Technical University in Zvolen OJS
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INTRALINGUAL TRANSLATION AS A CONTRIBUTION TO INCREASING THE COMPREHENSIBILITY OF MEDICATION PACKAGE INSERTS
Get PDFPatient information leaflets (PILs) for medicinal products are a crucial source of information for the public. Their primary purpose is to provide users with clear, accurate, and understandable guidance on the correct use of medicines, including dosage, potential side effects, interactions, and contraindications. However, in practice, the content of many PILs remains linguistically complex, cognitively demanding, and therefore often inaccessible to lay readers. This gap between expert language and user comprehension can lead to confusion, medication misuse, and, ultimately, risks to patient health and safety. This paper explores the challenges of comprehensibility, readability, and information processing in PILs. It focuses on intralingual translation, the reformulation of specialized or technical language into a more accessible version within the same language, as a potential strategy for improving patient understanding. The aim is not only to simplify vocabulary or shorten sentences but to ensure that the information is structured, framed, and presented in a way that aligns with the cognitive and linguistic capacities of diverse audiences. The paper argues for greater involvement of linguists, translators, and communication experts in the creation and revision of PILs. Enhancing the clarity of health communication is essential for promoting health literacy, encouraging informed decision-making, and supporting safe and responsible self-medication practices
STEFAN ZWEIG − LIFE AND WORK IN EXILE
Get PDFMigration and exile have been part of human history since time immemorial. In terms of the lives of individual people, the latter one is always accompanied by loss of home, family, social status and even loss of personal identity. It simply symbolizes tragedy. Even though exile stands for the clash of different cultures, it may also bring some positive outcomes, mainly on a long-term basis. This article tries to summarize the basic features of exile during the Second World War and shortly before. At the same time, it brings the characteristics of life and work of Stefan Zweig. This Austrian author and cultural agent was the most translated German speaking author of the 1920s and 1930s. Along with that, we try to depict Zweig´s political stance under historical circumstances of the given era. In this context, we point at the inappropriateness of judging how courageous decisions or attitudes taken in those days were. Moreover, we acknowledge that any reaction brought, representing the common human decency and solidarity, was brave enough in times of horror and fear
DIMENSIONAL STABILITY OF BEECH BLANKS IN THE CONTACT DRYING PROCESS
Get PDFTimber drying is a crucial process for a wide range of applications, including machining, processing, and final use. It enhances dimensional stability and improves mechanical and physical properties, as well as biological properties such as resistance to mould and fungal growth. The drying process is influenced by various factors, with primary objectives typically focused on minimising costs, reducing drying time, and achieving acceptable drying quality. Achieving an optimal balance between these objectives requires compromises among the rapid drying techniques. Contact drying has gained attention as a potential solution for speeding up the process. The application of contact drying, utilising heated plates at a temperature of 160°C, is investigated in the study. Three specific pressure levels were examined: 1.0 MPa, 1.4 MPa and 1.8 MPa. The results indicated a substantial increase in sample density during contact drying, with pressure playing a significant role in this effect. Additionally, the variation in sample thickness was more pronounced in tangential samples. Across both radial and tangential orientations, samples subjected to the contact drying method exhibited greater dimensional stability compared to those dried by convection
FROM DECADENCE TO DISILLUSION: URBAN IDENTITY IN MIAN MIAN’S CANDY
Get PDFThis paper analyses urban identity in Candy (2000) by Chinese author Mian Mian, a prominent figure among the so-called “post-70s” generation. The novel, banned in China shortly after publication, portrays a fragile love story set against the backdrop of two cities. Shenzhen, a fast-growing city emblematic of China’s post-Cultural Revolution economic boom, is depicted as anonymous, nameless, and lacking identity despite its wealth. In contrast, Shanghai—Mian Mian’s hometown—is portrayed as a city with a rich literary legacy, symbolizing modernity and the sexual freedom of urban Chinese women. After a brief overview of urban identity in Chinese literature, particularly in Shanghai, and situating Mian Mian within her literary generation, the study focuses on the representation of cities and how urban identity in the novel shapes characters and narrative. It also examines the novel’s experimental style, which combines simple, colloquial language with occasional shifts in narrator, mirroring the instability and fragmentation of identity in the urban landscapes it depicts. Shenzhen and Shanghai are compared: Shanghai, with its historical and cultural depth, and Shenzhen, a symbol of rapid economic development, depicted as a chaotic space of drug dealers, addicts, pimps, and prostitutes. Both urban settings reflect the vulnerability of the protagonists as they navigate trauma, drug addiction, sexuality, and the search for belonging in post-1989 China
CROSS WARPING DURING VARIOUS DRYING PROCESSES OF BEECH WOOD (FAGUS SYLVATICA L.)
Get PDFWood drying does not only consist of removing moisture; the quality of the dried product is the main requirement for the industrial process. Because wood shrinks during drying, deformations and stresses develop, leading to unusable products. When developing drying technologies and methods, the aim is to achieve the shortest possible drying time. The most common defects in wood after drying include cross warping (cup), which significantly affects the efficiency of processing the raw material into products. The research was focused on the impact of different drying conditions (temperature, drying gradient) on the size of the cross warping. The lower values were for the low-temperature drying at 1.4 %. The high-temperature drying process increased values to double from 2.3 to 2.8%. A reduction in the size of the cross warping defects can also be achieved by effectively loading the samples in combination with more precise control of the high-temperature drying process so that smaller values of the moisture gradients of the samples at the end of the drying process are achieved.
UTILISATION AND QUANTIFICATION OF WOOD BY-PRODUCTS FROM PRIMARY WOOD PROCESSING
Get PDFSuccessful implementation of wood utilisation in various industry sectors is a driving force for building a sustainable society. Knowing the volume of by-products is essential for assessing the industry's contribution to the circular economy based on the level of application of wood cascading principles. The study deals with the analysis of actual wood use patterns in Slovakia with a focus on wood by-product management. The obtained data are the basis for calculating a cascading coefficient to evaluate the use of wood in the whole chain of its processing and utilisation. Results confirm that the most important producer of wood by-products is the sawmilling industry, consuming approximately 40% of the total volume of industrial wood. The value of the cascading coefficient in the Slovak Republic calculated with the inclusion of sources and products for energy use based on 2020 data determined on the basis of a questionnaire survey was 1.33
THE USE OF PHONETIC TRANSCRIPTION IN IMPROVING PRONUNCIATION IN TEACHING SLOVAK AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE
Get PDFThe research study examines specific aspects of teaching Slovak pronunciation to foreign language learners, with a focus on the use of the International Phonetic Alphabet. Conducted through action research, it explores the challenges posed by certain phonemes in early learning stages and assesses learners' attitudes toward pronunciation importance. Findings reveal varying perspectives, with some prioritizing sounding like native speakers, while others emphasize comprehension. Preferred learning techniques include imitating heard speech, utilizing online dictionaries, repeating correct pronunciation, and receiving feedback. While the International Phonetic Alphabet is considered useful, only a small percentage of respondents are familiar with this method
ENHANCING READING COMPREHENSION ASSESSMENT: A FOCUS ON EVALUATION IN UNICERT® LUCE
Get PDFThis article presents an in-depth analysis of reading comprehension tests across multiple academic institutions included in the UNIcert® network based in Slovakia and the Czech Republic, focusing on their structure, task types, and effectiveness in assessing students' abilities. Through the examination of various test versions, the study identifies common trends, challenges, and opportunities for improvement in reading comprehension assessment practices. Key findings reveal the importance of task diversity, clarity in instructions, and integration of skills such as critical thinking and writing. Recommendations for enhancing reading comprehension assessments are provided, emphasizing the need for balanced task complexity and alignment with learning objectives. By implementing these recommendations, academic institutions can develop more robust assessment strategies that accurately evaluate students' reading comprehension skills and support their overall academic success
PRAGMATIC SPECIFICS OF LINGUISTIC CREATIVITY – CALLIGRAM
Get PDFThe purpose of the paper is to define the didactic aspects of linguistic creation in the context of the mass media communication study program and to point out specific pragmatic-communicative technicalities and interpretation problems of selected texts – calligrams. As this genre is completely different in content and form from other literary works – it is also remarkably close to fine art – it has to be approached particularly, and its deliberate concentration needs be taken into account. Within the interpretation, the attention is focused on the close connection of semantics, pragmatics, and grammar, important in understanding the meaning and inference of the used means of expression and conditioned by the level of linguistic competence of the recipient and dependent on the context