Communication in written and oral discourse can be enhanced by cohesive devices, linguistic structures independent of grammar. One cohesive device is that of enumeration or listing. In French, the means of expressing enumeration include such structures as: "avant...puis.../d'une part...d'autre part.../enfin.../ensuite..." and in idiolectal use,…

Deviation for native-speaker norms in non-native varieties of English are often regarded as interlanguage features which must either be weeded out through teaching or which the learner will eventually abandon as his competency moves in the direction of the target language. It is argued in this paper that some deviations are motivated by style,…

Three questions in the application of native-language sociolinguistic theories to second language contexts are addressed: (1) Is transfer always a psycholinguistic process of interlingual overgeneralization? (2) Does attention to speech underlie all style shifting? (3) Is H. Giles' Speech Accommodation Theory adequate to explain all purposeful…

This paper focuses on an important aspect of second language acquisition, namely, the complex set of modifications in the rules governing the forms and functions of the new language that are required by specific sociocultural contexts. These adjustments in language, or shifts in register, play a crucial role in interpreting utterances for social…

The place of poetry in teaching English as a foreign language (EFL) and the role of linguistics are considered. It is suggested that poetry teaching has a place in advanced EFL learners' progreams as a means of extending the learners' knowledge of the language and increasing their sense of appropriateness and sensitivity to language use. The value…

Proposes a framework for foreign language testing that consists of several different types of speech interactions. The interactions are assessed with rating scales whose criteria vary according to the intended use of the test results. The framework is evaluated in terms of reliability and validity. A sample oral test is given. (Author/DJD)

A major change in British language teaching is in emphasizing the use of language; knowledge of rules and vocabulary is insufficient if a student cannot communicate. This paper discusses five ways in which this idea is being introduced: in language functions, discourse, testing, reading and teaching in the foreign language. (CHK)

Describes a study designed to examine native speakers' reactions to errors contained in compositions written by advanced Spanish students, as a measure of error seriousness and a guide for selective correction. Suggests that errors interfering with comprehension should be eliminated first, followed by those that elicit negative reactions from…

Explores the genre of the post graduate research proposal as an institutional requirement for international graduate students in an Australian university. Following a survey of attitudes and practices of supervisors, reflects on the political and social dimensions of the role of English for academic purposes (EAP) teachers and reconceptualizes EAP…

Describes a workshop for teachers in rural Thailand to consider new perspectives in teaching writing in English. Teachers were participants in a certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign language (TEFL) program course sponsored by the Canadian International Development Agency. The genre approach to writing is proposed as a way of helping…

Examined a model in which perceptions of autonomy support and informative feedback from teachers sustain generalized feelings of autonomy and competence in language learning Followed up on an earlier study by examining how integrative orientation relates to intrinsic and extrinsic orientations, which in turn support feelings of intrinsic…

Applies a functional perspective to examine aspects of lexical style in English-language Indian newspapers and to explore the dynamics of Indian nativization of English. Findings reveal that the sociocultural constraints of the native situation significantly affect lexicology, with variations influenced more by situations than by language…

Suggests that because the new methodological emphasis in intermediate-level foreign-0language courses has shifted from translation-based learning, which utilized literary texts extensively, to communication-based learning, literature has been overlooked as a viable tool of instruction. Argues that this shift does not allow students to develop an…

Describes an exercise of parallel text analysis or production in German as a foreign language, which demonstrates to the students that contextual factors influence the selection of specific variants. The variants must be chosen out of so-called macroprogrammes. A macroprogramme lists the linguistic and extralinguistic means a language offers to…

Reports on an empirical study of the politeness strategies in Chinese business correspondence and considers its implications in teaching business Chinese. The study investigated 20 examples of business correspondence by native speakers of Chinese. By analyzing linguistic/stylistic features of the letters in two predesigned situations, the study…