Defines "Estuary English," a fast-growing accent of British English that is spreading across England. Discusses its usage in the British business community; its acceptability and future; and its implications for business communicators, teachers, and consultants. (SR)

Argues that, in poetry where phonological patterning is dominant, some deviation from standard uses in the other linguistic systems (grammar, lexis) is inevitable. (Author/CK)

The concept of journalistic norms and recent French experience with this are reviewed. It is concluded that the press might be a reasonable arbiter between conservative institutional norms and recent rapid change in the French language. (MSE)

Examines the distribution of word-final "/z/" in New Zealand English. The article identifies three main variants of word-final "/z/": a voiced variant, a partially devoiced variant, and a voiceless variant. Findings indicate that the voiceless variant is used more often by Maori than by Pakeha New Zealanders, and that young…

Many sociolinguistic studies validate the importance of the relationship among social variables that satisfactorily explain the correlation between linguistic and social phenomena. The intersection of sex, sociocultural level, and age initiates syntactic change that first appears in the vernacular and progresses to the accepted standard. (52…

Using the case of a vernacular variety spoken on the Outer Banks of North Carolina, this article demonstrates how linguistic-systemic principles such as remorphologization, psycholinguistic principles of perceptual saliency, and sociolinguistic processes of symbolic identity converge to account for the development of leveling in this community.…

This document presents some of the issues involved in deciding on a national language for the Philippines. It is noted that the Philippines needs a national language which would be accepted by most of the forty-five million Filipinos. If the trend continues for the next five years and if the trend in the Philippines to shift Pilipino (the national…

Examines the social parameters of acceptance and spread of intervocalic spirantization of "/p/,/t/,/k/" in Tuscany to test the salience of gender and class. This sociolinguistic analysis of the interaction of three options provides a more precise understanding of the significance of gender and class as (co)-conditioners of variation and…

Focuses on improving business writing to meet the demands for greater effectiveness and less bulk. This process can proceed most effectively by addressing structure and the use of language. A modular approach can increase the effectiveness of letters as well as reports and proposals. Clarity and brevity in style will also improve modern business…

Reexamines the work of earlier scholars on the circumstances accompanying the changes in the names of the days of the week. Syntactic changes as well as the Church's struggle to eradicate the names of the pagan divinities played a great role in effecting these changes. Dual designations, full forms, and condensed ones existed side by side in some…

Discusses the consequences of "language shift through erosion" on the basis of an analysis of the gradual disappearance of Dutch as a native language in French Flanders. Sketches the theoretical language-in-contact framework, breaking down the chronological evolution into diglossic, bilingual and (almost) monolingual phases. (37…

Focuses on written business communication in a changing technological environment. The article presents the results of a questionnaire and interview study conducted among Finnish business professionals on their English business communication with special emphasis on developments in the organization, structure, and language of written…

Seeks to link the rapid pace of societal change in Hong Kong over the past 50 years with changing patterns of language use there. Shows how the country has changed demographically, economically, politically, socially, and technologically. (16 references) (Author/CK)

Evaluates methods used by New Zealand researchers on language maintenance and shift among ethnic minorities to collect data on community languages. Points out that there are many communities in that country whose patterns of language use are mostly unknown. Makes a case for the social, cultural, and educational benefits of research on community…

The third volume of this 4-volume report contains the last two speeches, on educational philosophy and the role of reason in society, from the Colloquium on the Culture of Schools held at the New School for Social Research (preceding speeches are in Vol. II, SP 003 901), reports on conferences on the culture of schools held in Pittsburgh and…