The intelligibility of conversational speech produced by six children fitted with cochlear implants before age 3 years was measured longitudinally. Samples were obtained every 3 months during periods of 12-21 months. Intelligibility was measured using both an utterance-by-utterance approach and an approach to the sample as a whole. Statistically…

Attempts to identify elements of universal language and probes the limitations of the communication metaphor. Universal language is discussed in terms of the theory of quantum nonlocality and the implications of this theory for communication with extraterrestrial beings. (PCB)

Introduction: A new paradigm in continuing medical education is characterized by emphasis on physicians' learning in practice. Consistent with this paradigm, our study examined a subset of clinical practice--generalist-specialist consultations--from an educational perspective. Methods: We applied the grounded-theory method with semistructured…

Suggests directions for research in the communicative import of silences in human intercommunication. (CH)

Examines how conductors and orchestras communicate. Communication is essentially nonverbal. Conductors use gestures, gaze, facial expression, nods and posture to deliver their message. Norbert Weiner's Cybernetic Theory of human communication is seen as a means of analyzing precisely how this musical communication takes place. (16 references) (LET)

Employing conversation analysis as a research technique, this study investigates the ways that unintelligibility is accounted for and overcome within a therapeutic encounter between an individual with aphasia and dysarthria and his clinician. The results emphasize the collaborative nature of intelligibility negotiation and demonstrate how both the…

An examination of the extent to which the polylectal grammar, a unified grammar constructed by a listener that subsumes the dialect differences that he has to cope with in a multidialectal situation, is an appropriate means of modelling listeners' receptive command of dialects other than their native one presents evidence that cross-dialectal…

The claim that dialects of a language do not always share the same underlying forms is known as the independency principle. (DD)

Small sample is unable to clarify problems, and suggests need for replication. Trend is noted, however, indicating that words evoke more sensory reactions than pictures and that Spanish evokes more sense impression responses than English. Suggests further investigation for use in foreign language study. (Author/CJ)

Focuses on moral agency in contexts of oppression in a case study involving unintelligibility between two women who identify differently with respect to sexual preference. Demonstrates the similarity of intelligibility to an ethics of care through conceptual analysis, and considers ways that such moral learning is relevant to moral educators. (DSK)

Examines the future spread of English around the globe and the challenges of maintaining common standards and mutual intelligibility among different varieties of English. Discusses changes in Kachru's three circles of English speakers, and features of English as a global language. (Author/VWL)

Explores the need to implement the World Englishes (WE) perspective into international teaching assistant (ITA) programs. While traditional ITA programs typically view ITA speech as deficient and in need of improvement, the WE perspective asserts that intelligibility is dependent upon interaction between speaker and listener, thereby rendering…

When understanding or evaluating foreign-accented speech, listeners are affected not only by properties of the speech itself but by their own linguistic backgrounds and their experience with different speech varieties. Given the latter influence, it is not known to what degree a diverse group of listeners might share a response to second language…