A Bayesian estimate of the concordance correlation coefficient with skewed data

Concordance correlation coefficient (CCC) is one of the most popular scaled indices used to evaluate agreement. Most commonly, it is used under the assumption that data is normally distributed. This assumption, however, does not apply to skewed data sets. While methods for the estimation of the CCC of skewed data sets have been introduced and studied, the Bayesian approach and its comparison with the previous methods has been lacking. In this study, we propose a Bayesian method for the estimation of the CCC of skewed data sets and compare it with the best method previously investigated. The proposed method has certain advantages. It tends to outperform the best method studied before when the variation of the data is mainly from the random subject effect instead of error. Furthermore, it allows for greater flexibility in application by enabling incorporation of missing data, confounding covariates, and replications, which was not considered previously. The superiority of this new approach is demonstrated using simulation as well as real‐life biomarker data sets used in an electroencephalography clinical study. The implementation of the Bayesian method is accessible through the Comprehensive R Archive Network. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Language,multiple authenticities and social media: The online language practices of university students in Mongolia

This paper seeks to contribute to the current discussion of the sociolinguistics of globalization by revealing youth linguistic diversity from the perspective of the online mixed language practices of university students in contemporary post‐socialist Mongolia. Drawing on sets of Facebook data, the paper firstly argues that the online mixed youth language practices should be understood as ‘translingual’ not only due to their varied recombination of linguistic and cultural resources, genres, modes, styles and repertories, but also due to their direct subtextual connections with wider socio‐cultural, historical and ideological meanings. Secondly, online users metalinguistically claim authenticity in terms of their own translingual practices as opposed to other colliding language ideologies such as linguistic dystopia. How they relocalize the notion of authenticity, however, differs profoundly depending on their own often‐diverse criteria, identities, beliefs and ideas. This shows that, with mixing and recombining at its very core, the translingual practices of modern young speakers provide us with a significant insight into the co‐existence of multiple authenticities and origins of authenticity in an increasingly interconnected world.     

Social integration and dialect divergence in coastal Palestine

The history of Palestine has caused communities to be displaced and relocated, entailing that speech communities have been dismantled and created anew. The coastal cities of Jaffa and Gaza exemplify this reality. This study analyzes speakers from Jaffa, some of whom remained there and others residing in Gaza as refugees. Through an examination of three variables, (?), (AH), and (Q), we shed light on the effects of dialect contact while highlighting the link between dialect contact and identity formation and maintenance. All three variables are found to be in varied states of change as a result of contact with other varieties of Arabic, as well as with Modern Hebrew. We conclude that (Q), through its high social salience, works to create and maintain a sense of community identity for Jaffan refugees in Gaza at a time when the speech of the larger Jaffa community is undergoing substantial linguistic change.     

‘A ondi queras’: Ranchero identity construction by U.S. born Mexicans on Facebook

This study describes how transnational second‐generation Mexican bilinguals use a stigmatized variety of Mexican Spanish to communicate on Facebook and construct an identity. The stereotyped features of this variety index a ranchero identity. Historically, ranchero is an ambivalent identity for Mexican society in general. On the one hand, ranchero culture is a positive reminiscence of Mexico's agrarian past, while on the other, rancheros, along with indigenous Mexicans, are at the bottom of the hierarchy in Mexican society. A discourse‐centered, ethnographic analysis of digitally mediated conversations demonstrates how language use allows participants to reminisce about their collective past, maintain Mexican identities tied to their ancestors, fit their identities to contemporary U.S. Mexican culture, and distance themselves from the stigma associated with the ranchero background.     

连续性评价及其在外语教学中的应用

教育离不开评价,外语素质教育的评价是对学生的全面评价,即把形成外语能力的各个要素及学生的整体素质作为评价的对象,它不仅注重学生的学习结果,更注重学生的学习过程。与传统的教育评价进行相比,能够充分体现素质教育的评价要求与特点。在外语教学中可以通过学习日记、成立课题小组、建立学习档案等实施连续性评价。     

胡适杂文的艺术初论

本文从解读胡适杂文的文本入手,从文体结构、论证方法、行文造句及文学手法的运用诸方面探讨胡适杂文的表现艺术,指出胡适的杂文有三个突出的艺术特点:其一,结构严密。论证环环紧扣,说理极为有力。其二,清楚明白。一是思想清楚,观点明确;二是语言显浅,明白通俗。其三,议论形象。一是勾勒形象,说理可感;二是善用比喻、富于幽默,全文既通俗浅白,也还生动形象。     

交际法理论与实践间的偏差

自20世纪70年代以来,交际法因注重语言的意义,强调语言使用的得体性,而备受推崇。然而,其理论精髓“教学过程交际化和功能化”与我国的外语教学现状和资源不相吻合。理论与实践间存在偏差。不应盲目推崇。     

错误分析及其对外语教学实践的启迪——外语教育语言学研究之三

本文就错误分析产生的背景、错误分析对外语教学研究的意义、以及错误分析的程序进行了阐述；并提出和探讨了错误分析对外语教学实践所起到的三个方面的启迪作用。     

《太平广记》中的神异小说探研

《太平广记》中的神异小说以搜神聊异、说奇道怪为语义指向,获得了无益经典、有助文章、以广异闻的评价。就其内容而言有两大倾向:一者在奇、一者在异。记奇者多成于治世,是对生死离别、神界鬼域的高度生命体验和哲学观照;而怪者则多成于乱世,是对阴森怖异、子虚乌有的强烈的人生感受和命运意识的体会。就其手法而言有两种类型:一者只录表象,一者却寓情结。录表象者可看出佛道、巫风之盛,人以鬼神为实有;寓情结者则可视为在大量的表象的浸润启发之下,人们试图作出的超越鬼神观念,以神性说人性、以奇闻喻人文的努力。     

论广告语言中的熟语翻新

熟语翻新是广告语言创作中常用的一种手法,往往具有言简意赅、形象生动、通俗易懂、推陈出新等特殊表达效果。广告中的熟语翻新主要有成语翻新、俗语翻新、惯用语翻新、谚语翻新和格言翻新等五种类型。广告语言中熟语翻新的策略主要有原形引用、变形引用和贬词褒用等。