Controlled Language and Machine Translation

Controlled Language and Machine Translation

2004
Shadia Yousef Banjar

Assistant Professor in Linguistics

Abstract

This paper investigates the relation between controlled language and machine translation. The fundamental types of translation demand: dissemination, assimilation, and interchange are highlighted. The study presents the background and history of machine translation as well as the basic strategies of machine translation by elaborating the direct and indirect approaches. The concept of ‘Controlled Language’ is discussed together with controlled language components and tools. Types of controlled language are also pointed out. Examples of implementing controlled language in machine translation systems are provided. Finally, the study concludes that in order to get high quality translation texts which are chosen for translation must be rewritten in such a way to conform to the controlled language in the subject field.

A Synchronic Study of Metathesis in Eastern Arabic

A Synchronic Study of Metathesis in Eastern Arabic, with Reference to Makkan and Cairene Dialects

2003

Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar

Abstract

The present study focuses on metathesis as the phonological process whereby in certain languages and under certain conditions, sounds appear to exchange position with one another. This reordering of segments within the phonological string is discussed in details to give a formal account for metathesis. A synchronic analysis is carried out to provide evidence that describe the sequential change involving metathesis in Eastern Arabic with reference to Makkan and Cairene dialects at the beginning of the twenty first century. Makkan and Cairene Arabic are known to be the most understood Arabic varieties and thus they were chosen to be analyzed as representatives of Eastern Arabic. A synchronic description of the interchanging of sounds is illustrated in tables and a statistical result is tabulated. As a conclusion, the study recorded phonological variation presented in two different output of Eastern Arabic. Most of the metathesised sounds are the same in both varieties. Adjacent and non-adjacent metatheses are found. Synchronic metatheses occur between root radicals within the root itself. Root-infix metathesis took place too. This causes a change in verb pattern and thus an infix turned into a prefix. Finally, sonorant consonants are reported to be more frequent within the metathesised sounds.

Phonological and Grammatical Variations in Hijazi Arabic

A Dialectological Study of

Phonological and Grammatical Variations
in Urban Hijazi Arabic from 1940-2000

2002

Shadia Yousef Banjar, Jeddah

Preface

This dissertation is a survey of the generation differences in the urban dialect of Hijaz, It is an effort to record the phonological and grammatical variations in Urban Hijazi Dialect. To achieve the goal, the researcher has tried her best to redress the balance between regional and structural dialetology in recognizing the linguistic variation without losing touch with the realities of natural human language.

The researcher's motivation for the study of variation in Urban Hijazi Arabic springs from a general concern with language change. Variations across individuals and time were recorded. At first they seemed to be very chaotic and puzzling but finally showed to have a systemaatic shape which could be described.

Emphasis on the dialectology as a branch of linguistics has taken place throughout the work. The findings of this dialectological study have been incorporated into the models of the language. Thus, to provide systematic heterogeeneity of variation in language structures has been the foca point of the study.

Although the work is a dialectological study, the researcher hopes that it will also prove useful to computer science, anthrpology, sociology, and other disciplines which are concerned with the analysis of human languages.

ABSTRACT

The study intends to contribute to the field of linguistics. It serves as a dialectological study of phonological and grammatical variations in Hijazi Arabic which is spoken by the urban population of the western region of Saudi Arabia. It also outlines the variation in forms and functions providing the synchronic and diachronic relationship between the old and modern varieties of Urban Hijazi Dialect.

The initial impetus for this dialectological work lay in comparative philology between two-age groups to investigate linguistic change in ‘Apparent Time’. The linguistic variable is the unit of comparison with two or more variants. It is involved in covariation with other social and/or linguistic variables. The linguistic variables are phonological and grammatical. They are correlated with age variables.

The study begins with a concise yet comprehensive introduction dealing with the domain of the study; the hypotheses, the operational steps, history and finally the relevant studies and concepts.

By comparing old and modern varieties of the dialect under investigation, the researcher has recorded variations at phonological, morphological, and syntactic levels have been recorded. Casual and systematic variations were found. The result of the study indicates that most of the variations at all levels tend towards standardization. The direct borrowing from the standard into the urban variety is one of the main ways by which non-dialectal linguistic elements enter the dialect. Thus the gap between the standard and the local dialects is becoming narrower.

On the phonological level, the realization of /θ/, /ð/, /ž/, and /q/ even in informal speech is considered as a part of the dialectal norms.

On the morphological level, derivational type is less than the inflectional type. Moreover regular patterns are preferred by the new generation than irregular ones.

On the syntactic level, significant differences between the two generations are observed. Subordination is used as an alternative means to coordination for clause linkage. New generation tends to use relatively more subordinated, and fewer coordinated sentences compared to the older generation.

It is true that differential change may cause variation to the point that communication becomes impossible. This only occurs when the line of communication is no longer needed. Those who keep the line of communication open are constantly engaged in adapting their language to oppose and lessen the effects of differential change. The result is that they preserve a relatively homogenous variety of the language.

Finally, the researcher expresses her wish that this work would be an insight for further descriptive and analytical research.

A contrastive Study of Imperatives

A Contrastive Study of Imperatives in Standard English

and

Colloquial Hijazi Arabic

1992

Shadia Yousef Banjar

Assistant Professor in Linguistics

Department of English

Girls' College of Education, Jeddah

Abstract

Contrastive studies generally give an exaustive account of the differences and similarities between the two languages. Thesee studies contribute to the field of Linguistics and to the learning and teahing of both languages. The present study attempts to contribute to the Arabic Linguistics since contrastive Linguistics is a subdiscipline of linguistics.

Imperatives play a vital role in both English and Colloquial Hijazi Arabic especially in the field of language teaching and translation from and into Arabic. Hence, the study will try to explore this important aspect. It is hoped that conclusions of the present research will be of some help to Saudi learners of English.

In this study, relevant concepts of imperatives are introduced. All Types of imperatives in English and Hijazi Arabic are intensively discussed pointing out the morphological features as well as the syntactic characteristics. Thus, descriptive analysis of imperatives within the frame of structure and function has been explained.

Forms and functions of imperative are contrastively discussed. Hence, Contrastive implications are presented on three levels: the morphological level, the syntactic level, and the functional level. The study ends by elaborating on the contrastive implications of imperatives and providing suggessions for teaching imperatives as well as predictable errors based on language interference.