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Stein, Gabriele – IRAL, 1991
Analysis of the differences in use and meaning of simple verb phrases ("to look") and nominalized phrases ("to have a look") points out that such constructions are not semantically empty, light, or weak, because these structures introduce meanings that are uniquely determined by the basic sense of the verb in question. (40 references) (CB)
Descriptors: English, Language Patterns, Phrase Structure, Semantics
Mair, Christine – IRAL, 1988
Discusses the secondary convergence (convergence which is not attributable to common heritage) occurring with English and German complement clauses. Independently, the two languages have developed a structural type of subject clause that enables speakers to avoid committing themselves as to whether the state of affairs they're referring to is a…
Descriptors: Contrastive Linguistics, English, German, Language Patterns
Meier, Gerhard E. H. – IRAL, 1989
Analysis of the structural, semantic, and textual aspects of a corpus of 330 English examples of the postpositive conjunctions "though,""as," and "that" focuses on concessive clauses, clauses of reason, clauses of manner, and clauses with postpositive conjunctions and normal clauses. (CB)
Descriptors: Conjunctions, Distinctive Features (Language), English, Language Patterns
Standwell, G. J. – IRAL, 1997
Analysis of English articles use patterns found the definite article (DA) used far less than in other European languages. Generic DA use is rare in English, generally only used where the head noun has already been referred to or is contextually unique. Otherwise, the indefinite article, a possessive, or plural of the noun without an article must…
Descriptors: Contrastive Linguistics, Determiners (Languages), English, Language Patterns
McLure, Roger; Reed, Paul – IRAL, 1988
Explores unformalized problems arising from different linguistic representations and non-representations of the categorical distinction between the real and unreal in French and in English. Because the different sensitivities to these oppositions are not acknowledged by manuals and not formalized by dictionary examples of usage, the differences…
Descriptors: English, Error Analysis (Language), French, Language Patterns
Anani, Mohammad – IRAL, 1988
Studies the variety of Arabic imperative sentences seen as a result of interrelated sets of choices from a limited number of binary systems, and accounts for their occurrence in certain situations. Relevant features of Arabic imperative structures are compared with their nearest English equivalents. (CB)
Descriptors: Arabic, Distinctive Features (Language), English, Language Patterns
Banks, David – IRAL, 1990
The analysis of 2,369 finite clauses in 11 English-language academic articles on oceanography attempts to establish the semantic characteristics of "by" phrases as a step toward understanding the circumstances in which authors were likely to use the prepositional phrase following a passive verb form. (CB)
Descriptors: English, Language Patterns, Phrase Structure, Prepositions
Thomas, Andrew L. – IRAL, 1987
Describes rules for the use and interpretation of "verbally determinate ellipsis" involving the English verb group. Discussion covers: verbal determinacy and indeterminacy; verb group vs. verb phrase; the verb group as a five-part system; verb group echoing vs. auxiliary contrasting ellipsis; passive auxiliary; interpretation rules;…
Descriptors: Applied Linguistics, English, Grammar, Language Patterns
Gonzalez-Bueno, Manuela – IRAL, 1997
A study found that, when temporal characteristics of stops in a Spanish utterance by a native English-speaker were computer-manipulated, native Spanish-speakers' perceptions of the foreignness of the speech were affected. Results imply that Spanish language instruction should include instruction to shorten stops to more Spanish-like values,…
Descriptors: Computer Assisted Instruction, English, Language Patterns, Language Research
Loffler-Laurian, Anne-Marie – IRAL, 1987
Describes a study that attempts to systematize the criteria required for accurate translations of technical documents. The results of a Linguistic Appreciation Questionnaire-Test, administered to 19 professional translators, were used to categorize the most common translation variables: style, structure, rhythm, and meaning of text in the hope of…
Descriptors: Deep Structure, English, French, Interpretive Skills
McLure, Roger; Reed, Paul – IRAL, 1997
Examines why the French verb of motion "passer" is used so much more widely in French than its English cognate "pass" is in English and identifies features of "passer" that distinguish it from similar motion verbs in French, concluding that the key is its relatively neutral semantic content. English avoids the…
Descriptors: Classroom Techniques, Comparative Analysis, Contrastive Linguistics, English