Proposes the study of Gullah as a means of discovering the African roots of Black English. (AM)

Students improved in writing ability when the teacher emphasized the differences between oral and written language. (RL)

Outlines the history of the use of English in the Philippines. Discusses the Filipinos' reception of English and impact of English on current language policy in the Philippines. (JMF)

Describes a course designed for teachers of French to refresh their knowledge of the language, particularly from a sociolinguistic point of view. (Text is in French.) (CLK)

Discusses the problem of discrepancies between the pedagogical model of the French language traditionally used in language instruction, and the model of so-called "common French." (Text is in French.) (CLK)

This article wishes to initiate a sociolinguistic study of the linguistic behavior of migrant workers in France. The methodology proposed is to resemble that presently used by US sociolinguists in the study of American ethnic communities and include such basic concepts as "Linguistic Community" and "Language Loyalty." (Text is…

Analyzes a variety of French labeled "immigrant speech" by Nemser. Examines the method by which each immigrant worker learns this transitory dialect in order to define the requirements for teaching standard French to these workers. (Text is in French.) (TL)

Analyzes classification of "legal language," clarifying terms such as "variety,""genre,""register," and "discourse," and related issues in languages for special purposes, particularly as they apply to professions. Argues that "genre," not "register," is the most appropriate term…

Notes that few phonemes exhibit greater variance in the membership of phonemes that make up an equivalency class than the phoneme represented by /r/. Points out that the relationship between the auditory features of the speech signal and phonetic classification provides insight into a language's encoding and decoding system. (23 references)…

"Javanais" refers to a French linguistic variation, often viewed as slang, in which a word's original form is masked through affixation or displacement of sounds and syllables. Its history and linguistic theory are reviewed. Three types of javanais (verlan, infixing javanais, largonji des louchebems) are compared, and implications for…

Discusses tensions resulting from dichotomies existing between "smaller" languages and those of wider communications. It is suggested that there are four recurring approaches for dealing with this tension: communicative language shift, defense of the more threatened variety, "localization" of the stronger language (for example,…

Offers evidence that contradicts the idea of a relatively homogeneous North American dialect area in which vowel systems remain fairly stable. The article examines back vowel fronting in Canadian English and its relationship to the shift affecting the front lax vowels, as well as to the general principles of vowel chain shifting. (29 references)…

Focuses on factors governing the choice of relative markers in restrictive relative clauses with relativized subjects from the 16th century to the present, using spoken and written data and including non-standard and regional varieties. The study addresses claims by Romaine (1982) that the "wh"-strategy has not affected spoken English,…

Examines variation in the quotative system of a group of 23 preadolescents. Explores how variation in reported speech is used particularly by female speakers in their creation of performed narratives, which communicate affective involvement with retold events, and simultaneously seek the engagement of addressees who are invited by way of…