Discusses changes in language contacts that are evolving in Quebec between the minority Anglophones and the French-speaking majority. Census data analyses and field research studies indicate that the pattern of language usage among Anglophones is altering in favor of French, indicating capabilities for and attitudes toward greater participation…

Defines and discusses activated complexes, transition species, and reaction intermediates in composite reactions. Stresses the importance of the precise use of language in science. (CW)

Examination of the lexical proficiency of 24 near-native and 12 native senior high school speakers of Swedish found no consistent differences between the groups on measures of lexical density, lexical variation, and lexical sophistication. However, clear differences were seen in frequency of errors and in the distribution of error types. (CB)

Suggests that an interpretive view of communication, with philosophical assumptions about the nature of persons and communication, provides a perspective from which scholars study argumentation. Presents arguments supporting the value of the interpretive perspective, and answers criticisms by showing how those criticisms are grounded in…

Examines the way bureaucratic practices and background or schematized knowledge can influence physician-patient and physician-physician interaction and language in medical diagnostic reasoning. Provides a case study that illustrates the bureaucratic processes presupposed in the production and reproduction of knowledge in practical scientific…

Urges a "re-inventing" of corporate communications in today's organizations, and provides information about how corporations can change in new and positive ways during the current "information age." Discusses specific public relations and organizational communication concepts essential for a comprehensive understanding of…

Investigation of how college students' (N=125) personality characteristics influenced their attitudes toward various second-language learning activities partially confirmed hypotheses suggesting that risk taking and sociability factors positively influenced attitudes toward free language use and negatively affected attitudes toward highly…

Offers summaries of studies that investigated many topics, including the following: (1) images of the United States in Jordanian media; (2) television terms, such as "radiovision," that did not last; (3) how newspapers in Alaska cope with staff turnover; (4) newspaper design preferences among students; and (5) the problem of libel for…

Proposes a new way of discussing the writing process by drawing a line between Piaget's cognitive egocentrism and Vygotsky's inner speech. (FL)

Analyzes the frequency of preschoolers' (N=250) spontaneous use of "thank you" while playing games with unfamiliar adults or peers. Findings indicate that girls and low socioeconomic status children said "thank you" spontaneously more often than boys and middle socioeconomic status children. Children said "thank you"…

Examined the speech patterns of three- to eight-year-old children. Results showed that the children most often used "ah" phenomena and unfilled pauses as do adults. "Ah" phenomena showed a significant increase with age, especially between five and six among the females. (SRT)

Native French speakers (N=56) were critical of French slang expressions spoken by French youths. A previous study found that the native speakers considered Americans' use of the same slang even less acceptable, suggesting the need for careful consideration of teaching such terms in French-language classrooms. (Author/CB)

An appellate court found that a college faculty member's use of offensive language in class was unprofessional, interfered with instruction, and not protected by principles of free speech and academic freedom. (MSE)

Describes an action research project in which primary school teachers helped their minority group students attend to the cohesive elements of texts as well as the conceptual context. (FL)

Reports findings of a study that investigated the relationship between boys' reading ability and their use of specialized linguistic features in oral story telling. Contains transcripts of stories told by some subjects in the study. (FL)