Examines the history of the filibuster, particularly the ways in which the discourse surrounding attempts to eliminate the filibuster exemplify certain fundamental contradictions in American political mythology. Concludes that popular democracy and the American form of republican government are as contradictory as they are collaborative. Sees the…

Reviews the theories of the founder of "general semantics," Alfred Korzybski, who believed that social conflict would be reduced by the study of how the structure of language affects our perceptions of the world and by the development of new language habits to overcome the limitations of verbal symbols. (Editor/SJL)

Documents the evolution of the Dutch and French languages. Policy and planning initiatives for both languages are discussed, and organizations responsible for planning initiatives for each language are described. (DJD)

Recounts the history of interest in developing Esperanto as a lingua franca for international law and diplomacy, beginning with Zamenhof's development of Esperanto and proceeding through the development of a lexicon for the language and through its application to legal issues. Prospects for the future of Esperanto are discussed. (DJD)

Describes an international dialogue project based at the University of Lund, Sweden. The project amassed over 100 video-taped interviews with academics in geography and related fields. The tapes have potential for teachers wishing to explore the oral history of geography, the role of language and social structures in shaping research, and cultural…

An intricate analysis of the historical, military, and economic interdependence of language, religion, and state is presented, and the role of the vernacular tongue within the context of social structure is examined. (LH)

Demonstrates that literacy practices may be more usefully viewed when situated in the larger contexts within which they exist. Examines the impact of social, cultural, and linguistic factors on oral reading in China's elementary schools. (SR)

Considers the right students have to the use of their own idiom in the classroom. Gives a historical overview of the 1974 "Students' Right" document prepared by the Conference on College Composition and Communication. Calls for a new view of language among English teachers. (HB)

Explains that analysis of leading ideas in 20th century engineering writing textbooks and other primary sources demonstrates that disciplinary discourse conventions develop from an intricate nexus of human motivations, beliefs, and social activity. Explores currents in American social and intellectual history that explain this complex view of…