Results indicate that at least three factors contribute to the linguistic complexity of "wh-questions" and help to determine sequence of acquisitions: the syntactic function of the individual "wh-forms," the relative semantic complexity of different verbs, and contingency relations in discourse. (MP)

Written language development of learning disabled (LD) and non-LD students at four age levels (9 through 15) was examined on measures of syntax and vocabulary. Seemingly conflicting evidence on syntactic development may have reflected the nature of the measure used. LD students' writing showed a smaller variety of word types. (CL)

The Black English semi-auxiliary "come" is used to express speaker indignation, as opposed to the motion verb "come." Examines the history of the semi-auxiliary and why it has remained undetected for so long. (EKN)

The Test of Syntactic Abilities, a screening and diagnostic battery designed for deaf students 10 to 19 years old, is described and a computerized version of it is said to make it easier to use and interpret. (CL)

Discusses the general problem of the formal correspondence between predicates and phrases, introducing the principle that the fundamental units of a lexicon are phrases rather than words. Shows that the novelty of this approach consists in an integration of lexicon and syntax and poses particular problems where the noun is concerned. (MES)

Results demonstrated that when compared with normally developing children of the same mental age, the Down's syndrome Ss (6 to 12 years old) evidenced a more homogeneous pattern of syntactic usage and tended to acquire only low-level syntactic structures, as identified by the Developmental Sentence Scoring procedure. (Author)

Discusses 'rather than' sentences with tensed or untensed verb in second clause as having underlying form of comparative sentences. Concludes 'rather than' preceding a tensed clause represents the truth-functional connective 'and not' which contradicts claim that this connective cannot be represented lexically in natural language and raises…

Illustrates with numerous examples and analyses the various uses of "quien." Discusses alternation between "quien" and the groups "el cual"/"el que," variation in the verb agreement, the function of "quien" as an indefinite pronoun, as well as questions of stylistic preference and correctness. (MES)

Examines the syntactic characteristics of Spanish verbs of motion dividing them into two classes, those that designate movement and those that designate both movement and change of place. Analyzes the differences between the two classes by contrasting Spanish and English usage. (MES)

Analyzes the written syntax of a group of profoundly deaf English children aged 10 to 11 years, utilizing a controlled elicitation sampling method used earlier with a single child. Demonstrates and describes the structured nature of deaf children's syntax, which shows similarities with 2 to 2 1/2-year-old hearing children's syntax. (Author/MES)

Explores the hypothesis that speech acts cannot be located without bringing in knowledge beyond that of the textual referent itself. Points out that speech acts are made up of sentence context pairs through which one must search for a formal motion of context as a framing of speech activities. (FL)

A study shows that word shape information, when combined with knowledge of the syntactic and semantic structure of the passage being read, more often than not specifies unique words among all of the alternative high frequency words of English. (MKM)

Examines the purposes served by native language dictionaries as an introduction to the review of three monolingual French dictionaries for foreigners. Devotes particular attention to the most recent, the "Dictionnaire du francais langue etrangere", published by Larousse. Stresses the characteristics that are considered desirable for this type of…

Presents an original description of the psychological processes involved in producing speech. (AM)

Positive feedback was more desirable and impactful than negative feedback. There was no difference in credibility ratings. The only significant difference found in relation to the self-concept variable was a more favorable desirability rating for negative feedback by high-level self-concept subjects. (Author)