Some features of "persuasion dialogue" are examined, and suggestions are offered for ways in which persuasion might be used as a topic in the language class to stimulate the use of realistic language through appropriate role playing. Three dialogues are presented that illustrate different kinds of persuasion. (SW)

Native signs used as basic kin terms in 20 sign languages from several sign language families are examined. (Author/NCR)

A measure of standard English (SE) performance was administered to children from ten culture/language groups in the Western United States. The results of the test indicate that elementary school children from a wide variety of cultural and linguistic backgrounds experience difficulty with the same SE grammatical features. (Author/AM)

Teachers of different languages diconnect themselves from one another, which fragments the profession. Secondly, the choice and use of language often has a disconnecting force. Theses of a book by Neil Postman are considered concerning ineffective communication and communication that has unreasonable or trivial purposes. (SW)

Describes the main characteristics of children's talk at home and at school, as they move through the preschool years into the first years of school. (AA)

Misunderstandings and impoliteness can occur among people from different countries because of differences in cultures and languages. Observations about British, American, and other European cultures concern set phrases, word connotations, intonation, forms of address and reference, grammar, and nonverbal behavior. (SW)

Thought processes as they are observed during problem solving are discussed. A theoretical framework is designed to establish the correspondence between the tactics the subjects use to solve problems and thinking processes. (NCR)

Black students that were grouped for English ability by their standardized test scores translated a standard English text into black dialect. Analytical data show group differences in dialect facility that correlate to standard English ability, suggesting that language development affects both dialect performance and standard English learning. (RL)

The system of deriving baby speech from adult speech is discussed. The theory is based on the system of consonantal replacements. (NCR)

Describes an investigation of the nature of English dialect acquisition among bilingual Puerto Ricans. Subjects were in the sixth grade of a school in the Puerto Rican community in North Philadelphia. Results show that subjects can socially classify linguistic variants from two competing systems and use them appropriately. (Author/RM)

Argues for capitalizing on linguistic and ethnic diversity and for bilingual education in the interest of enhancing the self esteem of children from minority groups. Argues against the concept of cultural deprivation and consequent compensatory strategies. (Editor/RK)

Focuses on the sources and character of West Indian public oratory, its style and efflorescence, giving special attention to the leading positions of Barbados and Jamaica. Despite the primary concern for public performance, much examination of more private traditions of discourse and the social realities that were their foundation, became the…

A study based on recordings of oral information given to the public at information desks. On the basis of the study, sociolinguistic rules valid for the manner of initiating conversation in like situations are derived. Suggestions are offered for the use of such data in foreign language classes. (AMH)

Explores the relationship of advertising to reading, consumer education, and social studies and recommends development of learning objectives which reflect this relationship. Explains how to teach about advertising in social studies courses. (Author/DB)

The expertise required to fulfill the role of "language specialist" is such that it is unlikely that many teachers are prepared to undertake the duties. Considers the essential qualities which the specialist should possess and offers a description of those areas which he could pursue. (Author/RK)