Search

This paper analyses several examples of pictorial and multimodal metonymy found in political cartoons and photographs related to the topic of Brexit and collected from the two British daily newspapers, The Guardian and The Telegraph. The first part of analysis deals with instances of pictorial metonymy, emphasising the importance of certain distinctive features such as colour, graphic representation, or photographic composition. The second part of analysis focuses on multimodal metonymy of the verbo-pictorial variety, particularly scrutinising the relationships between the two modes. Based on the different ways in which the pictorial and the verbal mode interact, the examples are classified into three separate categories: (1) image-dominant metonymy, (2) text-dominant metonymy, and (3) complementary metonymy. Furthermore, the analysis sheds some light on how these metonymies can form the basis of pictorial and multimodal metaphors, how several source and target concepts can be chained together within a single metonymy, and how metonymy in visual communication can also possess an indexical, rather than merely iconic character.

This article intends to provide insight into how speakers of English, Mandarin, and Serbian perceive spatio-temporal relations expressed by specific pairs of adverbials. In two studies participants were presented with simple sentences describing the metaphorical movement of events on the timeline (e.g., “The meeting was moved from the morning to the afternoon.”) and were asked to decide whether the event had been moved along the sagittal, vertical or transverse axis (forward/backward, up/down, left/right). The main aim of the first study, which was conducted with 104 native speakers of Serbian, was to explore the effects of axis-orientation and individual time units on participants’ preferences and response times. The target time units used were dates, hours, months, days of the week, and years. The results showed significant differences in response times between the transverse and sagittal axis conditions on the one hand (with shorter reaction times), and the vertical axis condition on the other. Moreover, the distribution of answers showed a high degree of inconsistency when it came to moving events to a previous point in time. The main aim of the second study was to identify potential differences in responses and response times to different orientations and time units between four experimental groups: native speakers of English with no second language, native speakers of English with knowledge of a second language, native speakers of Mandarin (with English as a second language), and native speakers of Serbian (also with English as a second language). The study was conducted with 126 participants. The design of the second study was largely parallel to that of the first, but it involved three trials and different time units (parts of the day, days of the week and months). The Mandarin speakers gave the quickest responses in the first two trials when deciding on the vertical axis. Moreover, reaction times were significantly shorter in the parts-of-the-day condition (e.g., “morning”, “afternoon”), across the three trials. In addition, Mandarin speakers showed an inverted trend in responses on the sagittal axis compared to the remaining three groups. While some of our results corroborate previous research on the topic, the study also provides novel empirical evidence on how Serbian speakers conceptualize time using spatial terms.

This paper presents an on-board multi-sensor system which is able to detect obstacles and estimate their distances in railway scenes in different illumination conditions. The system was developed within the H2020 Shift2Rail project SMART (Smart Automation of Rail Transport) and aims at increasing the safety of rail transport by detecting obstacles on the rail tracks ahead of a moving train in order to reduce the number of collisions. The system hardware consists of cameras of different types integrated into a specially designed housing, mounted on the front of the train. Multiple vision sensors complement each other in order to handle different illumination and environmental conditions. The system software uses a novel machine learning-based method that is suited to a particular challenge of railway operations, the need for long-range obstacle detection and distance estimation. The development of this method used a long-range railway dataset, which was specifically generated for this project. Evaluation results of reliable obstacle detection in various environmental conditions using the SMART RGB camera in day light illumination conditions and using the SMART Night Vision sensor in poor (night) illumination conditions are presented. The results demonstrate both the potential of the on-board SMART obstacle detection system in the operational railway environment and the benefit of the use of different cameras to be more independent of light and environmental conditions.

Figurative language processing impairments in autism have been widely demonstrated, and have been considered a defining feature of autism. Studies in this area often consider different types of figurative language together, and less attention has been paid to identifying the factors that might contribute to difficulties in processing specific types of figurative language. Here we present a preregistered systematic review and meta-analysis of studies assessing the comprehension of idioms and proverbs in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) as compared to typically developing (TD) individuals. Idioms are widely used multi-word figurative expressions, which are understood by using contextual information. Proverbs are a related type of fixed, figurative, formulaic expression in a sentential form, typically linked with wisdom. Idioms and proverbs represent forms of figurative language which are more conventionalized and frequently opaquer than metaphors, pointing to a unique way that they are processed in conversational contexts. Our analysis encompassed a total of 11 studies from 10 papers (involving 235 autistic and 224 TD individuals), which met our inclusion criteria (the ASD and TD groups were matched on both chronological age and intelligence). The analysis of accuracy data revealed a group difference favouring the TD over the ASD group, with a medium effect size, and no indication of a publication bias. Participants’ age was unrelated to the magnitude of group differences, but there was a trend for smaller group differences in the case of participants with higher (verbal) intelligence. We discuss these findings with reference to theories related to the nature of figurative language impairments in autism.

We report a study examining the role of linguistic context in modulating the influences of individual differences in fluid and crystalized intelligence on comprehension of literary metaphors. Three...

The aim of this study is to explore whether multimodality can contribute to the recognition of errors in the translations of animated films. The primary assumption is that the presentation of a mul...

We examined the relationship between metaphor comprehension and verbal analogical reasoning in young adults who were either typically developing (TD) or diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The ASD sample was highly educated and high in verbal ability, and closely matched to a subset of TD participants on age, gender, educational background, and verbal ability. Additional TD participants with a broader range of abilities were also tested. Each participant solved sets of verbal analogies and metaphors in verification formats, allowing measurement of both accuracy and reaction times. Measures of individual differences in vocabulary, verbal working memory, and autistic traits were also obtained. Accuracy for both the verbal analogy and the metaphor task was very similar across the ASD and matched TD groups. However, reaction times on both tasks were longer for the ASD group. Additionally, stronger correlations between verbal analogical reasoning and working memory capacity in the ASD group indicated that processing verbal analogies was more effortful for them. In the case of both groups, accuracy on the metaphor and analogy tasks was correlated. A mediation analysis revealed that after controlling for working memory capacity, the inter-task correlation could be accounted for by the mediating variable of vocabulary knowledge, suggesting that the primary common mechanisms linking the two tasks involve language skills.

Skin tribology is very important scientific area because of its presence in everyday life in form of friction in contact of skin surface and various materials. The most often it appears between palm skin and fingers and object which are in someone hands (pencil, mobile phone, tools, etc), and friction between skin and clothing and footwear. It is very important to know the value of friction coefficient between human skin and different materials. This paper describes a device used to determine the coefficient of friction between the palm skin and fingers and various materials that are in daily contact with the skin. The friction coefficient is determined by the use of a special device (Tribometer) designed and constructed for this purpose. This paper describes the device, the measurement procedure performed on the skin of the fingers and the palm in vivo, and gives a summary of the results.

The nature of the mental processes involved in metaphor comprehension has been the focus of debate, with controversy focusing on the relative role of general analogical reasoning versus language-specific conceptual combination. In the present set of studies, we take an individual-differences approach to examine the comprehension of a variety of metaphors, some taken from literary sources, using several types of comprehension tests. In a series of metaphor-comprehension studies with college students, we measured both fluid intelligence (using the nonverbal Raven’s Progressive Matrices test) and crystalized verbal intelligence (using a new Semantic Similarities Test as well as the Vocabulary subscale of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale). Previous work has shown that measures of fluid intelligence are closely linked to individual differences in analogical reasoning, whereas measures of crystalized verbal intelligence are linked to language-specific abilities. We found that each measure had a dissociable predictive relationship to metaphor comprehension. The pattern of individual differences indicated that crystalized intelligence influences metaphor comprehension across a broad range of metaphor types, whereas individual differences in fluid intelligence mainly impact comprehension of more cognitively complex metaphors, such as those that arise in literary sources.

The selection of a rubber compound has a determining influence on the final characteristics of rubber-metal springs. Therefore, the correct selection of a rubber compound is a key factor for development of rubber-metal vibration isolation springs with required characteristics. The procedure for the selection of the rubber compound for vibration isolation of rubber-metal springs has been proposed, so that the rubber-metal elements have the necessary characteristics, especially in terms of deflection. The procedure is based on numerical simulation of spring deflection with Bergström-Boyce constitutive model in virtual experiment, with a goal to determine which parameters of the constitutive model will lead to spring required deflection. The procedure was verified by case study defined to select rubber compound for a rubber–metal spring used in railway engineering.

We review psychological research bearing on major theories of metaphor comprehension. A broad survey of behavioral studies is coupled with findings from recent meta-analyses of neuroimaging studies of metaphor processing. We identify three broad theoretical positions that have been the foci of research efforts: analogy, categorization, and conceptual mapping. The first two of these emphasize relatively well-specified information-processing models; the third links metaphor comprehension to embodied cognition. Our review evaluates the evidence that has been taken as support for each view, and then critically examines studies that bear on competing hypotheses derived from opposing theories. Finally, we discuss issues that future research on metaphor should address. In particular, we call for greater consideration of the pragmatic functions of metaphor in context, of its emotional impact, and of its links to literary interpretation. We suggest ways in which mechanisms based on analogy and conceptual combination might be integrated to create a richer conception of metaphor understanding. (PsycINFO Database Record

There are many standards relating to the anti-slip properties of footwear and flooring. These standards describe the different test methods and procedures for determining the footwear and floor slip resistance in different conditions. In this paper authors systematize the standards in this field applied in the EU and in Serbia and cite the Serbian institutes which are certified for this type of testing. In addition, the authors have carried out an analysis and comparison of the tests that are defined in these standards, indicating their advantages and disadvantages. Importance of the static and kinetic friction testing in determining the anti-slip properties of footwear and flooring is specifically indicated. Considering the current standards in area of slip resistance of the footwear and floor covering authors have determined the testing conditions for laboratory measuring the friction forces of different floor and footwear materials. The laboratory measurement has carried out at Faculty of Mechanical Engineering in Niš. The measuring results and their analysis are presented in the paper, as well.

The paper discusses ontological metaphors in a sample of verb and abstract noun collocations in Serbian, in order to explore lexical patterning as a realization of conceptual metaphor. We examine the ideas a) that we conceptualize abstract entities as persons, containers, concrete physical objects or substances for which our experiences with physical objects provide the basis (Lakoff and Johnson 1980), and b) that the collocations selected reflect the metaphorical mapping of a concrete domain onto an abstract one. The sample selected includes collocations, the content of which indicates that the process of mapping involves the domains of negative experience in the world of matter. More specifically, the domains of painful or injurious physical experience are mapped onto negative emotions and states of mind, which suggests that the experiential basis, on which the speakers rely in forming the collocations is negative.

With the increased number of user applications, the amount of data generated by users, the need for more intensive data processing, in modern data centers the question of energy efficiency arises. IT equipment requires permanent maintenance of appropriate climatic conditions, therefore significant investments are needed in cooling systems and ensuring a constant supply of electricity. In this paper, an experimental analysis is performed concerning the economic and environmental aspects of server virtualization, including the business value of virtualization. An analysis was conducted to be used concurrently on a traditional architecture and a virtual ecosystem. The acquired findings show considerable advantages of virtual and cloud ecosystem in the form of optimum provision and use of physical workstation properties. Through this paper, authors analysed the power utilization when utilizing a higher number of physical servers, as opposed to the same number of virtual servers. Acquired results present a assessment of accumulative energy utilization and load on physical units during optimal workload client requests during the working week. Through the paper authors presented the idea of low electric energy consumption, using the green datacenter concept and contribution to the advancement of IT technologies at the Singidunum University, which is also applicable to other modern university datacenters.

We tested three theses on the construction of extramusical meaning in program music: (1) that some excerpts contain an “inherent” musical structure that facilitates the interpretation aligned with the composer’s intentions; (2) that “onomatopoeia” — musical imitation of natural sounds — is a frequent subclass of this “inherence”; and (3) that providing the title of the piece further facilitates the “proper” interpretation of intended meaning. Two hundred and one students were given six musical stimuli (three based on “inherent” and three on “arbitrary” association) and asked to write a one-sentence description of extramusical meaning associated with the examples. In the first trial, all participants provided descriptions without a suggestion. In the second, they were randomly assigned to three groups, receiving suggestions that were neutral, aligned with the composer’s program, or deliberately worded to contradict this program. Three raters then coded the responses on the basis of conformity with the composer’s intentions and presence of onomatopoeia. The result was (a) no difference in the numbers of conformant descriptions to “inherent” as opposed to “arbitrary” examples; (b) a negligible number of onomatopoeic descriptions; (c) a strong influence of “false” — but not “true” — suggestions. We discuss some implications for further studies of extramusical meaning.

Основни циљ рада јесте да прикаже неке од потешкоћа у превођењу речи са високим степеном полисемије на примеру енглеског глагола to run и превођења овог глагола на српски језик. Најпре се даје теоријско полазиште које наглашава важност контекста и проблеме који у процесу превођења проистичу из полисемије, као и специфичности превођења глагола to run. У наредном одељку налазимо преглед речничких значења овог глагола изведен на основу релевантних једнојезичких речника стандардног енглеског језика. Следи приказ паралелног преводног корпуса, као и детаљна анализа реченица преузетих из два романа на енглеском језику које су ушле у његов састав. Ова анализа указује на неке од потешкоћа са којима се преводиоци сусрећу у току превођења полисемичних речи. На крају, основни резултати анализе корпуса упоређени су са резултатима неколико претходних истраживања.

The main goal of this paper is to present novel technologies that can contribute to safety, competitiveness, efficiency and operational reliability of Railway infrastructure through the development of innovative solutions for measuring and monitoring of railway assets based on machine vision. Measuring the transversal position of the wheels on the rail, as well as identification of the defects of the wheel and the rail (such as deformation of rail head edge, lateral wear, worn wheels, cracks in wheel and rail, rolling contact fatigue, corrugation and other irregularities) can increase reliability and lower maintenance costs. Currently, there is a need on the market for the innovative solution, namely the on-board high-speed stereo camera system augmented with a system that projects custom pattern (fringe scanner system) for measuring the transversal position of the wheels on the rail, robust to environmental conditions and waste along the track that can provide reliable measurements of transversal position of the wheels up to 200 km/h. New trends in Precise Industrial 3D Metrology are showing that stereo vision is an absolute must have in modern specialized optical precision measuring systems for the three-dimensional coordinate measurement.

Impairments related to figurative language understanding have been considered to be one of the diagnostic and defining features of autism. Metaphor comprehension and production in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) as compared to typically developing (TD) individuals have been investigated for around thirty years, generally showing an overall advantage for TD groups. We present a preregistered systematic review and meta-analysis including a total of 15 studies that fulfilled our set of inclusion criteria (notably, ASD and TD groups matched in chronological age and verbal- or full-scale IQ). Along with accuracy, we also analyzed group differences in reaction time in the studies that reported them. The results revealed a medium-to-large group difference favoring TD over ASD groups based on accuracy measures, as well as a similar overall advantage for TD groups based on reaction times. There was reliable heterogeneity in effect sizes for group differences in accuracy, which was mostly explained by the effect of verbal intelligence, with differences in metaphor processing being smaller for participants with better verbal skills. Some of the variation in effect sizes may also be attributed to differences in types of metaphor processing tasks. We also evaluated the quality of the studies included in the meta-analysis, and the evidence relating to the potential presence of publication bias.

In Making Comics: Storytelling Secrets of Comics, Manga and Graphic Novels (2006), Scott McCloud proposes that the use of specific drawing techniques will enable viewers to reliably deduce different degrees of intensity of the six basic emotions from facial expressions in comics. Furthermore, he suggests that an accomplished comics artist can combine the components of facial expressions conveying the basic emotions to produce complex expressions, many of which are supposedly distinct and recognizable enough to be named. This article presents an empirical investigation and assessment of the validity of these claims, based on the results obtained from three questionnaires. Each of the questionnaires deals with one of the aspects of McCloud’s proposal: face expression intensity, labelling and compositionality. The data show that the tasks at hand were much more difficult than would have been expected on the basis of McCloud’s proposal, with the intensity matching task being the most successful of the three.

The paper aims to investigate whether prototypicality effects (e.g., Rosch 1973a, b; Lakoff 1987) correlate with selecting Serbian translation equivalents of English motion verbs in cases in which we have no context determined (one-word translation). By applying three empirical stages, we have generated a potential prototypicality list for English motion verbs. We have then tested 60 translators in another procedure, so as to check whether there were statistically valid links between a verb’s typicality and the choice of a translation equivalent. The results indicate that a higher degree of prototypicality positively correlates with a more consistent choice of a translation equivalent. At the same time, there is a negative correlation between the determined prototypicality and the diversity of translation equivalents offered for the verb in question. These results may reveal certain psychological aspects of translation, while simultaneously corroborating the tenets of prototype theory.

The article discusses fictive motion in coextension paths in Serbian and a possible reverse conceptual transfer in translating from English (L2) to Serbian (L1). In investigating the phenomenon, we have devised an English (L2) to Serbian (L1) translation questionnaire for Serbian learners of English to examine contrastively the conceptualization and encoding of coextension paths in English (L2) and Serbian (L1) and the processing of coextension paths in translating from L2 to L1. The presence of fictive motion in both languages implies its pervasiveness, but the frequency of individual verbs in Serbian points to the fact that certain motion verbs are rather restricted in their fictive motion usage, while English fictive motion expressions allow for a wider variety of verbs. This indicates that encoding coextension paths in Serbian is rather constrained in motion verbs usage, which should be an important distinction to follow in restraining reverse conceptual transfer.

The paper is aimed at proving the hypothesis that multimodal construction in video games can follow specific discursive aims in the process of persuading game players. In order to prove this, we have performed a multifaceted analysis which elaborated the ways in which different modalities in a representative video game combine so as to convince the player to act, play, and perhaps think accordingly. The multimodal approach employed in the paper combines the notion of discourse aims and the rhetorical and argumentative structure of Metal Gear Solid ( Kojima, 1998 ), and analyses different narrative strategies and verbal cues, as well as the overall interface, control, and gameplay. The results suggest that verbal and textual cues combine with audio-visual elements and highly specific gameplay strategies in order to refrain the player from killing enemies. This might indicate that video games are likely to possess a great persuasive power, as they are both multimodal and highly interactive.

The present paper investigates whether lexicalized visuo-spatial configurations and/or an explicit reference to a human body part can facilitate the interpretation of unknown idioms by comparing the levels of correct interpretation of unknown English and Serbian idiomatic expressions. Two groups of respondents, American and Serbian engineering students, had the task to interpret literally translated idiomatic expressions from a target language they were not familiar with (Serbian or English). The idioms were divided into three groups: (1) visuo-spatial bodily idioms, (2) bodily idioms only, and (3) non-bodily idioms. The goal was to test whether references to visuo-spatial information and/or parts of the body would help respondents interpret the expressions correctly. Our results, compiled from both groups of respondents, suggest that there are significant differences for the three scores, with the combined visuo-spatial and bodily components taking the lead, the bodily component only coming second, and the non-bodily idioms falling strikingly far behind. This could provide support to the well-known assumptions of cognitive linguistics that visuo-spatial configurations and embodiment play a major role in the construction of abstract concepts.

Dear Readers and the Editorial Board,Please let us express our deepest concern regarding what took place after our paper titled “Prototype Theory and Translation Equivalent Selection: The Case of M...

In recent years, liberalisation of rail cargo operators market brought to the position of a number of small rail operators that are operating on rail infrastructure. Most of them are relatively small with specific cargo transport products, limited number of locomotives and wagons and with limited service resources. Independently of the cargo operator size, they are also obligated to have regular inspections according to the railway regulations. Inspections are frequent and in normal cases they need special depot with inspection pit that small operators do not possess. In the paper are given technical solutions that can be found in the market as well as developed and proposed equipment solution with different concepts for the under locomotives visual inspection without using inspection pit. In the paper is also carried out evaluation and choice of proposed solutions as part of regular product development process.

U ovom istraživačkom radu bavimo se temom koja je vezana za razvijanje igara u okruženju Unreal Engine 4 platforme. Platforma obezbeđuje više dodatnih alata za razvoj video igara sa fleksibilnim interfejsima pogodnim za primenu u edukativnim svrhama na svim nivoima obrazovanja. Rad sadrži uvod u radno okruženje, testirane i preporučene alate koji su podobni za razvoj video igara sa svim kolaborativnim elementima zahtevanim u savremenim pristupima učenja. Na ovaj način, ukazali smo na platformu koja je podrška budućim trendovima učenja za primenu u tradicionalnim rutinama, metodologiji i predmetnim silabusima.

The main purpose of this paper is to investigate the relation between metaphor and context in cognitive linguistic literature, as well as to show the diversity of positions towards this complex relation. Firstly, it provides a summary of the development of conceptual metaphor theory (CMT), one of the main topics in cognitive semantics and cognitive linguistics in general. Secondly, using the method of comparison and exploring the corpus which comprises the relevant books and papers on this topic, the paper reviews the manner in which the views on the relation between metaphor and context emerged and evolved during the development of the theory. The papers and books found in the corpus include authors such as George Lakoff, Mark Turner, Mark Johnson, Raymond W. Gibbs, Zoltan Kovecses and Vyvyan Evans. Finally, the paper provides the accounts of two authors (Stern and Leezenberg) who oppose the mainstream views on the relation of metaphor and context. The conclusion that follows ought to help us get a clearer picture of the mentioned relation.

The modeling of thermal effects has become increasingly important in product design in different transport means, road vehicles, airplanes, railway vehicles, and so forth. The thermal analysis is a very important stage in the study of braking systems, especially of railway vehicles, where it is necessary to brake huge masses, because the thermal load of a braked railway wheel prevails compared to other types of loads. In the braking phase, kinetic energy transforms into thermal energy resulting in intense heating and high temperature states of railway wheels. Thus induced thermal loads determine thermomechanical behavior of the structure of railway wheels. In cases of thermal overloads, which mainly occur as a result of long-term braking on down-grade railroads, the generation of stresses and deformations occurs, whose consequences are the appearance of cracks on the rim of a wheel and the final total wheel defect. The importance to precisely determine the temperature distribution caused by the transfer process of the heat generated during braking due to the friction on contact surfaces of the braking system makes it a challenging research task. Therefore, the thermal analysis of a block-braked solid railway wheel of a 444 class locomotive of the national railway operator Serbian Railways is processed in detail in this paper, using analytical and numerical modeling of thermal effects during long-term braking for maintaining a constant speed on a down-grade railroad.

Although press fit joints are very important in railway engineering, few authors have investigated the strength of press fit joints in terms of their application in railway vehicles. This study analyses the tribological parameters that influence the strength of press fit joints, especially the contact pressure and the static friction coefficient. This research was targeted towards the control of the friction coefficient value to obtain the required strength of a press fit joint in conditions close to the minimum contact pressure that results in less prestressed press fit joints. To estimate press fit joint strength, this study examines the use of minimum and maximum values of the friction coefficient as recommended in the literature considering wide tribological conditions, as well as the experimentally determined friction coefficient values for specific tribological conditions. The study also points out the discrepancy between current railway standards and engineering practice considering the inspection of wheel set press fit joint strength.

Drawing on the work of Forceville (2005, 2006, 2011), who employed linguistic tools in analysing comics, the paper deals with pictorial runes as a specific type of visual information found in comic books. As Kennedy (1982) proposes, pictorial runes are graphic devices used in pictures to modify the literal depictions of objects, intended to convey certain aspects of those objects that are otherwise difficult to depict literally. In comics, they are usually employed to imply various emotions, such as anger, fear, pain, or surprise, and indicate speed or the direction of a moving object, among other things. Using the research model presented by Forceville (2011), the paper aims at identifying and categorising pictorial runes in a popular Italian comic book series Gea, in an attempt to corroborate the above method and add to the list of already inventoried runes. Furthermore, the new runes found in this comic book series show evidence of being indexical, rather than symbolic, signs. The paper also briefly outlines the distribution of runes across the entire series.