A discussion of nonstandard varieties of English implies a standard variety. What "standard" English actually is should be defined in order to approach it in the classroom. C.C. Fries described it as the variety used by those who hold positions of trust and respect and conduct the important affairs of a community. This definition admits that what…

These readings on language and culture are divided into sections on: "Principles of Language,""Culture and Language,""Structure of the English Language,""Ancestry and History of English,""Aspects of American English,""Americans and the Other World,""Language and Literature," and "Aspects of Applied Linguistics." Contributing authors include Noam…

Paralleling and reflecting the many recent changes in national life have been corresponding developments in the American language. As new concerns and problems have arisen, new vocabularies have come into being. Countless new words and novel expressions as well as new meanings and uses for established words have been created. This collection…

The topic of black dialect, a timely concern in education and society, should include an understanding of the relationship between language and culture and an understanding of the differences within ethnic and environmental influences contributing to linguistic diversity. Characteristics in black dialect which reflect its descent from African…

Four realizations of the copula occur in English, two in both Anglo and Black English and two in Black English and in some varieties of Anglo English but not in standard English. This paper describes the use of the copula in English and identifies the phonological, syntactic, and semantic factors which are believed to condition its realization in…

In order to determine the attitudes of sixth-grade children toward literary characters who are represented as speaking regional dialects of American English, 96 students (all Caucasian) were randomly placed into one of eight groups, each of which either heard or read two literary excerpts--one in nonstandard English and one as rewritten in…

To understand decisions made concerning language usage in "Webster's Third New International Dictionary," it is necessary to realize what standard usage is and how it changes. The definition of standard usage, given in 1932, as that language used by well-educated persons remains valid and depends more and more on professional writers for guidance.…

The 25 communities that were chosen for the Indiana portion of the Linguistic Atlas of the United States project were selected in part to provide coverage of an area but in some instances because of their early settlement, location on a migration route, or geographical features. Data were collected by means of a questionnaire which contained…

This book reviews for both the experienced and the new teacher essential developments that have helped shape new content in the teaching of English language and composition. The materials contained in the book are designed for independent study, for informal study in workshops or conferences, or for formal study in in-service courses. The chapters…

Designed to measure the acceptability of foreign accents, this study describes the parameters of the stereotypes and credibility that Southwest American listeners attribute to French and Spanish accented English Speech. The paper is divided into four main sections--a review of the literature pertinent to the study topic, a description of the…

This bibliography of Southeastern American English includes writings that have appeared in popular books, technical treatise, language journals, popular magazines, special-interest periodicals, student theses, and dissertations. The South is defined as the area south of the Mason-Dixon Line and the Ohio River westward to Arkansas and East Texas.…

This study, an outgrowth of the "Linguistic Atlas of the United States and Canada," based on atlas field records covering the entire Eastern United States, enables the author to trace the geographical spread and also the social distribution of the linguistic features that are treated. Research demonstrates how early culture centers and…

The function of English teachers is not to stop the flow of change in language but to help students gain a measure of control over language so that they can use it effectively. Discusses the evolution of English in the United States and how teachers can further its development. (Author/RK)

On the basis of empirical data this paper concludes that knowledge relating to the use and meaning of American English Kin terms is shared and that multiple semantic models do not exist in the minds of American English speakers. (CFM)