Discusses the importance of research on language attitudes, especially in a multilingual situation and gives examples of recent research. (EKN)

Provides a broad sketch of the evolving world language system, introduces an index for the communication potential (Q-value) of languages within this constellation, and identifies languages as collective goods that also display "external network effects," characteristics they share with standards and non-excludable networks.(Author/JL)

Reviews Peter Muhlhausler's book "Linguistic Ecology: Language Change and Linguistic Imperialism in the Pacific Region." Discusses the linguistic diversity of the Pacific, the linguistic impact of colonialism in the Pacific, and the role of linguists in the evolving linguistic situation in the Pacific. (Author/VWL)

Responds to an earlier article that critiqued a book written by the author of this article on linguistic diversity in the Pacific.(Author/VWL)

Explores ways in which the globalized new economy has resulted in the commodification of language and identity, sometimes separately, sometimes together. The article is based on recent ethnographic, sociolinguistic research in francophone areas of Canada. (Author/VWL)

The focus of this paper is on immigrant minority languages in urban Western Europe. Both multidisciplinary and cross-national perspectives will be offered on two major domains in which language transmission occurs, i.e., the domestic domain and the public domain. Prototypical of these two domains are the home and the school, respectively. At home,…

This paper describes multiple Estonian-Russian language contacts in Estonia. For synchronic microsociolinguistic research it is usual to concentrate on the impact of a sociolinguistically dominant language A on an immigrant/minority language B. In the Soviet setting, the dominant language was usually Russian (despite Russians being a minority).…

This study is built upon an understanding of a wide range of variables including foreign language education in Turkey, the sociolinguistic profile of English, the phenomena of code-switching, language transfer (in particular second language transfer in third language production), teaching of a second foreign language after English, plurilingualism…

Joel Spring (2007/this issue) argues that in most nation states around the world today, English plays a central role primarily as a commodity of globalization. At the same time in the United States, English is being perpetuated in nationalistic terms as the only legitimate language. This is done through a variety of mechanisms such as language…

Claims that the mother tongue function in foreign language learning over a background of two or more languages is transferable to any one of the background languages and that this transfer is predictable by a set of principles. Presents applications of the principles to multilingual settings of Nigeria and Cameroon. (SED)

In "The English Only Restaurant," Martinez Palau presents a number of Latino characters who, seduced by the economic promises of assimilation, attempt to suppress their linguistic and cultural identities in order to run a business the "American way." As befits a sociopolitical satire, the play on the one hand consciously…

THIS BIBLIOGRAPHY INCLUDES A PRELIMINARY BIBLIOGRAPHY WHICH WAS COMPILED FOR A SOCIOLINGUISTICS SEMINAR HELD AT THE LINGUISTIC INSTITUTE, BLOOMINGTON, INDIANA, IN THE SUMMER OF 1964 AND AN ADDENDUM ADDED IN MAY 1967. THE PRIMARY EMPHASIS IS ON LANGUAGE IN ITS RELATION TO SOCIAL PHENOMENA. THE MAIN AREAS COVERED ARE (1) LANGUAGE AND SOCIETY, (2)…

This select bibliography contains 286 titles, 188 of which are annotated. Works published before 1967 were eliminated. While language teaching is a major concern, all aspects of education in a multilingual environment have been included. Entries are arranged in eight categories: (1) general, including reference works; (2) language; (3)…

Critically examines contemporary interactional studies of the cultural specificity of human language. The study is a cross-cultural analysis of misconstrued communications in human interaction, ascertaining whether these interactions are crucially dependent on nonlinguistic variables. (CB)

The theme of this book cuts across disciplines. Contributors to this volume are specialized in education and especially classroom research as well as in linguistics, most being transdisciplinary themselves. Around 65 sub-Saharan languages figure in this volume as research objects: as means of instruction, in connection with teacher training,…