the ceremonial sites are along the coast, with a concentration on Easter Islands southeast coast. The moai are more standardized in design, and they have been carved, transported, and erected between fourteen and sixteen hundred. They stand with their basks to the sea and are believed by most archaeologists to represent the spirits of ancestors, chiefs, or other high ranking males who held important positions in the history of Easter Island, or Rapa Nui. The word ahu has two meanings in Easter Island culture. First, an ahu is the flat mound or stone pedestal upon which the moai stand. The ahu is, on average, about four feet high. The word ahu also signifies a sacred ceremonial site where several moai stand. The total number of moai on Easter Island is eight hundred and eighty seven. The largest moai weights approximately a hundred and fifty tons. Several experiments were carried out and although it was proven that the statues could have been moved by rocking and rolling their bases similar to the way we would move a refrigerator or large piece of furniture, the method would have caused so mu ...

The Kennedy Doctrine 1961-1963 Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Kennedy Doctrine 1961-1963 - Research Paper Example If Kennedy would not have inherited the legacy of the Recession of 1960-61, and also if ‘the Bay of Pigs’ invasion would not have failed, the Kennedy Doctrine had been, possibly, read as an anecdote or sequel to his predecessor Eisenhower’s foreign policy which rigidly was permeated with the president’s confidence in the country’s military strength to suppress any threat in international politics. Though within the first six months of his presidency in the Oval Office, Kennedy recovered from the recession, the increased military expenditure in the following years was the reflection of Kennedy’s policy to deter any possible offensive role of the Soviet Union. In this regard Gaddis (2005) opined that also the failed CIA-backed military coup in Cuba, in spite of Kennedy’s promise to refrain from Cuban Affairs, provoked the president to be bold to pronounce the United States’ defensive stance regarding the Berlin issue and the diplom atic acknowledgement of the Soviet Union’s concern in Germany. (Gaddis, 2005, pp. 112-115). Outlines of the Kennedy Doctrine and Historical Background Though the Kennedy Doctrine is often misinterpreted as the elaborations of Eisenhower and Truman’s foreign policy prerogatives to contain Communist expansion around the world at any cost, even by involving into another war, the skeletal difference of JFK’s policy with his predecessor’s was determined by the country’s experience of fighting the recession during its earliest months, of failure of the â€Å"Bay of Pigs† and the â€Å"Cuban Missile Crisis†. Kennedy promised to pay â€Å"any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, in order to assure the survival and the success of liberty† (The Avalon Project, 2008). In his augural speech; nevertheless he was aware of the pressure of a tumultuous economy that was suffering from the fourth great r ecession in the US history. In one of his Union addresses, Kennedy admitted it: â€Å"The present state of our economy is disturbing. We take office in the wake of seven months of recession. Insured unemployment is at the highest peak in our history. In short, the American economy is in trouble† (Sorensen, 2009, p. 98). Unlike his predecessor, Eisenhower, Kennedy took the reign of America at a time when â€Å"business bankruptcies had reached the highest level since the 1930s, farm incomes had decreased 25 percent since 1951, and 5.5 million Americans were looking for work† (Miller Center, n.d.). Failure of the â€Å"Bay of Pigs† Invasion: A New Turn in Kennedy’s Foreign Policy Indeed Kennedy’s perception of the country’s economy along with the failures of his overly enthusiastic but covert military enterprises in Cuba in April 17, 1961 seemed to provoke him to be more diplomatic in confronting Communism around the World. Researchers often t end to characterize the Bay of Pig Invasion as Kennedy Administration’s initial trend to tread down the predecessors’ path to respond to Nikita Khrushchev’s â€Å"support for the wars of national liberation† in January, 1961 and the Soviet role in Congo crisis in February, 1961. According to Gaddis (2005), such experience in the â€Å"Bay of Pigs† might bring a new twist in Kennedy Foreign Policy (p. 89). This event provoked the president to voice the US positions clearly, less depending on the covert role, in the Berlin

How increased unemployment is playing a role on the increasing poverty Essay

How increased unemployment is playing a role on the increasing poverty levels - Essay Example For instance, the level of unemployment in China is 4.3 % while that of Japan is at 4.5%, nevertheless the unemployment rate of these countries does not remain constant; it keeps changing with time (trading economics, 2011). Below is a graph indicating the difference in levels of poverty among countries. Fig 1: 2011 unemployment rates of different countries. Needless to say, there are a number of reasons that cause unemployment in the world. First, some individuals lack the required skills and knowledge to tackle tasks, hence hindering their chances of acquiring a job. Secondly, the welfare payments and unemployment insurance are believed to contribute to the increasing levels of unemployment. The unemployed continue benefiting from these governments’ assisted programs, hence becoming reluctant to search for jobs. This paper will discuss the issue of unemployment, its impact to the society in causing poverty, and the possible solutions at length. Major impact of unemployment t o society The Increasing levels of unemployment are continuously contributing to the level of poverty among nations, which negatively affects the economy and the society of these nations as well. There are various types of unemployment. Cyclical unemployment is one of them, which is influenced by the business cycle, for example, the higher the growth of domestic product, the lower the levels of unemployment, and vice versa (Hartley, 2010, p.29). Structural unemployment involves launching new products in the market, therefore changing the demand of certain goods. In return, unemployment rate in certain sectors increases, whilst jobs are created in other sectors. According to Kim (2010, p.57), one third of the world’s... Unemployment as an Economic Problem Unemployment can be defined as the number of people in a nation without jobs, including those that are seeking for employment (OECD, 2003, p.32). Unemployment is a problem that affects many countries, to an extent of reducing productivity and loss of income opportunity. When the level of unemployment is high, the growth domestic product is lower compared to when the levels of unemployment are low. On the other hand, when the growth of domestic product is low, the levels of unemployment increase, the living standards of individuals are reduced, and the nation’s productivity decreases. Unemployment also contributes to loss of human capital, as the unemployed individuals do not contribute their skills and knowledge to the workforce. Moreover, unemployment does not only contribute to poverty, but it also reduces the levels of consumption and the ability of purchasing, and as a result, slowing down the potential of the market. Nevertheless, unemployment levels differ among different countries, taking different forms; however, the developing nations are highly affected by the unemployment issue compared to the advanced economies (OECD, 2003, p.32). For instance, the level of unemployment in China is 4.3 % while that of Japan is at 4.5%, nevertheless the unemployment rate of these countries does not remain constant; it keeps changing with time (trading economics, 2011). Below is a graph indicating the difference in levels of poverty among countries. Needless to say, poverty increases as the level of unemployment increases; this is evident since the unemployed have no source of income, making them to struggle in providing basics needs for their families.