CANONS AND ENEMIES IN LITERATURE: THE WITCH OF FUNTINEL AND ITS AUTHOR
Author(s): Imola Katalin Nagy / Language(s): English
/ Issue: 33/2023
Keywords: Albert Wass; The Witch of Funtinel; cultural identity; criteria of literary criticism; canonization vs. enemization;
In this study, we aim to bring to readers the figure of a highly controversial writer: Albert Wass. The Hungarian writer is still banned from Romanian public discourse and still questioned by some in Hungary, as he is often considered solely a war criminal, and not a writer of fiction. Not many Romanian readers are aware that, on the one hand, Wass is a Sadoveanu of Hungarian literature in Transylvania, and he is, on the other hand, a man who lived a personal and a collective drama which, of course, influenced the narrative voice he adopted. We also approach the issue of judging the creation of writers by what they write and decide upon their value only based on aesthetic criteria, as extra-aesthetic issues should not interfere in this process. We are aware that we cannot find complete truth in the case of this disputed writer. Nevertheless, we investigate one of his most famous and popular novels, The Witch of Funtinel, to find out whether he indeed fits the profile of a xenophobic person who hated the Other (in this case Romanians). We also highlight some aspects regarding the touch of magical realism that can be spotted in this novel.
Author(s): Nicoleta Sălcudeanu / Language(s): English
/ Issue: 33/2023
Keywords: Romanian literature; moralist; ethic; polemics; society;
Octavian Paler is a successful writer, his books enjoyed, and still enjoy, an enviable bookstore success. He is a popular author, and his memorable formulas have become intellectual folklore. The great success with the public is paradoxical, like the oxymoronic title, which has become an emblem, like the author himself a paradoxical being. Octavian Paler didn't give lessons, didn't launch appeals to anyone, lucidly assumed his vulnerability. But this encapsulated vulnerability becomes a formidable weapon. "The danger of civility" is more ferocious, as a revelation, than ever before, for a world in which lies are not less, but more cynical and diverse, a world in which we live our freedom badly.
The present study aims at telling the story of Virgil Wounded Horse and his nephew, Nathan, as it is presented in David Heska Wanbli Weiden’s novel entitled ”Winter Counts” focusing on the spiritual dimension of the book. They are two Native Americans from Rosebud reservation. At the beginning Virgil is the avenger of the reservation and he seems to be heartless in his jobs, reckless, without a sense of belonging. But gradually we discover his weakness as well as his strength – family. Spirituality and nature are two main recurrent issues in the novel. Both Virgil and Nathan get spirit names. Nathan got his spiritual name for his bravery in front of death. Throughout his spiritual journey, Virgil finds his true love, he finds a son, a family, a community. In his quest, he also finds his spirituality and his ancestors. In his fight against the outside evil, he managed to overcome the evil inside him, the evil within, and let the spirits heal him and help him protect his community.
The present study analyzes dreaming as the approach of the sacred in David Heska Wanbli Weiden’s novel entitled ”Winter Counts”. For the Native Americans, dreams represent a medium that connects people with the spiritual realm especially if there is an animal or bird communicating with the person. The novel lays emphasis upon the importance of dreams and dreaming for the Lakota people through the protagonist Virgil Wounded Horse who no longer believed in the values of his tribe due to the losses in his family: his father, mother and his sister, Sybil. He lives with his nephew, Nathan, Sybil’s son, a highschool teenager. Throughout the novel, both Virgil and Nathan are caught in the middle of two rival gangs who sell drugs on the reservation they live.
CATEGORIZING EDUCATION: A CALL INTO QUESTION OF CATEGORIES ASSIGNED TO ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS, EDUCATORS, LEARNING AND TEACHING PROCESSES
Author(s): Laura Diana Cizer / Language(s): English
/ Issue: 33/2023
Keywords: category; categorization; label; English language; learner;
When learning or teaching English, language categories or labels are instantly resorted to, and they become intricately intertwined. In every English language classroom, various categories are used to label students with the intent to help them learn and make progress so that they engage in seamless oral or written communication. In this context, this paper is an attempt at revisiting several categories used to describe English learners and their learning styles, but also teachers and their teaching styles. The exploration of the respective categories is carried out in terms of the meaning they bear by nature of their semantics. Ultimately, the paper will consider the extent to which this categorization/labelling helps or hinders learners, teachers, and learning/ teaching processes fulfill their goals and immense potential.
The assimilation of environmental issues into the corpus of economic approaches led to the emergence of the concept of integrative-regenerative economy, which aims, among other things, at the continuous application of integrated preventive strategies regarding the environment, regarding processes, products and services, to increase efficiency and reduce risks on people and the environment. The success of future enterprises depends decisively on the existence of eco-efficient strategies in a competitive circular enterprise in a globalized society.
Adaptation refers to the process of transforming a literary work from one medium to another, such as from a book to a film or a play. Appropriation, on the other hand, involves taking elements or themes from one work and incorporating them into another, often with a different purpose or perspective. In the case of "The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club," there have been various adaptations and appropriations over the years, showcasing the enduring popularity and cultural significance of Dickens' work. Through the adaptation of literary forms and the appropriation of characters and social issues, Dickens crafts a unique narrative that satirizes and comments on the society of his time while entertaining readers with its humour and wit.
At this stage in the pedagogy of foreign languages, and in particular in that of ESP in the technical higher education in Romania, the experience taught by the fully online mode of instruction specific to the Covid19 pandemic has to be exploited with a view to enlarging the possibilities of using ITC in the instructional process. Therefore, the aim of this study is to propose an analysis of the ways one particularly utile tool in the e-learning kit available at present, namely YouTube, can be of use in order to maximize the practical course efficiency. As shown by the reviewed research in the field, YouTube is indeed a versatile instrument, which can be used in all possible combinations of working modes, from the traditional face-to-face, through that exclusively online, and up to various mixed amounts/weightings of the former two patterns that are currently utilized worldwide. Tentative answers to the questions referring to why – rationale, when – level and context specific features, as well as how – principles underlying its use are sought for, with a proposed approach being advanced, whose basic traits are suggested. They should be understood in complementarity, and accordingly adapted to each educational setting particularities in order to reach their full potential.
THE POST – GENERATIVE PROCESS OF A STYLISTIC PHENOMENON
Author(s): Violeta Bercaru Oneață / Language(s): English
/ Issue: 33/2023
Keywords: Uncountable functions of a category;
Pure philosophical and pure poetical the more or less brilliant issue of the category in the vision of the Romanian writer Lucian Blaga is endowed with the capability to acquire multitude of new functions – this central point of the research, the category – reverberates also on the metaphorism and on the revelatory metaphor as ontological gift, and is observed in parallel with perspectives of forerunners particularly from the philosophical point of view. The argumentation entails some results concerning the language as special category named Quality of the human mind, alongside with its Poetical Function super-structure.
DIASPORA MISSIOLOGY THEORY, METHODOLOGY, AND PRACTICEIN AMY TAN’S ‘THE VALLEY OF AMAZEMENT’
Author(s): Maria Cristina Chintescu / Language(s): English
/ Issue: 33/2023
Keywords: The Valley of Amazement; Chinese world; identity; Courtesan House; immigration; marriage in China; prostitution; Shanghai; kidnapping;
This piece of writing focuses on the theme of ‘Otherness’ in Amy Tan’s novel ‘The Valley of Amazement’ but from an opposing view now, that of a genuine woman and mother who skillfully struggles to mingle and adapt to the Chinese way of life proposing a cultural theme now, that of the Courtesan Houses in China. The balance switches for the time being. We are dealing in the reversed In-group (the genuine Chinese) and Out-group (Lucia Minturn, born American and who came to China in the hope to marry the father of her daughter, Violet). The article brings the following themes to the center of attention: assimilation, ethnicity, family, prostitution, Chinese and American worlds. The article underlines the alterity between the In-group and the Out-group. The connection is made by Violet, who, as a regular half- Chinese, is hesitant to learn about her Chinese origins. We focus on the constant gap between Lucia's life and Violet's. What is spectacular about this novel is Lucia's return to America and Violet's staying in China.
INTERNATIONAL MIGRATION: DRIVERS, FACTORS AND MEGATRENDS
Author(s): Maria Cristina Chintescu / Language(s): English
/ Issue: 33/2023
Keywords: assimilation; ethnicity; Chinese immigration; American traditions; collective mentality;
This piece of writing focuses on the theme of Chinese America as a part of the Greater Chinese Diaspora. The international migration among Chinese is centuries old: long before European colonists invaded the Asian continent, the Chinese had moved by see or land, either seasonally or permanently, to earn a living and to support their families. Amy Tan offers a historical view of Chinese emigration as a basis for understanding Chinese immigration to the United States. Diaspora is reflected in an old saying: “There are Chinese people wherever the ocean waves touch”. Migrant networks interact with structural factors: colonization, decolonization, nation-state building and changes in political regimes. The Chinese emigration maps implications for both countries of origin and both countries of destination. The main factor is the historical factor. There are distinct streams of emigration from China and remigration from the Chinese Diaspora after World War II. Local and global economies, diasporic communities, and migration networks interact with origins as well as shape the direction and nature of international migration.
Author(s): Claudia-Sorina Popa (Barbu) / Language(s): English
/ Issue: 33/2023
Keywords: modern technology; communication; foreign languages;
The use of modern information technology in the study of modern foreign languages is important. Nowadays, interaction in the course of the educational process, carried out on the basis of modern communication technologies, requires from the teacher not only pedagogical, but also special technical skills, experience in working with modern technical facilities. Teachers, by balancing technological teaching with traditional teaching, need to pay close attention to learners’ responses to the use of technology.
Starting from the users’ exposure to proverbs in both Romanian and English languages, I am going to analyse the Romanian and English communities’ members’ reactions to possible similarities as well as to cultural differences. Do proverbs shed light on cultural aspects? Do proverbs promote a new understanding of communities values and preferences? Using the thematic approach and underlining the pragmatic signification of the philosophical and the cultural levels, when referring to man and woman within proverbs, we want to prove how much languages and cultures – even if they do not share common roots – are entwined and may display common elements. Differences at the language level might make people have different worldviews. Social life determines people’s relationships and the way culture is learned. Proverbs are rich in connotative meanings and the translator’s work should be carefully done, being aware of the concepts in both source language (SL) and target language (TL).
A STUDY ON TRANSLATING HIGHLY SPECIALIZED TERMINOLOGY IN PHARMACEUTICAL TEXTS
Author(s): Ana-Maria Mangher (Chitac) / Language(s): English
/ Issue: 33/2023
Keywords: highly specialized terms; complex-compound medical terms; heavy nominalizations; de-terminologization; medical/pharmaceutical translation;
This study aims to investigate the intricacies of translating highly specialized medical terms, providing practical insights and strategies in order to overcome the challenges encountered when dealing with the translation of Patient Information Leaflets. Despite the fact that many scholars have acknowledged the difficulty of translating medical/pharmaceutical terms formed by noun phrases having a complex premodification, there are still few studies that propose an analysis in order to find a solution to this problem. Starting from the theoretical approaches available on this topic and analysing the examples taken from the corpus of texts under investigation, we have aimed to observe if we could establish certain regularities in the translation of these terms. While we could identify certain patterns only in a few situations, most of the analysed terms were characterized by a high variability which proved that transposing them might be problematic even for experienced translators.
INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL IMPLICATIONS OF THE FRANCO-PRUSSIAN WAR ON ROMANIA
Author(s): Denisa Anamaria BURNEI / Language(s): English
/ Issue: 33/2023
Keywords: Franco-Prussian War; Romania; Carol I;
The Franco-German War or the Franco-Prussian War represented the conflict of 1870-1871 between France and Prussia, the latter enjoying the support of the North German Confederation and some South German states. On the continent, the end of the war meant, on the one hand, the unification of Germany and the formation of the German Empire led by Wilhelm I of Prussia, and on the other hand, the end of the reign of Napoleon III, the end of the Second French Empire and the replacement to that of the French Third Republic. For Romania, this conflict had significant implications, both externally and internally. Externally, Romania's neutrality towards the Franco-Prussian war became necessary for the Great Western Powers, their goal being to block the expansionist tendencies of Russia and the Habsburg Empire. On the internal level, the Romanian political groups perceived the confrontation between France and Prussia differently, which caused a series of disturbances that the young Prince Carol I faced. Two directions prevailed: one of those who believed that Romania was indebted to the bias of France and one who believed that prudence should prevail. However, no matter the side, the entire Romanian political class continued to faithfully follow the national objectives, hoping that the end of the war would bring with it the independence of the Romanian state.
THE ARCHETYPE OF THE HERO(INE): SHAPING THE ‘CHOSEN ONE’
Author(s): Andra-Astrid Belibou / Language(s): English
/ Issue: 33/2023
Keywords: heroine; journey; Carol S. Pearson; young adult fiction; contemporary literature;
Contemporary literature presents itself as an eclectic mixture of styles and approaches. However, in what concerns literature for the youth, particularly young adults, it still seems to follow certain patterns, aiming towards the traditional whether it is about recurring themes or tropes. Considering this aspect, this paper will briefly explore the concept of the ‘hero’ using Carol S. Pearson’s model of the already well-established archetype. Applying the notions on the protagonist of the young adult series ‘The Lunar Chronicles’ by Marissa Meyer, the purpose is to explore the heroic quest and highlight the stages required to one’s formative ritual as presented to a young public.
DECREE NO. 770 OF 1966 FROM THE FEMININE PERSPECTIVE. THE IMPACT ON THE FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS
Author(s): Nina-Florentina Cristea / Language(s): English
/ Issue: 33/2023
Keywords: abortion; comparative approach; diary; family planning; interview;
The meeting of the Executive Committee of the Central Committee of the Romanian Communist Party, on August 2d, 1966, debated a demographic study drawn up by a commission led by the Minister of Health, Voinea Marinescu. Alexandru Drăghici supported the idea that the Decree no. 463 of September 30, 1957, in force and legalizing abortion on demand, encouraged debauchery and opposed traditional family values. In order to stimulate the birth rate, it was proposed to increase the number of places in nurseries. Nicolae Ceaușescu, more radical, stated that the said law promoted prostitution and a high rate of divorces. This article displays a presentation of the women’s situation in communist Romania, within the context of the Ceausescu regime’s pro-natality policy and also before this period of time. We do compare the women’s real situation with the presentation of the official discourse in antithesis with the everyday reality. The research includes the period 1966-1989 when the Decree 770/1966 was applied and there are also references to the period before 1966, for a more accurate picture regarding the pro-natality issue, the evolution of the birth rate, the family planning.
DECRYPTING THE IDEAL OF WHITE BEAUTY AS ILLUSTRATED IN TONI MORRISON’S THE BLUEST EYE
Author(s): Ștefania Elena Degeratu / Language(s): English
/ Issue: 33/2023
Keywords: rape; systemic racism; internalized oppression; slavery; intergenerational cultural trauma;
From the instant the spark of self-consciousness flashed in the mind of the first man, several fundamental ideas have accompanied his existence to the present day. Among these principles, the concept of beauty or the aesthetics of the human being and its habitat has been one of the main points of resistance in the thinking of the world's greatest philosophers. Spanning from early antiquity to the present day, there is hardly a thinker who has not approached, dissected, defined, interpreted and reconsidered this notion. Regardless of the identity of the philosopher being discussed or his approach to aesthetics, a single aspect is universally acknowledged: no one has yet succeeded in proposing a comprehensive, integrative definition of beauty that encompasses all aesthetic criteria and satisfies all schools of thought. Certainty resides in the fact that beauty cannot be separated from the subjectivity of the individual in whose mind it is reflected. Therefore, this paper will examine The Bluest Eye, a representation of the voice of oppressed black girls and their unspoken thoughts, as an illustration of the ideal beauty that they cannot attain despite their most fervent prayers. Through its cryptic tone and lyrical beauty, self-loathing and contemplating the worth of life become the focal point of this analysis.
Issues of social class make up an inescapable part of reality. As fiction tends to be used to reflect reality, shining various spotlights on issues that plague it, social class and class consciousness inevitably become part of the literary discourse. In this article we will take a quick look at manifestations of class related discourse in Victorian literature, using the works of authors such as Charles Dickens, George Eliot and Henry James as examples.
Objectives. The main aim of this study is to identify the existing relationships between various inside and interpersonal factors and personality traits concerning to dysfunctional jealous behavior with individuals involved in romantic relationships. Material and methods. Quantitative (questionnaires, inventories and scales) and experimental data have been used to measure and test the study’s hypothesis. A sample of 180 participants has been measured on personality traits, dysfunctional attitudes, and level of resilience in front of family stressful events. Results. The findings show that jealousy, as a feature of attachment trauma, significantly correlates (p<0.001) with several personality factors, such as neuroticism (r=0.57), dependency (r=0.49), psychoticism (r=0.45), culpability (r=0.57) and ergic tension (r=0.60). Contrary to previous research, the results indicate no significant effect (F=1.69, p=0.172) of life events and stressful family life on the experience of jealousy in the later years. Conclusions. Personality traits start developing within early childhood, influenced mainly by the family environment a child is brought in. But as time goes by, individuals can become more attached to the new relationships they get involved in, displaying attitudes and behaviors guided mainly by their innermost fears and insecurities reflected in jealous behavior. Romanian individuals appear to discount the family background and hardships they come from, manifesting more loyalty to their family of origin, as seen in the findings of the quantitative data.
Please note that there is a planned full infrastructure maintenance and database upgrade of the CEEOL repository.
The search is temporarily unavailable.
We apologize in advance for the inconvenience and thank you for your kind understanding.
There are validation problems in the fields. Please check the fields again and enter the correct data. (The fields with a red outline are required. The fields with correct data are with a green outline and "" symbol, fields with incorrect data are with a red outline and "" symbol. Pointing at the question mark "" placed at the end of fields displays additional information for the correct way of completing.)
