After setting definitions of pragmatics, prosody, and nonverbal communication, this paper reviews politeness theories and research in these fields, discussing their implications for teaching. It is posited that learners whose first language and native culture are more similar to the target language (TL) and culture are more likely to experience TL…

This paper illustrates the use of corpus-based analytical techniques to address a range of issues in applied linguistics. This approach provides large databases of naturally occurring discourse, enabling empirical analyses of the actual patterns of use in a language and, when coupled with automatic computational tools, enables analyses of a scope…

The concept of "communicative competence" is one of the most influential theoretical developments in language education as it helped redefine the objectives of L2 instruction and the target language proficiency. While acknowledging these contributions, this paper asks if the conceptual formulation of "communicative competence" has other…

It is suggested that the most widely-known estimate of English speech rates, based on the speech of radio announcers, and a comparison of English and French radio announcer speech rates do not represent a truly standard range of speech rates. An alternative range is proposed. (Author/MSE)

Investigates some of the affinities between the traditions of communicative competence and literacy studies by examining the historical and current use of ethnographic methodology in such studies. Describes how communicative competence theory is "branching out" into communicative approaches to second language pedagogy, mingling both psychological…

Reviews theoretical and research literature on learner strategies and self-directed language learning, particularly concerning the role of metacognitive knowledge in learning. Argues that too little attention is given to the function of metacognition in language learning. Practical implications for second-language instruction are discussed.…

Describes a project to code complementation patterns of all verbs in the Collins COBUILD English language corpus, using simple notation based on words and word classes rather than traditional functional categories. This is the first pedagogic grammar to integrate syntax and lexis using corpus data. Explores the possibility of using a pattern…

Following a review of the language teaching practices of the past 50 years, reassess ten second language acquisition (SLA) research generalizations in light of the considerable amount of classroom-based SLA research that has been carried out since 1985, especially that which has addressed pedagogical concerns in primary and secondary school…

This response article addresses two issues raised by the publication of Basturkmen et al. (2004). The most important one concerns the nature of the research itself, whilst the other relates to the relevance of the purpose of the research to the aims of the involvement of applied linguistics in second and foreign language teaching. As to the first,…

The objective of this response article is to think through some of what I see as the far-reaching implications of a recent paper by Eric Hauser (2005) entitled "Coding 'corrective recasts': the maintenance of meaning and more fundamental problems". Hauser makes a compelling, empirically-backed case for his contention that, contrary to widespread…

Argues that metaphor should be given a more important place in language teaching and considers ways in which the expanded available knowledge about metaphors can be incorporated into language art curricula, through such methods as multi-text exercises. (Author/CB)

Proposes a framework for integrating sociolinguistic, psycholinguistic, and linguistic aspects of research on second language acquisition, encompassing five levels in a learner's conversion of input to output: apperceived input, comprehended input, intake, integration, and output. (Author/CB)

Research on social markedness and second language pronunciation is reviewed, and some general conclusions are drawn. A number of issues arising from this research are identified and inherent difficulties in forming hypotheses, performing analyses, and interpreting data are discussed. (30 references) (Author/MSE)

Investigated interaction styles and success at problem solving by students of English as a Second Language. The most interesting outcome of this study was the finding that when passive learners were paired with active ones, these pairs were as effective as dyads made up of only active ones. (26 references) (Author/VWL)

Part of a research project is presented that aims at identifying the difficulties tertiary level students encounter in reading scientific texts in a foreign language and the strategies they apply to overcome them. Strategy markers are identified and listed, and are then analyzed to interpret the linguistic difficulty and the strategy used.…