This paper focuses on the roles and functions that English based vernaculars play in contemporary society and reviews literature pertinent to that topic. Areas considered include (1) societal behavior toward language, (2) language as a group marker, and (3) the contextual parameters of language use. In the discussion of societal behavior toward…

A typology of Pacific countries is attempted based on economic systems and degree of socioeconomic development using various indicators (per capita income, literacy, life span). Dimensions of language are then grafted onto these grids and an attempt is made to qualitatively correlate socioeconomic development with various manifestations of…

For the second language student, proficiency is a measure of what tasks can be accomplished with acquired language and how well they can be accomplished. The necessity for specification of functional proficiency arose, and resulted in the publication of guidelines by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL)'s guidelines…

The importance of faculty development programs involving coordination between institutions of higher education and elementary and secondary schools is discussed. High school language teachers often express an interest in tailoring their courses to foreign language study at the college level. Such coordination requires mutual understanding about…

The concluding conference of the Council for Cultural Cooperation's Project on Foreign Languages is summarized according to the following framework: (1) the aims, the principle themes discussed at the conference, and the general results; (2) the considerations, proposals, and needs that were identified by the conference and the working groups; (3)…

The use of holistic cognitive style in black language is discussed in this paper. Two types of cognitive style, analytic and holistic, are identified. Holistic thinkers are described as socially oriented while analytical thinkers are characterized as task oriented. Evidence is given to support the claim that blacks tend to be holistic thinkers and…

The 75th anniversary of a city honored among other things for its role in the revival of the Hebrew language is an appropriate occasion to remind ourselves of the complex effects of language policy on education. In choosing to establish Hebrew as its standard language, Israel was working to proclaim both present and historical unity. The rapidity…

The Modern Languages Project group devoted to language teaching and learning with respect to migrants conducted its work against the background of the fundamental principles of the Council of Europe. The principles are the following: a learner-centered approach, learner autonomy, flexibility, communicative competence, and treating the learner as a…

In formulating an official language policy, a country must consider cultural, social, political and economic factors. Alternative policies on language instruction can be categorized into three groups: 1) subordination of the home language to the country's dominant language; 2) bilingual maintenance through the simultaneous provision of instruction…

Linguists have recognized the need for appropriateness, sincerity, non-obviousness, and cooperation between speakers in naturally occurring conversation. It is assumed that the speakers listen to each other and in some sense "care" about one another at the time of interaction. In the second language classroom such a sense of mutual concern may not…

This paper notes the progress made in many countries towards the use of two or three languages in children's education. It is recommended that bilingual education focus on more than linguistic activities and include the study of the history and culture of all languages involved. This combination of bilingual and bicultural education aids in…

Problems faced by Koreans in the United States are identified and analyzed in this paper, and some pragmatic remedies are offered. First, the acculturation process is slow--the mean of the Koreans' sojourn in the United States is only 6.5 years, whereas complete acculturation takes several generations. Second, although most Korean emigres learned…

Cultural differences are very much a part of international trade and global competition and companies which are currently in, or would like to engage in, international trade must be willing to adapt to foreign cultures with a firm understanding of national and individual environmental factors. Successful intercultural communication includes an…

This narrative recommends a communication design for educators to use during a variety of interactions. The strategy consists of nine components: (1) greeting/introduction (the speaker's introductory remarks should establish physical comfort, a pleasant feeling, and a professional tone); (2) anticipatory set (establishing a mind set for content to…

The language of hearing impaired students differs from that of their hearing peers, and can affect their ability to comprehend printed material. Language can be defined as the knowledge of the integration of semantics, syntax, and pragmatics. Hearing impaired children will have difficulty in acquiring language at a normal developmental rate…