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The relevance of this article is due to the neсessity to broaden the notion of means of designation of augmentative semantics of person in the English language. Their structural types have been identified, with words prevalence over word combinations. The augmentative semantics of words is motivated by a word-forming affix, while augmentative meaning of free word-groups and idioms is realized by additional words. Augmentative designations of person refer to big size, seniority, importance, higher degree of quality. Transference of meaning is observed in the structure of an idiomatic augmentative word-group.

The present article suggests a pragmatic-funcional approach to analyse diminutive and augmentative de-rivatives in Spanish newspapers ABC, El Mundo and El País. More specifically, the focus of interest is on studying their connotative meanings (emotional and expressive). Special attention is paid to the syncretic meaning of the investigated derivatives according to the context in which they appear. The polysemic character of diminutives and augmentatives constitutes a problem when it is necessary to identify their true meaning. In this case, linguistic and extralinguistic factors (social and cultural) should be considered.

Head position at any point in time plays a fundamental role in shaping the auditory information that reaches a listener, information that continuously changes as the head moves and reorients to different listening situations. The connection between hearing science and the kinesthetics of head movement has gained interest due to technological advances that have increased the feasibility of providing behavioral and biological feedback to assistive listening devices that can interpret movement patterns that reflect listening intent. Increasing evidence also shows that the negative impact of hearing deficits on mobility, gait, and balance may be mitigated by prosthetic hearing device intervention. Better understanding of the relationships between head movement, full body kinetics, and hearing health, should lead to improved signal processing strategies across a range of assistive and augmented hearing devices. The purpose of this review is to introduce the wider hearing community to the kinesiology of head movement and to place it in the context of hearing and communication with the goal of expanding the field of ecologically-specific listener behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present article suggests a pragmatic-funcional approach to analyse diminutive and augmentative derivatives in Spanish newspapers ABC, El Mundo and El País. More specifically, the focus of interest is on studying their connotative meanings (emotional and expressive). Special attention is paid to the syncretic meaning of the investigated derivatives according to the context in which they appear. The polysemic character of diminutives and augmentatives constitutes a problem when it is necessary to identify their true meaning. In this case, linguistic and extralinguistic factors (social and cultural) should be considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Any theoretical analysis of a fragment of reality is carried out by means of abstract models and aims to capture the specificity of a phenomenon. Theorising may nevertheless prove insufficient if its descriptive analysis is not doubled by the establishment of regularities, so that the current state of the phenomenon and its subsequent evolution may be explained. This general framework also includes linguistic intensification, which reveals one’s permanent need to evaluate everything that enters one’s sphere of perception: objects, beings, states, processes etc. The means of expressing “intensity” are most diverse and, implicitly, sensitive to any type of nuancing of the speaker, because it uncloses the shape its mental representation socially takes. This paper aims to highlight a certain aspect in the complex act of evaluation, namely expressing highest/lowest intensity by means of suffixes. The study relies on the analysis of two modern related languages, Romanian and Spanish, and the corpus has been essentially selected from the most modern form of human communication, the computer-mediated one.

The central novel observation of this paper is that the Tense-marker qaʕɪd in North Hail Arabic has developed diminutive, augmentative and nunation morphological patterns, each of which is rooted in the morphological spine of qaʕɪd, expressing a certain discourse interpretation, as an interpretive-interface related consequence. Arguing it has pragmaticalised, a sub-deep type of grammaticalisation, qaʕɪd exhibits the diminutive pattern qweɪʕɪd when marking DEVALUE information while it displays an augmentative pattern qwa:ʕɪd when marking VALUE information, providing evidence that diminutive and augmentative, in a cross-linguistic manner, don’t merely express size, but encode a degree of speaker attitude. Entertaining the Split-CP system and implementing the Criterial approach within generative, minimalist tenets, this discourse function of qaʕɪd is activated, hence, achieved in narrow syntax by movement of the pragmaticalised instance of qaʕɪd, qweɪʕɪd and qwa:ʕɪd, to a C-layer in the left periphery, the locus of the relevant discourse value. Further investigations show that qweɪʕɪd and qwa:ʕɪd are potential host for a nunation marker ‘-ɪn’, which functions as a Focus marker, a discourse feature being spelled out at PF-interface as a nunation marker on qweɪʕɪd and qwa:ʕɪd. Moreover, given the morphological templates the pragmaticalised qaʕɪd develops, the research implements a touch of evaluative morphology approach, arguing that the morphological affixes contributing to the diminutivised and augmented forms of qaʕɪd carry an evaluative endowment at the pragmatic interface and attract the stem of qaʕɪd at the morphosyntax interface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Due to the high prevalence of communication disorders, augmentative and alternative communication methods are one the options ahead to solve the problems of these people. Since there are no complex tools for Persian-speaking children with communication disorders, we decided to design communication assistant software for these children that produces sound output. Materials and Methods: In the first step, 337 basic Persian words were selected based on an extensive literature review on basic words of Persian-speaking children and consultation with experts. To evaluate the Content Validity Ratio (CVR) and the Content Validity Index (CVI), nine speech and language pathologists commented about the appropriateness of the words and 247 words remained. Then, the images of the remaining words were designed by a graphic designer, and, their CVI was evaluated by 6 speech and language pathologists. In the next step, words were audio recorded by an experienced speaker in the studio. Then, a programmer designed the AAC software as a cross-platform software based on the words and their images using the C # programming language. Results: According to Lawshe’s model, for nine experts, the words with a CVR value of >0.78 have remained. In addition, the CVI of the final 247 words was 0.95 and the total CVI for images was estimated as 0.8. Conclusion: The results revealed that the designed electronic AAC system has a good content validity for Persian-speaking children with communication disorders.

This article is devoted to the study of non-substantive augmentatives as part of the semantic-derivative category of the intensity of a non-procedural feature in modern Russian. The study is based on data extracted from the General Internet Corpus of the Russian Language (hereinafter referred to as GIKRYA), namely, from its LiveJournal subcorpus. The analyzed material is distinguished by expressiveness, emotionality and evaluativeness, which is reflected in its high linguo-creativity and allows studying not only ordinary, but also potential derivatives. The article analyzes the functional and semantic features of suffixes-augmentators of nouns, highlights the typical meanings of the most productive formants – -ищ-, -ин(а), -уг(а) (орф. -юг(а)), -юк(а). Substantive augmentatives are often used in statements with multiple intensification, interacting in context with lexical markers of feature intensification. The frequency of such use of the studied derivatives allows us to conclude that augmentative suffixes have a weak potential for intensification, and, therefore, should be attributed to the periphery of the semantic-word-building category of intensity.

Any theoretical analysis of a fragment of reality is carried out by means of abstract models and aims to capture the specificity of a phenomenon. Theorising may nevertheless prove insufficient if its descriptive analysis is not doubled by the establishment of regularities, so that the current state of the phenomenon and its subsequent evolution may be explained. This general framework also includes linguistic intensification, which reveals one’s permanent need to evaluate everything that enters one’s sphere of perception: objects, beings, states, processes etc. The means of expressing “intensity” are most diverse and, implicitly, sensitive to any type of nuancing of the speaker, because it uncloses the shape its mental representation socially takes. This paper aims to highlight a certain aspect in the complex act of evaluation, namely expressing highest/lowest intensity by means of suffixes. The study relies on the analysis of two modern related languages, Romanian and Spanish, and the corpus has been essentially selected from the most modern form of human communication, the computer-mediated one. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study is to systematically describe the diminutive/augmentative mechanism through noun inflection in Kirundi. By applying the cognitive theory of space representation to the size of the static and bounded object (without considering its geometric shape), three results were obtained. First, the diminutive/augmentative is expressed by means of the secondary noun classification with derivational purpose. Then, the marks of secondary classes in the singular (-ki-, -ka-, -ru-) represent a mode of occupation of the continuous space while those of the plural (-bi-, -tu-, -bu-) serve as support for a mode of occupation of discontinuous space. Finally, taking the primary noun class as a mark of the normal reference size, the diminutive/augmentative mechanism distinguishes two degrees from the normal size of the object considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The knowledgeable, human–machine interaction sight system has the benefits of low interference, lower permeability, and no interface attachment. The smart vision system has been critical in human–computer interaction to grow and advance technologies and research. The Human–Computer Interaction based Visual Feedback System (HCIVFS) is very quickly relative to the conventional collaborative mode. Such challenges may also affect the smart machine's view and the general use of sensation communication. The fundamental premise of the computer's sight communication architecture requires practical stability. This article explores the quality of the intellectual computer's enabling communication. The Rule of Fitts has also been included in this paper for three points-to-clicks applications. The proposed algorithm's reliability is analyzed in operations, visualization, and computer vision algorithms. There is a fair recommendation for an immersive configuration of the input method for intellectual sight by computer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Due to the high prevalence of communication disorders, augmentative and alternative communication methods are one the options ahead to solve the problems of these people. Since there are no complex tools for Persian-speaking children with communication disorders, we decided to design communication assistant software for these children that produces sound output. Materials and Methods: In the first step, 337 basic Persian words were selected based on an extensive literature review on basic words of Persian-speaking children and consultation with experts. To evaluate the Content Validity Ratio (CVR) and the Content Validity Index (CVI), nine speech and language pathologists commented about the appropriateness of the words and 247 words remained. Then, the images of the remaining words were designed by a graphic designer, and, their CVI was evaluated by 6 speech and language pathologists. In the next step, words were audio recorded by an experienced speaker in the studio. Then, a programmer designed the AAC software as a cross-platform software based on the words and their images using the C # programming language. Results: According to Lawshe's model, for nine experts, the words with a CVR value of >0.78 have remained. In addition, the CVI of the final 247 words was 0.95 and the total CVI for images was estimated as 0.8. Conclusion: The results revealed that the designed electronic AAC system has a good content validity for Persian-speaking children with communication disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we present and analyse phonaesthemic alternations as they appear in Flemish dialects of Dutch, that is when a root-initial consonant or consonant cluster is replaced by a post-alveolar affricate /ʧ/ or /ʤ/ in order to create a phonaesthemically marked variant of a neutral base word. Although no longer productive in Flemish dialects, we show that such phonaesthemic alternations exhibit strong functional similarities to those found in other languages, in particular the evaluative notions of diminutivity and augmentativity. We also show that, formally speaking, Flemish phonaesthemic alternations differ from those attested in other languages in only targeting a single consonant or consonant cluster. We then put forward the hypothesis that Flemish speakers may have copied this mechanism to produce phonaesthemic alternations from Picard speakers, corroborating the notion that phonaesthemic alternations may emerge from language contact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aphids are one of the most economically important pests to California's Central Coast lettuce industry. Aphids vector the lettuce mosaic virus and are crop contaminants in the packaging of the product. Lettuce aphid, Nasonovia ribisnigri (Mosley) (Hemiptera: Aphididae), is one of the predominant aphid species in lettuce, and it poses unique management challenges forming colonies inside the lettuce head. Current management practices rely on repeated foliar insecticide applications to reduce aphid densities per plant. Some organic growers have explored the release of laboratory-reared beneficial insects to manage aphids in their commercial fields. This project sought to document the effects of drone-released lacewing eggs on lettuce aphid densities in organic romaine lettuce fields. Commercially reared lacewing eggs were released at a rate of 74,131 eggs/ha and organic-certified insecticides were sprayed following their respective label recommendations. Our results could be interpreted as preliminary evidence that drone release of lacewings could reduce aphid densities (15.6–150.0 aphids/lettuce head) when compared to the untreated plots (32.1–257.9 aphids/lettuce head). Aphid densities were also decreased after the application of foliar organic-certified insecticides (11.77–143.5). Traditionally, the cost of labor has limited the use of beneficials in the lettuce production system, but the use of drones for these releases may make this strategy more attractive. Based on our calculations, spraying an organic-certified insecticide is less expensive (direct operational costs of U.S. $ 116.36/ha) than releasing beneficial insects by hand ($ 185.40) or by drone ($ 176.00) when mimicking the conditions of this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental risk assessments (ERAs) are required before utilizing exotic arthropods for biological control (BC). Present ERAs focus on exposure analysis (host/prey range) and have resulted in approval of many specialist exotic biological control agents (BCA). In comparison to specialists, generalist arthropod BCAs (GABCAs) have been considered inherently risky and less used in classical biological control. To safely consider exotic GABCAs, an ERA must include methods for the analysis of potential effects. A panel of 47 experts from 14 countries discussed, in six online forums over 12 months, scientific criteria for an ERA for exotic GABCAs. Using four case studies, a three-tiered ERA comprising Scoping, Screening and Definitive Assessments was developed. The ERA is primarily based on expert consultation, with decision processes in each tier that lead to the approval of the petition or the subsequent tier. In the Scoping Assessment, likelihood of establishment (for augmentative BC), and potential effect(s) are qualitatively assessed. If risks are identified, the Screening Assessment is conducted, in which 19 categories of effects (adverse and beneficial) are quantified. If a risk exceeds the proposed risk threshold in any of these categories, the analysis moves to the Definitive Assessment to identify potential non-target species in the respective category(ies). When at least one potential non-target species is at significant risk, long-term and indirect ecosystem risks must be quantified with actual data or the petition for release can be dismissed or withdrawn. The proposed ERA should contribute to the development of safe pathways for the use of low risk GABCAs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phonaesthemes are a common phenomenon, but they are generally not in paradigmatic opposition like morphemes are (Svantesson 2017: 6). Reta, however, has a phonaesthemic contrast /l/~/r/, where /r/-colouring of neutral base words signifies an increase in vulgarity, intensity, size or severity (e.g. ɓela 'bad' vs. ɓera 'terrible', -ool 'penis' vs. -oor 'cock'). This paper describes this phenomenon in detail, and provides a discussion as to whether it is best classified as morphological, phonaesthemic, or otherwise. We argue that, although some of the cross-linguistic criteria for phonaesthesia exclude phonaesthemic /r/ from being classified as such, it is not straightforwardly classified as either phonological or morphological. Using Kwon & Round's (2015) criteria for phonaesthesia and derivational morphology, we compare Reta phonaesthemic alternations to similar phenomena in other languages. We argue that such alternations differ fundamentally from both non-alternating phonaesthemes and morphology, and are best construed as a distinct cross-linguistic category. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cricotopus lebetis Sublette (Diptera: Chironomidae) is an aquatic insect adventive in Florida. Evidence from previous studies suggest the insect may have value as an augmentative biological control agent for hydrilla, Hydrilla verticillata (L.f.) Royle (Hydrocharitaceae), but there are gaps in knowledge of the biology and life history traits. To increase understanding of this insect, this study was comprised of 3 experiments. In the first experiment, we investigated the productivity and survival rate of C. lebetis across 6 generations by analyzing our colony data. Then the effect of intraspecific competition on the rates of pupal and adult eclosion was studied by monitoring hydrilla tips in test tubes with varying numbers of larvae. Finally, the level of hydrilla stem tip damage caused by a C. lebetis larva was determined by monitoring tip damage following feeding of a known number of larvae on a standardized number of hydrilla tips. The first experiment revealed the average survival rate of C. lebetis from egg to adult was 16.4%. Approximately a third of the females (30.2%) oviposited. The egg masses had an average of 154.5 eggs per egg mass and an 83.7% fertility rate. Investigation of intraspecific competition revealed pupation and adult eclosion was highest with 1 C. lebetis larva per hydrilla stem tip. Evaluation of the impact of C. lebetis larvae feeding on hydrilla showed stem tips in treatments with C. lebetis larvae experienced 38% higher damage compared to stem tips in control treatments. Overall, this study provided valuable information useful in improving the mass rearing of C. lebetis and predicting the damage caused by C. lebetis. For example, for efficient mass rearing, an average of 1 larva per hydrilla tip should be maintained with the remainder of eggs being used for augmentative releases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The field of neuroethics has had to adapt rapidly in the face of accelerating technological advancement; a particularly striking example is the realm of Brain-Computer Interface (BCI). A significant source of funding for the development of new BCI technologies has been the United States Department of Defense, and while the predominant focus has been restoration of lost function for those wounded in battle, there is also significant interest in augmentation of function to increase survivability, coordination, and lethality of US combat forces. While restoration of primary motor and sensory function (primary BCI) has been the main focus of research, there has been marked progress in interface with areas of the brain subserving memory and association. Non-Primary BCI has a different subset of potential applications, each of which also carries its own ethical considerations. Given the amount of BCI research funding coming from the Department of Defense, it is particularly important that potential military applications be examined from a neuroethical standpoint.

The aim of the paper is to analyse, in a comparative perspective, the augmentatives in Portuguese and Romanian, two Romance languages traditionally called peripheral. As theoretical framework, some remarks on the phenomenon of evaluative derivation in general, and the augmentative one in particular, are presented. Different ways of forming evaluative derivatives, as well as the semantic values they normally convey, are mentioned. Furthermore, the mechanisms of the augmentative derivation in Portuguese and Romanian are analysed. Repertories of augmentative suffixes existing in both languages are depicted with an explanation of their origin and primitive semantic motivation. Their other functions and productivity are mentioned too. Also the process of lexicalization of augmentative derivatives is referred to on this regard. Based on this data, similarities, analogies and differences that can be observed in the field of evaluative morphology of both linguistic systems are pointed out. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of TE & ET: Revista Iberoamericana de Tecnología en Educación y Educación en Tecnología is the property of School of Computer Science, La Pata University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The field of neuroethics has had to adapt rapidly in the face of accelerating technological advancement; a particularly striking example is the realm of Brain-Computer Interface (BCI). A significant source of funding for the development of new BCI technologies has been the United States Department of Defense, and while the predominant focus has been restoration of lost function for those wounded in battle, there is also significant interest in augmentation of function to increase survivability, coordination, and lethality of US combat forces. While restoration of primary motor and sensory function (primary BCI) has been the main focus of research, there has been marked progress in interface with areas of the brain subserving memory and association. Non-Primary BCI has a different subset of potential applications, each of which also carries its own ethical considerations. Given the amount of BCI research funding coming from the Department of Defense, it is particularly important that potential military applications be examined from a neuroethical standpoint. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research is based on the study of the coexistence of two languages - Kimbundu and Portuguese - in Angola's Northern Kwanza region of Cazengo-Ndalatando. A sociolinguistic observation of the contact and simultaneous use of these languages clearly denotes cases of Kimbundu interference in Portuguese (Angola's official language). This observation is supported by the linguistic analysis of oral utterances directly collected at the aforementioned geographical area, and whose linguistic acceptance judgment was confirmed by one of the authors, a native speaker of Kimbundu. In this paper, we analyze three cases of Kimbundu interference in Portuguese, which indicate morphosyntactic variation in the oral records of Portuguese: plural formation, gender concordance, and diminutive and augmentative noun formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although outcomes are a critical component of evidence-based practice, measuring augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) outcomes remains problematic. This is, in part, because there is no consensus on how to operationally define AAC communication outcomes. To gain greater insight into AAC communication outcomes, we used the communicative competence framework to determine which areas of AAC intervention have received the greatest attention and how these outcomes are being measured. The following data were charted from the 77 studies that met the inclusion criteria for the scoping review: study design, study participants, study communication target (e.g., language, word learning, etc.), and communication outcome measurements. Across the included studies, researchers used a variety of standardized and non-standardized measures to assess outcomes. Seventy-seven percent of the studies assessed social skills and 62% assessed linguistic skills. A limited number of studies measured operational (14%), strategic (4%), and psychosocial (18%) skills. Using the communicative competence framework enabled us to identify gaps in the research that has been conducted to date.

The article basically examines the nominal morphology of Awngi language. After the Introduction, a review of related literature is given. The body of the paper explains the language with examples. Then, results from the study are presented. The first set of data comes from three of the native speakers of the Language. The second phase is from one of the writers of this article because the concerned language his mother-tongue. The analysis reveals the common rules using tables with exceptions and examples. The examples are also elaborated for detailed understanding. It also assesses the affixation of ordinal numbers. The affixes used in different genders are different. It is true that Awngi is right-headed language because all elements are in the right side of the words. Awngi has no adpositions; instead it is the language rich in suffixes. The presence of plenty of case markers is another characteristic of Awngi language. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The evaluative morphology of Beja consists of four devices: gender shift to feminine on nouns, and sound change (r>l) on nouns, verbs and adjectives form the diminutives. A suffix -loːj on adjectives, and -l on Manner converbs, form the augmentatives. The analysis focuses on the evaluative, emotional and other pragmatic values associated with these morphemes, size, endearment, praise, romantic love, contempt, politeness and eloquence. When relevant, the links to the general mechanism of semantic change, lambda-abstraction-specification proposed by Jurafsky (1996), is discussed. This paper also discusses productivity, cases where the evaluative device has scope over an adjacent noun instead of its host, the distribution of values across semantic domains and genres, and cases of lexicalization. The corpus analysis shows that the proportional frequency of pragmatic expressive connotations compared to the denotational meaning is higher for diminutives than for augmentatives. Further, with diminutives, positive emotional values are more frequent than negative ones, while with augmentatives attested pejorative values are very rare. The analysis is set within a typological framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a preliminary typology of emotional connotations in evaluative morphology, starting with diminutives and augmentatives. I inventory the emotional meanings and connotations found in a sample of nineteen languages for diminutives, and nine languages plus a few additional regional studies for augmentatives. Given the small size of the samples, this typology can only remain preliminary, but it does highlight a number of points. Across languages and continents, diminutives can express positive emotions such as compassion, love and admiration, as well as negative emotions such as contempt. The emotional connotations of augmentatives are more limited, but display a blend of positive and negative emotions including contempt and repulsion, admiration and respect, endearment and compassion. Diminutives and augmentatives do not contrast sharply with respect to emotional valence (positive or negative), but while diminutives are anchored in intimacy, the emotions conveyed by augmentatives more often relate to broader social contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Verba: Anuario Galego de Filoloxia is the property of Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, Servicio de Publicaciones and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In this article we explain the patterns that are and were used for hypocoristization in Basque, in addition to providing a definition of the term «hypocoristic » and mentioning some terminology problems on the matter. This article has been written from an onomastics point of view, but the works by some phonologists who have written about pet names are also taken into account. We similarly deal with hypocoristics from other languages, especially those from Spanish, insofar as they can help us understand Basque hypocoristics. The mentioned patterns used by Basque are essentially three: palatalization, suffixation and name shortening. Nevertheless, a combination of two of the previous patterns is also possible, although shortened names that contain suffixes are infrequent. Finally, before going on to our conclusions, we deal with what we have chosen to call «augmentative hypocoristics», which are common to a specific area of the Basque Country.

Copyright of Acta Onomastica is the property of Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Czech Language Institute and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Cross-linguistic research has shown diminutives to be more widespread than augmentatives: they are found in more languages, attach to a wider variety of bases, and occur more frequently in discourse. Common features of such affixes are their categorial neutrality and the changes they bring about in the semantics of the base. The evaluative morphology of Lamunkhin Even, the westernmost still viable dialect of this Northern Tungusic language, differs strikingly from this cross-linguistic pattern. The evaluative suffixes form a structured set of diminutives and augmentatives with a primary function of size denotation. Typologically rare features of these morphemes are the transference of evaluative meaning from adjectives to their head noun and from verbs to their subject as well as their use to derive adjectives and adverbs from descriptive verbs. These suffixes show different base specifications: some are restricted to nominals, others to verbs, and only one diminutive-augmentative pair occurs with a wide variety of bases; this has also developed disparate semantics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article highlights the main characteristics and practical applicability of augmentative and alternative communication. As a new area of interest, especially because of the high practical applicability in the educational field, the therapeutic approach of augmentative and alternative communication is a topic which can be widely extended. The article achieves distinctions in terminology and describes few systems and augmentative communication devices and techniques used worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this article is to discuss the functioning of the comparison clitic -džyk in forming the verbal augmentative or intensifying grade and its relation to the inherent properties of the event it modifies in literary Komi. The analysis of an assessment questionnaire proved telicity to be the most prominent factor in determining the gradability of an event. Two semantic types of gradation appeared -- degree gradation and extent gradation. In the case of degree gradation ('faster', 'better', 'stronger'), telicity determines the openness of the event's scale. In the case of extent gradation ('more' or temporal duration), atelic events appear with either a cardinality reading or a temporal duration reading, while telic events appear with a cardinality reading only. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although diminutive and augmentative adjectives are very frequent in Modern Greek, there is no detailed treatment of these morphological evaluative means, with the exception of a few in-depth analyses of several specific sub-themes (cf. among others, Delveroudi and Vassilaki 1999; Efthymiou 2003; Melissaropoulou and Ralli 2008; Efthymiou, Fragaki and Markos 2013; Efthymiou and Fragaki 2014; Gavriilidou 2013). This study aims at describing the diminutive and augmentative (i.e. intensifying) deadjectival adjectives in Modern Greek (e.g. nostim--útsik(os) 'tasty- DIM, kont-úl(is) 'short-DIM, penda-nóstim(os) 'AUGM-tasty', kát-aspr(os) 'AUGM- white') and discussing the asymmetry in the distribution of prefixes and suffixes in the expression of diminution and augmentation (i.e. diminution is expressed by both prefixes and suffixes, while intensification is mostly expressed by prefixes or prefixoids). My claims will be exemplified on the basis of ca. 400 adjectives, which were collected from three Modern Greek dictionaries (Triandafyllidis 1998; Babiniotis 2002; Reverse Dictionary of Modern Greek 2002). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Languages vary as to whether they overtly mark the referential status of noun phrases as well as the manner in which they do so. This article discusses a hitherto undescribed means of marking the (un)identifiability of referents found in Ėven, a North Tungusic language spoken in Siberia. Narrative data from two geographically and linguistically divergent dialects show that in this language (in)definiteness is expressed with sets of diminutive and augmentative suffixes which are in complementary distribution. One member of each set occurs with identifiable referents and one member occurs with unidentifiable referents; the dialects differ with respect to possessive-marked nouns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: Clinical trials have shown promising results with the use of subcallosal cingulate gyrus deep brain stimulation (DBS) for treatment-resistant depression. However, strategies to manage patients who do not respond to this therapy have not been explored in detail. In rats, DBS in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) induces a significant antidepressant-like response in the forced swim test (FST). We have used this test to investigate potential interactions between DBS and clinically used augmentative regimens. Methods: Rats undergoing the FST were treated with vmPFC DBS along with different augmentative drugs, namely buspirone, risperidone and pindolol. Locomotor activity was tested in an open field. Results: DBS induced a significant reduction in immobility scores as compared to saline treated controls. These antidepressant-like effects, however, were not potentiated by the co-administration of buspirone, risperidone or pindolol. Limitations: Despite having good predictive validity, animal models are limited from a translational perspective. Conclusions: Our results indicate that that the antidepressant-like effects of vmPFC DBS in the FST are not enhanced by augmentative therapies. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Niemann-Pick type C disease (NP-C) is a rare (1 in 120,000 live births), neurovisceral disorder due to massive lysosomal lipid storage. The mode of transmission of NP-C is autosomal, recessive with mutations most often in the NPC1 genes and sometimes in the NPC2 genes. The clinical findings vary from neonatal period to adulthood and the severity of the disease depends on the neurological involvement. The most characteristic signs are vertical supranuclear gaze palsy, cerebellar ataxia, dysarthria, dysphagia, and progressive dementia. Other common features include cataplexy, epilepsy and dystonia. Comprehensive neurological, ophthalmological evaluations and primary laboratory investigations are essential to diagnose the condition. The prognosis depends on the age of onset of the neurological manifestations. Symptomatic management of patients is most essential in these cases. This case report aims at profiling the characteristic features of the disease in a female child of 9 years and emphasizes on the utility of augmentative and alternative modes of communication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phonetic iconicity in evaluative morphology is an integral part of sound symbolism in natural languages. Former research in this field has brought contradictory results. On the one hand, there is Universal #1926 (Plank and Filimonova’s Universals Archive, Konstanz) claiming universal marking of diminutives by front high vowels, and of augmentatives by high back vowels. Furthermore, there are papers extending the idea of phonetic iconicity to the front-back opposition of consonants. On the other hand, there are studies (Ultan [1978], Nieuwenhuis [1985], Gregová, Körtvélyesssy and Zimmermann [2009]) indicating that (a) this phenomenon is of areal rather than universal nature; (b) there are substantial differences between languages within individual genetic families, (c) front high vowels are typical of augmentatives rather than diminutives; diminutive affixes are acoustically realized by central vowels.The paper presents the results of cross-linguistic research into a balanced sample of 60 languages of the world. The focus is this time on the verification of the hypothesis in question by comparing languages of various genetic, geographical and morphological types. Special attention is paid to (a) checking the postulated front-back opposition in languages with both morphological diminutives and augmentatives, (b) the relevance of phonetic iconicity in terms of geographical, genetic, and morphological classifications of the sample languages; comparison of the data obtained with the results arrived at in the previous stages of our research which dealt with 35 European languages. The discussion is supported by numerous examples.

The paper primarily focuses on the synchronical suffixal means forming diminutives and augmentatives in Slovak, presenting a basic research in these areas. It is aimed at their identification, distribution in the particular word-classes, systemic status within evaluative morphology, and the analysis of some of the semantic features and pragmatic aspects of suffixal diminutives and augmentatives. Included are also several cross-linguistic considerations within the wider context of some of the relevant phenomena.

This paper aims at reflecting on the alleged double value of the suffix -ón in Spanish and at proposing the hypothesis of semantic neutralization with a strictly intensive value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between patterns of spelling error and related linguistic abilities of four persons with complex communication needs and physical impairments, compared to younger individuals without disabilities matched by spelling age. All participants completed a variety of spelling and linguistic tasks to determine overall spelling age, patterns of spelling errors, and abilities across phonemic, orthographic, and morphological awareness. Performance of the spelling-age matched pairs was similar across most of the phonemic, orthographic, and morphological awareness tasks. Analysis of the participants' spelling errors, however, revealed different patterns of spelling errors for three of the spelling-age matched pairs. Within these three pairs, the participants with complex communication needs and physical impairments made most of their spelling errors due to phonemic awareness difficulties, while most of the errors on the part of the participants without disabilities were due to orthographic difficulties. The results of this study lend support to the findings of previous investigations that reported difficulties among individuals with complex communication needs and physical impairments evidence when applying phonemic knowledge to literacy tasks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Investigations of language processing in aphasia have increasingly implicated performance factors such as slowed activation and/or rapid decay of linguistic information. This approach is supported by studies utilizing a communication system (SentenceShaper™) which functions as a “processing prosthesis.” The system may reduce the impact of processing limitations by allowing repeated refreshing of working memory and by increasing the opportunity for aphasic subjects to monitor their own speech. Some aphasic subjects are able to produce markedly more structured speech on the system than they are able to produce spontaneously, and periods of largely independent home use of SentenceShaper have been linked to treatment effects, that is, to gains in speech produced without the use of the system. The purpose of the current study was to follow up on these studies with a new group of subjects. A second goal was to determine whether repeated, unassisted elicitations of the same narratives at baseline would give rise to practice effects, which could undermine claims for the efficacy of the system. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Purpose: To document statewide and regional caseloads and to examine work load management strategies by surveying speech language pathologists (SLPs) in Washington State public schools. Method: All school SLPs who were registered with the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction were mailed a detailed survey in May, 2001 and a brief follow-up survey 1 year later. Results: Response rates were 43% (N = 431) and 47% (N = 464), respectively. Caseload findings showed a statewide mean of 59 students, with regional variation as high as 30%. Implications: There was no systematic evidence that caseloads were managed through state, district, or local limits or by distributing clients on the basis of the severity of impairment or SLP experience or training. There was significant evidence, however, that clinicians with larger caseloads were more likely to have assistants and to conduct a higher proportion of group sessions than were clinicians with smaller caseloads. The authors discuss the implication of these findings for this and other states with no caseload limits and a shortage of SLPs. There is an appeal for more research using newly established measures of workload as well as a call to action to address the challenges that these findings represent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Until 20 years ago, penis size (either nonerected or erected) was not mentioned, discussed, or defined even in serious books of human anatomy. The need of some men to enlarge and elongate their penile size is equivalent to the need of some women to ask for breast augmentation. The same method of transferring autologous fat into other parts of the body can be used in male patients for augmentative phalloplasty. The circumference of the penis increases 2 to 3 cm, and before of a heavier penis, the length increases 1 to 2 cm. If more lengthening is desired, subtotal dissection of the ligament fundiforme penis below the symphysis could be done, pull the corpus cavernosus out, and fix the tunica albuginea at the periost. At the root of the phallus, the skin can be elongated by V-Y-plasty, and the scrotal skin can be released by 1 or 2 Z-plasties. Combining both autologous fat transfer and ligament release allows for penis elongation of 3 to 5 cm. The authors have performed augentative phalloplasty on 88 patients since 1996. They have transplanted 40 to 68 ml of pure fat. Of the 88 patients, 57 underwent autologous fat transfer only, and 31 received additional ligament release. Penis length increased 1.5 to 4.8 cm (average, 2.42 cm), and circumference increased 1.4 to 4.0 cm (average, 2.65 cm). The initial penis lengths were 6.5 to 10.0 cm (average, 8.72 cm), and the circumference were 8.0 to 10.1 cm (average, 9.18 cm) not erected. This article details a simple operative procedure to enlarge the penis and simple postoperative bandages. Patients are advised to obstain from sexual activity for 5 weeks after the surgery. Two patients who disregarded this advice had an unsatisfactory result. In one patient too, much of the grafted fat had to be removed from the preputium. No other serious complications were observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examined the host-finding capabilities of 5 species of Bemisia argentifolii Bellows & Perring parasitoids from 9 geographical localities, and related these capabilities to each population's effectivenessas biological control agents. Responses from olfactometry studies varied significantly among parasitoid populations. Encarsia pergandiella Howard (California) and 3 populations of Eretmocems mundus Mercet (M92027, M92014, and M93005) responded positively to odors emitted from whitefiy-infested foliage, whereas populations of Encarsiaformosa Gahan (M93017 and M92030), Eretmocerus staufferi (Rose & Zolnepvvich) (M94002), Eretmocerus tejanus (Rose & Zolnerwich) (M94003), and E. mundus (M92019) did not. None of the populations differentiated betweenodors emitted from poinsettia versus cotton. E. pergaruliella located whitefiy-infested plants the quickest, followed in decreasing orderby E, mundus (M92014), E. formosa (M92030), E. tejanus, and E. mundus (M92019 and M92027). Once within a patch of whitefly, responses varied significantly among populations and between host plants. Althoughhost feeding, parasitism, and total whitefly killed by each parasitoid population tended to be greater on poinsettia than on cotton, there was no concordance in performance ranks among the 9 parasitoid populations, 3 performance traits, and 2 host plants. The percentage of parasitoids successfully developing to adults was greatest for Encarsia sp. populations compared with Eretmocerus spp. populations independent of host plant. Results from the host habitat and host location studies suggested that E. mundus (M92014) should be relatively effective in suppressing B. argentifolii populations, whereas E. mundus (M92019) should be relatively ineffective. Population level studies conducted in cage enclosures verified these predictions. Releases of E. mundus M92019 significantly reduced whitefly population levels below whitefly population levels observed in the no-release cages. Moreover, relea [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]