Arts and Social Sciences Papers

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://researchcommons.waikato.ac.nz/handle/10289/2

This collection houses research from Te Kura Toi School of Arts, Te Kura Whatu Oho Mauri School of Psychology, and Te Kura Aronui School of Social Sciences at the University of Waikato.

Browse

Now showing 1 - 20 of 1853

The effect of adipose tissue on transdermal monochromatic light presented to the human fetus using Monte Carlo simulations
(Springer Nature, 2025) Isaac, Zac; Heerikhuisen, Jacob; Reid, Vincent
The extent to which transdermal light sources illuminate the uterine environment is unknown. Recent work indicates the human fetus responds to external visual stimuli, such as laser diodes, and initial modeling suggests the fetus may not develop in a completely dark environment as previously assumed. Development of the human visual system begins within the womb, and there is motivation in fields such as developmental psychology, transabdominal oximetry, and photoacoustics to explore the extent to which light penetrates maternal abdominal tissue and understand how transdermal stimuli appear to the fetus. We develop and adapt a Monte Carlo model utilising third trimester histological properties of maternal tissue to simulate transdermal monochromatic collimated light sources, with particular focus on the 650 nm wavelength used in experimental applications. We determine approximate levels of third trimester uterine illumination from such stimuli, ranging from being comparable to an overcast night to a full moon in clear conditions. We further discuss the scope for multiple stimuli to be visibly distinct in utero for experimental applications. This modeling provides quantitative guidance on the interactions between transdermal monochromatic collimated source laser diode stimuli and maternal tissue to practitioners and researchers in the fields of fetal vision, ultrasound, and developmental psychology.
Word by word: Reclaiming te reo Māori through Huia Publishers’ translingual children’s picturebooks
(Linguistic Society of New Zealand, 2025-11-28) Barbour, Julie Renee; Joseph, Darryn; Daly, Nicola; Price, Te Kani; Tahau-Hodges, Pania; Teepa, Kawatea; Vanderschantz, Nicholas; Waitere, Eboni; Walker, Bryony
Te reo Māori, Aotearoa’s Indigenous language, is spoken by a growing number of people (Lane 2024), with more than 30% of the total population reporting being able to speak more than a few words or phrases of the language and nearly a quarter of Māori being first language speakers (StatsNZ 2022). The resurgence of the language is taking place in a context of intensive language revitalisation which gained momentum in the 1980s (King 2018). For people who identify as Māori, but who have been denied access to their heritage language, the reclamation of te reo Māori can be traumatic (Hamley 2023). Children’s picturebooks created by Māori content creators offer a way to access Māori language (Daly 2025), supporting the reclamation of te reo Māori and and growing understandings of te ao Māori. HUIA Publishers (n.d.), established in 1991, is a leading Indigenous publisher in Aotearoa. HUIA’s English language picturebooks, produced for a non-Māori speaking audience, are commonly translingual, interweaving Māori words and phrases. In this paper, we examine kupu Māori in HUIA’s picturebooks. Accessing their catalogue of trade publications from a period of more than 30 years, we extracted kupu Māori and undertook a semantic domain analysis to understand the types of kupu Māori that are included. We identify semantic domains that are variously enduring, transient, and newly emerging, and we explore the types of vocabulary that populate each semantic domain. Our research departs from the established literature concerning New Zealand English by positioning kupu Māori in translingual picturebooks as tokens of Māori language, not English, reflecting the languages (and cultures) of HUIA’s content creators. Further, to analyse Semantic Domains, we step away from English categories and instead draw on cultural categories from te ao Māori to classify kupu. Our research demonstrates the wealth of Māori language that is shared through HUIA Publisher’s trade picturebooks. These picturebooks afford opportunities to a Māori audience to begin the process of reclaiming their heritage language. At the same time, they provide opportunities for Pākehā to engage with te reo Māori and te ao Māori.
Expressing multiple human participants in the Malekula languages
(Linguistic Society of New Zealand, 2025-11-28) Barbour, Julie Renee; Wessels, Kanauhea; Tarosa, Gayleen
In the languages of Malekula Island, Vanuatu (Austronesian/Oceanic), there are several structural possibilities to refer to situations where more than one human participant holds the same semantic role. In this paper, we document the diversity in these single-role dual/multi-participant constructions. We draw on published grammars of Malekula languages, as well as corpora of data collected in the field for Neverver (Central Western Malekula), Espiegle Bay (Tepërav – Northern Malekula) and Atchin (Eastern Malekula) for our study. At least five structural types are attested although not all are reported in all grammatical accounts. Type (1) employs a comitative preposition, a strategy found commonly in WITH-languages (cf. Stassen 2000). Type (2) involves a plural inclusory pronoun and a second human NP. Such constructions form a phrasal inclusory pronominal construction (cf. Lichtenberk 2000). Type (3) has a proper noun combined with a plural subject index inclusive of the reference the proper noun. This kind of structure is analysed as a split inclusory pronominal construction (cf. Lichtenberk 2000), or an associative plural (cf. Corbett 2000; Daniel & Moravcsik 2013; Mauri & Sansò 2019). Type (4) involves a sequence of two or more proper nouns with no overt coordination, co-occurring with a plural subject index on the verb. Finally, type (5) involves a verb of accompaniment. In surveying the Malekula languages for these structures, we examine the morphosyntactic organisation of each structure, seeking to understand the range of structural possibilities available in each language, and the sources of morphology. We consider whether the strategies are available for any participants, or limited to humans, giving consideration to the Animacy Hierarchy. Of particular interest is the shift from prepositional WITH to conjunctive AND in some languages, as well as the relationship between verbal morphology and morphology found in inclusory pronominal constructions. Examples: 1. Mama blev bbubbu ar-uv father with grandfather 3REAL:DU-go ‘Dad and grandfather went ....’ (Barbour 2012:127 [66]) 2. Nam-ix mama nari-vlem 1EXCL:NSG-APPL father 1EXCL:REAL:DU-come ‘My father and I came ...’ (Barbour 2012:130 [73]) 3. Lesien at-uv lon noxos. L. 3REAL.PL-go LOC garden ‘Leisen and them went to the garden. (Barbour 2012:130 [75]) 4. Ana-Aki, Lenaus, Ela, Letang, Leraxsil, Leraxbel, Lemeldan, A. L. E. L. L. L. L. Mary Alice, Lemelue at-xavux nani M. L. 3RE- coconut ‘Ana-Aki, Lenaus, Ela, Letang, Lerakhsil, Lerakhbel, Lemeldan, Mary Alice (and) Lemelue planted coconuts (Barbour 2012:276 [48]) 5. At-uv ati-blev vinang. 3REAL:PL-go 3REAL:PL-be with woman:ANA ‘They went with the woman.’ (Barbour 2012:276 [48])
Report of the IPBES Indigenous and local knowledge dialogue workshop on scenarios of the future
(IPBES, 2025-05) Alangui, Wilfredo Vidal; Bayate, Rande C.; Cariño, Jill; Corcino, Adelaido; Delgado, Bolivia; De Vera, Dave; Dhamai, Binota Moy; Febria, Catherine; Gilmore, Elisabeth; Huambachano, Mariaelena; Indrawan, Mochamad; Kammwamba, Alice Zione; Karlsson-Vinkhuyzen, Sylvia; Kinoc, Zhinal; Kitanova, Despina; Kitma, Abigail; Kolahi, Mahdi; Karim, Paulina; Literal, Maritess; Lundquist, Carolyn; Márquez, Hernández; Masardule, Onel; Mathew, Alice; Mohammed, Ryan S.; Mulenkei, Lucy; Nursey-Bray, Melissa; Nutti Pilflykt, Karin; Ocen, Ismael; Pichs-Madruka, Ramon de la Concepcion; Poskitt, Sam; Quesnot, Teriitutea; Rana, Sakshi; Regpala, Maria Elena; Ringham, Sandra Lee; Roskruge, Nick Rahiri; Schmitt, Thomas; Shulbaeva, Polina; Tauli, Josefa Cariño; Trakansuphakon, Nutdanai
This report summarises the proceedings of the Indigenous and local knowledge (ILK) dialogue workshop on scenarios of the future that was organized by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystems Services (IPBES). The full title of the workshop agreed by the IPBES Plenary was “Workshop to reflect on scenarios and models to better account for different knowledge systems, including Indigenous and local knowledge systems, and Mother Earth-centric scenarios and models.” The dialogue workshop was held in Subic Bay, the Philippines, from 23 to 26 May 2025. It aimed to provide a platform for discussion between Indigenous Peoples and local communities and members of the IPBES task forces on Indigenous and local knowledge and on scenarios and models, as well as others with experience and expertise in scenarios work. This report aims to provide a written record of the dialogue workshop, which can inform the future work of the IPBES task forces and can be a resource for all dialogue participants who may wish to review and contribute to the IPBES work at the interface of scenarios and models and Indigenous and local knowledge, as well as others who may be interested in this theme. The report is not intended to be comprehensive or to provide definitive resolution to the many engaging discussions that emerged during the workshop. Rather, it serves as a written record of those discussions, which will continue to develop and evolve in the months and years ahead. For this reason, clear points of agreement are discussed, but also, if there were diverging views among participants, these are also presented for further attention and discussion. The text in section 3 represents an attempt to reflect solely the views and contributions of the participants in the dialogue. As such, it does not represent the views of IPBES or UNESCO or reflect upon their official positions. The agenda and participants’ list for the dialogue workshop are provided in annexes 1 and 3.
Garden of Returning Souls
(Hamilton Arts Festival Toi Ora ki Kirikiriroa, 2026-02-20) Barbour, Karen; Griffiths-Hughes, Rachael; Patrick, Declan
This performance is for all, offered to nourish wellbeing and bring community together. Allow the enchanting garden, music, dance and poetry to wash over you and moments of reflection, renewal, peace and connection to arise. Sometimes described as a “garden of a golden afternoon,” the English Flower Garden is a collaborator in this site-specific performance experience. Reflecting the values of the Arts and Craft movement, this garden and performance embodies the ideas that art can be for everyone in our everyday lives, and that harmony in design, crafting by hand and the beauty of nature can inspire us all. Contemporary choreographer Karen Barbour, theatre artist Declan Patrick, and music director Rachael Griffiths-Hughes are joined by a cast of local performers. Together we will all experience the garden. Featured performers: Michael Williams, Martin Griffith, Kathryn Orbell, Isabelle Reid, Helene Burgstaller, Margaret Dewes, Holly Finch.
Urban typography and cultural memory: A literature review in support of a design-led approach to heritage and preservation
(Design Research Society, 2026) Short, Carolina; Schott, Gareth R.
Typography has increasingly been recognised as a valuable lens for cultural and urban analysis. This literature review extends such perspectives by examining how design-led approaches can support the documentation, reinterpretation, and revitalization of urban letterforms as cultural heritage. Drawing on typographic studies, geosemiotics, and design research, it focuses on urban typography — typographic landscapes — understood as spatial and multimodal carriers of memory, identity, and cultural value. While existing scholarship has explored the semiotic and aesthetic dimensions of typography in the urban environment, and some have proposed design-led interventions, connections between theory and practice remain open to further development. The review synthesises interdisciplinary literature, clarifies key terminology, and establishes a conceptual foundation for a practice-based inquiry. It argues that typography, beyond its communicative role, contributes to the material and mnemonic fabric of cities, and that design can support the preservation and reactivation of these typographic forms in response to ongoing urban change.
Can advance care planning (ACP) be a relational healing place for indigenous homeless people in Aotearoa New Zealand?
(Taylor & Francis, 2024) Charvin-Fabre, Sandrine; Moeke-Maxwell, Tess; Stolte, Ottilie; Lawrenson, Ross
In this autoethnographic article, we explore one Māori person’s experience of engaging with advance care planning (ACP) while experiencing the distinct relational fracture as expressed into indigenous homelessness. We describe how ACP, envisioned as a relational space, and expressive of Māori holistic care and wellbeing, might be conducive in healing past traumatic experiences and restoring familial relationships and connections. Extending ACP beyond that for which it has been originally conceived for housed populations and by Western health models, may offer a pathway to assist indigenous homeless people with dignity and peace to fulfil tangihanga (traditional death customs and rituals) through re-establishing connections and healing at the end of life. We recommend that ACP in relation to Māori homelessness offers a Māori space, located within a web of Māori health professionals, to respond adequately to the specific demands that might arise from ACP. Essentially, these demands may relate to a) establishing restorative connections with whānau (extended family) and providing appropriate and consistent support whether in the context of the end of life or over time; b) addressing the needs and distress that may arise from expressing trauma events and offering a space to weave those experiences within a collective and transgenerational experience of trauma.
An impressionistic orientation towards visual inquiry into the conduct of everyday life
(Taylor & Francis, 2021-03-28) Hodgetts, Darrin; Andriolo, Arley; Stolte, Ottilie; King, Pita
Increasingly qualitative research in psychology encompasses various visual materials. These are often analysed using existing qualitative approaches associated with analysing linguistic materials. In this reflexive article, we raise concerns regarding this proceduralized practice and present the conceptual groundwork for a flexible approach to visual inquiry that draws concepts and insights from the visual arts. The primary focus is on engaging with insights from Impressionism as a source of insight for a dynamic and subjective orientation towards visual inquiry and comprehension. To ground this orientation, we argue for the relevance of concepts (e.g., memesis, the flâneur, aesthetics) for efforts to extend visual inquiries into social psychology of everyday homelessness.
Online reading lists: Evaluating students experience
(Springer, 2025) Kumara, P.P.N.V.; Hinze, Annika; Vanderschantz, Nicholas; Timpany, Claire
Reading Lists have begun to play an important role in student-centric education. However, there is currently too little information about the students’ experience in the use of the Reading Lists. This paper explores the students’ experience with the Reading Lists, in particular, when accessing electronic materials such as eBooks via a Reading Lists. We conducted a survey using an online questionnaire that comprised multiple choice and open-ended questions for the students who engaged with the Waikato Reading Lists. Thematic analysis was used for the qualitative data obtained from open-ended questions. Students were found to appreciate the way that Reading Lists help in their learning and perceived the Reading Lists to be a useful tool for their learning process. However, their use of Reading Lists features varied due to the lack of awareness, visibility and interaction difficulties. We explore implications for Reading Lists implemented through Digital Libraries and recommend enhancing the usability and the pedagicial features of Reading Lists to increase students’ engagement.
Collage or chaos? Music documentary and the art of audiovisual remediation in Moonage Daydream
(Taylor & Francis, 2026-06-03) Perrott, Lisa
Upon its release in 2022, Brett Morgen’s documentary Moonage Daydream sparked vigorous debate among film reviewers and fans of David Bowie. Many criticisms appear to stem from unmet expectations about what a music documentary might be, along with a dearth of scholarly examination of how the film is situated in relation to experimental approaches to documentary filmmaking. While considering the discursive implications of public commentary about Moonage Daydream, audiovisual analysis is employed to examine the intersection of found footage and avant-garde assemblage strategies, audiovisual aesthetics, and animation. By contextualising Brett Morgen’s approach in relation to experimental approaches to documentary film, I explore Moonage Daydream in relation to the history of found footage film, music documentary, and avant-garde approaches to art. Through multimodal analysis of the film’s audiovisual construction, I explicate Morgen’s use of conceptually driven creative strategies – such as cut-up, bricolage, and remediation. I argue that these methods are not only consistent with the creative-critical agenda of found footage documentary filmmaking, but they also mirror Bowie's creative approach. While situating Moonage Daydream as a valuable example of remediation, contextually informed analysis reveals the creative-critical potential of found footage filmmaking and avant-garde approaches to audiovisual assemblage in music documentary.
The manners of digital distraction: Competing modes of attention and visual citizenship in Bangkok
(Wiley, 2026-05-28) Isaacs, Bronwyn
This paper is a photographic essay focusing on how people navigate the demands of visual citizenship in both virtual and physical spaces. It posits that theories of digital attention often overlook the bodily and specific material worlds where digital attention and distraction occur. Using photos and ethnographic data from public gatherings in Bangkok, Thailand, following the death of King Bhumibol, the paper examines how moral citizenship practices in virtual communities both intersect with and diverge from public manners of the body. The paper argues that while virtual citizenship practices may sometimes take precedence over in-person social practice, enduring manners and modes of attention in public urban spaces nonetheless shape and inform online citizenship behaviors. The paper argues scholars of visual nationalism and digital attention should focus more on physical modes of attention, including rituals and manners expressed through the body.
Tracing taonga trajectories: A methodological framework for indigenous heritage mapping
(Royal Society Te Apārangi, 2026-02-01) Ferrari de Aquino Klemm, Marina; Milne, Charlotte; Brown, Isaac; Ringham, Sandra Lee ; Nelson, Wendy A.
Rangitāhua is a tupuna to Ngāti Kuri and represents the iwi's geographic and ancestral connection to the Pacific. Despite this millennium-long ancestral tie, Ngāti Kuri's access to Rangitāhua has been severed for two centuries. Meanwhile, many European expeditions visited the islands, extracting and distributing natural history taonga across institutions, mostly in the Northern Hemisphere. In this context of disconnection, Ngāti Kuri engaged partners to reclaim research leadership over Rangitāhua, leading to the Indigenous-led Te Mana o Rangitāhua program, embedding Māori values and tikanga within the environmental wellbeing research project. This study is part of the program and documents our collaborative approach to identifying expeditions to Rangitāhua, mapping where their taonga and data are held worldwide, and examining institutional responses to our data requests. We identified 127 expeditions that distributed 1.73 million objects across 88 institutions. Our provenance mapping successfully cross-linked specimens to the expeditions that collected them and the institutions that house them today. However, our research also revealed ongoing institutional barriers to data access, emphasizing colonial gatekeeping practices embedded in contemporary museology systems. We stress the urgent need for accessible and reciprocal data request systems if museum practitioners hope to advance the ultimate goal of Indigenous data sovereignty.
Prevalence, trends, and predictors of victimisation and polyvictimisation among children in England and Wales
(SAGE, 2026) Tura, Ferhat; Crivatu, Ioana; Tseloni, Andromachi; Tompson, Lisa
Childhood victimisation and polyvictimisation (experiencing two or more distinct crime types) can have lasting developmental, psychological, and social consequences. Yet there is limited research on victimisation and polyvictimisation in England and Wales using robust data sets. This study addresses this gap by investigating prevalence, trends, and individual, household, and area-level predictors of non-sexual non-familial violence, personal theft, household theft, and criminal damage and polyvictimisation using the 10- to 15-year-old Crime Survey for England and Wales (2011/2012–2019/2020; N = 25,415). A series of binary logistic regressions was performed, supplemented by visualisations. The weighted percentage of children experiencing a single type of victimisation ranged from 1.1% (criminal damage) to 5.8% (violence), while 1.1% were polyvictimised. Although most victimisation types and polyvictimisation declined over the 9-year period, reductions in polyvictimisation varied depending on socioeconomic status. Both individual (sex, ethnicity, disability) and area-level (deprivation) factors predicted polyvictimisation and individual victimisation types. Implications of the findings are discussed.
Factors affecting psychological distance to climate change adaptation: A case of urban communities in Islamabad, Pakistan
(Elsevier, 2026) Waseem, Hassam Bin; Rana, Irfan Ahmad
Psychological distance plays a crucial role in shaping climate risk perception and motivating adaptation actions. Understanding the psychological distance dimensions and the determinants influencing adaptation decisions is therefore essential. This study assesses psychological distance to climate change adaptation across four dimensions: spatial, temporal, social, and hypothetical. Data was collected from three urban communities situated in Islamabad, Pakistan, from a random sample of 600 households. An indicator-based approach, supported by descriptive statistics and the composite index method, was applied to calculate psychological distance and its dimensions. The relationship between the dimensions was examined using Pearson's correlation, and multiple regression was employed to identify socioeconomic determinants. Findings indicate that households perceived a moderate level of psychological distance from climate change impacts at both the community and national levels. They also expressed confidence in adaptation as a protective measure. Spatial and hypothetical dimensions showed moderate distance, whereas temporal and social dimensions reflected relatively lower distance. The results suggest that urban communities hold an uncertain yet receptive stance toward adaptation. Regression analysis revealed that gender and education of the household head significantly and positively influenced psychological distance, highlighting the role of social and educational factors in shaping perceptions. Significant correlations were observed among the four dimensions of psychological distance. The study highlights the importance of reducing psychological distance through targeted awareness and education initiatives. Policymakers should prioritize community-based programs, gender-sensitive outreach, and education-driven campaigns to strengthen motivation and enhance the willingness of urban households to adopt climate change adaptation measures.
Mark making: Asemic art
(2025) Schott, Gareth R.
This set of works reflect an exploration of the expressive capacity of penmanship in a space between script and image. They belong to the practice of 'asemic writing art’ – asemic referring to the lack of specific semantic content or meaning. As an artistic style, asemic works celebrate unhindered explorations of handwriting. Mark Making reflects the unique style, gestures and personal visual vocabulary of the mark maker, a process that is also susceptible to inner states, muscle memory, fatigue, involuntary movements, vision blur and ink flow! While hand-written documents possess less authority and relevance today, the tactile experience of a smooth nib glide, the satisfying weight of a pen and the aesthetic quality of ink on paper has not diminished. This collection is testament to the absorbing practice of placing marks, ticks and dots on paper until they culminate into a recognizable forms.
Women’s and girls’ ADHD diagnosis journeys: A mother-daughter autoethnography
(BMJ, 2026) Wheaton, Belinda; Holland, Poppy
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) remains underidentified, underdiagnosed and undertreated in women and girls. Research exploring their diagnostic experiences across national contexts is limited, despite an urgent need for experience-based knowledge to address epistemic injustices in healthcare. Using a collaborative autoethnographic approach, this study examines the diagnosis journeys of a mother and daughter, both with ADHD. We focus on critical incidents in the daughter’s ADHD/dyslexia diagnosis journey over a decade, spanning childhood to adulthood and two health systems: England and Aotearoa New Zealand. Findings reveal how limited understanding of ADHD in girls/women, combined with co-occurring conditions, contributed to repeated missed or misdiagnoses by teachers, education psychologists, psychiatrists, paediatricians and general practitioners. A network of professionals across health and education settings acted as gatekeepers, often unintentionally hindering access to support. Moreover, the experiential knowledge of both women was frequently sidelined, perpetuating epistemic injustice. We discuss implications for policy and practice and highlight the value of lived experience in addressing systemic barriers to ADHD diagnosis, recognition and understanding for women and girls.
Osobiste i zawodowe rozważania nad wartością Szkoły Lwowsko-Warszawskiej
(Wydawnictwo Academicon, 2025-10-31) Ulatowski, Joseph W.
Rok 2025 stanowi kamień milowy dla Szkoły Lwowsko--Warszawskiej . Obchodzimy 130 . rocznicę jej założenia przez Kazimierza Twardowskiego (1866–1938), ucznia wie-deńskiego filozofa i psychologa Franza Brentana (1838–1917) .Podejście Twardowskiego do zagadnień filozoficznych jest wyjątkowe w historii filozofii, a jego dziedzictwo kon-tynuowali jego uczniowie, każdy na swój indywidualny spo-sób . Choć rocznica ta nie jest obchodzona jako stulecie czy półtorawiecze, które zazwyczaj są okazją do uroczystości, rok ten pozostaje znaczący.
Guest editors’ introduction
(Taylor & Francis, 2025) Ulatowski, Joseph W.; Wright, Cory; Griffith, Aaron; Hernandez, Shawn; Kashtan, David
Introducing the value of truth in the Age of Post-Truth, Sher on Post-Truth, the Invited Commentaries, and the Open Peer Commentaries.
Violence metaphors: A cognitive linguistic study of YouTube breast cancer discourse in New Zealand and Pakistan
(2025) Malik, Sara; Calude, Andreea S.; Ulatowski, Joseph W.
Research largely takes a medical focus, overlooking thoughts and emotions. Studying thoughts and emotions reveals speakers' experiences. Many of us know someone affected by this illness. Understanding their language helps us grasp their experiences more deeply.
Breast cancer talk: A cross-linguistic study of lexical verbs occurring with generic pronoun ‘you’
(2025) Malik, Sara; Calude, Andreea S.; Ulatowski, Joseph W.
Breast cancer discourse is increasingly studied within medical humanities, reflecting a broader interest in illness narratives and patient-centered storytelling (DeShazer, 2005; Frank, 1995). Using a cognitive, usage-based approach, we explore how New Zealand (NZ) English and Pakistani (PK) Urdu speakers use language, particularly metaphor, speech acts, pronouns and verbs to express their cancer experiences on YouTube. This paper focuses on one aspect: the use of lexical verbs following generic second-person pronouns, analysing their semantic patterns which offer insight into how speakers construe illness. Drawing on Payne’s (2011) verb categories and expanding Durst-Andersen et al.’s (2013) classification of state verbs, this study explores the range and types of verbs in both datasets. The data includes 46 narratives from NZ and 36 from PK, posted between 2011 and 2023 by organisations such as the NZ Breast Cancer Foundation and Pink Ribbon Pakistan. These videos were transcribed using Whisper AI and filtered to include only patients’ discourse, then organised into eight narrative topics. A mixed-method approach was used: quantitative analysis with AntConc extracted keyword-in-context (KWIC) instances of you, followed by qualitative analysis to identify generic uses of you and the types of verbs that follow it. The study investigates (a) shared and distinct lexical verbs across datasets, and (b) insights from the most frequent verbs. Preliminary findings show that most verb types are similar across both datasets, with action and state verbs being the most frequently used. Building on Stirling and Manderson’s (2011) findings about the use of generic you pronoun in Australian English, we report that speakers of both NZ English and PK Urdu similarly use generic you, along with state verbs to foster empathy and action verbs to convey credibility and authority in illness narratives. We argue that pronoun-verb pairings function as strategic tools for positioning cancer experiences within speaker narratives.

Browse

Recent Submissions