People often believe that some language varieties are more prestigious than others, which can trigger speech-centered biases and inform social judgments of the speaker. However, it is largely unknown what types of language experience and exposure might mitigate language biases, especially for second language (L2) learners. The goal of this study…

Target varieties for language learning are contentious in applied linguistics and sociolinguistics. Debates centre on the nature and utility of alternative norms. Approximation to 'native speaker' practices is the hallmark of language education. Thus, policy and pedagogy frequently orient toward achieving native-like production. While many…

Two articles respond to Salien's editorial "Quebec French: Attitudes and Pedagogical Perspectives." The first deals with linguistic variation, particularly as it exists in Quebec French, and aims at familiarizing French students in the United States with variation in the language. The second describes circumstances that have led to…

Considers the evolving pedagogical dilemma surrounding the teaching of "New French" and discusses the various options foreign-language teachers will eventually have to choose among when teaching French. (CB)