Linguistic Typology

Linguistic Typology is the analysis, comparison, and classification of languages according to their common structural features and forms. This is also called cross-linguistic typology.   The branch of linguistics that studies the structural similarities between languages, regardless of their history, as part of an attempt to establish a satisfactory classification, or typology, of languages is known as typological linguistics (Dictionary of Linguistics and Phonetics, 2008). Examples   Typology is the study of linguistic systems and recurring patterns of linguistic systems. Universals are typological generalizations based on these recurring patterns.Linguistic typology took off in its modern form with the ground-breaking research of Joseph Greenberg, such as, for example, his seminal paper on a cross-linguistic survey of word order leading to a series of implicational universals (Greenberg 1963). . . . Greenberg also attempted to establish methods for quantifying typological studies, in order that linguistic typology could meet scientific standards (cf. Greenberg 1960 [1954]). Furthermore, Greenberg re-introduced the importance of studying the ways languages change, but with the emphasis that language changes give us possible explanations for language universals (cf., for example, Greenberg 1978).Since Greenbergs pioneering efforts linguistic typology has grown exponentially and is, as any science, continuously being enhanced and redefined as to methods and approac hes. The last few decades have seen the compilation of large-scale databases with the help of ever more refined technology, which have led to new insights as well as given rise to new methodological issues.(Viveka Velupillai, An Introduction to Linguistic Typology. John Benjamins, 2013) Tasks of Linguistic Typology Among the tasks of general linguistic typology we include . . . a) the classification of languages, i.e., the construction of a system to order natural languages on the basis of their overall similarity; b) the discovery of the mechanism of construction of languages, i.e., the construction of a system of relationships, a network by means of which not only the obvious, categorial mechanisms of language can be read but also the latent ones.(G. Altmann and W. Lehfeldt, Allgemeinge Sprachtypologie: Prinzipien und Messverfahren, 1973; quoted by Paolo Ramat in Linguistic Typology. Walter de Gruyter, 1987) Fruitful Typological Classifications: Word Order In principle, we might pick on any structural feature and use it as the basis of classification. For example, we could divide languages into those in which the word for a canine animal is [dog] and those in which it isnt. (The first group here would contain exactly two known languages: English and the Australian language Mbabaram.) But such a classification would be pointless since it wouldnt lead anywhere.The only typological classifications which are of interest are those which are fruitful. By this, we mean that the languages in each category should turn out to have other features in common, features which are not used to set up the classification in the first place.[The most celebrated and fruitful of all typological classifications has proved to be one in terms of basic word order. Proposed by Joseph Greenberg in 1963 and more recently developed by John Hawkins and others, word-order typology has revealed a number of striking and previously unsuspected correlations. For example, a language with SOV [Subject, Object, Verb] order is highly likely to have modifiers that precede their head nouns, auxiliaries that follow their main verbs, postpositions instead of prepositions, and a rich case system for nouns. A VSO [Verb, Subject, Object] language, in contrast, usually has modifiers that follow their nouns, auxiliaries that precede their verbs, prepositions, and no cases.(R.L. Trask, Language, and Linguistics: The Key Concepts, 2nd ed., edited by Peter Stockwell. Routledge, 2007) Typology and Universals [T]ypology and universals research are intimately related: if we have a set of significant parameters whose values none the less show a high degree of correlation, then the network of relations among these parameter values can equally be expressed in the form of a network of implicational universals (absolute or tendencies).Clearly, the more widespread the net of logically independent parameters that can be linked in this way, the more significant is the typological base being used.(Bernard Comrie, Language Universals, and Linguistic Typology: Syntax and Morphology, 2nd ed. The University of Chicago Press, 1989) Typology and Dialectology There is evidence from linguistic varieties around the world, including Greek dialects, to suggest that the distribution of structural characteristics over the worlds languages may not be entirely random from a sociolinguistic point of view. For example, we have seen indications that long-term contact involving child bi-lingualism may lead to increased complexity, including redundancy. Conversely, contact involving adult second language acquisition may lead to increased simplification. Furthermore, communities with dense, tightly-knit social networks may be more likely to demonstrate fast-speech phenomena and the consequences of this, and more likely to experience unusual sound changes. I would like to suggest, moreover, that insights of this type can complement research in linguistic typology by giving an explanatory edge to the findings of this discipline. And I would also suggest that these insights should give some sense of urgency to typological research: if it is true that cert ain types of linguistic structure are to be found more frequently, or possibly only, in dialects spoken in smaller and more isolated communities, then we had better research these types of communities as rapidly as we can while they still exist. Source Peter Trudgill, The Impact of Language Contact and Social Structure. Dialectology Meets Typology: Dialect Grammar From a Cross-linguistic Perspective, ed. by Bernd Kortmann. Walter de Gruyter, 2004

Essay Perception of God and Evil by Augustine of Hippo

Augustine of Hippo (354-430) is among the most influential thinkers in Christianity. He contributed a great number of ideas and notions to Christian theology that would have lasting effect on belief systems in Christian churches. One of his most notable contributions is the notion of â€Å"original sin† and his concept of â€Å"evil.† These notions evolved over the years. Augustine traces their evolution in his Confessions, a thirteen-volume autobiography he wrote when he was in his forties. An essential part of Confessions is Augustine’s conversion to Christianity and his evolving understanding of good and evil. In book seven of Confessions, Augustine describes his perception of God before his conversion to Christianity. He explains that he†¦show more content†¦Significantly, Manichaeism perceives of God and his evil antagonist, Satan, as being restricted to the world. This notion appealed to the young Augustine, as he struggled to comprehend how anything like evil could exist. He seek out Neoplatonic books only to conclude that it shares similar Manichean teaching where evil represents physical matters like the body. However, Neoplatonism helped him realize a new understanding of God existing in an intelligible realm. After his conversion to Christianity, Augustine came to think of God not just as a spiritual being but also sovereign over all beings, which is a clear rejection of the Manichaeistic worldview. The lyrics to Carman’s The Champion sum up Augustine’s notion of God quite nicely, when they state, â€Å"Of the war between the lord of sin and death, And the Omnipotent Creator of man’s first breath, Who will decide who will forever be the Champion† (â€Å"The Champion† second stanza). God is according to Augustine the single sovereign, who rules over everything, even the evil forces in the universe. This sovereignty is grounded in Augustine’s understanding that God created everything. This assumption ultimately solves the question why evil exists. It exists because God created it, just like he created everything else. Augustine suggests that everything God creates in inherently good. However, creatures can become â€Å"evil† because they are prone to corruption (Mann 44). Furthermore, rational beings haveShow MoreRelatedSt. Augustine s Life And Life734 Words   |  3 PagesAugustine was born November 13, A.D. 354, in Tagaste; and died seventy-six years later in Hippo Regius. Augustine was raise up in a family with both parents his father (Patricius) who was a nonbeliever until later in life and Augustine mother (Monica) a child of God. His mother taught Augustine at a young age about our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Augustine like any other young t eenager did not like school but at the same time had a desire to be liked by his teacher’s, but had some bad behavioralRead MoreSocrates And St. Augustines Views On Death1305 Words   |  6 Pageswith their theories. For Socrates, death should never be feared and should be considered a blessing if our souls were to ascend to heaven, or death could be an extensive slumber without any dreaming whatsoever. With Augustine, he categorizes death as a separation from â€Å"real good† (God granting us life through creation) and is brought on to the human race through the original sin of Adam which brought upon death. First, Socrates’ views are interpreted by Plato in â€Å"Last Days of Socrates†. It is veryRead MoreRelationship between St Augustine and Plato1773 Words   |  8 PagesSt. Augustine and Plato Great philosophers over time have shared ideas about their lifetime. There were no more captivating philosophers than Plato and Augustine who fed off one another. Even though they were born at different times, their ideas impacted the life they lived in and future lives. St. Augustine was a student of the wise Plato, who fed off his ideas and created his own form of philosophy. Plato on the other hand orbited the idea of the theory of forms which, later St. Augustine incorporatedRead MoreSummary : A Pursuit Of Wisdom Confessions 2348 Words   |  10 PagesElana Selitsky 3/27/16 A Pursuit of Wisdom in Confessions In the first nine books of his Confessions, Augustine of Hippo narrates the journey of his restless heart, seeking to find rest in God. He embarks on a journey for the wisdom that constitutes the happy life, navigated by a thirst for knowledge and truth. Augustine’s journey is sparked by his restless heart searching for the right answers to his questions about the universe. He feels the need to fully understand things before he can believeRead MoreWitchcraft And Superstition In Medieval Europe1654 Words   |  7 Pagesthe practice or belief of witchcraft was an unpunishable sin against God. There were two focal traditions surrounding magic, the first acknowledged magic as a reality, where there were many laws instituting penalties for those who used magic to harm others. The second is commonly known as the Christian tradition, stemming from Christian theologian St. Christian Augustine. The theological idea was that individuals excluding God do not possess the ability to mani pulate reality. Meanwhile, many becameRead MoreThe Innocence Of Simple Observation1750 Words   |  7 Pageswaves – if no observation takes place a wave pattern is revealed; if observation takes place these same objects exhibit the behavior of point particles. When fully matured observation of the movement of life increases our level of awareness and perception which allows for the natural transcending of the senses and the intellectual mind to bring us to the direct experience of the Self which is always in the transcendent. In the transcendent we realize that the observer has become the observed, theRead MoreAugustine And The Two Cities3085 Words   |  13 Pages Augustine and the Two Cities Different aspects of Augustine’s conception of the earthly city Augustine had different perceptions about the earthly city. He did this in line with the teaching of the Bible. His confession can be referred to as an autobiography although it has a framework that is more of theological, religious, philosophical and moral approach. Augustine looks at the different approaches to the exploration of God s nature and other factors such as sin as they occur in the human andRead MoreThe Conversion Of Christianity : Not An Easy One As Explained By Rodoifio Lanciani2337 Words   |  10 Pagesmany others who were forsaken by the church. Perceptual changes, law changes, and sexuality changes occurred that affected their work by limiting customers and forcing them to go underground. Perception When discussing how the change in religions affected the prostitutes it is important to discuss perception and the general public’s shift in views through time. Was there that much of a change that occurred? The discussion starts with whether differing views during the time before the installation

Competition Between International Businessâ€Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss About The Competition Between International Business? Answer: Introduction With the advancement in technology and globalisation of the economy, the international business of companies has grown significantly. The modern technology allows companies to easily enhance their business on a global stage. The global competition between international companies is at its peak; therefore, a proper management requirement is needed for the international business. The companies conducting business internationally have to employ international managers, who analyse different aspects of international business. The international manager is an extensive label for a managerial personal that is in charge of global operations. The international manager is responsible for the companys foreign business and its various aspects. This report will discuss regarding the environment of an international manager from the perspective of Apple Incorporation. Further, this report will discuss the duties and responsibilities of international manager of Apple Incorporation. International Manager An international manager title is given to the managerial personnel that are responsible for managing the international operation and various aspects of international business. International manager of an organisation is in charge of several duties, such as planning, organising, operating, staffing, directing and controlling, of international operations. The role of the international manager is necessary for efficient international transactions (Terpstra, Foley and Sarathy 2012). Apple Inc. Apple Incorporation is an international American technology organisation, founded in 1976. The company operates in computer hardware, software, electronics and digital distribution industry. Apple is the second largest mobile producer company worldwide, and they generated revenue of US$215.639 billion in 2016 financial year. Apple is worlds most valuable corporation according to Forbes, by being first ever American company to worth over $700 billion. The company has established 495 stores in 17 countries, and the global sale of iPhone has crossed one billion. The key managerial personnel in Apple of international operations includes Angela Ahrendts, Philip W. Schiller, Tor Myhren, Luca Maestri, Cathy Kearney and Gene Daniel Levoff (Alidori 2015). The international operation of Apple is significantly large with their manufacturing and selling process. The company manufactures its product in factories of China. Apple has to apply with different government regulations implemented by the Chinese government and maintain their operations carefully, to avoid any security or health hazard to their workers. Apples international manager is in charge of operating various international transactions. Functions of International Manager According to Griffin and Pustay (2012), with the enhancement of global competition, the role of the international manager has raised significantly in an organisation. The manager has to keep up its policies with rapidly changing technologies, high-speed communication and changes in product requirements. The organisational structure of an organisation is required to be flexible enough to change with the marketing conditions. Usually, international manager performs the similar tasks as a domestic manager, but these takes are affected due to international marketing conditions. Planning The first stage for every manager is to prepare proper plan and strategies for the business. the research of Deresky (2017) provided that, the manager takes international decisions such as, whether to export or import, to enter franchise contract or joint ventures, or selecting of the country for its operations. The international manager develops, forecasts, set goals and plan for the worldwide actions. The manager monitors the international activities of different industries to construct its plans and strategies. The major factors that are considered by an international manager while formulating its plans include legal factors, political factors, currency change, competition, government pressure, patent trademarks, and customers behaviours. The international manager of Apple has to consider above-mentioned factors as well while formulating their international plans. Apple is known for high quality of its products and services; the international manager has to plan its strategies so the company maintains the same reputation in international markets as well. The manager considers different aspects in the industry to formulate their plans, such as the political pressure of governments, regulations of the smartphone industry, competition from other smartphone manufacturers and legislative factors. For example, in China and India, Apple is not allowed to sell refurbished iPhones due to their political environment (Comfort and Frankline 2014). Organising It is important for international companies that their strategies comply with the cultures of different countries. It is a responsibility of the international manager to organise their operations, to adopt the culture and environmental factors of different countries. There must be a proper communication channel between all the organisations. The organisations cannot apply same principles in different countries. An international firm has different policies and regulations for its different departments. The international manager is responsible for applying these changes in the organisation (Cantwell, Dunning and Lundan 2010). There are three important stages consider by the international manager. First, the pre-international stage, in which companies decided to expand its operations globally and the manager has to provide proper planning for export necessitates. In the second stage, various regulations, laws, restrictions, and competition, are evaluated by the international manager. In the third stage, the companys international operations get established and the management of international branch become centralised (Lee, Son and Lee 2011). In case of Apple, the companys international manager have to analyse regulations, retraction, and competition before organising their operations worldwide. While organising their factories in China, the manager analyses different labour and factory regulation which affect the organisation operations. Apples international manager maintains an environmentally friendly approach throughout their Chinese factories by using solar power and other environmental resources to run their industrial operations (Nagle, Hogan and Zale 2016). Directing Controlling The difference in culture makes it hard for international managers to direct and control different managerial personals. The managers face various problems such as workers attitude towards works, culture problems, and language barriers. The international manager has to maintain a cross-culture management in the organisation by providing training to managers. Apple provides training to their Chinese managers, to maintain a smooth communication chain. This allows the company to efficiently communicate with managers in Chinese factories and implement their policies (Ghazawneh and Henfridsson 2013). Staffing According to CAppellen and Jenssens (2010), talented employees are necessary for the success of an organisation and it is the duty of the international manager to hire talented staff throughout their international organisations. The international manager must be familiar with different labour laws of countries. The appointment and number of managerial staff are considered by the manager, along with the labours in factories. Apple has successfully implemented the Chinese labour laws in their factories in China. The factories are eco-friendly, and they provide a better working environment to their worker. International Environment Factors According to Wild, Wild and Han (2014), the international manager of an organisation is required to monitor different aspects of the international environment to properly manage different branches of the organisation. By expanding business globally, the company receives many benefits such as an increase in sales, global branding and sustainable future growth. But there are different aspects that company has to consider before expanding their business globally. These aspects could affect the earning and reputation of the organisation. The international manager of organisations is required to analyse these market factors and formulate proper strategies to avoid any adverse impact. Political Environment According to the research of Holburn and Zelner (2010), the political pressure of different countries could affect the companys business adversely. The international manager is requiring monitoring the political activities which can impact the business of the organisation. For example, a political leadership or philosophies could change overnight and can adversely affect the companys business. Like in India, when Apple decided to sell refurbished iPhone, the political parties strongly rejected the proposal. This affected the business of Apple since their most iPhone in India are sold second hand by customers. The international manager is required to form policies according to political regulations. Legal Environment According to Kubasek, Brennan and Browne (2016), the legal environment consists of different laws and regulation implemented in different countries. The international manager must be familiar with these regulations before expanding their business globally. Not complying with regulations or breaking regulation could affect the reputation of the company. The legal factors include tax regulations, inflation rates, and changes in exchange rates. These factors affect the earning and economy of an organisation. Before implementing any strategies, Apples managers thoroughly analyses different legal regulations of countries which allow them to form policies according to the market conditions. Technological Environment According to Dunning (2013), the technology in smartphones market changes rapidly, but there are changes between the technology of different countries. The company products must be compatible with the countrys technology. For example, many of Apple services do not work in different countries such as payment methods, search services, and few applications. While selling their products in China, the companys managers have to change their NFC enabled payment method Apple Pay, because it was not compatible in the Chinese market. Sociocultural Environment The sociocultural environment of countries is different from one another, which makes it hard for companies to operate. The working environment of employees is also separate in different countries. The international manager is responsible to study different social culture environment and adopt strategies according to them. The company changes its policies according to the culture requirement of different countries. Apples managers maintain a flexible approach which allows them to change their international policies according to the requirements of different countries. The managers applied a harmonious strategy while entering in Chinese market due to their harmonious environment (Dikova, Sahib and Van 2010) Conclusion For the above report, it can be concluded that the duties of international manager play an important role in organisational international expansion. It is the duty of the international manager to establish proper international policies by monitoring its different aspects. The manager monitors political, legal, technical, social and cultural environment policies, which could affect the performance of an organisation. Apples management team has done a successful job in implementing proper international policies in their organisation. The management team monitors a different aspect of countries environment and apply these changes in their organisational policies. These activities provide details regarding the environment of an international manager. References Alidori, R., 2015.The 20 people who run Apple - and why you should care. Macworld UK. Retrieved from https://www.macworld.co.uk/feature/apple/20-apple-execs-you-need-know-3525573/ Cantwell, J., Dunning, J.H. and Lundan, S.M., 2010. An evolutionary approach to understanding international business activity: The co-evolution of MNEs and the institutional environment.Journal of International Business Studies,41(4), pp.567-586. Cappellen, T. and Janssens, M., 2010. Characteristics of international work: Narratives of the global manager.Thunderbird International Business Review,52(4), pp.337-348. Comfort, J. and Franklin, P., 2014.The mindful international manager: How to work effectively across cultures. Kogan Page Publishers. Deresky, H., 2017.International management: Managing across borders and cultures. Pearson Education India. Dikova, D., Sahib, P.R. and Van Witteloostuijn, A., 2010. Cross-border acquisition abandonment and completion: The effect of institutional differences and organizational learning in the international business service industry, 19812001.Journal of International Business Studies,41(2), pp.223-245. Dunning, J.H., 2013.Multinationals, Technology Competitiveness (RLE International Business)(Vol. 13). Routledge. Ghazawneh, A. and Henfridsson, O., 2013. Balancing platform control and external contribution in third party development: the boundary resources model.Information Systems Journal,23(2), pp.173-192. Griffin, R.W. and Pustay, M.W., 2012.International business. Pearson Higher Ed. Holburn, G.L. and Zelner, B.A., 2010. Political capabilities, policy risk, and international investment strategy: evidence from the global electric power generation industry.Strategic Management Journal,31(12), pp.1290-1315. Kubasek, N.K., Brennan, B.A. and Browne, M.N., 2016.The legal environment of business: A critical thinking approach. Pearson. Lee, Y.K., Son, M.H. and Lee, D.J., 2011. Do emotions play a mediating role in the relationship between owner leadership styles and manager customer orientation, and performance in service environment?.International Journal of Hospitality Management,30(4), pp.942-952. Nagle, T.T., Hogan, J. and Zale, J., 2016.The Strategy and Tactics of Pricing: New International Edition. Routledge. Terpstra, V., Foley, J. and Sarathy, R., 2012.International marketing. Naper Press. Wild, J.J., Wild, K.L. and Han, J.C., 2014.International business. Pearson Education Limited.