Terms for such things as furniture in English reflect function and are specific, not generic in nature. French equivalents are based on linguistic criteria. "Tables basses" or "tables de salon" are equivalents of "coffee tables"; they illustrate the tendency toward the generic of the French language. (Text is in French.) (AMH)

This document shares Dr. Walt Wolfram's views on African-American Dialect. He states that the most elementary principle is that all language is patterned and rule-governed, and one can apply that principle to African-American English, Appalachian English, and to every other dialect that is examined.

The status of pluralistic languages in the United States may be traced back to attitudes and policies developed in medieval England, where Norman French, Old English, and Latin were each associated with certain contexts and certain populations. English finally achieved dominant status in all domains, but this achievement came about through…

The 74 studies cited in this selected, annotated bibliography represent major areas of research which may be useful to linguists. Structures Elicitation Techniques (SET) is a term used in contrast to naturalistic observational technique, and the methods referred to in the annotations as SETs are diverse but have in common the elicitation of…

This paper considers two classes of conversational errors: production errors and interactional errors. It is proposed that error correction can be used to invoke alternatives to concepts of persons, situation and relationships. (CK)

Discusses the accomplishments, or lack of accomplishments, of linguistics to date and makes suggestions for the improvement of linguistics' contribution to the study and teaching of American English. (Available from the University of Alabama Press, Periodicals Department, P.O. Box 2877, University, Alabama 35486.) (AM)

Argues that the substratum of non-English language and cultural patterns in the United States limits the extent to which English can effectively function as "a deep component of American experience and of American national awareness. Appears in "The Florida FL Reporter special anthology issue, "Linguistic-Cultural Differences and American…

Discusses the linguistic and social significance of titles and forms of address. Mentions the frequently occurring variants in American usage and laments the neglect of the topic in textbooks. (IFS/WGA)

Until very recently, gay slang reflected the sexism, classicism, and racism of straight English. (JH)

Based on a model developed by Brown and Levinson (1978), this thesis examines one feature underlying appropriate language use--politeness--as it affects the discourse of native English speakers in three situations. The three situations and speakers involved are: (1) British speakers in a British public library, (2) American speakers in an American…

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…

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…

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)

Preliminary version of a paper presented at the meeting of the Linguistic Society of America, December 1971. (VM)