Minor grammatical errors made by German students in translating from English to German led to an investigation of the means available in the two languages for effecting text-coherence. The examples cited indicate that English has fewer possibilities than German for showing sentence perspective through surface-syntactical markers. (IFS/WGA)

A study of the effects of clause order and explicitness on comprehension of reversible causal relationships revealed that, for fifth graders, explicit-condition groups had a higher level of comprehension of causal relationships than did implicit-condition groups. For college students, both explicitness and clause order were significant factors in…

Describes a model that distinguishes seven types of meaning that can function in reading: discoursal, lexical, morphological, propositional, syntactic, rhetorical, and functional. (MKM)

The complex of factors governing mood choice in Spanish is reexamined. Mood choice is determined by the basic semantic values expressing the content of an utterance. The influence of comment, reaction, emotions, doubt, and uncertainty on mood choice are explored. (PMJ)

Originally part of a symposium on educational media for the deaf, the paper describes the efforts of the Caption Center at television station WGBH to caption the television production "The scarlet Letter." Among the challenges for the captioners working on the project were the complex syntax and archaic vocabulary and difficulty in the…

Results supported the hypothesis that the reading difficulties of hearing impaired children are due to syntactic deficit rather than inadequate word recognition or knowledge of word meanings. (Author)

The modal "should" can be taught by first delineating its meaning of "good advice," then proceeding to its meaning as expressing the speaker's sense of duty, propriety, and expediency, and finally dealing with its meaning of "reasonable expectation." The elements of "must" implicit in "should"…

Studies, using Mandarin Chinese as a test case: (1) the interaction of syntax and semantics when quantifiers and negatives co-occur; (2) the linear interpretation of quantifiers when the universal and existential quantifiers co-occur; (3) the logical relationship between them; and (4) the basic word order of existential sentences involving…

While self-paced instruction works well at earlier stages of Latin language learning, it becomes ineffective at intermediate levels. Latin students are expected to read continuous prose by the third or fourth term. Classroom instruction is better for the transition from syntax and grammar to reading, where group effort reinforces learning. (PJM)

The justification for Kean's (EJ 165 107) analysis of agrammatism as a phonological disorder rests on a certain specific theory of the structure of human language faculty, which is summarized. Simply proposing a competing analysis based on a distinct theory does not falsify the hypotheses. However, Kean's claims are subject to empirical…

Studied how college students altered their syntax when they received direct instruction in sentence combining. (DD)

Second language learners must acquire a generative system of grammar. There is, as yet, no way of describing notions in generative terms. Long-term syllabuses will have to continue to be syntactically based, but the incorporation of notions from a checklist is acceptable. (Author/JB)

Discusses two types of adjectival phrase: (1) the premodifying phrases derived from postmodifying equivalents, and (2) obligatory coordination with and between semantically similar pairs of premodifying adjectives. (Author/CFM)

A research review of the relationship between children's oral language proficiency and the development of linguistic awareness and learning to read. (CM)

Examines the relationship of "ne" and its accompanying particles ("pas,""plus,""jamais,""personne," etc.) in the French negation system, with special reference to subject opacity. (AM)