Mapping languages from inside: Notes on perceptual dialectology

Language maps can represent many aspects of the linguistic situation in a certain territory. They usually draw particular views of the language setting as seen from outside, i.e. by linguists or scholars in general. However, maps can also be used to show the geographical distribution of the perception of language variation from the point of view of the speakers. The starting point for every kind of language map is the language border (and its definition): thus a perceptual language map needs a definition of border from the point of view of the speaker. To do that it is necessary to analyse 'perceptual data', that is to study the opinion the speaker has of the language diversities and compare the different kinds of perception. Points of interest can be, for example: the influence of the perceived ethnic diversity on the language variation—or vice versa, the fact that perceived ethnic borders do not match with perceived language borders; or moreover that perceived language borders do not necessarily match with the perceived comprehensibility of other language varieties (symbolic versus communicative function of language). Hence a possible linguistic borderline on perceptual language maps could be the limit among social language behaviours. From this point of view, sociolinguistic studies can be a good tool to draw perceptual language maps, since quantitative sociolinguistic researches provide the diatopic/diasthratic variation of the data, whilst qualitative research provides the perception of the variation. The paper discusses some field research case studies, coming from the Eastern and Western Alps in Italy, to better introduce this kind of perceptual geolinguistic explanation.     

The World under the Stars: Astrological Geography and the Bologna 1477 Edition of Ptolemy’s Cosmographia

ABSTRACT

This article is a re-examination of the first complete printed edition of Ptolemy’s Cosmographia (Bologna, de Lapis, 1477), hitherto considered flawed and defective. An investigation of the status and priorities of the team of court astrologers responsible for this edition, and an examination of the alterations they made to Ptolemy’s maps, suggests that their aim was a redaction intentionally different from existing versions of the Geography. It is suggested that the editors sought to adjust the arrangement of provinces from that recommended in Ptolemy’s Geography (book VIII) to the astrological arrangement detailed in his Tetrabiblos (book II) and that they modified the content of the key regional maps accordingly. In this light, the Bologna 1477 edition underlines the importance of assessing the reception of Ptolemy’s geographical work against a cultural background in which astrology prevailed as an integrated system of knowledge, practices and beliefs.     

从文学视角看《零售商菲化案》对华侨社会的影响——以《二十世纪五十年代商报小说选》为主的分析

论文通过对《二十世纪五十年代商报小说选》作品的分析,介绍了《零售商菲化案》产生的背景和主要内容;展示了《零售商菲化案》对菲律宾华侨零售商的冲击和在此背景下菲律宾华侨的悲惨命运,并对这段历史进行了客观理性的分析评价。一方面,菲律宾独立建国以后,为了发展经济,建设国家,必然要通过各种手段整合社会力量与有关资源。遗憾的是,菲律宾政府在经济危机面前,舍本求末,把危机转嫁在华侨身上,造成了20世纪50年代菲华社会的惶惑与动荡;另一方面,菲律宾华侨也必须经过一个转型期,才能更好地在当地生存发展。或许说,正是因为有了20世纪50年代的惶惑与动荡,才加速了菲华社会与当地社会的融合。     

当代西方人文地理学研究动态——《人文地理学词典》评述

通过对约翰斯顿等人编著的《人文地理学词典》(第三版)的分析,揭示当今西方人文地理学的研究动态,指出中国人文地理学的发展差距。     

我国区域经济地理学科的创新与发展

本文认为随着世界政治经济格局的深刻变化和世界经济一体化、区域集团化的飞速发展,区域经济地理学作为我国地理科学中的一门年轻学科,正处于深刻的变革之中。在新的21世纪中,学科发展面临着重大挑战,同时也面临着发展的重要机遇,要实现学科的创新与发展,关键在于如何深刻认识与处理学科发展面临的相关学科的挑战、继承与创新、理论与实践相结合等几个重大问题。最后,本文提出了区域经济地理学科的四个发展趋势。     

宁夏伊斯兰教地理的初步研究

中国伊斯兰教地理的研究相对空白。本文以宁夏回族自治区为例,阐述了伊斯兰教徒、宗教景观、社区类型和教派及其门宦的地域性特征,伊斯兰区域主导文化与区域社会经济发展的关系。本文希望对伊斯兰教地理的研究起到抛砖引玉的作用,对于制定以伊斯兰文化为主导的区域发展战略和政策起到参考作用。     

Eratosthenes’ Contribution to Ptolemy’s Map of the World

This article attempts to shed some light on the origins of Ptolemy’s map of the world, which remains a mystery. The premise is that Ptolemy and other ancient geographers largely drew on the same or a similar pool of sources and common beliefs. Similarities between them can, therefore, give us a key to understanding the prehistory of Ptolemy’s map. Comparison of distances on his map with those given by other sources leads to the conclusion that a large area of the map, approximately from the Bosporus to the Indus, reproduced Eratosthenes’ geographical system, with linear distances converted to angular degrees according to Eratosthenes’ own scale. It is argued that this area represents a remnant of an earlier version of Ptolemy’s map. Analysis of latitude and longitude reveals notable differences between Ptolemy’s map and Eratosthenes’ ideas concerning the latitude of Babylon and the Alexandrian prime meridian, and the impact this seems to have had on the shape of neighbouring regions is noted.     

Church-in-a-box: making space sacred in a non-traditional setting

ABSTRACT

How are non-traditional sacred spaces experienced and sacralized? Non-traditional sacred sites offer a unique and useful perspective for exploring notions of sacralization, the process of making space sacred. This paper explores sacralization through an investigation of Unity of Fredericksburg, a non-traditional spiritual community that meets in an executive office building, using in-depth interviews with church leaders and members. These interview findings help shed light on how the process of sacralization occurs and suggest that it is the collective, emotional engagement with space that makes it sacred. Non-traditional houses of worship, though not imbued with conventional notions of “sacredness”, serve as functionally sacred for believers and the transiency of their sacred qualities provides a useful foundation for geographers of religion to explore how the sacred is made and experienced.     

魏源的边疆史地研究述略

魏源在边疆史地研究方面有许多独到建树,他对边疆地理沿革的考辨继承了乾嘉学者的考据风格,是史学家的缜密品质和经世致用精神的良好结合。魏源在边疆民族问题上有鲜明的“多民族凝聚倾向”,其研究着眼于巩固边疆的群众基础,他就如何处理边疆民族关系的经验总结对现实仍有一定的指导意义。魏源的边疆史地研究把边疆的防卫与开发建设结合起来,将边疆的防卫、开发建设同解决国家的现实问题结合起来,完全超出了传统的战略地理的讨论范围,是难能可贵的。     

论王先谦的《五洲地理志略》

《五洲地理志略》是王先谦晚年在学术研究方向转变之后所撰的一本比较成熟的史地学著作。作者以传播、普及中外历史地理知识为宗旨,向人们介绍西方史地学知识,并且将忧国意识与传统的史学方法融入撰写内容之中。作者对中外相关书籍认真比较后,广搜博采,严密考订,尤其关注于新近出现的人文地理大事件。作者重视探讨救亡途径,故而该书的撰述还体现出经世思想与忧患意识的时代特征。