These papers deal with a variety of topics bearing on modality in a variety of languages and language families. While all languages have ways of expressing modality, that is, such notions as possibility, necessity, and contingency, this phenomenon has been the object of little systematic linguistic analysis. These papers are presented with the…

Contrastive analysis is suggested as a tool in language teaching for such areas as: (1) deciding how much to focus on different aspects of the target language; (2) making generalizations about its structure; and (3) explaining texts or constructions which might otherwise be incomprehensible. The claim is made that such procedures need to be based…

This paper discusses the meaning of the term "lexical simplification" in the context of second language acquisition. It is suggested that simplification be viewed as a universal feature of language use which may be manifested in a number of linguistic contexts, including the creation of a learner's interlanguage. It is further suggested…

In a recent paper (1977) Levenston and Blum suggested that lexical simplification operates according to universal principles, and that these derive from the individual's semantic competence in his mother tongue. This paper examines the validity of this suggestion by means of a comparative study of lexical simplification in three different…

The final part of a four-part report of research on the development of a computerized, phrase-structure grammar of modern Hebrew describes the computerized algorithm for analyzing the sentences generated based on a complex-constituent-phrase structure grammar. The first section here discusses a structural model for modern Hebrew; the second…

The idea that "natural speech" as well as written discourse can be organized is now commonly accepted. There is also evidence that natural speech contains more coherence indicators than written texts do. This article proposes that one type of organizer, pragmatic connectives such as "therefore, then, thus, while, however, but"…

This first part of a four-part report of research on the development of a computerized, phrase-structure grammar of modern Hebrew presents evidence to demonstrate the need for material to train teachers of Semitic languagues in the theory of grammar. It then provides a discussion of the research already done on the application of computational…

The second part of the four-part report of research on the development of a computerized, phrase-structure grammar of modern Hebrew describes the application of a generalized complex-constituent-phrase structure grammar to modern Hebrew. This volume discusses the details of the grammar: limitations, input and output, symbols, rules, tree diagrams,…