An analysis of the institutional context of law suggests that, if legislation is to be both stable and flexible, institutional communicative strategies are required to organize linguistic means to these sociolinguistic ends. The nature of an Act of Parliament is used to illustrate the institutional context of law. (Author/CB)

Examines Kamsa ritual language and describes a model (based on accessibility, formalization, and efficacy) for specifying its semiotic constitution. (EKN)

The relationship between linguistic processes, cognitive activities, and social structures is explored by examining the decision-making of committees of educators deciding whether or not to place students in special education programs. Differential treatment of committee members is explained by the authority their reports gain by their language…

Discusses language shift in one community from German-Hungarian bilingualism to the exclusive use of German. Young women are further along in this direction than others. The linguistic contrast is shown to represent the social dichotomy between a newly available worker status and traditional peasant status. (Author/RM)

Differential evaluations of speech usually occur along the standard-nonstandard dimension. Standard accent rates highly in regard to status and competence but low on the dimensions of integrity and attractiveness. In a Canadian context, however, a regional standard (mainland Nova Scotia) compared favorably or equally in all dimensions to other…