Some Lexical, Morphological and Syntactical Similarities and Differencies in Lithuanian, Italian and English Languages

Some Lexical, Morphological and Syntactical Similarities and Differencies in Lithuanian, Italian and English Languages

Author(s): Rimantas Kalindra / Language(s): English / Issue: 18/2011

Keywords: morphemes; inflections; suffixes; prefixes; English; Italian; Lithuanian; similarities; differences

The article is aimed at facilitating parallel teaching and learning Italian by discovering lexical, morphological and syntactical similarities and differences in Lithuanian, Italian and English languages, which correspondingly represent Romance, Germanic and Baltic language branches of the Indo-European language family. Even though the English language is relatively young, having developed in the Middle Ages, it inherited a lot of morphemes and derivatives from Ancient Greek and Latin through Italian which are also rather common in other languages. While analysing the morphemes, the methods of comparative linguistics and contrastive analysis are applied. The major semantic groups of suffixes and prefixes along with their functions are compared in the three languages and are listed with typical examples of their use. Concerning inflectional and derivational morphemes in different parts of speech, grammatical categories such as voice, tense, person, gender and number are also discussed. Taking into consideration that Lithuanian is rather different from other languages, more attention is drawn to common similarities between Italian and English. Some lexical examples of correct and incorrect usage are advanced. In order to illustrate the issues related to interference of the mother tongue, syntactical correlation is also provided. This paper brings to light multidimensional profiles of the subject and suggests a new approach to teaching and learning foreign languages. The comparative analysis is mostly based on the survey of the corresponding scientific literature and dictionaries.

Variety and Choice of Foreign Languages at Vytautas Magnus University

Langues tertiaires à l’université Vytautas Magnus: offre, demande, raisons du choix

Author(s): Jūratė Andriuškevičienė,Svetlana Rašinskienė,Daina Kazlauskaitė / Language(s): French / Issue: 18/2011

Keywords: multilinguisme; offre; demande; langue tertiaire; expérience langagière; promotion

Le but de la présente étude est d’analyser l’offre et la demande de langues étrangères autres que l’anglais à l’UVM afin de voir la situation réelle de la promotion du multilinguisme dans notre établissement. Pour effectuer ce travail on s’est appuyé sur les données statistiques du choix d’une langue tertiaire en 2005 et 2010 de sorte de les comparer et constater les changements en faveur du multilinguisme. On a également effectué une enquête empirique auprès 190 étudiants cherchant à définir leur expérience langagière acquise à l’école et les raisons du choix d’une langue tertiaire à l’université ainsi que l’effort de maintenir la langue apprise et approfondir les connaissances langagières. En réalisant cette étude on s’est inspiré des documents du Conseil de l’Europe conçus pour promouvoir le multilinguisme telle que le Cadre européen commun de référence pour les langues: apprendre, enseigner, évaluer (2001), Portfolio européen des langues. Guide à l’usage des enseignants et formateurs d’enseignants (2001), on a aussi consulté plusieurs documents juridiques traitant de cette question. Les résultats obtenus ont démontré que 87 % des sondés ont eu à l’école l’anglais comme première langue étrangère, l’offre et la demande d’une langue tertiaire ont tendance à croître, en 5 ans le chiffre d’étudiants choisissant une autre langue que l’anglais a passé de 568 à 727 tandis que l’offre a crû de 12 à 17 langues étrangères. Les raisons du choix des langues tertiaires sont diverses mais la priorité est donnée aux opportunités professionnelles 32 % et la préparation à l’activité professionnelle — 20 % des sondés.

Teachers’ Attitudes Towards the Use of Blended Learning in General English Classroom

Teachers’ Attitudes Towards the Use of Blended Learning in General English Classroom

Author(s): Vilma Bijeikienė,Svetlana Rašinskienė,Lina Danutė Zutkienė / Language(s): English / Issue: 18/2011

Keywords: teaching English as foreign language; ICT; CALL; distance learning; blended learning; tertiary education

The paper deals with the application of ICT and the use of blended teaching and learning within the curriculum of general English at the levels A1-B2 in tertiary education. The research presented in the paper focuses on analyzing the language teachers’ experience in computer assisted language teaching as well as their practices and attitudes towards the blended learning courses created at the Centre of Foreign Languages at Vytautas Magnus University (VMU). Given the fact that the contemporary society is especially sensitive with regard to the development and the application of innovative technologies and given the fact that current and future university students are increasingly ‘digital natives’, the task of language teachers to make the best use of ICT in teaching languages becomes their most acute need and their biggest challenge. Therefore, the authors of the present paper take it as their aim to ease the above indicated task of the teachers by scrutinizing and casting light on their relevant doubts, needs and endeavours. The research was carried out at the Centre of Foreign Languages (VMU) with 24 teachers of English taking the role of the respondents. The research is based mainly on qualitative methodology including the methods of an informal interview and a questionnaire.

Regional Language Network: a Language Planning Model?

Regional Language Network: a Language Planning Model?

Author(s): Anne-Marie Barrault-Méthy / Language(s): English / Issue: 18/2011

Keywords: language planning; multilingualism; language training; local language management; offshore English; European language projects

Language planning has been a major field of state and regional intervention of New Public Management in the United Kingdom, with a move towards taking subsidies off university language teaching to allocate it onto training at regional level. The Regional Languages Network (RLN) was created in England after 2002 to provide for responses to concrete corporate language needs. This paper aims at describing the working of RLN as a network and as series of autonomous members of the network, elaborating on Spolsky’s language management theory (2009). It is argued that RLN is a language planning consultancy which not only solves stakeholders’ language issues, as language agencies and services do, but also allows businesses to meet challenges. RLN also deals with projects by bringing solutions to problems or elaborating on hypotheses. It also has a number of additional functions, among which language planning, managing projects and brokering, which consists in visiting companies to explain what financial support is available and through what schemes language services can be funded. Overall, RLN appears to implement an original language planning model, occupying a niche in language planning.

Triadic Dialogue in EFL Classroom: Embedded Extensions

Triadic Dialogue in EFL Classroom: Embedded Extensions

Author(s): Dalia Pinkevičienė / Language(s): English / Issue: 18/2011

Keywords: classroom discourse; discourse analysis (DA); conversation analysis (CA); open and close discourse; Triadic Dialogue or IRF (initiation-response-follow-up) pattern

Students learn languages through talking and there is a documented need for more student talk in the classroom. Through talk we learn not only structural components of a language but also the communicative application of it. Can standard classroom speaking strategies, embodied in typical predictable patterns, successfully serve these functions? And to which extent should those traditional patterns allow predictability and control in managing classroom interaction? In this paper the focus is driven towards the ways the classroom teacher can orchestrate and support a kind of classroom discourse that engenders more active student talk that leads to foreign language learning. A particular emphasis is put on the use of the Triadic Dialogue, known as IRF (initiation-response-follow-up) pattern, the value of which has been debated in writings on language education. It has attracted criticism for being ritualistic and restrictive, although recent research has pointed to the range of functions that may be fulfilled by the follow-up move. The paper examines the constituents and possible sub-genres of the three-part classroom exchange and aims to prove that a certain degree of freedom is possible within the constraints of the Triadic Dialogue. Drawing on recorded episodes of teacher-students interaction in adult EFL classroom, the paper will show that the three-part pattern allows spontaneous variations and extensions initiated both by teachers and students. The variety of forms that the basic IRF structure can take enriches the linguistic repertoire of choices in the co-constructed classroom reality.

Industrial Property – Economic Resource for Competitive Innovation Development of Bulgarian Firms

ИНДУСТРИАЛНАТА СОБСТВЕНОСТ – ИКОНОМИЧЕСКИ РЕСУРС ЗА КОНКУРЕНТОСПОСОБНО ИНОВАТИВНО РАЗВИТИЕ НА БЪЛГАРСКИТЕ ФИРМИ

Author(s): Pavlinka Ileva-Naidenova / Language(s): Bulgarian / Issue: 2/2012

Keywords: O31; 034

In the context of the theory of the knowledge economy, the paper interprets the role of the industrial property for improving the competitiveness of the firms and the significance of the patent-license firm policy for their innovative development. Based on analysis, the article formulates conclusions on using the intellectual property in the firms in Bulgaria: • Exclusive rights on the objects of industrial property do not provide real economic benefits to the Bulgarian firms. • The imitators are a serious threat to the industrial property of the firms, and the increase of the number of violations of the rights of the industrial property is a main problem in all sectors. • The weak activity of the technological market in Bulgaria is a direct result of the low technological profile of the Bulgarian economy and of the lack of motivation of the firms creating and introducing new technological solutions. In conclusion the paper makes the statement that the industrial property is not considered and used as an economic resource by the firms in Bulgaria.

Standards for Corporate Social Responsibility

СТАНДАРТИ ЗА КОРПОРАТИВНА СОЦИАЛНА ОТГОВОРНОСТ

Author(s): Radostina Bakurdjieva / Language(s): Bulgarian / Issue: 2/2012

Keywords: M14

Corporate social responsibility is a problem of enormous scientific-theoretical and practical significance. It turns out that in the conditions of economic crisis the companies do not give up on social initiatives and engagements. The objective of the presentation is to focus on the currency of the problems concerning the social audit and the European experience in this direction. The paper analyzes the standards of corporate social responsibility and their application in Bulgaria. The article presents a study of 150 Bulgarian firms and generalizes the results for applying the CSR standards. It discusses the role of the responsible institutions in Bulgaria.

Quality Specifics of the Human Capital in the Higher Education and Science in the Conditions of Knowledge Economy (theoretical aspects)

КАЧЕСТВЕНИТЕ ХАРАКТЕРИСТИКИ НА ЧОВЕШКИЯ КАПИТАЛ ВЪВ ВИСШЕТО ОБРАЗОВАНИЕ И НАУКАТА В УСЛОВИЯТА НА ИКОНОМИКАТА НА ЗНАНИЕТО (теоретични аспекти)

Author(s): Alla Kirova / Language(s): Bulgarian / Issue: 2/2012

Keywords: D83; J24

The study of the human capital in the higher education and science is a result of their changed role and significance following the development of new realities of 21st century – knowledge economy, innovation economy, information society, education economy. The latter are treated as a premise for a theoretical analysis of the specific of the human capital of the people employed in the mentioned areas in three directions – by type of knowledge, specific abilities and skills, and the public role and functions. The paper outlines the structural characteristics of the term knowledge, which is basic for the specifying of such type of human capital. The paper analyzes its quality specifics – creative artistic character and type of thinking, possessing biologically input talent, specific intellectual abilities and skills. The paper determines its public and functional role for: creating knowledge economy, forming, storing and improving of the human capital of the nation, developing the innovation area of the economy, using the expert potential of the representatives of the academic circles.

Specifics of the Economic Institutions in the Social Area

ОСОБЕНОСТИ НА ИКОНОМИЧЕСКИТЕ ИНСТИТУЦИИ В СОЦИАЛНАТА СФЕРА

Author(s): Stanka Rinkova / Language(s): Bulgarian / Issue: 2/2012

Keywords: B52

Every economic system can be considered a formal social-economic structure. It changes, and under certain institutional conditions it can develop stable. In its logical unity the economic system includes the “real” sector of the economy and social area. The statement that in Bulgaria the economic and institutional transformation in the real sector is done faster in transition is well-known. This paper studies the specifics of the economic institutions in the social area. The theoretical base of the analysis is the neoclassical and institutional approach. The branches of the social area “produce” services, which are direct investments in the human capital. The role of the human capital in the times of the knowledge economy is increasing. The institutions are the sustainable norms and rules, which determine the behavior of the people, of the economic subjects. The institutions are the very organizations – firms, departments, state. The main thoughts in the paper are on whether the forming of human capital can be left in the power of the institutions on the competitive market. This would mean realization of the functions of the market, forming a balanced market price of the social goods, monopolization, etc. The dilemma concerns the issue how admissible this market is in this socially sensitive area. It is known that the market is “socially immune”. The article shows the main barriers to the full application of the market institutions in the social area. “Quasi” market forms of production and distribution of the main services are applicable here. The article defends another thesis as well – that there are factors requiring the application of elements of the market mechanism and the economic principles of behavior in the branches of the social area. “Building in” of the economic institutions in the branches of the social area should guarantee an optimal ratio between humanism and economization. The outsourcing and public-private partnership are some of the effective forms of management in the social areas.

Innovation Development of Bulgarian Export Productions (1986-2008)

ИНОВАЦИОННО РАЗВИТИЕ НА БЪЛГАРСКИТЕ ЕКСПОРТНИ ПРОИЗВОДСТВА (1986-2008 г.)

Author(s): Alexander Tassev / Language(s): Bulgarian / Issue: 2/2012

Keywords: F14; O31

The article answers the question to what extent the Bulgarian branch economy, in the transition to market economy, has lost specialization in high technological and value added export productions – leading consumers of new knowledge. The conclusions are that the branch economy has lost a substantial part of the specialization in productions with high added value, including the high technological ones. As of today, it has low technological development and is under the level of a potential consumer of new knowledge. In this connection the article determines certain directions in forming an innovation model of development of the Bulgarian economy.

Challenges to Measuring Intangible Assets in Bulgaria

ПРЕДИЗВИКАТЕЛСТВАТА ПРЕД ИЗМЕРВАНЕ НА НЕМАТЕРИАЛНИ АКТИВИ В БЪЛГАРИЯ

Author(s): Todor Gradev,Lubomir Dimitrov,Spartak Keremidchiev / Language(s): Bulgarian / Issue: 2/2012

Keywords: O3; O52; P2

The study uses new methodology developed by Corrado, Hulten and Sickel in 2006 for measuring the intangible assets in Bulgaria and the factors that premise it. The study ranges data for 1990-2006. The data are aggregated from firm to sector level when reporting the import and export. Intangible assets are: costs for software and computer databases, innovative property, R&D costs, property rights, costs for acquiring licenses, architecture and engineer design, trademarks property, brands and economic compensations, costs for market research and brand advertising, specific firm human capital and organization structure. Recalculating by the new methodology, the paper shows the contribution of the intangible assets in forming GDP in the studied period. It takes into consideration the deep changes in the Bulgarian economy in the analyzed period, like the carried out privatization, the collapse of the industry, the financial crisis in 1996-1997, and the mass introduction of FDI.

Realization of the Education Level of the Labor Market

РЕАЛИЗАЦИЯ ОБРАЗОВАТЕЛНОТО РАВНИЩЕ НА ПАЗАРА НА ТРУДА

Author(s): Pobeda Loukanova / Language(s): Bulgarian / Issue: 2/2012

Keywords: I20; I28

The problem of inconsistence between acquired and demanded specialties on the labor market eventually reveals loss of human resources, which could have been realized as such if hired on the studied specialties. Avoiding such negative economic and social result requires a well organized monitoring of the higher and secondary vocabulary education and their results, evaluation and adjustments according to the needs of the employers and the public practice. In this connection, the article presents results of studies on this inconsistence according to the acquired education degree. It turns out that there is bigger shortage of staff with secondary education, and at the same time there is a deficit of staff with higher and secondary education with realized low intensity of transition from primary to secondary education. To a certain extent this limits the range of the transition from secondary to higher education. In this connection, the article gives recommendations to the education concerning improving its quality, and on that basis – achieving better mobility of the labor force. The paper counts also the complex requirements of the Europe 2020 program and the national engagements for their realization.

Are We Innovative?

ИНОВАТИВНИ ЛИ СМЕ?

Author(s): Krassimir Kerchev / Language(s): Bulgarian / Issue: 2/2012

Keywords: О14; О31; О32

According to the General Innovation Index, the not large European countries (Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Ireland, Netherlands, Finland, Switzerland and Sweden) are among the leaders of innovativeness of the national economy. For the Europe scale, by number of population, area, representation in EU and other indicators, Bulgaria is in the same group, but it is considerably behind on degree of innovativeness. The article compares the innovativeness of Bulgaria with the not large European countries and the average EU level by dynamics and difference in the innovation activity. It classifies and groups the countries by the General Innovation Index. For showing the state and place of Bulgaria, EU and the not large European countries, the studies includes also USA and Japan.

Education Training of the Bulgarian Population – Potential for Innovation Development

ОБРАЗОВАТЕЛНАТА ПОДГОТОВКА НА НАСЕЛЕНИЕТО В БЪЛГАРИЯ – ПОТЕНЦИАЛ ЗА ИНОВАЦИОННО РАЗВИТИЕ

Author(s): Irena Zareva / Language(s): Bulgarian / Issue: 2/2012

Keywords: I20; I25; O15; O30

The paper presents problems to the educational preparation of the Bulgarian population, to the forming and presence of human capital, including such with high level and quality. It focuses the attention on more important barriers to increasing the quality of the human capital of the country, as well as some premises to the unfavorable phenomena and processes in the education. The paper states that the development of the education and human capital of Bulgaria should become a strategic national priority.

Labor Force Mobility as a Factor for Developing Knowledge-Based Economy: Transition from Education to Employment

МОБИЛНОСТТА НА РАБОТНАТА СИЛА КАТО ФАКТОР ЗА РАЗВИТИЕ НА ИКОНОМИКА, ОСНОВАНА НА ЗНАНИЕТО: ПРЕХОД ОТ УЧЕНЕ КЪМ ЗАЕТОСТ

Author(s): Iskra Beleva / Language(s): Bulgarian / Issue: 2/2012

Keywords: G21; G23; G24

The article analyzes the problems of labor realization of young people, particularly their transition from education to employment. Specific attention is drawn on the youths with higher education in their entering the labor market in Bulgaria. The article analyzes the policies applied for overcoming the difficulties of lack of work experience, finding “first” job and its effectiveness.

Contemporary Practices for Developing Innovation Activity of the Human Resources

СЪВРЕМЕННИ ПРАКТИКИ ЗА РАЗВИТИЕ НА ИНОВАЦИОННАТА АКТИВНОСТ НА ЧОВЕШКИТЕ РЕСУРСИ

Author(s): Mariana Dimitrova / Language(s): Bulgarian / Issue: 2/2012

Keywords: O31; O15; M12

In the current economic conditions the survival and prosperity of organizations more and more depends on the success they have in unlocking the innovation potential of their employees. To greatest extent the human resource is capable to contribute to the progress of the Bulgarian economy in the long economic crisis. The paper presents modern approaches from the practice of effective organizations developing their human resources and using their skills for developing and introducing innovations. The article analyzes the characteristics of the small and medium-sized enterprises, dominating in Bulgaria, regarding the opportunities for increasing the innovation activity of the employees. It attempts to study the available statistical information concerning the obstacles to using the approaches in selection, training and developing the human resources in the organizations for increasing the innovation activity in the Bulgarian organizations.

Eastern Chronicle

Kronika Wschodnia

Author(s): Michał Kurkiewicz / Language(s): Polish / Issue: 579/2007

Keywords: Alexander Litwinenko's death; Russian emigrants in UK; Gazprom; German-Russian economic cooperation; Ukraine; Jushchenko; Ukrainian Big Hunger 1932-1933 as genocide;

With a hot quill

Pisane na gorąco

Author(s): Grzegorz Pac,Zbigniew Nosowski,Józef Majewski / Language(s): Polish / Issue: 579/2007

Keywords: Benedict XVI in Turkey; Stanisław Wielgus; Józef Glemp; Polish Catholic church;

JÓZEF MAJEWSKI Papież bez kamizelki / Pope without Waistcoat ZBIGNIEW NOSOWSKI Boskie, nie cesarskie / Of God and not of Imperatorial GRZEGORZ PAC Lepiej późno niż wcale? / Better late than never? (On the "patriotic", anti-semitic bookshop in one of Warsaw church.)

Carpathian Ruthenia - the Forgotten Land

Ruś Karpacka - zapomniany kraj

Author(s): Paweł Przeciszewski / Language(s): Polish / Issue: 579/2007

Keywords: Subcarpathian Rus; Hungary; Czechoslovakia; Ukraine; Romanian borrowings; Russian minority; Ruthenians; Slovaks; Lemkas; Jews; history of Carpathian Ruthenia; Habsburgs; Masaryk; Ukrainian Piemonte

Paweł Włodkowic would be pleased

Paweł Włodkowic byłby zadowolony

Author(s): Janusz Kochanowski / Language(s): Polish / Issue: 579/2007

Keywords: Polish catholic intellectuals

Speech on the Paweł-Włodkowic-Award Ceremony of the Polish Ombudsman for the Editorial Board of "Więź".