Argues that Australians from different ethnic backgrounds are not a threat to cohesion as long as they share the overarching values which are reflected in Australia's democracy, economic system, legal institutions, and in Engish as the common language of communication. Discusses the Greek-Australian tradition of family life. (SED)

Illustrates some of the difficulties inherent in bilingual education, including inadequate appraisal of matters such as ethnicity, cultural pluralism, and language maintenance and shift. The paper suggests that bilingual education and its implications must be considered in the broadest possible sociocultural perspectives. (Author/PJM)

Two sociocultural value clusters that predict an English-as-a-Second-language and an English-as-a-Foreign-Language approach are juxtaposed, respectively, to English language acquisition management. The two approaches are described in educational terms and related to the changing functions of English in the world and to national language…

Discusses a study on bilingualism and factors of ethnic identity in Saare/Tsaragi, a border area in Nigeria where two languages are used regularly. Interviews elicited information on language ability and use, language attitudes, and interethnic relations. Results indicate similar patterns between groups of bilingual ability and attitudes but…

Examines the interactional sociolinguists' treatment of context and its contribution to understanding how sociocultural information enters into the interpretation of intent and evaluation of motives and abilities. Negative perceptions of Zulus by White "gatekeepers" are explained in terms of interactional asynchrony stemming from…

Examines factors underlying the disappearance of Native American languages, examines success stories of language maintenance, and offers possible solutions to the problem of the disappearance of these minority languages and the accompanying loss of cultural identity. (20 references) (Author/CK)