The use of language in education is examined, and the ways in which recent research helps in the understanding of classroom language are explored. The relevance of such research to practicing teachers as well as to sociologists is also discussed. The volume is divided into nine chapters: (1) "Why Is Language Important in Education?"; (2)…

The purpose of this study, which is based on a survey of 116 Hispanic organizations in the United States, is threefold: (1) to explore the organizational background characteristics that might distinguish linguistically retentive from non-retentive organizations; (2) to determine whether there is any differential/ non-differential interest in…

A dialect survey of the transition between two major Indo-Aryan languages in Nepal, Bhojpuri and Maithili, was conducted focusing on both the linguistic and sociolinguistic aspects of the various languages and dialects. The purpose of the study was to find out where and how this transition occurred between the pure Bhojpuri-speaking area and the…

Marked incongruity exists between the present language teaching system in Australia and the nation's social structure. Few of the languages spoken in the community by major ethnic groups are taught in the schools and little effect of the society's pluralism is evident in objectives and methods. Three causes of this situation are examined, and new…

The Pacific area is generally acknowledged to manifest great linguistic diversity. Such diversity is generally assumed to be dysfunctional, an obstacle to efficient functioning of society. Such diversity must, however, have its functions at least in the circumstances in which it arose. It is also generally assumed that such diversity is the result…

This study is concerned with the acquisition of social awareness of language differences in preschool children, particularly their awareness of the differences between black and standard English (BE and SE). Awareness is defined as a type of sociolinguistic perception involving three related abilities: (1) discrimination (the ability to…

This study investigated language attitudes and Japanese language maintenance among a group of second-generation Japanese in Melbourne (Australia). Subjects were 66 Japanese high school students (second-generation) attending Japanese-language schools and 109 Japanese mothers (first-generation) self-identified as Japanese-identity,…

Essays on language contact and the image of language, entirely in French, include: "Representations 'du' contexte et representations 'en' contexte? Eleves et enseignants face a l'apprentissage de la langue" ("Representations 'of' Context or Representations 'in' Context? Students and Teachers Facing Language Learning" (Laurent…

Most of the population of Japan remains ethnically Japanese. For this reason, bilingualism has never been a subject of significant concern in Japan. With the recent influx of new groups of non-Japanese speakers into Japan, the society is becoming more multilingual. This book introduces the way languages are used in Japanese interlingual families,…

This collection of 29 original articles provides an informative overview of current linguistic research on Spanish in the United States. Many of the chapters focus on regional aspects, ranging from sociolinguistic issues among Dominicans in New York and Cubans in Miami to the adoption and adaptation of forms from Nahuatal and English in the…

Discusses the politics of bilingual education for minorities in China. The article notes that such education has been provided in some minority schools as a part of the government's policy to improve relationships with ethnic minorities in China. (24 references) (Author/CK)

Presents a detailed account of many of the issues relating to Chinese "secret societies" and the use of triad language. The article emphasizes the pressing need to update and extend intelligent research in this area, particularly with regard to current practices of triad societies and their relationship to organized crime, in Hong Kong…

This study describes the participation of English-as-a-Second-Language (L2) students in the daily classroom events of a mainstream first-grade classroom. It discusses how, through socially significant interactional routines, classroom members jointly constructed the L2 students' identities, social relations, and ideologies, as well as their…

Discussion of the possibilities that information technology and mass media offer to learning environments focuses on small linguistic societies, especially Iceland. The role of schools is examined, characteristics of information technology in schools are described, teaching the mother tongue is discussed, and future possibilities are suggested.…

Argues that a study of dialects, language attitudes and biases, and issues of power related to language policies should be part of courses for preservice English teachers. Describes class activities that deal with investigating language attitudes, validating linguistic variation, validating all dialects, understanding the politics of language, and…