Five experiments examined how the duration of a word spoken in a sentence is influenced by the grammatical category to which it belongs, and the position of the word in a constituent. The findings indicated that a binary distinction between major and minor categories is sufficient for a theory of speech timing and synthesis. (Author/JAC)

Suggests that differences in verbal intelligence affect the speech of four-year-olds, necessitating that care be taken not to confuse verbal intelligence with social class when studying the speech of young children. (RL)

This article discusses an abnormal type of speech in the Cocopa language called animal talk, which deals with how humans refer to the communication between humans and animals and between animals themselves. The derivation of animal talk from normal speech and speech of mythical animals is discussed. (NCR)

This study investigates "wait times" in elementary science classes-the pauses between a teacher's question and a student's answer and between a student's answer and a teacher's response. Among the findings were indications that longer "wait times" promote increased student participation in problem solving, decision making, the structuring of the…

Rated speech phrasality scores of 40 deaf students (ages 4-17) were correlated to their reading comprehension scores according to four oral word groupings: whole sentences, phrases, nonmeaningful fragmented word groups, and single words. Among results was phrasal speaker superiority in comprehending phrased material in response to factual (not…

Examines differences among speech behavior-social evaluation relationships as a function of whether the evaluator's perspective was that of a participant or an observer and, if the latter, whether the presentational medium involved an audiovisual, audio-only, or transcriptual recording. (RAE)

It is argued that second-language classroom communication is often limited by the lack of instructor use of tonic pronouns. Two uses of the pronoun form that should be used from the beginning of the second-language program to promote authentic communication are described. (MSE)

Compressed speech is described as maintaining all consonant sounds, reducing all vowel sounds, and eradicating as closely as possible all pauses. (DS)

A study which reinforces the hypothesis that dominant vocal characteristics will correlate with dominant personality characteristics. (RN)

Study arose out of the need for a functional analysis of the language of young children which might lead to an understanding of how language and context interact to produce differentiated speech, and what interpersonal situations were most fruitful in eliciting good communication. (Authors/CB)

Asks Mrs. Seymour, a former teacher currently working as an editorial specialist in linguistics for an educational publisher, to comment on the standard/nonstandard dialect controversy as it relates to beginning reading instruction. (VJ)

The article discusses how semantic variations in the speech of lower socioeconomic children reflects the deprivations in their lives. (MF)

The purpose of this study was to determine whether parents or teachers served as dominant models of speech imitation for elementary school children. (Authors)

Examines grammatically the hesitation pauses in the spontaneous narrative speech of 48 6 1/2-7 years olds. (MB)