Following Roman Jakobson, this article attempts to outline the affinity between linguistic change induced by language contact and conflict, and the poetic function of language. This phenomenon can be observed by studying the discourses of trilingual speakers in the Aosta Valley in Northern Italy. The problematic position of French is reflected and…

Advances the theory that the syllables internal structure and laws governing its productivity permit a new perspective of the contrastive analysis of the Italian and French systems. (DS)

First part of a continued article. (DS)

Analyzes the purpose of metaphor, distinguishing five different types, proposes terms that describe its components, and lists seven procedures for its translation. It is claimed that metaphor is at the center of all problems of translation theory, semantics, and linguistics. (MES)

The production of an "etymologary," a dictionary giving insight into etymology, is proposed as a creative Classroom activity and source of learning exercise that encourages linguistic manipulation, which can have positive effects on vocabulary development. Examples from French and Italian are presented. (MSE)

The world's languages display important differences in their rhythmic organization; most particularly, different languages seem to privilege different phonological units (mora, syllable, or stress foot) as their basic rhythmic unit. There is now considerable evidence that such differences have important consequences for crucial aspects of language…

Academic self-concept and academic interest are crucial concepts for understanding students' academic achievement. Yet, few questionnaires currently exist that have been used and validated in more than one country. This study aimed at assessing these concepts using an academic self-concept questionnaire (Marsh, 1990) and an academic interest…

Eight subjects who had used "study packs" in their learning of French and Italian were interviewed by colleagues of the teachers who wrote them. This article presents an analysis of attempts at an ethnographic interviewing strategy, entailing an open-ended approach and adoption of an 'outsider' role. A coding system designed to measure…

A report on research on agraphia using subjects afflicted with sensory aphasia. It compares performance in Italian, a phonetic language, with performance in French. The disorders in the Italian language appear less varied than in French. (Text is in French.)

Reviews 11 British foreign language syllabi that attempt to incorporate vocational education needs, covering languages offered, testing activities, student attitudes, teaching methods, course organization, and teacher attitudes. (CB)

Uses a quantified version of a syntactic acquisition hierarchy to compare syntactic development in second language learners to that of other components of grammar, particularly inflectional morphology. (CB)

PACEFI is a working committee at the University of Neuchatel in Switzerland. (DS)

Excerpted from a study published by the Modern Language Association of America (MLA) pursuant to a contract (No. OEC-0-8-071155-3708) with the U.S. Office of Education. (DS)