In the area of language teaching, a large number of learner corpora investigations have tended to rely on empirical data to identify common types of errors which illustrate inauthentic usages in a target language. One consequence of this kind of investigations is that such studies rarely, if ever, consider the inextricable link between language…

This report provides data on standard and non-standard African language varieties occurring in urban areas of South Africa, drawn from nine smaller reports. It illustrates the language use patterns in black urban communities and describes the language varieties spoken in them. It was found that the impact of non-standard varieties on the use of…

A brief history of modern Rumanian is chronicled, focusing on the influence of a variety of languages on Rumanian's development. Four regional variations are identified: Dacio-Rumanian, Macedo-Rumanian, Megleno-Rumanian, and Istro-Rumanian, all evolving from the Latin spoken in the corresponding areas beginning in imperial Roman times. The…

One of seven studies in the "Education and Polity" series, this document looks at alternative futures and the interface of education with four areas: communication; employment and leisure; state policy; and technology. The studies were commissioned during 1984 and were conducted by interdisciplinary teams: two in Australia, two in India,…

Outlines a study project that attempted to combine an inquiry into the language and cultural background of Texas German-Americans. Interviews and project reports were prepared by college students on the premise that they could benefit from the contrasts observed between the standard language of the classroom and the local nonstandard variants.…

Examines the phonetic characteristics of babbling by a pair of fraternal twins raised in a bilingual environment (English/Serbian). The study focused on the basic articulatory form of babbling, the impact of twinship on babbling patterns, and whether effects specific to one or another of the ambient languages could be observed. (30 references)…

Describes how computer software captures and makes available for auditory observation and learning the variety of sound shapes that words take on in fast speech. A case study illustrates a teaching procedure that can aid learners' perception and comprehension of fast speech in a foreign language and calls for electronic publication of standard…

Presents results of a study of the use of the dative with the genitive prepositions "(an)statt,""trotz,""wahrend" and "wegen" based on two corpora. Notes that a comparison of these two computerized corpora shows that no clear trend exists regarding the increased use of the dative with these prepositions in…

Discusses the history of the Caribbean region and issues affecting the resion. Addresses language diversity, cultural interchanges, historical and cultural realities, ideological pluralism, and efforts at area cooperation. Suggests that the cultural diversity, innovation, and creativity that are such a part of Caribbean cultures can form the basis…

This paper discusses language planning measures in Guernsey, Channel Islands. The indigenous language is spoken fluently by only 2% of the population, and is at level 7 on Fishman's 8-point scale of endangerment. It has no official status and low social prestige, and language planning has little official support or funding. Political autonomy has…

A review of ethnographic research investigated issues associated with regional or dialectal language use, particularly the use of African American Vernacular English (AAVE) in the special education classroom, and noted the implications for research and classroom practice. Research with speech/language pathologists is under way to develop a…

Language attrition research usually attempts to elicit all types of usage from speakers of all fluency levels in a dying language in order to abstract changing linguistic patterns from situational variation. Informants adept at hiding their vernacular and improvising in an obsolescing variety are reluctant to admit to such scrutiny. In a…

The study provides a description of the verbal derivational suffixation, postinflectional derivation, enclitics, and particles of the Central Siberian Yupik Eskimo language as spoken on St. Lawrence Island, Alaska and on the coast of Chukotka, in the Soviet Union. It also shows how these elements participate in a network of four tightly-knit…

Asserts that, in the social studies classroom, students' participation in language activities in which form, function, and audience are varied is a crucial dimension of their becoming effective citizens. Includes a table listing linguist Michael Halliday's seven purposes of language accompanied by classroom examples of each. (MJP)

Presents the results of a study of Francophone pupils in the French schools of Windsor, Ontario. The article gives examples of nonstandard features pervading students' French vocabulary and syntax and concludes that a hybrid vernacular may be emerging as a result of the Canadian sociolinguistic situation, creating a challenge to the teaching of…