656 research outputs found
Il rischio idrogeologico in Italia e il ruolo della ricerca scientifica
No full textIn Italia, le frane e le inondazioni sono fenomeni diffusi, ricorrenti e pericolosi. Fra il 1960 e il 2011 ci sono stati almeno 789 eventi di frana che hanno prodotto oltre 5000 vittime (di cui 3417 morti e 15 dispersi) in 522 comuni (6,4% del totale). Nello stesso periodo si sono verificati almeno 505 eventi d’inondazione che hanno prodotto più di 1700 vittime (di 753 morti e 68 dispersi), in 372 comuni (4,6% del totale). Fra il 2005 e il 2011, si sono avuti 82 eventi di frana che hanno prodotto oltre 480 vittime (101 morti, 6 dispersi, 374 feriti) in 70 comuni, e 39 inondazioni in altrettanti comuni con 89 vittime (59 morti, 1 disperso, 29 feriti). Nel periodo 2005-2011 tutte le Regioni hanno sofferto almeno un evento di frana o d’inondazione con vittime, a conferma della diffusione geografica del rischio geo-idrologico. Le cifre dimostrano inequivocabilmente come l’impatto che gli eventi geo-idrologici hanno sulla popolazione sia un problema prioritariamente di rilevanza sociale che enfatizza la rilevanza delle attività scientifiche che possano conseguire risultati utili a ridurre gli effetti negativi.Published74.4. Scenari e mitigazione del rischio ambientaleN/A or not JCRope
Exploring cultural conceptualisations in two online Singlish dictionaries
No full textThe global spread of English has resulted in new varieties and cultures being associated with it; Cultural Linguistics studies these by emphasising the relationship between language and culturally-constructed conceptualisations. English is often seen as negative for local languages, especially in post-colonial contexts; however, speech communities can develop new varieties by localising it through ‘glocalisation’ or ‘nativisation’. The purpose of this paper is to investigate these notions by considering Singlish, the colloquial variety of Singapore English. Here, the adoption of English words has contributed to the creation of a localised variety, though this hybridisation is often seen as a corruption. The long-lasting debate around it has seen direct intervention of the Government and reactions of linguistic resistance or “chutzpah” coming from Singlish speakers, in an attempt to reclaim Singlish as the true expression of Singaporean identity. The analysis examines English words in two online Singlish dictionaries (A Dictionary of Singlish and Singapore English and The Coxford Singlish Dictionary), in order to understand the cultural conceptualisations they represent. A cross-checking with the Oxford English Dictionary further highlights differences with the standard: this helps demonstrate that English expressions can become the keywords of a culture of non-native speakers and contribute to a redefinition of its linguistic identity, rather than cancelling it.The global spread of English has resulted in new varieties and cultures being associated with it; Cultural Linguistics studies these by emphasising the relationship between language and culturally-constructed conceptualisations. English is often seen as negative for local languages, especially in post-colonial contexts; however, speech communities can develop new varieties by localising it through ‘glocalisation’ or ‘nativisation’. The purpose of this paper is to investigate these notions by considering Singlish, the colloquial variety of Singapore English. Here, the adoption of English words has contributed to the creation of a localised variety, though this hybridisation is often seen as a corruption. The long-lasting debate around it has seen direct intervention of the Government and reactions of linguistic resistance or “chutzpah” coming from Singlish speakers, in an attempt to reclaim Singlish as the true expression of Singaporean identity. The analysis examines English words in two online Singlish dictionaries (A Dictionary of Singlish and Singapore English and The Coxford Singlish Dictionary), in order to understand the cultural conceptualisations they represent. A cross-checking with the Oxford English Dictionary further highlights differences with the standard: this helps demonstrate that English expressions can become the keywords of a culture of non-native speakers and contribute to a redefinition of its linguistic identity, rather than cancelling it
Aspects of sociolinguistic variation: the case of "mockney" and standard English
No full textEvery language is subject to change, though very often innovations are not perceived in a positive way, especially when the standard is infl uenced by other varieties, considered minor and less educated. This issue is particularly debated in Great Britain, where linguistic concerns are constantly discussed: here, Received Pronunciation has been recognized as the standard because of historical and socio-political reasons. Nevertheless, non-standard varieties have prospered: an emblem is Cockney, which is gradually changing from the so-called vulgar dialect of the working classes of London, to a new way of gaining street credibility. The purpose of the article is to discuss this reverse process of prestige by analysing how British politicians (namely Conservative George Osborne and Labour Ed Miliband) seem to conveniently adopt a mock Cockney accent (i.e. mockney), in order to overcome an old class-conscious view of talking proper. The research also takes into consideration how the British press has reacted and commented on this signifi cant change and how this refl ects today’s sociolinguistic situation in Britain
Le parole dell'inclusione nelle campagne contro la discriminazione di genere in italiano e in inglese
No full textOffendere, insultare, sminuire e denigrare: molto spesso il mondo della pubblicità viene analizzato e colpevolizzato per l’uso di un linguaggio sessista e discriminatorio nei confronti (soprattutto, ma non solo) delle donne; tuttavia, esistono anche forme di comunicazione esplicitamente pensate per combattere questo fenomeno, sensibilizzare ed educare il pubblico su un tema quanto mai attuale e delicato. Le parole utilizzate in queste campagne di comunicazione (insieme alle immagini che le accompagnano) risultano essere di fondamentale importanza nel veicolare il messaggio giusto: l’obiettivo di questo intervento è analizzare una serie di campagne pubblicitarie in italiano e in inglese che comprendono pubblicità progresso, awareness campaigns, esempi di marketing e di femvertising e le rispettive scelte lessicali, le strategie comunicative e discorsive, i temi più comuni e gli elementi culturospecifici che le caratterizzano. La scelta di confrontare esempi tratti da lingue così apparentemente lontane è supportata dal fatto che la discriminazione di genere e la violenza sulle donne sono argomenti di estrema rilevanza che trovano quotidianamente spazio nei media italiani e britannici, condividendo contesti comuni (la violenza domestica durante il lockdown) ed esplicitandone altri più esclusivamente legati a una società in particolare (Brexit e rischi per i diritti delle donne). L’analisi vuole mostrare come lo stesso tema, declinato in lingue e ambiti sociali diversi, presenti significative differenze culturali, ma anche alcuni elementi in comune tipici del linguaggio inclusivo utilizzato nelle campagne di comunicazione contro ogni discriminazione, stereotipo e violenza di genere
Exploring cultural conceptualisations in two online Singlish dictionaries
No full textThe global spread of English has resulted in an increasing number of new varieties of the language and in more cultures being associated with it; the relatively new approach of Cultural Linguistics studies these varieties by emphasising the relationship between language and culturally-constructed conceptualisations (Sharifian, 2015). English is frequently seen as having a negative impact on local languages, especially in post-colonial contexts; however, speech communities often develop new varieties by localising English in order to suit it to their needs, thus supporting the “glocalisation” or “nativisation” of English (Sharifian, 2016). The purpose of this paper is to further investigate these notions and their relevance in the study of world Englishes by considering the example of Singlish, the colloquial variety of Singapore English. In this case, the adoption of English words along with dialect ones has contributed to the creation of a localised variety, though this hybridisation is often seen as a socially unacceptable corruption of the standard. The long-lasting debate around it has seen direct intervention of the government (Speak Good English Movement), and reactions of linguistic resistance or “chutzpah” (Wee, 2014) coming from Singlish speakers (Speak Good Singlish Movement), in an attempt to reclaim Singlish as the true expression of Singaporean identity (Bokhorst-Eng, 2005). The analysis will examine English loanwords in two online dictionaries of Singlish (A Dictionary of Singlish and Singapore English and The Coxford Singlish Dictionary), in order to understand the cultural conceptualisations and categories they represent. A cross-checking with the Oxford English Dictionary will further highlight differences with Standard (British) English: this should help demonstrate that English expressions can become the keywords of a culture of non-native speakers (Wong, 2006) and contribute to a redefinition of its linguistic identity, rather than cancelling it
Feminist historiography and English lexicography: recovering nineteenth-century women’s medical dictionaries
No full textThe official history of English lexicography, as so many other disciplines, has always been a predominantly masculine preserve which has tended to eclipse women’s actual contribution in dictionary-making. However, the practice of feminist historiography aims at recovering women’s roles from the past also by exposing deficiencies made from ‘the top’ and by simultaneously decentring the male subject. Thus, for example, by including the category of women in the historical reconstruction of English lexicography, it is possible to address silences, challenge absences, and, at the same time, expose relations of exploitation, domination, censorship, and erasure. This paper proposes an investigation into a specific sub-category of English language reference works produced in the nineteenth century, that is, medical dictionaries. Though these included terminology traditionally associated with masculinised professions, we will look at examples compiled by women, namely Violet Honnor Morten’s Nurse’s Dictionary of Medical Terms and Nursing Treatment (1891), Jessie Anne Fowler’s Phrenological Dictionary (1894), and Emily Marjory Armstrong Stoney’s Practical Materia Medica for Nurses (1899). By considering similarities, differences, and main features of this genre, it will be possible to (at least partially) rewrite a significant part of lexicographical historiography which will include women’s contribution to the dissemination of medical knowledge through reference works, and to present new possibilities for further research within nineteenth-century studies
Women and other 'undesirables' in the Oxford English Dictionary
No full textWhen the first edition of the Oxford English Dictionary was published between 1884 and 1928, it
soon became acknowledged among the pillars of national scholarship, its main strengths being,
among others, its descriptive (rather than prescriptive) aim and its historical character. However, just
like any other dictionary, it was far from partial in its representation of the English language and of
contemporary society: scholars have already commented upon its typical Victorian prudish coverage
of swear and coarse words or on its treatment of gender and sexuality. Women, in particular, seem to
have been misrepresented: the first edition of the OED was compiled and then published during a
time of major critical shifts in social thinking and changes concerning women’s place in society; this
corresponded to the so-called woman question, extensively debated in newspapers, but largely
ignored in lexicographical representation. The present study aims to investigate definitions
concerning not only women, but also other ‘outcasts’ of Victorian and Edwardian society, such as the
poor or the working class, people from the Commonwealth or other regions of the UK, the gypsies,
the insane and the disabled: anyone who, according to contemporary ideology, was labelled as ‘other’
and confined to an isolated domain of society. The isolation of these ‘undesirables’ seemed to be
legitimated also in the dictionary, which was commonly regarded as an authoritative reference book.
Moreover, after checking these definitions in OED1, a diachronic analysis will be carried out, to see
if and to what extent the biased views of the first edition have undergone any changes in the revisions
of OED2 and OED3 and whether such revisions can be linked to a change in ideological views
Forbidden words and female anatomy: linguistic taboos in the Oxford English Dictionary
No full textSocial constraints impose a censorship on anything that might cause discomfort, harm, or injury in a
community, and language is among those behaviours that need to be monitored for this reason (Gao
2013); indeed, the belief that words hold a strong controlling power over people, objects, and spirits
dates back to ancient times. Linguistic taboos often have to do with illness and death, blasphemy,
money, racism, sex and sexuality, and private parts of the body: this paper proposes to focus
specifically on English vocabulary concerning female anatomy and its representation in lexicography,
a topic which has always been soaked with social stigma and treated with great anxiety and
embarrassment. The investigation will be carried out by examining the Oxford English Dictionary:
though initially the first edition was celebrated for its proclaimed scientific principles and objectivity,
research has already commented upon its many biases and culturally-determined (and, therefore,
subjective) choices, which include prescriptivism on rude words (Mugglestone 2007 and Brewer
2010), but also issues and debates involving gender (Baigent et al. 2005; Mugglestone 2013; Turton
2020). The diachronic analysis, which takes into consideration both the three different editions of the
dictionary and the evolution of taboo words in time, will focus on how such headwords as vagina,
breast, or menstruation have been defined in the OED and how strategies like euphemism (sweet
talking) or dysphemism (speaking offensively) have been used to avoid mentioning them (Allan and
Burridge 2006). Thus, results will show how the censoring of language produces (socio)linguistic
change and promotes the creation of highly inventive and playful new expressions; the focus on
female anatomy will specifically shed light on the culture(s) that enforce the use of taboo words and
the ideologies behind their inevitably selective and subjective representation in lexicography
The Queen’s speeches through time: Gender, identity, and Britishness
No full textThe late Queen Elizabeth II’s life was marked by a series of historic moments, both at a personal and at a public level. Each time, these events were accompanied by the delivering of a speech, whose words have remained fixed in time and form part of the Queen’s legacy. Her Majesty’s speeches represented both herself and her own identity (as a woman, a wife, a mother, a grandmother, and as Head of State) and, at the same time, British society and its development throughout her seventy years of reign. While the more obvious features of the diachronic development of these speeches can be discerned by considering the media used to deliver them (from radio to television broadcast, to their streaming on social media) and by linking them to the Queen’s evolving roles in life (from Princess to Monarch, from newlywed to widow, etc.), it is also important to analyse their linguistic evolution, since language (and, more specifically, word choice) is a mirror of both personal identity and society. Therefore, this contribution proposes an analysis of Queen Elizabeth II’s most famous speeches, including, among others, the wartime broadcast on BBC Children’s Hour (1940), the Coronation Day speech (1953), the address to the nation on the death of Princess Diana (1997), the Diamond Jubilee speech to the Houses of Parliament (2012), and the Queen’s pandemic speech (2020). In particular, the analysis of keywords will shed light on instances of gender (how it was performed through language and how it could be related, for example, to issues of authority), identity (its negotiation between private and public life), and Britishness (elements of culture that linked the Queen to her country and her people). The ultimate aim is to contribute to a historical reconstruction of the language used by the Queen, to understand its impact and importance, and, last but not least, to help commemorate her remarkable lif
Learning medical terminology and disseminating wellbeing in Violet Honnor Morten’s Nurse’s Dictionary of Medical Terms and Nursing Treatment
No full textAlthough official historical accounts of (English) lexicography tend to present it as a predominantly male preserve which eclipses women’s contribution to the field, scholars have amply demonstrated the importance of women’s various roles within dictionary-making throughout the centuries. When considering the specific case of medical dictionaries, however, women’s endeavours have generally been neglected in academic studies; nevertheless, the practice of feminist historiography may help recover previously underrated or hidden works by also exposing deficiencies made from ‘the top’ and by decentring the male subject. Indeed, by including women in the historical reconstruction of English lexicography, we can address silences and highlight relations of exploitation, domination, censorship, and erasure. This paper proposes a contribution that may help in the recovering of women’s medical dictionaries by taking into consideration the specific case-study of Violet Honnor Morten’s Nurse’s Dictionary of Medical Terms and Nursing Treatment (1891), which proved to bring together typically feminised and masculinised domains of knowledge (that is, household management and medicine). By also taking into account the gendered status of the compiler and of the intended audience (which naturally mainly included nurses, but possibly wives and mothers as well, as the dictionary may have been used as a learning aid to be consulted at home too), we will look at how this tool was employed to learn medical terms and, thus, how it could be considered a linguistic reference for studying English for specific purposes (ESP). The dictionary fashioned shared meanings, practical knowledge, and consultative reading practice, and, apart from the more obvious function of defining technical terminology, it also provided guidance concerning pronunciation and tips for remembering difficult words belonging to the field of medicine. Expected results will shed light on both the educational nature of this dictionary and on its socially empowering role too, as Morten was not just a nurse, but a suffragist as well: thus, the Nurse’s Dictionary should be read and analysed not simply as a language reference work for the dissemination of medical knowledge and, consequently, of practices of wellbeing, but also as evidence of Victorian women’s creation of a feminine public sphere where they sought to carve out their own place in the diffusion of (professional) medical expertise within the context of late nineteenth-century English medical lexicography
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