This dissertation explores the semantics and syntax of switch-reference (SR). It makes novel generalizations about the phenomenon based on two empirical sources: A broad, cross-linguistic survey of descriptive reports, and semantic fieldwork that narrowly targets the Kiowa language of Oklahoma. It shows that previous attempts at formalizing…

The study was to investigate the vague words measurement across native and non-native English speakers and gender differences. Ninety-two students from the University of Oklahoma participated in this study by filling out an internet-based questionnaire on the vague words. The researchers put each of the thirty-two vague words in a context, or the…

This article uses data from the random sample telephone survey portion of the Survey of Oklahoma Dialects to explore the spatial diffusion of linguistic innovations in Oklahoma. The data show that, although some linguistic innovations diffuse hierarchically, others diffuse contrahierarchically, whereas still others diffuse in complex patterns that…

THE WRITTEN AND SPOKEN LANGUAGE STRUCTURE OF FOURTH- AND SIXTH-GRADERS WAS ANALYZED TO DETERMINE THE INFLUENCE OF CERTAIN VARIABLES. DATA WERE OBTAINED FOR 300 CHILDREN WHO WERE ORGANIZED INTO 3 GROUPS--WHITE CHILDREN IN GRADES 4 AND 6, AND NEGRO CHILDREN IN GRADE 4. COMPARISONS WERE MADE BETWEEN THE LANGUAGE OF THE GROUPS, TYPES, SEX, GRADES,…