A common approach to language awareness is through the contrast between folk and scientific knowledge, with the former getting less attention. This article highlights the modes of folk linguistic awareness, discusses it as a dynamic area of study, and advocates its value for both scientific merit and its importance to applied concerns. (39…

Tests three hypotheses regarding the use of object relative pronouns by native (NS) and non-native (NNS) speakers of Standard American English: (1) pronoun choice by NNSs differs from that of NSs; (2) "wh", "that," and "zero" are used variably by both groups; and (3) increased exposure to native speaking environments…

Discusses an interview in which Marcyliena Morgan elaborates on the necessity to analyze both microlinguistic issues of grammar and phonology as well as larger issues of discourse pragmatics and language ideology. The interview touches on African American poetry, the convergence of African American and standard English, and oases and indirectness.…

In a sociohistorical variation analysis of verb inflection in Early Modern British and American English, corpus-based comparisons focus on several extralinguistic and linguistic factors that have influenced the choice of forms over successive periods of time. Contrary to customary theories of "colonial lag," the rate of change was faster…

Tests the subjective reactions of standard Russian speakers and American English speakers to regional pronunciation. Homogeneously-grouped subjects listened to a series of recorded voices and rated each speaker for various attributes on a numerical scale. These attributes included competence, personal integrity, and social attractiveness. (CK)

Investigates the reliability, validity, and sensitivity of curriculum-based measurement (CBM) reading in English with bilingual Hispanic students. Results indicate that CBM reading in English is as reliable and valid for bilingual students as it is for English-only students. Supports construct validity of CBM reading as a measure of general…

Compares the relative frequency of the performance and avoidance of oral complaints by 22 Chinese learners and 12 native speakers of American English. Participants were enrolled in a major U.S. university and were asked to respond to three problematic situations that were set in the same university housing complex where all of the respondents…

It is widely believed that listeners understand some dialects more easily than others, although there is very little research that has rigorously measured the effects. This study investigated whether listeners experience more difficulty with regional, ethnic, and international dialects of English than with Standard American English. The results…

This paper is a discussion of attitudinal, rather than linguistic, issues. It argues that an American should not be denied full access to education or employment, nor that he should be considered any less "American," because of his linguistic background. (Author/RM)

The "Official English" (OE), or "English Only," movement claims that the United States is threatened by the use of languages other than English in schools, government, and business. The OE movement is contrary to a national tradition of recognition and respect for the contributions of immigrants to American life. Restrictions…

The transcript of and guide to a two-cassette course designed to assist Russian immigrants in erasure of their foreign accent can be used for either individual or group study. Narrative and taped demonstrations of American English that pinpoint typical phonological barriers and pronunciation difficulties are outlined. The author's own system of…

The author takes up the problem of the origin of Negro dialects in the United States. On the basis of the very limited number of lexical items which can be traced directly to African languages, McDavid discounts the role of African influence on the patterns of current Negro English dialects. William Stewart suggests the possibility of extended…

This paper describes a "neglected" aspect of Hawaiian ("Pidgin") English--the suprasegmental or prosodic features. Illustrated by contrastive samples of Hawaiian American English (HAE) and General American English (GAE), the salient prosodic features are presented as follows--(1) syllable-timed rhythm, modified by emphatic…