ZABANPAZHUHI (Iranian Journal of Language Research)
Year:2010 | Volume:1 | Issue:1|Papers Count:9

In this article, a new approach to the theory of semantic Networks has been presented, that is a new multidimensional model called Semantic Sphere.Semantic Sphere is a formal structure to represent how concepts are stored in human’s mind. In this model, like Semantic Networks, nodes and lines are to show the concepts and their relations in the mental semantic structure, but the nature and the structure of these nodes and lines are different from that of Semantic Networks.The most important properties of Semantic Sphere are: firstly, hierarchical relations have secondary functions; therefore, there is no necessity to keep hierarchical organization. Secondly, the relations are not only unilateral, but they may be bilateral or even without direction just to represent simple relations between two concepts. Thirdly, concepts are differentiated from words and proposition. Having these properties of Semantic Sphere in mind, some of the main problems of Semantic Networks, namely, inability to show the flexibility of changing concepts, not being consistent with the basic hypotheses of Semantic networks as one word - one position, inadequacy of distinguishing between words and concepts, etc. are supposed to be satisfied.Though this new model is in its infancy, it seems that it has the potentiality to be a substituted model for known Semantic Networks, since its basic hypotheses are based not only on abstract facts, but on some of the concrete facts of conceptual properties and also on some of the physical properties of the human brain.

Considering Persian auxiliary verbs as words subjected to grammaticalization, we divided them to aspectual, modal, voice and tense auxiliaries on the basis of their grammatical features. Then, introducing aspect and voice features, we decomposed auxiliary phrase into two new nodes-aspect and voice-based on Split Auxiliary Hypothesis.

The present study was conducted to investigate the contribution of prior knowledge and reading motivation variables in predicting the non-Persian learners’ reading comprehension ability. A multiple-choice test and two questionnaires were developed to measure the forty-two non-Persian students’ reading comprehension, prior knowledge and reading motivation. The results of the data analysis indicated that there were significant relationships between reading comprehension and prior knowledge and reading motivation, and prior knowledge was a better predictor for reading comprehension than reading motivation.

The principal aim of the present research was to develop a reference for Persian language communicative functions that can be used in developing materials for Persian learners learning Persian as a Foreign or second language. To this end, a comprehensive list of various forms and functions used in many social fields, in everyday use, was prepared. First, the titles of social fields and their related functions and forms were translated into Persian. This was then used as the basic data of the research. The data were given to two hundred students in Persian language and literature as well as in Translation and English literature used as the informants of the study. Having processed these forms step by step, the researcher found many other forms which were added to the initial list. This final product was a reference list including 76 macro-functions and 2484 language forms.

This paper was written on the structure of Inflection Phrase (IP) in Persian. In the Framework of X’-Theory. IP is the unit of syntax analysis of language. In other words, every sentence is an IP. In Persian TP, MP, AspP and VP are the complements of I, T, Mood and Asp.During the inflection process, the head V cyclicly moves to the above mentioned head to accept the national content of aspect, modality, tense and subject agreement.The markers stand for these notional categories are of auxiliaries, affixes or clitics.In Persian, the only auxiliary verb is “budan” (in three forms: “ast”, “bud” and “bash”) which is appeared in the node of inflection. The other inflectional markers are tense, mode and subject agreement markers. Finally, we have analysed Persian inflection phrase on the basis of x-bar theory. Consequently, some key points and hints are proposed on Persian future tense, continuous aspect and passive voice.

A major category of sign, for which a certain similarity between form and meaning can be claimed is called “icon”. Peirce not restrict the use of “icon” to sound-symbolic expression. Instead, he took a much wider view and extended the notion of icon to cover similarities between the structure of language and the structure of world. In cognitive linguistics, language is not considered as an objective and concrete phenomena, but it is a cognitive mental fact. Language in this approach is the product of mind which mirrors the mind. Language as a symbolic system categorizes the product of mental processes within a complex network of signs.On the other hand, causation as a cognitive system is one of the most fundamental categories in the mind or according to Lakoff a notion that exists in our thought (mind). Therefore, in this paper our concern will be primarily with the iconic relationship among causatives which have a bilateral and systematic relation with the outer world.The results indicate that the iconicity of order and distance are functioning in Persian causative constructions. The iconicity of order is illustrated by the fact that the order of constituents of a causative structure tends to reflect logical relations among their referents. In iconicity of distance, the principle is that the structure which is closely correlated mentally will also be closely associated physically. In fact, the close formal connection correlates with semantic connection. Thus, the form is said to be iconic with respect to the meaning. So, the notion of "iconicity" as a theoretical construct to explain linguistic facts (e.g. causative constructions) is functioning in cognitive grammar.

Methods of translating proverbs and ironies as a part of language and culture play a significant role in communication. Despite, some of the cultural reflections are sometimes ignored in the aforesaid interpretations because of applying unsuitable methods of translations.Since one of the aims of translation, is to establish and promote relationship between culture, ignoring cultural aspects of text in translation may decrease the scientific and cultural values of the translated texts.The present paper aims to clarify the problem and propose some solutions.