Purpose: This study examines the effect of age on language use with an automated analysis of digitized speech obtained from semistructured, narrative speech samples. Method: We examined the Cookie Theft picture descriptions produced by 37 older and 76 young healthy participants. Using modern natural language processing and automatic speech…

Differences in the ways that men and women use language have long been of interest in the study of discourse. Despite extensive theorizing, actual empirical investigations have yet to converge on a coherent picture of gender differences in language. A significant reason is the lack of agreement over the best way to analyze language. In this…

American Italian exhibits interference from English in loanwords, loanblends, loanshift extensions and loan translations, and some of these are analyzed in this paper. (CK)

This paper discusses a previously unidentified turn-allocation technique - third person reference. When such a reference is used, participants are orienting to the solution of a practical organizational problem: how to keep at least one of their number from talking, while preserving the right of all others to talk. (Author/CFM)

Spoonerisms can be elicited by having the subject articulate a target preceded by bias items. Any systematic difference in rate of errors between similar targets must result from processes after recoding of target into its slip. Editing processes make lexical outcomes more frequent than nonsense outcomes. (CHK)

The data support Lakoff's hypotheses that the female register is used more by women than by men, although they do not necessarily justify her further assertion that women's speech reflects, or is caused by, the low status of women in our society. (Author/HP)

Reports research designed to assess changes speakers are making in their language patterns and how speakers begin and evaluate these changes. (MH)

This articles discusses intonation in terms of different kinds of contours and demonstrates the inadequacy of any approach to English intonation which treats contours as sequences of significant pitch levels. (NCR)

The third person singular pronouns are either neuter or sex linked even in situations where they should be neutral. When the sex is unknown then a substitute, for example "heesh" should be used. The present paper examines several of these awkward words and makes recommendations for substitutes. (Author)

Describes adjustments in speech patterns made by two- and three-year-olds when talking to their 14-month-old siblings and compares these changes with those made by mothers addressing their babies. Individual differences between the children indicate two types of influence on the adjustments made--pragmatic and emotional. (EKN)

Pragmatic factors necessary to the understanding of colloquial expressions are called here "simpragma." Some examples are provided. (Text is in Spanish.) (DS)

Americans tend to derive nicknames and more intimate affectionate nicknames from a person's formal first name; the type of name used depends on the social situation and the relationship between the two people. In many cases, for both masculine and feminine names, the nickname is derived from the first (or sometimes the second) syllable of the…

A study was conducted to determine the relationship between maternal input to early language learners and language acquisition and to answer the following questions: (1) Does nursery language used with the child change after he begins to talk? (2) Is there reason to believe that the child's speech is influenced by or influences the mother's…