Cross-cultural differences have often been seen as an element contributing to the variations in speech acts and this has affected the differences in interpretations of meanings. Each individual contributes to this dif...Cross-cultural differences have often been seen as an element contributing to the variations in speech acts and this has affected the differences in interpretations of meanings. Each individual contributes to this difference as a result of his/her variation in upbringing. His/her values, beliefs, traditions, norms and standards are greatly influenced by his/her culture. Cultural differences are not only seen through tangible artifacts and daily practices, but also in the articulation of thoughts. This paper will present findings from the analysis of ＂lunch-talks＂ data involving four professional Malaysian women from the two dominant ethnic communities in Malaysia： Malay and Chinese. The ＂lunch-talks＂ are free flowing semi-formal discourse events with topics ranging from family to politics to work-related issues. Data were recorded with the informants＇ consent and are then transcribed. Our findings indicate that Malaysian women professionals are open, direct and forward in their talk as a result of the influence of cultural and religious conditioning and conditions. With higher education and wider exposure, they are also less inhibited by traditional norms. It would seem that educational exposure and the level of experience play a role in shifting Malaysian women from being demure to being more forward. Nevertheless, some remnants of traditional, cultural and religious values are interlaced within the forwardness. This study will provide some insights into the role of culture in communication. Evidence is drawn from the way the two ethnic groups perceive, interpret, and maintain respect for each other.展开更多
The present work consisted in carrying out a study on the effective formulation of concrete for an optimal resistance to compression (fc28) between 20 and 30 MPa for the sites animated by the actors of the informal an...The present work consisted in carrying out a study on the effective formulation of concrete for an optimal resistance to compression (fc28) between 20 and 30 MPa for the sites animated by the actors of the informal and semi-informal sectors of the construction. Studies have been carried out on projects under construction, by taking samples of fresh concrete in order to evaluate their real compressive strengths. These surveys show that there is a problem in the concrete formulation, as nearly 2/3 of the results show the lack of technical knowledge on concrete formulation practices. Indeed, on eight sites surveyed and whose fresh concrete samples were taken, only two sites (7 and 8) report fairly consistent results. Their 28-day compressive strength values are respectively 35.36 and 22.18 MPa. In addition, various formulations proposed with aggregates from different quarries or extracts from the bed of the Congo River, were determined in the laboratory. This study allowed us to obtain fairly objective results overall, which is characteristic of concretes of required quality. Of the six (06) formulation proposals, average resistances of 19.6 MPa at 07 days and 25.28 MPa at 28 days were obtained. These results at 28 days are in the range of 20 to 30 MPa, set as objective in this study. These formulations can be a reliable source for concrete manufacturers in these construction sectors. Similarly, the statistical study based on principal component factor analysis tests has shown that the most appropriate formulation, in terms of mechanical resistance, is that proposed with sand extracted from the Congo River (formulation 3). This is justified by the fact that this sand is consistent and has a good granular distribution.展开更多
文摘Cross-cultural differences have often been seen as an element contributing to the variations in speech acts and this has affected the differences in interpretations of meanings. Each individual contributes to this difference as a result of his/her variation in upbringing. His/her values, beliefs, traditions, norms and standards are greatly influenced by his/her culture. Cultural differences are not only seen through tangible artifacts and daily practices, but also in the articulation of thoughts. This paper will present findings from the analysis of ＂lunch-talks＂ data involving four professional Malaysian women from the two dominant ethnic communities in Malaysia： Malay and Chinese. The ＂lunch-talks＂ are free flowing semi-formal discourse events with topics ranging from family to politics to work-related issues. Data were recorded with the informants＇ consent and are then transcribed. Our findings indicate that Malaysian women professionals are open, direct and forward in their talk as a result of the influence of cultural and religious conditioning and conditions. With higher education and wider exposure, they are also less inhibited by traditional norms. It would seem that educational exposure and the level of experience play a role in shifting Malaysian women from being demure to being more forward. Nevertheless, some remnants of traditional, cultural and religious values are interlaced within the forwardness. This study will provide some insights into the role of culture in communication. Evidence is drawn from the way the two ethnic groups perceive, interpret, and maintain respect for each other.
文摘The present work consisted in carrying out a study on the effective formulation of concrete for an optimal resistance to compression (fc28) between 20 and 30 MPa for the sites animated by the actors of the informal and semi-informal sectors of the construction. Studies have been carried out on projects under construction, by taking samples of fresh concrete in order to evaluate their real compressive strengths. These surveys show that there is a problem in the concrete formulation, as nearly 2/3 of the results show the lack of technical knowledge on concrete formulation practices. Indeed, on eight sites surveyed and whose fresh concrete samples were taken, only two sites (7 and 8) report fairly consistent results. Their 28-day compressive strength values are respectively 35.36 and 22.18 MPa. In addition, various formulations proposed with aggregates from different quarries or extracts from the bed of the Congo River, were determined in the laboratory. This study allowed us to obtain fairly objective results overall, which is characteristic of concretes of required quality. Of the six (06) formulation proposals, average resistances of 19.6 MPa at 07 days and 25.28 MPa at 28 days were obtained. These results at 28 days are in the range of 20 to 30 MPa, set as objective in this study. These formulations can be a reliable source for concrete manufacturers in these construction sectors. Similarly, the statistical study based on principal component factor analysis tests has shown that the most appropriate formulation, in terms of mechanical resistance, is that proposed with sand extracted from the Congo River (formulation 3). This is justified by the fact that this sand is consistent and has a good granular distribution.
