The role of language contact in linguistic change remains a polemic issue in the field of contact linguistics. Many researchers (Weinreich, 1953; Lefebvre, 1985; Prince, 1988; Silva-Corvalan, 1994; King, 2000; Sankoff, 2002; Labov, 2007) believe that there are limits on the types of linguistic patterns that can be transmitted across languages,…

Argues against the continuing use in the English language of male terms to refer generically to all human beings. Analyzes reasons for resistance to linguistic change and evaluates future prospects for change. (GC)

Some answers to the question of why one cultural pattern is transmitted while another is not, and a consideration of the process of cultural transmission and acquisition, are provided in this examination of the cultural and linguistic situation of the Filipino American population of the Milwaukee, Wisconsin, area. The discussion is divided into…

Examines the similarities between British Sign Language and West Indian Creole, both in their social development and structural similarity. Pertinent educational implications are discussed. (EKN)

Contrasts Japanese language habits with Western language habits, asserting that Japanese need to speak more concisely, express themselves clearly and frankly, and eliminate superfluous polite language and preliminaries in order to be successful in the efficiency-oriented civilization that is a product of Western culture. (RAE)

Excoriates those who resist attempts to remove sexism from English, singling out critic John Simon as particularly offensive. (JL)

Describes the ubiquitous and insidious nature of oxymorons to raise awareness level vis-a-vis oxymorons. Indicates the potential detrimental effects of the use--intended or unintended--of oxymorons in business communication. Addresses seven points that attempt to articulate these dangers. (JD)

The purpose of this article is to briefly review recent findings on Ontarian French; to refute claims that it is not an authentic French dialect; and to examine some of the implications these findings may have for French language instruction in Ontario. (Author/SJL)

The conciseness and "ease of use" often attributed to North American English relative to French in standard contemporary usage is explained in terms of English morpho-syntactic structure and of the values of the classical norm and rhetoric affecting French. (Author/MSE)

As a powerful tool for education, language informs, influences, discloses, and communicates. Research on the use of language has found that it also discriminates. Among the different manifestations of sexism in language are (1) the use of "he" as a generic pronoun; (2) the "generic" use of "man" as an exclusively male referent; (3) the use of "you…

Demonstrates that, in order to introduce students to literature, language must be examined as to the way it conveys messages. Relates the use of literary language to more normal uses. (NKA)

Discusses issues in the role of non-native English variants as an endonormative standard in non-English-speaking countries, including the status of innovations in the nativization process, continued use of normative standards as a point of reference, ambivalence between recognition and acceptance of non-native norms, adequacy of pedagogical…

Gender is a structure of language and an attendant attribute for each noun and all of its immediate qualifiers, providing a set of categories into which the nouns of languages are divided. Through the phenomenon of concord, verbs, adjectives, and articles are made to agree with nouns in gender, person, number, and case. Gender classifies language…

Discusses the idea that for many Black adolescents the use of creole is an assertion of identity and cultural difference. Examines the use of and attitudes toward creole by both Black and White adolescents in London. (EKN)

An excerpt from the resolution of the executive committee of the Conference on College Composition and Communication, which espouses the view that no variety or dialect of a language is intrinsically superior to any other, is presented. Implications for teaching standard and nonstandard dialects are discussed. (KC)