2. Applied Linguistics (Inspirations from neighbor disciplines)
Amin Karimnia; Seyed Mohammad Hosseini Fard
Abstract
Works of poetry are characterized by specific elements (e.g. symbols, images, concepts) that help interpret and thematize such works. The principle of “holism” in hermeneutics is concerned with analyzing how part-whole relationships are established in a text and how they may give rise to ...
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Works of poetry are characterized by specific elements (e.g. symbols, images, concepts) that help interpret and thematize such works. The principle of “holism” in hermeneutics is concerned with analyzing how part-whole relationships are established in a text and how they may give rise to a particular reading of it. A problem, however, is analytical frameworks / models are rarely used for hermeneutic textual analysis and most studies are very subjective / abstract in this area. This study explores the English translations of Rumi’s prelude to his masterpiece Masnavi to analyze how they represent the “mystical” reading of the work. The study draws on a hermeneutical model of poetry translation, which is regulated by two sub-components: cultural-linguistic complexity rate and hermeneutical complexity rate. To identify the characterizing elements, the study considers the keywords in the original and tries to analyze how they are rendered into English by focusing on holistic relationships between the sub-components of the model. The study then compares the choices and suggests which ones could thematically contribute to the mystical reading. Besides confirming the practicality of the model, the findings show that the mystical reading is scattered across the translations and no single one tries to reflect the mystical interpretation.
2. Applied Linguistics (Inspirations from neighbor disciplines)
Amin Karimnia; Pardis Rahimi
Abstract
This study draws on a comparative framework to evaluate the translation of political implications in three Persian translations of the novellaAnimal Farm (by George Orwell), using Fairclough’scritical discourse analysis (CDA) model. The study regards political implications and ideologies ...
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This study draws on a comparative framework to evaluate the translation of political implications in three Persian translations of the novellaAnimal Farm (by George Orwell), using Fairclough’scritical discourse analysis (CDA) model. The study regards political implications and ideologies as a mode of background knowledge shared by writers and audiences in the source language. Fairclough’s model involves three qualitative stages (interpretation, explanation, reproduction) and takes into account ideological stances. Political allusions in novels, if not sufficiently translated, could downgrade the implicit purposes and even the meaningfulness of the text. Given this significant function, the study specifically focuses on linguistic items that play an extra-textual role in meaning formation and the way they are translated into Persian. Hidden ideologies may appear in the form of assumptions, presuppositions, interactional history, or cultural references. This study emphasizes that translators must not take at face value what Fairclough calls “members resources” and must examine their choices against other sources.
2. Applied Linguistics (Inspirations from neighbor disciplines)
Amin Karimnia; Maryam Sabbaghi
Abstract
The central theme of Ta'ziyeh, as one of the Islamic tragic drama and folk theater, in one of the major denominations of Islam (the Shia) is a representation of the siege and massacres of Karbala. This study investigated Ta'ziyeh (alternatively Ta'zïye, Tazīa, Ta'zīya) and its discourse, a form ...
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The central theme of Ta'ziyeh, as one of the Islamic tragic drama and folk theater, in one of the major denominations of Islam (the Shia) is a representation of the siege and massacres of Karbala. This study investigated Ta'ziyeh (alternatively Ta'zïye, Tazīa, Ta'zīya) and its discourse, a form of declamation. The data for analysis were collected from library resources (e.g. books, electronic resources) and observation. The data were analyzed based on Gee's discourse and society model. The study confirmed that Ta'zieh was the most important tragedy in Shiism. The discourse used in Ta’ziyeh, contrary to the Western variations, appeared to be a more spiritual practice than a dramatic genre. Furthermore, the role of Ta'ziyeh writers and performers was explored as agents who have distributed the accounts of the Karbala battle for generations in Iran. The findings, from a global perspective, might emphasize how diverse a culture’s perceptions of religion and its related rituals could be and how a language variety (e.g. declamation) could help frame such perceptions in dramatic genre. The findings could also guide the categories that multi-cultural studies of tragedies may take into account.
2. Applied Linguistics (Inspirations from neighbor disciplines)
Amin Karimnia; Mohammad Reza Khodashenas
Abstract
Patterns of Politeness in Teacher-Student Interaction: Investigating an Academic Context AbstractThis study investigated politeness strategies used in instructor-student relationships, in an academic environment. To conduct the study, four university classes with different instructors were randomly selected, ...
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Patterns of Politeness in Teacher-Student Interaction: Investigating an Academic Context AbstractThis study investigated politeness strategies used in instructor-student relationships, in an academic environment. To conduct the study, four university classes with different instructors were randomly selected, observed and analyzed. Brown and Levinson’s theory of politeness was drawn on as the analytic model guiding the study, which focused on face-threatening and face-saving acts. After observing the classes and gathering the data through four classroom observations, it was found that the instructors produced face-threatening utterances less frequently than face-saving utterances. In the case of face-saving acts, they used various strategies to make students feel more comfortable in the classroom. The findings implied that instructors should be aware of using threatening utterances that could negatively affect students’ self-esteem. It also suggested that applying politeness strategies in the classroom could lead to a better relationship between students and instructors.Keywords: Brown and Levinson’s politeness theory, teacher-student interaction, face-threatening acts, face-saving acts
1. Applied Linguistics (Language Teaching and Learning)
Dr. Amin Karimnia; Mohammad Reza Khodashenas
Abstract
Euphemism is a communicative strategy used to frame a polite or less offensive language and to save people’s public face in communication. This study investigated the euphemistic strategies used by Persian speakers in situations associated with death and lying. Warren’s model of euphemism ...
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Euphemism is a communicative strategy used to frame a polite or less offensive language and to save people’s public face in communication. This study investigated the euphemistic strategies used by Persian speakers in situations associated with death and lying. Warren’s model of euphemism was drawn on as the analytic model guiding the study. To conduct the study, 60 male and female university students were randomly selected. The data were gathered through copies of an open-ended questionnaire and then analyzed. It was found that “figurative expression”, “implication”, “overstatement”, “understatement”, and “particularization” were the most frequently used euphemistic strategies among the participants in the contexts of death and lying. The study also revealed that there was no relationship between gender and the choice of euphemistic strategies. The findings implied that euphemistic strategies might reflect cultural and religious values.
