Browsing by Subject "object"

The thesis explores object case-marking under long-distance negation. Opposed to local negation (where the negated verb governs the object directly), long-distance (or non-local) refers to negation where the main negated verb governs a clause, which includes an object. The aim of the thesis is to investigate how social (such as age, region of origin, education, bilingualism, second languages) and linguistic factors (structural verb types) might affect case choice between genitive and accusative in negated infinitival clauses in Lithuanian. The data was collected through a questionnaire, distributed to speakers of Lithuanian through Facebook. In total, 116 responses were received. The results were analyzed using statistical methods (Chi-square or Fisher's exact test for statistical significance, Cramer's V for strength of relationship). The findings show that age, region of origin and bilingualism show the strongest relationship with case choice. The choice of accusative is least frequent among the youngest, and most frequent among the oldest respondents. Accusative is also most common among residents of Mažoji Lietuva, followed by Vilnius, while speakers of Kaunas prefer the genitive. Russian-Lithuanian bilinguals favor accusative significantly more often that native speakers of Lithuanian, while Polish-Lithuanian bilinguals favor the genitive. Education and second languages (specifically, Russian and Polish) have weaker, but statistically significant relationships with case choice. The higher the degree of education the less frequent use of accusative, and more frequent the genitive. Second languages reflect the trends of bilingualism, but to a smaller degree: speakers of Russian as a second language use accusative more often, while speakers of Polish as a second language prefer the genitive. Case-marking variation under long-distance negation is still very much viable in Modern Lithuanian and the frequencies of each case used in object marking reflect those of earlier research. Structural verb types play a role in case choice, with some less and others more prone to take an accusative object: same-subject verbs are least likely to take an accusative object, the possibility increases with different-subject verbs and verb+noun complexes and reaches its height with dative experiencer verbs.

Objectives. Cleantech, as an emerging new industry, its development involves the influences from various aspects. As a small to medium-sized cleantech company, the activity in China can be very challenge to study holistically. This research is aimed to provide a holistic view of the challenges and possibilities of a small to medium-size cleantech company's activity in China from the expansive learning perspectives. The purpose of this research is threefold. Firstly, it analyzes the object and network to uncover the three historical phases of GreenStream's long trajectory leaning process. Secondly, it analyzes learning actions and contradictions to uncover the driving forces of development and the expansiveness of the activity. Thirdly, based on the historical analysis an analysis of expansive learning cycles is made, with the purpose to sketch the zone of proximal development across the learning cycles and address the future possibilities and challenges. Methods. The research case Company is GreenStream, a small to medium-sized Finnish cleantech company in China. 8 Interviewees were chose from the different parties involved in its China activity. 4 of the interviewees from the case company GreenStream, 1 interviewee from its Chinese partner, and 3 interviewees from the third parties. The data is firstly analyzed by the historical analysis, namely analysis of object of activity system and analysis of network, following the analysis of expansive learning cycles, namely analysis of learning steps and analysis of learning actions and analysis of developmental contradictions. The zone of proximal development is sketched based on the historical analysis and analysis of expansive learning cycles. Results and conclusions. Interesting findings emerge through the systematic analysis. Three historical analyses reveals the object and network transformed in 3 phases. The object has transformed in 3 historical phases with the unchanged main motivation, the evolving economic imperative, and other emerging forces from different element of the activity. The partnership activity emerged and consolidated with the network development. Object formation and network development thus form the criteria to divide the 3 historical phases from "Small Spark in China", to " Great Success in China" and then to "Standing on Two Feet in China". Analysis of expansive learning cycles reveals that the 3 historical phases contours 3 expansive learning cycles. The first learning cycle was disrupted, the second learning cycle completed and expanded, and the third learning cycle is under development. Each learning cycle has its own character, and within each learning cycle, different levels of contradictions emerged as the driving forces of the development of GreenStream. Through tracing different levels of contradictions through the 3 expansive learning cycles, the expansiveness of GreenStream's activity could be detected with regard to the expansion of the object and expansion over interruption. Object formation, partnership and policy over clean-tech industry become important three elements for the zone of proximal development of GreenStream's activity in China. Through the understanding of these dynamics and momentum of the China activity in the past and present by means of expansive learning aspects, the subject can better master and build the development of the activity system in the future.