Department of Social Sciences
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Item Strategies Used For Emphasis in Kimuthambi(Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 2016-07-25) Ireri, Humphrey Kirimi, Muriungi, Peter Kinyua, Waita, Zachary Njogu , and Muriungi, Colomba KaburiEmphasis is inherent in everyday communication and is very important in relationships, leadership, peace building and success in virtually every area of livelihood. This study’s main goal is to provide an analysis of emphasis in Kimuthambi. The objective of the study is to identify and discuss strategies used for emphasis in Kimuthambi. The study is guided by the relevance theory by Sperber and Wilson. It utilizes both qualitative and quantitative research designs and is carried out in Muthambi Division, Tharaka Nithi County, Kenya. The population includes all the Kimuthambi communicative events. The researcher purposively sampled ten real life communicative events conducted in Kimuthambi which involved forteen speakers. Data was collected using a digital audio recorder and an observation schedule. The recorder captured conversations in Kimuthambi in the selected communicative events and the observation schedule was used to record the contextual information. The researcher transcribed utterances from the data collected that utilizes stragetegies used for emphasis. The transcribed utterances are one hundred and thirty six. Then guided by the communicative principle of relevance, the researcher identifies and discusses fifty two utterances used for emphasis in Kimuthambi. The study establishes that emphasis in Kimuthambi is mainly through the use of intensifiers and repetition. This study enhances the analysis of Kimuthambi as a language variety and adds to the existing knowledge on strategies of emphasis in various languages of the worldItem Field Work and Research Methodology in Geography(LAP Lampert Academic Publishing, 2016) Karanja, Amon; Njue, PaulGeography is the study of the physical and human phenomena on the earth. The central concern of the discipline is to describe the patterns of the spatial distribution of these phenomena and to seek an explanation, or to study the reasons behind the occurrence of such patterns over time and space. These phenomena are for example, volcanic and block mountains, climate, soils vegetation, animals, water bodies (rivers, lakes, oceans,) land use systems, population distribution, urbanization, among other. By patterns is meant how these various features are arranged over geographical space. Such space could be the earth itself, the biosphere (the biologically inhabited part of the earth), the continents, geographical regions and countries. Geographers recognize the fact that differences exist in the way in which these physical and human features are distributed over the earth. These differences can be studied and understood within the context of the changes that have occurred over time. The time-frame for such changes can be in terms of geological epochs or periods spanning over millions of years, or it can be in terms of hundred, or tens of years. Changes also occur over much shorter periods of time such as over a year, a season, or even a day, and these too are of interest to the geographer. Differences that occur in the way in which geographical phenomena are distributed over space or over geographical areas should be explained. The spatial level of these areas can range from macro levels such as the planet earth, the continents, regions and sub-regions, right down to the micro level of ecological habitat, site and ecologic niche. For example savanna grassland, a desert, a forest along a river or a forested mountain can all be described as ecological habitats. Within such habitats are found smaller units or areas, the sites or ecological niches, occupied by various species populations of plants and animals. The term site usually describes the location of pants, while the term ecological niche usually denotes the place occupied by given animal species populations within the habitat. Geography therefore explores the reasons behind the existence and distribution of all these features in different areas during different times. Another aspect that concerns the geographer is the examination and analysis of the relationships and interactions that exist between various geographical phenomena. In other words, the study of geography also incorporates an understanding of the cause-effect relationships between various factors. For example if we regard vulcanicity as a cause, then as geographers we are interested in knowing its effect on vegetation, on soils and indirectly on climate. We may also want to understand the effect of soil erosion (as a cause) on land productivity, or the effect of altitudinal change on temperature, and so on. Of course a given effect can be attributed to more than one cause.Item Geomorclimatology(LAP Lampert Academic Publishing, 2016) Karanja, Amon; Njue, PaulThe book provides a discussion and an introduction to climatology and the characteristics and global distribution of climatic elements and how the climate relates to landforms in respect to each topic. The study of landforms is called geomorphology. The second chapter discusses the controls or factors that determine climatic conditions globally and regionally and, or, locally are discussed. They include energy and moisture fluxes (controls) and latitude, altitude, land and sea and relief features and their formation processes (factors). The third chapter looks at the purpose and problems of classifying climates. Two approaches to climate classifications, i.e. genetic and generic are examined and types of climatic classifications using each of these approaches together with their merits and demerits identified. A discussion of the importance of micro and man-made climates are made and applied geomorphology. The fourth chapter discusses the causes of both natural and anthropogenic climate change. The current debate on global warming and climate change is highlighted. Climate change takes place when a shift in a type of climate prevailing over a given area takes place. Such a change involves a shift in the general circulation of the atmosphere and the energy balance of the atmosphere. There are two kinds of climate change. Natural climate change and climate change caused by human activities i.e. anthropogenic or manmade climate change, and how those anthropogenic processes alter the development rates of the landforms. The fifth gives the definition and scope of Biogeography, the importance of the biosphere and the concept of ecosystem and how geomorphic processes support the biophysical processes. The role of mankind in the biosphere is also discussed. The sixth chapter discusses the patterns and types of distribution of living organisms. The biotic and abiotic factors that influence the patterns and types of distribution are described. The abiotic factors include climate, soil and relief. The biotic interactions include competition, predation and symbiosis. These interactions are discussed and their effects on the living organisms considered. Chapter seven introduces the theory of ecological succession. Vegetation processes are also described; indicating the effects of disturbance on vegetation types, and also relates the physical environment to the geomorphic changes. Ϯ The eighth describes the distribution of world vegetation and its classification. The vegetation characteristics in each of the biomes are discussed in detail and the human impact on the vegetation regions is described. The discussion focuses on the terrestrial biomes. The ninth chapter discusses the soil components, rock weathering and formation of soils, physical and chemical properties soils, soil regimes and types and classification of soils. Finally definitions of key words used in the book.