A study examined whether the morphological structure of words--that is to say, the analysis of words into prefixes, stems, and suffixes--plays a role in how words are represented in an individual's internal lexicon. Ninety-five students from a large midwestern university identified stem words, matched for length and individual frequency, which…

Three experiments used "rhyme priming," a methodology in which lexical decisions to a visually presented word are facilitated when the word is preceded by a rhyming word, to investigate the access and maintenance of speech-based codes in sentence comprehension. In these experiments, the pairs were visually dissimilar rhymes, such as…

Presents research findings on sexist uses of language in dictionaries. (RB)

The pervasiveness of sexism in our society is reflected in language structure and usage. In pronominal usage, masculine singular forms are assumed to include the feminine, although, when referring to female sex-role-typed occupations, "she" is used. In this research, the effect of the instructor's use of "she," as the generic singular, on student…

Reading researchers and theorists are sharply divided as to how meaning is obtained from the printed word. Three current explanations are that (1) meaning is accessed directly, without any intermediate processes; (2) meaning is accessed only through an intermediate phonemic stage; and (3) both direct access and phonemic mediation can occur. To…

An examination of concerns about and suggestions for revising the ACTFL (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages) Oral Proficiency Guidelines indicates that confirmatory empirical research and determination of the relative absence or presence of components are needed. (CB)

Examines the rhythms of prose, cites several methods of determining language patterns, and concludes that the English language is basically a balanced language. (RB)

Emphasizes the importance of teacher investigations of language in the classroom by reviewing the work of practicing teachers working in a graduate course. (RL)

Demonstrates that (1) in a theory of comprehension, global coherence must refer not just to the availability of a macrostructure, but also to its ease of construction; and (2) the topic-comment assignment at the sentence level can be an important influence on the reader's perception of the passage topic. (FL)

Suggests some theoretical explanations to account for the fact that some people are better able to communicate in writing than others, basing these explanations on second language acquisition research. (DD)

Prior to a Thai language learning session, subjects were exposed to recorded Thai conversation, Japanese conversation, or music. The subjects exposed to Thai produced more words than subjects exposed to music or Japanese. The subjects exposed to Japanese produced the fewest words. (Author/RL)

Supports the hypothesis that literal and metaphorical interpretations can result from similar contextual constraints. Finds that a metaphorical interpretation may be selected because a literal interpretation would have been inappropriate and that likewise a literal interpretation may be selected because a metaphorical interpretation would have…

Discusses Russian translatology after 1950. Introduces in chronological order some of the most important Russian works and discusses their main points. Deals with Russian approaches to key problems in translation such as equivalence, pragmatic relations, audience orientation, and problems of cultural transfer. (SR)

Discusses two English translations of an identical passage from "The Divine Comedy" by Dante Alighieri. Considers the different approaches manifested by these two translators. Argues that cultural elements exert great influence on the work of translators and that culture must become central to any theory of translation. (HB)

Discusses commercial bilingualism in Quebec. Deals with Canada's two official languages and classifies their contact with each other in the world of corporate or brand identity. Discusses what these languages must accomplish in the business world and the new perceptions resulting from their contact. Submits a theory of contact between three…