Pieter Muysken's keynote paper, "Language contact outcomes as a result of bilingual optimization strategies", undertakes an ambitious project to theoretically unify different empirical outcomes of language contact, for instance, SLA, pidgins and Creoles, and code-switching. Muysken has dedicated a life-time to researching, rather…

Using Scotton's model of codeswitching based on markedness theory, this paper examines a type of register variation known as "babytalk," defined as ambiguous talk of babies or young children and talk to babies or young children. It is argued that babytalk and the voice of authority are motivated by Chinese cultural assumptions about…

While early research suggests that bilingualism creates a language handicap in individuals, more recent and methodologically better research clearly supports the advantages of bilingualism in promoting overall cognitive development. Three major explanations for this improved development are proposed: that (1) the bilingual-bicultural child…

Proposes that code switching (CS) and code mixing are natural phenomena that may result in increased competency in various communicative contexts. Both assets and deficits of CS are analyzed, and an ethnographic approach to the variable underlying CS is recommended. (32 references) (Author/VWL)

A study investigated the syntactic properties and functions of English-Spanish code-switching in literary, political, and news magazines in Mexico. It is proposed that oral code-switching in Chicano communities and written code-switching in the Mexican press differ both syntactically and pragmatically, with the latter more syntactically…

Infant bilingualism can be defined as a child being exposed to two or more languages from birth. Because of the dearth of first-hand research on the effect of a bilingual environment on a child's speaking patterns, parents from multilingual backgrounds raised their daughter in a bilingual environment, German and Spanish, in England. They speak to…

A detailed analysis of an Italian-American woman's speech is presented, and her interlanguage patterns are discussed in relation to a pidginization hypothesis. Data are presented on the following speech characteristics of the woman: free speech negatives, interrogatives, and present and past tense constructions. Her language is shown to be…

Investigates Greek and English language use among second- and third-generation bilinguals living in the Australian urban social context of Adelaide, where the dynamic process of code interaction has created a sociolinguistic continuum used to define in-group memberships on the basis of which part of the continuum is shared by whom. (40 references)…

The conference aimed to provide a forum for discussion of a wide variety of issues that relate to Interpreting and Translation, to share research results, training strategies and practice experiences, and to focus on the relationship between research, training, and practice. Papers include: "What Do We on translation and interpreting include:…

A collection of papers focuses on research perspectives and educational policy and practice concerning language in Africa. Articles include: "Language Policy in Tanzania and the Hidden Agenda" (Rehema Rajabu, Deo Ngonyani); "The Post-Primary Swahilisation Scheme in Tanzania: From Debate to Struggle" (Hermas Mwansoko);…

Essays on varieties of English in the United States include: "Research Trends in the Study of American English" (Edgar W. Schneider); "Piney Woods Southern" (Lee Pederson); "Foundations of American English" (William A. Kretzschmar, Jr.); "The Comparability of Linguistic Atlas Records: The Case of LANCS an…