The Linguistics of Inhabiting Space: Spatial Reference in the North-East Ambae Language1

North-East Ambae, a member of the Oceanic sub-group of Austronesian, is spoken on the volcanic island of Ambae, in northern Vanuatu. Like many Austronesian languages, it has a complex system of spatial reference. In this paper I describe one aspect of this system, the use of the members of the word class of ‘directionals’. Directionals can be used to refer to both direction of movement and location in space, and involve the interaction between an absolute and a deictic system. The absolute system is based on a division of the environment that uses both the vertical axis and the landward-seaward axis, although it also uses other divisions. Onto this absolute system is mapped a partially deictic system, such that each of the oppositions of the absolute system can be marked according to a three-way distinction relative to the participants of the speech act. That the speakers are highly attuned to their environment is reflected in the use of this complex spatial reference system. The paper underlines the importance of detailed analyses of spatial reference systems in describing languages, reflecting the significance of such systems in common language use.     

Dual Energy Computed Tomography for the Non‐destructive Analysis of Ancient Ceramics

Ceramics are usually the most common artefact found on any ancient archaeological site. Compositional analysis of this pottery, and characterization of the clay fabrics from which they are made, has the potential to pinpoint sources of manufacture as well as identify trade routes and consumption patterns in the ancient world. Currently, most analytical techniques require the partial or total destruction of the ceramic sample. This research investigates the use of dual energy computed tomography (DECT) to analyse Black Gloss and Vesuvian Sigillata from Pompeii. The results indicate that DECT may be a viable adjunct or alternative to conventional analytical techniques. Importantly, unlike traditional methods, DECT is totally non‐destructive, a highly significant factor when analysing irreplaceable artefacts.     

For love or money? Assessing outcomes from direct public investment in film

ABSTRACT

This study examines Australian domestic film performance under two distinct policy regimes with respect to direct investment strategy. In particular, we contrast film performance under two public funding agencies with noted differences in (i) the number of films financed annually, (ii) the average (and maximum) funding per film, and (iii) the involvement of an expert review panel in funding decisions. In addition to box office returns, we consider performance benchmarks related to major film festival screenings, nominations and awards; critical acclaim based on IMDb user and critic reviews; and whether or not the film received a release in the major UK and/or US markets. Finally, we exploit a subset of our data where a ‘two-door’ policy was used for investment decisions that allows us to reflect on our more general results.     

Public intellectuals as policy makers: the democratization of culture and Sean O’Faoláin’s Arts Council, 1956–1959

ABSTRACT

This article examines the brief tenure of the writer Sean O’Faoláin as Director of the Arts Council of Ireland. The article notes the generational similarities and shared outlook between O’Faoláin and André Malraux, the Minister of Culture for France from 1959 to 1969. However, O’Faoláin’s tenure in office was shorter, less successful, and marked by a bitter dispute with the administration and artists of the Royal Hibernian Academy. This dispute serves as a useful case study for examining competing conceptions of national culture, the purpose of cultural policy, and the role of the cultural elite as arbiters of taste.     

The Sound of Debate in Georgian England: Auralising the House of Commons

St Stephen's Chapel, Westminster became the first permanent home of the house of commons in 1548. The building had to be adapted to conform to its new use. Visual and architectural adaptations to the space have been discussed in detail, but the building's new role also required improvements to the working use of the space as a forum for public debate. In this essay, acoustic techniques are used to explore how speeches and debate would have sounded during the Georgian period and consider how St Stephen's was adapted for this new use. The results demonstrate that, despite these alterations, the 18th‐century house of commons was not ideally suited to speaking or listening to debate. The listening experience was not uniform across the chamber, and its former use as a medieval chapel may have influenced how well certain positions in the chamber would have experienced speech.     

‘The sword that was broken …’: The detection of recycled iron in the archaeological record

Although the recycling of materials such as copper and glass is widely known and generally well understood within archaeological contexts, far less is known about the recycling of iron. Iron recycling is more complex than that of other metals for two reasons. First, normal manufacturing processes, which include forging several components to make a composite object, offer the opportunity to include recycled iron. Second, the material itself is more complex than Cu alloys. The alloys of Fe, depending primarily on C content, are very different in terms of properties and can be interconverted by (normally) removing C such as decarburizing cast iron to make wrought iron. Thus, recycling practices are potentially intimately combined with such processes. These factors, combined with the poor preservation of archaeological iron and the consequent reluctance to carry out extensive studies (which often require destructive analysis via metallography), mean that there are no clear criteria for identifying recycled iron. However, limited historical documentation suggests, at least indirectly, that such recycling was common. This paper is neither comprehensive nor definitive, but merely intends to promote discussion and awareness of iron recycling by hypothesizing several possible mechanisms and providing a few illustrative archaeological examples.