It is suggested that the most widely-known estimate of English speech rates, based on the speech of radio announcers, and a comparison of English and French radio announcer speech rates do not represent a truly standard range of speech rates. An alternative range is proposed. (Author/MSE)

Describes a project to code complementation patterns of all verbs in the Collins COBUILD English language corpus, using simple notation based on words and word classes rather than traditional functional categories. This is the first pedagogic grammar to integrate syntax and lexis using corpus data. Explores the possibility of using a pattern…

A study in interlanguage pragmatics investigated the effect of three types of rejoinder (positive, negative, absent) on non-native informants' choices of strategies to perform complaints, requests, and apologies. Results show strategy choice differentially affected by rejoinder type, suggesting that findings from studies using different production…