A r t i c l e s

KRUPA, Viktor: Body as a Principle of Space Organization and Interpretation, p. 3
RÁCOVÁ, Anna: The Lexicon of „Slovak“ Romany Language, p. 8
DROZDÍK, Ladislav: Arabic Script as a Liguistic Factor, p. 15
GÁLIK, Marián: The Reception of the Bible in Mainland China (1980-1992?: Observations of a Literary Comparatist, p. 24
HIDVÉGHYOVÁ, Elena: The Decadent Obsession: Eros Versus Celibacy in the Work of Shi Zhecun and Anatole France, p. 47
SLOBODNÍK, Martin: Discussions on Strategy against „Barbarians“ – An Essay from New History of the Tang Dynasty (Xin Tang Shu?, p. 71
FUCHS, Emanuel M.: Die Grundgedanken der Staatslehre Khomeinis und ihr Niederschlag in der iranischen Verfassung von 1979, p. 90

B o o k R e v i e w s

KOLMAŠ, Josef: The Ambans and Assistant Ambans of Tibet (A Chronological Study?. By Martin Slobodník, p. 103
COLE, W. Owen- SAMBHI, Piara Singh: A Popular Dictionary of Sikhism. By Anna Rácová, p. 105.
Das Mittelalter in Datren. Literatur, Kunst, Geschichte 750 bis 1520. Hrsg. Von Joachim Heinzle. Von Vojtech Kopcan, p.106.
HÖSCH, E.: Geschichte der Balkan-Länder. Von der Frühzeit zur Gegenwart. Von Vojtech Kopcan, p. 108.
HULEC, O. and MENDEL, M.(Editors): Threefold Wisdom. Islam, the Arab World and Africa. Papers in Honour of Ivan Hrbek. By Ladislav Drozdík, p. 110.
ZABORSKI, Andrzej: Rozmówki arabskie. Dialekt egipski. By Ladislav Drozdík, p. 111.

ABSTRACTS

BODY AS A PRINCIPLE OF SPACE ORGANIZATION AND INTERPRETATION

Viktor KRUPA
Institute of Oriental and Africa Studies, Slovak Academy of Sciences,
Klemensova 19, 813 64 Bratislava, Slovakia

The utilization of anatomical metaphor in various conceptual domains is briefly discussed here. Occasional applications sar distinguished from those instances where the whole complex of body parts is projected upon another conceptual domain.

THE LEXICON OF „SLOVAK“ ROMANY LANGUAGE

Anna RÁCOVÁ,
Institute of Oriental and African Studies, Slovak Academy of Sciences,
Klemensova 19, 813 64 Bratislava, Slovakia

In the Slovak Republic, 4.8 per cent out of the total population are Romanies. They are divided into four groups and speak their own dialects. The most commonly-used dialect is the so-called Slovak Romany language, the core of which is represented by the words of Indian origin gradually complemented by borrowings from various languages. The vast majority of borrowings are from the Slovak language. Besides these, neologisms created with the help of Indian words appear. It is most probable that in the future development Slovak Romany will use less words from the vernacular, and more loan-words from new languages and will create „home“ descriptive denominations. It, naturally, depends on the development of Romany prose, poetry and publicism.

ARABIC SCRIPT AS A LINGUISTIC FACTOR

Ladislav DROZDÍK,
Faculty of Arts of Comenius University,
Gondova 2, 818 01 Bratislava, Slovakia

In a way, the vowelless Arabic script, incapable of expressing a great deal of synthetic markers of Standard Arabic by appropriate alphabetic symbvols, stimulates the ongoing loss of synthetic structures in the oral usage of this language. The aim of the study is to examine the part played by Arabic script in this process.

THE RECEPTION OF THE BIBLE IN MAINLAND CHINA (1980-1992):
OBSERVATIONS OF A LITERARY COMPARATIST

Marián GÁLIK
Institute of Oriental and African Studies, Slovak Academy of Sciences,
Klemensova 19, 813 64 Bratislava, Slovakia

This article analyses the literary and critical reception of the Bible among critics and historians of the People´s Republic of China after the beginning of more liberal policy towards religions at the end of the 1970s. Poetic and fictional works of the Bible from the focus of the study.

THE DECADENT OBSESSION: EROS VERSUS CELIBACY IN THE WORK OF SHI ZHECUN AND ANATOLE FRANCE

Elena HIDVÉGHYOVÁ
Institute of Oriental and African Studies, Slovak Academy of Sciences,
Klemensova 19, 813 64 Bratislava, Slovakia

The main purpose of the presented article:
- to elucidate and justify Shi Zhecun´s adherency to the Chinese literary DECADENCE, focusing on his relevant historical novelette KUMARAJIVA and its decadent traits,
- to bring to the light the neglected impact of A. France upon Shi´s literary indebtedness:THA?S (1889) – KUMARAJIVA (1929).

DISCUSSIONS ON STRATEGY AGAINST "BARBARIANS"- AN ESSAY FROM NEW HISTORY OF THE TANG DYNASTY (XIN TANG SHU)

Martin SLOBODNÍK
Institute of Oriental and African Studies, Slovak Academy of Sciences,
Klemensova 19, 813 64 Bratislava, Slovakia

The paper analyses an essay from NFew History of the Tang Dynasty which discusses different methods which Tang Dynasty Chinese statesmen used when dealing with "barbarians". The document shows that the Tang statesmen were primarily concerned with strengthening the Chinese empire economically and administratively. The Tang statesmen considered this the best policy to keep "barbarians" behing the Chinese border. The second part of this paper is a translation from New History of the Tang Dynasty, juan 215, liezhuan 140A.

DIE GRUNDGEDANKEN DER STAATSLEHRE KHOMEINIS UND IHR NIEDERSCHLAG IN DER IRANISCHEN
VERFASSUNG VON 1979

Emanuel M. FUCHS,
Seilerstätte 17/6, Vienna, Austria

THE FUNDAMENTAL IDEAS OF KHOMEINI´S POLITICAL THOUGHT AND THERIR EFFECT ON THE IRANIAN CONSTITUTION OF 1979
The paper first briefly outlines Khomeini´s life and work. This is followed by a discussion of one of his most important political writings – "The Islamic State", a review of the 1979 Iranian Constitution, and a comparative analysis of the ideas contained in both texts. Finally, the author concludes that in drafting the constitution, the ultra-orthodox group led by Khomeini had to compromise with other elements within the political class of Iran.