Discusses various problems concerning the island of Corsica, including economic decline, underdevelopment, emigration, and insularity--all problems which have affected and influenced its linguistic and cultural identity, as well. The dynamics of Corsican relations with the new, socialist France are questioned in reference to a hoped for…

A brief reveiw of recent literature in France on bilingualism, or more properly, diglossia. In the context of a bi- or pluri-linguistic situation, dialectology, linguistic distribution of both speakers and systems, official and regional languages, and the problem of belonging to a linguistic community and ethnic identification are discussed. (AMH)

Focuses on the new French judicial certificate as a historic undertaking emphasizing the capability of the French language to take into account and highlight important points of contact between the business world and legal language. The article emphasizes that there is no true business career without legal horizons. (Author/CK)

The effects of differing and often opposing language policies on the sociolinguistic position of the Alsatian language are discussed. An attempt is made to show how the function and scope of Alsatian have been reduced, and how borrowings from French have created a dialect with unique characteristics. It has survived despite its lack of official…

Defines the general area of France where Occitan is spoken and the area where the information was collected. States that Occitan monolingualism has almost totally disappeared and describes the relationship between Occitan and French as one of bilingualism with diglossia, with the distribution of Occitan speakers being strongly influenced by…

Examines the relationship between linguistic theory and pedagogic practices in the teaching of French at the elementary school level. Discusses two trends emerging from current literature, one denouncing the remoteness of linguistic theory from psychological research findings, the other focusing on the teaching process and its need for theoretical…

While planet Earth endeavors to transmit information instantaneously, cultural misunderstanding interferes with communication more than any language barrier. The article urges teachers of French to be cognizant of their role as cultural mediators. (Author/CK)

Describes a study concerned with distinguishing certain phonological and morphological features of the three dialects of Occitan, a language spoken in the south of France. Results indicate that variations in pronunciation seem to depend on sociolinguistic, as well as geographical factors, and in fact, related dialects and language cannot be…

Gabonese students who speak French as a second language and are educated through French, learn English using textbooks designed for students in France. Article discusses pedagogical issues, goals that Gabonese students have in learning English, and the linguistic and sociolinguistic context in which learning of English takes place. Materials used…

This paper examines efforts to save rapidly declining indigenous languages around the world. The entire process of language preservation and revitalization is a massive undertaking that requires immense long-term planning and support. These problems extend well beyond the linguistic concerns of the language itself. Language policy is inherently…