Definitions of bilingualism are based on different, sometimes contradictory criteria, both in scientific and ordinary use of the term. Some of the criteria most often used in scientific work on bilingualism are compared to those used by the participants in research at the linguistic Institute in Neuchatel, Switzerland, as they are talking about…

Investigated the effects of three types of block, housekeeping, and changing thematic play centers on young children's language production. Although results indicated that language production and vocabulary varied according to the type of center, children produced more oral language and used more diverse vocabulary in the block center. (Author/BB)

The Mekong has long attracted interest although it remains economically insignificant. A group of riparian states known as the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS)--Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam and Yunnan Province (China)--now manage aspects of regional development including trade, water management and education. Standard GMS discourse…

Honoring students' home dialect is a complex task when preparing them to take state writing tests that require the use of Standard English. Working with students who had failed the test and were in danger of not receiving a diploma, Michelle Crotteau created a supportive learning environment in which students could develop linguistic and…

This article reports on a study conducted by foreign language educators in Kansas in 1974 to determine the possibilities for the practical application of foreign language skills in Kansas businesses. (CLK)

This article summarizes the results of a study undertaken to investigate the question of second language retention by federal bilingual employees in Canada. (CLK)

Trade-off effects among linguistic components were compared in 30 elementary school children with deficits in both oral and written language, deficits only in written language, or normal language development. Analysis of syntax, phonology, and fluency indicated group effects, with trade-offs between some linguistic measures and positive…

Seeing language as a complex, dynamic system and language use/acquisition as dynamic adaptedness ("a make-do" solution) to a specific context proves a useful way of understanding change in progress, such as that which occurs with a developing L2 system. This emergentist shift of perspective provides another way of understanding previously observed…

A course given to help German teachers of English master English phrases used frequently in the classroom is described. It was found that initial contextualization followed by language laboratory work enabled teachers to assimilate phrases best. (CHK)

Explores the relative contributions of global vocabulary and specific attribute knowledge to the metaphorical comprehension of fluent and less fluent adult users of English. Results indicate that, for both groups, specific attribute knowledge was a better predictor of metaphorical interpretation than global vocabulary knowledge. (Author/CB)

Analysis of language research and observation of two language classes suggest that, when teachers devote efforts to promoting students' encounters with and use of natural language, students will have the opportunity not only to learn about language, but also to arrive at proficiency in its use. (CB)

Hyperfluency, defined as discourse that is inappropriate and incompetent in the target audience's estimation, and its relationship to composition pedagogy are discussed. It is argued that hyperfluency can signal the growth of an individual's linguistic resources. (16 references) (Author/LB)

Verbs (4800) from 1200 compositions written by Nebraska students (grades 3-6) were examined using the most sophisticated grammatical analysis available to determine children's use of the English verb system and to compare their use to recent studies of the verb in adult writing. Information obtained included the following items: Children used…

Author discussed the importance of language, its many uses and how to properly evaluate its daily function. (Editor/RK)

Paper presented March 6, 1971, at the TESOL Convention in New Orleans, La. (VM)