IN THIS PAPER THE AUTHOR IS PRESENTING AN OVERVIEW OF CURRENT RESEARCH, BOTH IN THE FIELD OF LINGUISTICS AND IN OTHER FIELDS, ON THE LINGUISTIC EXPRESSION OF SOCIAL AND CULTURAL MEANING. THE MAJOR TOPICS DISCUSSED INCLUDE--(1) CULTURAL COMPENTENCE (LANGUE AND PAROLE, CO-EXISTING COMPETENCES), (2) DOMAINS AND ROLE RELATIONS, (3) SPEECH FUNCTIONS, (4) METHOD, (5) THE SPEECH EVENT, AND (6) NATIVE AND SECOND LANGUAGE LEARNING. APPENDICES TO THE PAPER INCLUDE BIBLIOGRAPHIES OF THE SEVERAL TOPICS AND A SECTION ON QUESTIONS AND REQUESTS. MOST OF THE WORK CITED IS BRITISH OR AMERICAN. THE AUTHOR IS CURRENTLY AT THE SCHOOL OF ENGLISH, UNIVERSITY OF LEEDS, LEEDS, ENGLAND. (JD)