Effectiveness of an amino acid beverage formulation in diarrheapredominant irritable bowel syndrome:A pragmatic real-world study

BACKGROUND Amino-acid based medical foods have shown promise in alleviating symptoms of drug induced gastrointestinal side effects;particularly,diarrhea-predominant symptoms.Irritable bowel syndrome(IBS)is a gastrointestinal disorder that affects up to 9% of people globally,with diarrhea predominant IBS(IBS-D)being the most prevalent subtype.Further trials are needed to explore potential added benefits when integrated into standard care for IBS-D.AIM To assess the effectiveness of an amino acid-based medical food as an adjunct to standard of care for adults with IBS-D.METHODS This is a pragmatic,real world,open label,single arm study comparing a 2-week baseline assessment to a 2-week intervention period.One hundred adults,aged 18 to 65 years,with IBS-D,according to Rome IV criteria,were enrolled after completing a 2-week baseline assessment period and received a 2-week supply of an amino acid based medical food which was consumed at home twice daily on top of their standard of care.The primary outcome was an assessment of tolerability after 2-weeks of consumption,while secondary outcomes included changes in stool consistency(Bristol Stool Form Scale),severity of abdominal pain&discomfort,symptoms of urgency,Global Improvement Survey(GIS),and the IBS severity scoring system(IBS-SSS).RESULTS The test product was well-tolerated as each participant successfully completed the full 14-day trial,and there were no instances of dropouts or discontinuation of the study product reported.Forty percent of participants achieved a 50% or more reduction in the number of days with type 6-7 bowel movements(IBS-D stool consistency responders).Fifty-three percent of participants achieved a clinically meaningful reduction of 30% in mean weekly pain scores,and 55%experienced the same for mean weekly discomfort scores(IBS-D pain and discomfort responders).Participants experienced a mean-109.4(95% confidence interval:-130.1,-88.8)point reduction on the IBS-SSS and 52% experienced a minimally clinically important difference of>95 points.An IBS-SSS category shift from severe to moderate or mild occurred in 69% of participants.For functional symptoms,76% of participants reported symptom relief on the GIS.CONCLUSION The amino acid-based medical food was well-tolerated,when added to the standard of care,and demonstrated improvements in both overall IBS symptom severity and IBS-D symptoms within just 2 wk.

Exploration of Cross-Cultural Pragmatic Failures in English Interpretation and Their Solutions

From the perspective of international market development and international cultural exchange,English is the main applied language,especially in most western countries.With the deepening of global economic integration and international trade,cultural collisions are becoming increasingly frequent,and interpretation in different languages is inevitably required.However,interpretation does not only mean transfer language,it also involves culture.In the practice of interpretation,some errors arise from the lack of cross-cultural awareness,which becomes pragmatic errors.Therefore,this article will mainly discuss cross-cultural pragmatic failures in English interpretation with some examples and specific solutions.Firstly,it will introduce what pragmatic failures are and typical types of failures,clarify the relationship between English interpretation and pragmatic failures,and then elaborate on representative cross-cultural pragmatic failures in English interpretation.Finally,it will summarize the reasons and solutions that lead to cross-cultural pragmatic failures in English interpretation,putting forward corresponding suggestions for reducing cross-cultural pragmatic failures.

Theoretical Transplantation into Translation Studies——An Analysis on the Pragmatic Application of Hofstede’s

The deepening process of globalization has given rise to restless cultural exchanges among people from different regions of the world through newspapers,books,and other written media.However,the significant differences in languages and cultures have become an insurmountable gap in intercultural communication.To lubricate cultural exchanges,new translation theories that focus on the transformation of different cultural concepts shall be introduced and adopted.This paper aims to extract applicable notions from Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions for pragmatic translation studies by laying emphasis on its pragmatic value through case study.By such theoretical transplantation,valuable suggestions are proposed to tackle cultural misunderstandings and conflicts encountered amid cultural exchanges.

Neo-Pragmatism and the Trends of Contemporary Western Confucian Studies

This paper analyzes and compares the trend of neo-pragmatism in today’s Western Confucian studies and reveals how it constitutes a certain academic movement in this field.In the analysis of this trend,this paper explores the similarities and differences between certain academic research topics and discusses the rationality of these controversial and even confusing issues.The significance of the neo-pragmatist trend in Confucianism is multiple:(1)it has opened a new stage for the development of contemporary Western Confucian studies;and(2)it can expand Confucius’s thought more widely and deeply to other humanitieselds of the Western intelligentsia,and even to ordinary people.

Interlanguage pragmatics

The article is mainly about the explanation of the interlanguage pragmatics.And further arouse people’s attention that learning a foreign language well means understanding the culture of the target language.Or we may encounter pragmatic failure and pragmatic transfer.

A Research on the Improvement of Pragmatic Competence in College English Teaching

A core issue in foreign language teaching is to foster actual competence of language learners to practically utilize language, which is called pragmatic competence. But compared with traditional linguistic competence, the levels of their pragmatic competence need to be further understood. Thus it is essential to make an investigation into this. From the investigation results it is expected to reveal from which aspects teachers and students should carry on in order to improve pragmatic competence and meet foreign language learning need in new age.

A Literature Review of the Research Method in the Study of L2 Pragmatic Competence of Chinese Tertiary-Level Students

This study combs through the frequently cited papers on L2 pragmatic competence of Chinese tertiary-level students from CNKI,and analyzes the research methods used in these studies.The findings are:Metapragmatic judgement item,discourse completion task,role play,and verbal reports are the most widely used instruments in the study of L2 pragmatic competence of Chinese tertiary-level students.Besides,other methods like natural comprehension and elicited conversation have received more attention in recent years.

The Pragmatic Perspective of Jef Verschueren——A Comment on Understanding Pragmatics

This paper explains the pragmatic perspective in modern pragmatics by commenting on Verschueren's book UnderstandingPragmatics.At the beginning,historical development is given as necessary background information.Then a brief introduction about thebook is given to illustrate the author's perspective in pragmatics.Particularly,a discussion about the essence of the book is made by ex-plaining Verschueren's opinion:A pragmatic perspective is interdisciplinary.Finally,the author makes a comment on Verschueren'sbook and his theory.

Defeasibility of Pragmatic Presuppositions in Humor Generation

Of the two types of pragmatic presuppositions to produce humor,i.e.,generation of pragmatic presuppositions and defeasibility of pragmatic presuppositions,the latter one receives particular attention because of its unique humorous effect.Further analysis reveals that defeasibility occurs in context conflicts and in the deliberate interpretation of utterances’literal meaning by the listener.

国外语用学研究综述——基于Journal of Pragmatics(2005-2014)的统计分析

一、引言 20世纪70年代,一些语言学家看到Chomsky形式句法理论的缺陷和不足,开始在语言研究中重视对语言意义的研究。随着研究的深入,他们越来越意识到对意义的阐释离不开语境,这便为语用学研究开辟了道路。虽然语用学作为一门学科的历史并不很长,但发展却是十分迅速的。

Studies of negative pragmatic transfer in interlanguage pragmatics

Negative pragmatic transfer (NPT) is nothing but a difference of saying things between non native speakers and native speakers. It occupies an important position in interlanguage pragmatics whose mission is to scrutinize how non native speakers do things with words with L2. This paper reported that 4 NPT related aspects have been heavily documented in the current literature: 1) L1 negative pragmatic transfers at the speech act level; 2) the distinction between negative pragmalinguistic and sociopragmatic transfers; 3) conditions of negative pragmatic transfers; and 4) native speaker’s attitudes towards L1 negative pragmatic transfers. Consequently, issues for future studies are also raised.

The Interaction between the Cooperate Principle and the Politeness Principle in Pragmatics

The Cooperative Principle and the Politeness Principle are the main contents of pragmatics. This paper the writer makes a systematic exposition of what are the Cooperative Principle and the Politeness Principle and how they interact with each other in people’s conversations. .

Taking Stock of Grammar-Translation Teaching Method in Developing Intercultural Pragmatic Competence

Grammar-translation teaching method(GTTM as a shorthand below) has long been a buzzword when it is adopted in the class of English as a foreign language.It has been universally acknowledged that such teaching method contradicts the development of communicative language competence advocated in recent decades.However,I positively argue that GTTM in English class,as a comparative and intercultural model,should be given a due reconsideration to improve L2 learners' pragmatic competence.

The Pragmatic Analysis of English Euphemism

In daily communication, English euphemism is both a common linguistic and cultural phenomenon. In general, those disgusting, terrifying and unpleasant facts can be covered and those defacing, embarrassing things can be hidden by the use of euphemism. The originality of this paper lies in the study of English euphemism from the perspective of pragmatics. It discusses some fundamental knowledge and the pragmatic functions of English euphemism.

近十年国外语用学研究综述——对Journal of Pragmatics十年(2005—2014)所刊文章的统计分析

文章首先对Journal of Pragmatics(2005—2014年)所刊文章进行了全面的统计描述;其次从实证研究和非实证研究的角度统计分析了十年来该期刊所有的语用学文章;然后依据权威分类将语用学研究分为十三大类,即互动语用学、话语语用学、社会语用学、实验语用学、语料库语用学、认知语用学、语法与语用学、语用学与哲学、语言习得与语用学、跨文化语用学、网络语用学、翻译与语用学和文学语用学,并在此基础上对语用学文章进行了归类;最后细致梳理和综述了十三大类中十年发文量达到100以上的语用学研究文章。

The Application of Pragmatics in College English Teaching

The teaching of pragmatic knowledge is as important as those grammatical rules.It is very critical for a successful communication.An increasingly large number of English language teachers who possess a special interest in pragmatics begin to adopt the pragmatic teaching which aims at promoting students'communicative competence.In order to improve students' communicative ability,teachers must pay attention to the importance of pragmatics in teaching process.Only in this way can college students be trained to use language correctly and properly.

On News Language from the Perspective of Pragmatics——By Applying Adaption Theory

News is an important medium to transmit social information and reflect social reality. Its effects are irreplaceable and the news language which is a carrier to spread information is in fact influenced by many factors such as society, economy and culture. In order to exert its function to gain different social ends, the presentation of news language owns distinguishing features. This article starts from Verschueren's Adaption Theory to have the final conclusion that the adaption to the social, mental and physical world is the key element for the determination of the originality in news language.

The Practice of Pragmatics in TEFL

In 1980s,Pragmatics was introduced into China and with its fast development Pragmatics has become the focus of Chinese researchers,who tend to study Pragmatics from grammar and Semantics.According to this,for a long time the college English teaching in China has been dominated by a combination of the audio-lingual method and the traditional grammar translation method.But,nowadays with the fast development of the economy and society,persons with high level of English proficiency are in great demand in every field of work.To meet the demand of times,language teaching should concentrate on training learners to be communicatively and pragmatically competent.This paper concerns how to improve students' pragmatic and communicative competence via various teaching materials and methods.

Investigating L2 Request Strategies: A Case Study of Chinese English teachers' L2 Pragmatic Competence

Empirical descriptions of how the teacher performs requests in English can make them realize the importance of improving pragmatic competence, so that they could help students develop more native-like pragmatic behaviors and enhance cultural competence. This case study is to explore the pragmatic competence of a Chinese EFL teacher by investigating the patterns of realization strategies and the ways of reacting to the different social and contextual variables in her requests. It was found out that the teacher investigated in the study had good pragmatic awareness and pragmatic competence to produce the speech act of requests and develop students' pragmatic competence, but more explicit instructions should be provided to help students develop more native-like speech acts by providing more explicit instructions.

The Vagueness in Business English Interpretation and its Pragmatic Functions

In BE interpretation process, interpreters will inevitably encounter the fuzzy phenomenon when inputting and outputting the message and they will adopt some vague language to fulfill the communication task. The proper analysis of pragmatic function of vagueness in BE interpretation will contribute to the realization of business communication.