Научный архив: статьи

This article opens a series devoted to investigating the sources of the ample zoological excursus (vv. 916–1223) in the Hexaemeron by George of Pisidia, a 7th-century Byzantine poet. Since the two attempts to find a general formula for George of Pisidia’s treatment of his models have led to directly opposite results (according to Max Wellmann, the poet distanced himself from pagan zoologists; according to Luigi Tartaglia, on the contrary, he drew material from them, favouring Aelian), it seems that the question of the poem’s sources should be addressed by a step-by-step examination of passages, paying attention to such evidence as the coincidence of minor details or words. In v. 1116 the unusual metaphor “aithyia, bending its winged cloud” (in the sense of “spreading its wings”) makes one think of an (unconscious?) association with Arat. Phaen. 918–920, where “a stretching cloud” is mentioned in the catalogue of storm’s signs in immediate juxtaposition to the flapping of the wings of seabirds. In vv. 1117–1124 (the self-cleansing of the ibis) the reference to Galen is not a mere metonymy (= “the most skillful physician”), as interpreters have hitherto thought, but points to the poet’s source: in the Galenic corpus this story is attested three times, and the passage closest to George of Pisidia’s account is [Galen.] Introd. 1.2. In vv. 1154–1159 (the structure of the web) the confused sequence of the stages of the spider’s work (first concentric circles, then radial threads), that contradicts both reality and (which is more important) the ancient tradition going back to Book IX of Historia animalium, seems to betray the influence of John Philoponus (De opif. mundi, p. 257, 24 sqq. Reinhardt). In Philoponus’ text this sequence is justified by the fact that his rhetorical passage describes, strictly speaking, not the web itself, but a drawing of it made by a “diligent geometer”.

Проблема профессионального самоопределения является актуальной для большинства обучающихся, в том числе в старших классах. Практика показывает, что учителю необходим инструментарий, способствующий осознанному выбору будущей профессии, знакомству с данной сферой деятельности. Авторы рассматривают STEM-кейсы как инструменты решения поставленных задач, средство профориентации обучающихся. Целью исследования, описанного в статье, является разработка и апробация учебно-методических материалов (кейсов), направленных на мотивирование обучающихся к изучению естественно-научных дисциплин, математики и технологии, способствующих профориентации. Разработанные учебно-методические материалы представляют собой кейсы (материалы для учеников) и методические рекомендации по их применению для учителей. Предлагаемые кейсы содержат элементы исследования или проектирования, раскрывают реальные проблемы и задачи, решаемые на производстве. Результаты апробации показали, что разработанные материалы могут стать эффективным инструментом профориентации, позволяющим обучающимся «примерить» на себя различные профессии и сделать осознанный выбор.

This article continues the series devoted to the study of an extensive zoological excursus in Hexaemeron by George of Pisidia, a 7th-century Byzantine poet. It deals with two accounts of the miraculous properties of vultures which offer their author(s) an opportunity to engage in anti-pagan polemics and to assert the truth of the virgin birth of Jesus (vv. 1077–1086, 1124a–r). The second of these passages is attested only in part of the paradosis, and it is placed differently in different MSS, which indicates that at least for some time it was transmitted in the margins. The question of whether these verses should be considered an interpolation or an author’s variant has been raised twice by Fabrizio Gonnelli, with opposite results. A doxographic commentary on both passages permits a cautious decision for the authenticity of vv. 1124a–r, since it involves a sophisticated and highly original theological development (or even a correction) of a phrase from Homilies in Hexaemeron of Basil the Great (8. 6. 76DE). At the same time, the second passage should be regarded as a later version of the first, since the position of vv. 1077–1086 in the poem seems to point to a hidden polemic with the famous story from Physiologus (ch. 4 of the oldest recension) about the pelican resurrecting its chicks with its own blood; vv. 1124a–r, where nothing is said about vultures feeding their chicks, could not fulfil this role. Incidentally, two unnoticed quotations from Hexaemeron are identified, namely in the scholia recentiora to Aristophanes’ Plutus (v. 63i Chantry) and in the anonymous Byzantine text Παράδειγμα περὶ τοῦ ἀλέκτορος

The Russian economic space is characterised by a significant differentiation in the levels of socioeconomic development of the country’s various regions, which manifests itself in natural, territorial, socio-cultural, economic, political and other aspects. The results of socio-economic differentiation are unique regional socio-economic systems, which necessitates the formation of individual approaches to managing their development. Therefore, management decisions made at the federal centre, as well as by regional authorities, affect the activities of economic entities in the regions and the population’s level of well-being in different ways. Social security is an integral element of the high quality of life of the population and is largely the basis for improving the economic status of the region, increasing the value of human capital. Thus, it is necessary to develop methods and tools for ensuring the social safe development of regional socio-economic systems, considering the specific characteristics of each region. From these perspectives, we can discuss the stability and social performance of the regional economy. Despite a broad scientific background, the factors contributing to the development and the results of regional socio-economic systems, considering the need for social security, have not been examined. The present research aims to fill this gap by developing a management model for the social and safe development of Russia’s regions, using the city of St Petersburg as the case study

The article analyzes the structure and features of the retail trade sector in Japan, the current trends in the consumer behavior of the Japanese, which became noticeable in the late 20 th century and especially after the global financial and economic crisis of 2008–2010 and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on empirical material, the author identifies the main lines of transformation of strategies of Japanese trade corporations under the conditions of economic instability and the formation of a new consumption model. Trade as a sphere of entrepreneurial activity is represented in Japan by various types of trading enterprises and companies and corporate groups of very different sizes and organizational and legal status. The market leaders are universal trading companies (sōgō shōsha) and large network companies (Seven & I Holdings, Aeon, Fast Retailing, etc.), which finance and organize not only the circulation, but also the production of goods (from the development and purchase of raw materials to production and processing, logistics, sales, and services). The groups include numerous affiliated retail sales companies. The characteristic features of the Japanese consumer have traditionally been the willingness to pay for quality, convenience, and service, a relatively low level of interest in cheaper goods, preference for the format of “physical” purchases, as well as the desire to buy expensive, exclusive things of luxury brands, which for many have become a sign of financial success and social status. Among the most important modern factors affecting the scale and structure of consumer demand in Japan are the desire to reduce one’s expenses in the face of slowing economic growth and stagnating incomes, increase in the level of environmental awareness, changing lifestyle and leisure patterns. The most important factor determining the image of the modern Japanese consumer has been the entry into the labor and consumption markets of generations Y and Z, who increasingly rely not on owning, but on using things, which acts as a factor in reducing the scale of the consumer market. Under these conditions, trading companies modernize their strategies, including by entering into partnerships with national and foreign corporations in order to adapt to changing conditions and maintain competitiveness through modernization, diversification, and digitalization of business, reducing transaction costs based on the synergetic effect

The Olympic and Paralympic Games in Tokyo in July–September 2021 took place in a challenging social environment that seriously affected the public perception of the events. When preparing for the Olympics from 2013–2019, the Japanese people actively supported the Games, which was confirmed by the results of numerous sociological studies. In March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic began, followed by several waves of infection spread. The competition was postponed for a year. Vaccination in Japan was delayed compared with most of the G7 countries. Against this background, in the summer of 2021, the most dangerous Delta strain of coronavirus began to spread in the country, bringing a rise in mortality rates and overcrowding in hospitals in large cities. In this difficult epidemiological and social situation, surveys recorded a negative attitude towards the Olympics. However, during the competition, the majority opinion once again turned positive, mainly due to the athletic successes of the Japanese team and effective anti-virus control measures. The absence of spectators in the venues, most probably, did not affect the sporting achievements significantly. At least, the Japanese Olympic team won a record number of medals. Infection prevention measures proved effective in limiting the transmission of the virus among the athletes and the Japanese service personnel. The economic and symbolic achievements of the Games did not meet expectations, as, during the Olympics, it was not possible to properly address its significance as the end point of the low-growth “lost decades”, evidence of economic recovery after the triple disaster of 2011, and as a tool to increase Japan’s tourist attractiveness. Therefore, during the pandemic, major sports events should be held primarily to train top-class athletes and to increase populace satisfaction with the success of the national team rather than to obtain direct economic benefits or improve the host country’s image

The article is devoted to the study of a little-known scroll by the 18 th century Japanese artist Shiba Kōkan1. The provenance of the scroll and the reasons for its poor study are considered. The main attention is paid to the analysis of the history of the scroll and the symbolism of three elements of images on it: wave, triad, and flame-fire. These three elements are important components of the Japanese cultural and artistic code, forming it since ancient times while changing over time and retaining their significance in contemporary culture. The multiple meanings of the symbolism of the images on the scroll allow us to propose at least two possibilities for its interpretation: as a separate and independent work and as an illustration of the artist’s diary-pamphlet written by him at the end of his life. In this article, we deal primarily with the first possibility. The duality of the perception of the wave and the sea in the cultural code is reflected in the scroll. The islanders realized the sea not only as a physically surmountable barrier, but also as a kind of translator of information. The central part of the scroll depicts a meeting at the table of three wise men from Japan, China and the West, which is analogous to the illustration of the famous Chinese parable Three Wise Men Tasting Vinegar. The article analyzes in detail the portraits of the three participants of the meeting, considers possible prototypes of the Japanese character and the collective images of the Chinese and the European ones, confirmed by the carefully studied symbolism of their appearance, as well as the objects spread out in front of them. The burning Buddhist pagoda depicted at the top of the scroll and the three groups of people trying to extinguish it seem to be an allegory for the gathering around the table. It is also seen in the use of different ways and means of extinguishing the fire by groups of Japanese, Chinese, and Europeans. It seems that the scroll also has Buddhist connotations. The image reflects the irony, mockery, and laughter, which are among the characteristics of Edo culture. The final part of the article speculates on the possible dating and authorship of the scroll

This study examines the strategic role of sake as an instrument of cultural diplomacy within the framework of trade relations between Japan and Europe, using a theoretical approach that combines the concepts of soft power, gastrodiplomacy, and nation branding. Sake, as a traditional Japanese fermented beverage rooted in the spiritual and social practices of society, has undergone a reorientation of its function from domestic consumption to a symbol of national cultural identity promoted internationally. Through the Cool Japan policy, the Japanese government actively positions sake as a key element in public diplomacy, linking cultural heritage with export trade strategies. The implementation of the EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) since 2018, which includes geographical indication (GI) protection, provides additional legitimacy for the authenticity of sake in the European market. Promotional strategies involving culinary festivals, cross-industry collaborations, and product narratives emphasizing aesthetic value, origins, and traditional production techniques have successfully enhanced European public perception of sake and, more broadly, of Japan. Export data shows signi¿cant growth, with France, the United Kingdom, and Germany contributing the most, indicating the success of this approach in expanding market penetration. However, this dynamic is not without criticism, including the commodi¿cation of cultural values, exclusion of small producers, and the risk of reducing the spiritual meaning of sake in a commercialized context.

Therefore, this study emphasizes the importance of cultural diplomacy that not only highlights visual appeal and market narratives but also commits to preserving values and the participation of local cultural communities. In conclusion, sake diplomacy offers an intriguing model for the integration of culture and economy in international relations, demonstrating that cultural products can serve as an effective means to build cross-national relations rooted in empathy, experience, and appreciation for the uniqueness of traditions

This article presents a classification of those artistic devices that the Danish philosopher Søren Kierkegaard uses in his work The Sickness unto Death. We will talk about such figures of speech as metaphor and simile. This classification arose as a result of the translation and analysis of the treatise since its careful study showed that these stylistic devices are not single and random means of expression designed to decorate or diversify the text, but an integral part of Kierkegaard’s philosophical thinking, which is characterized by figurativeness and concreteness. Kierkegaard blames modern philosophers for abstract thinking divorced from reality, and to present his ideas he chooses a figurative language replete with concrete comparisons since he sees it as his task to consider the real problems of human life. This classification is based on the division of artistic devices not according to their type, but according to their semantics. Each group of devices is a “semantic field” from which Kierkegaard drew metaphors and comparisons for a more precise and at the same time more figurative description of his views. The article considers the nine most common semantic fields, while in The Sickness unto Death, there are more than twenty of them. Since metaphors and comparisons are an integral part of Kierkegaard’s text, a careful study of them is very important both for philosophers who want to penetrate deeper into the concept of the Danish thinker, and for translators who seek to convey the author’s original text as accurately as possible. Thus, the main task of the presented classification is to approach the understanding of the concept of “despair” through those figurative characteristics that Kierkegaard endows them with

The article is devoted to the identification and differentiation of Swedish parallels of the most common Belarusian proverbs according to the nature of interlingual correlation. The goal involves the use of interlingual structural-semantic modeling of proverbs to identify complete proverbial analogues in different languages, identical structural models of proverbs, identical proverbial images and concepts. The material for the study was 320 Swedish proverbs, which are interlingual correlates of Belarusian proverbs. Proverbs-analogues in the Swedish and Belarusian languages are differentiated according to the nature of the interlingual community into two typologically significant groups: universal proverbs and international proverbs. Interlingual correlates of Swedish and Belarusian proverbs, which have the same structural models, are differentiated into several typologically significant groups depending on the nature of the variability of the lexical composition, due to the difference in the conceptual and figurative plan of proverbs. As a result of the study, the authors come to the conclusion that in the Swedish language there are a significant number of proverbs that are full or partial correspondences of the most commonly used Belarusian proverbs. A comparative analysis based on the structural-semantic modeling of proverbs made it possible to differentiate Swedish and Belarusian proverbial parallels into three typologically significant groups of units: similar proverbs, proverbs with identical structural models, proverbs with identical images and concepts. Swedish proverbs containing images and concepts identical to Belarusian proverbs are characterized by partial ethnocultural marking of their content, as well as the absence of a strict connection between the correlation in the content of proverbs in different languages and the presence of identical images and concepts in proverbs. The absence of such a connection indicates the typological similarity of the figurative-conceptual spaces of the Swedish and Belarusian proverbial pictures of the world, in which manifestations of interlingual community and national specificity are deeply mutually determined

The stone architecture of medieval Norway holds a special place in the history of Norwegian architecture and the entire Scandinavian Peninsula. The definition of exact borders of the Norwegian dioceses predetermined the course of development of stone construction within the church’s administrative districts. Following the principles and order of liturgy in cathedral, Norwegian parishes adopted the layout of cathedrals. The symbolic mimesis, manifested in the appropriation by regions of certain properties and architectural qualities of cathedral, is ubiquitous in the five Norwegian dioceses, including Central Norway. Having analyzed certain monuments, albeit fragmentarily, we can conclude that the parish architecture of the central part of the country has much in common. Most importantly, one-nave temple layout with a square choir is prevalent, with most buildings featuring three portals in the nave and a portal in the south wall of the choir, which corresponded to the cathedral architecture of the Middle Ages. St Olav’s Cathedral in Trondheim, which held a special status not only within the diocese, but throughout the entire archiepiscopate, had a significant impact on the emergence of a number of constructive and decorative elements. The masons’ signs discovered in the parish churches are similar to those in St Olav’s Cathedral in Trondheim and indicate that metropolitan craftsmen were involved in the construction of small churches. At the same time, we should note the development of local specifics, expressed not only in the layout, but also in the special character of sculptural images whose origins require clarification and further research

The article considers the properties of phonaesthemes -ps(–), -fs(–) and -pp(–) in Norwegian on the basis of Stanislav Voronin’s phonosemantic paradigm. A phonaestheme is interpreted as a combination of phonemes conveying a certain meaning in genetically unrelated words. The impetus for the study was the name of the relatively new payment service Vipps in Norway and the verb vip(p)se formed from this name with the meaning “to transfer money using an application (vipps) on a mobile phone”. The name of the service is the interjection vips, conveying the meaning of quick and unexpected movement. The extra letter was added for extra-linguistic reasons. The form of this new verb corresponds to the broad class of weak verbs with a two-syllable infinitive ending in schwa. Among the eleven infinitives of verbs ending in -pse, six were found to denote either an unexpected quick movement or a movement (action) accompanied by a specific sound. One of the six has a dialectal variant in -fse, which is the most frequent final cluster with phonosemantic properties in Swedish. Twenty-two verbs with this cluster have been found in Norwegian, all of them sound symbolic. The correlation between -pse and -fse verbs is explained by the developmental history of Norwegian dialects. Five dictionary entries refer to occurrences containing the final element -pp, which the Swedish researcher Åsa Abelin treats as a consonant cluster, but without justifying this decision. The paper argues in favour of this interpretation of -pp in Norwegian and Swedish. More than half of the forty-three verbs containing this consonant cluster, represent sound symbolic forms. It confirms the thesis that the phonaesthemes in related languages do not necessarily coincide. The question of the expressive function of geminates and the interaction of initial root consonants and vowels in the formation of the semantics of the verb requires separate consideration.