This research examined how linguistic differences between African American English (AAE) and Mainstream American English (MAE) impact how children process sentences and learn new information. The central hypothesis of this dissertation is that these linguistic differences adversely impact how AAE-speaking children use contrastive inflectional verb…

Syntactic priming studies in second language (L2) have contributed to understanding how L2 speakers' syntactic knowledge is represented and processed. However, little is known about social influences on L2 speakers' syntactic processing and learning. The present study investigated whether L2 speakers' syntactic priming is influenced by social…

In today's complex, multicultural world, discourses and language vernaculars are more diverse than ever. Educational institutions often privilege the historically dominant vernacular (such as white middle-class English which is sometimes called "Standard English"). This language bias disadvantages students form working class and…

Examines the effects of misused language--metaphors, euphemism, and prolixity--on the English language, concluding little can be done to bring about more precise usage of language as long as oral usage dominates. (RB)

While an aroused public applauds the exposure of civic corruption and environmental pollution, neither the public at large nor officialdom has any concern with the corruption and pollution of language except to contribute to it. (Author)

Analysis of the major changes and shifts of American English personal pronouns, possessive adjectives, and archaic forms concludes that: (1) an anaphoric pronoun unmarked as to gender is being created by usage; and (2) clear, grammatical, pronominal plurality is sought, but not at the expense of unmarked gender. (CB)

Discussed the crucial meanings and usage of American language. (RK)

To provide an authority on usage, this book presents an analysis of the treatment of American English as it appears in a number of dictionaries and usage guides. The first chapter presents brief sketches of the usage guides and studies that provided the basis for this compilation and discusses the organization of the book. After a resume of the…

To understand decisions made concerning language usage in "Webster's Third New International Dictionary," it is necessary to realize what standard usage is and how it changes. The definition of standard usage, given in 1932, as that language used by well-educated persons remains valid and depends more and more on professional writers for guidance.…

If we can change unconscious imitation of models into conscious decision-making of preferred speech, we will have made a sizeable advance in the whole matter of speech usage. (Author/MB)

This paper traces the history of changing attitudes toward American English. Two approaches to language policy have always been present, the conservative one, which considers British English the only acceptable standard, and the liberal, which favors American English. (CFM)

The history of efforts to agree upon standard English usage is outlined here, with particular attention to the role of the National Council of Teachers of English. Controversy among teachers often meets the Council's attempts at reform. Efforts to balance policy between standard spoken usage and individual dialects are noted. (CHK)

Reviews work in lexicology under the headings of General Studies, Special Vocabularies. Registering Neologisms, Analysis and Interpretation, and Prospects. Journal Availability: see FL 511 726. (KM)

Outlines the influence of American English on British English, especially as it applies to the forming and usage of word compounds. (DS)