Almost every discussion of technical or scientific writing style mentions the passive voice as a stylistic choice to avoid. However, the passive voice does have legitimate uses in technical and scientific writing--the problem is to define the appropriate or effective uses and the inappropriate or ineffective ones. An examination of passive voice…

THIS PRONOUNCING DICTIONARY IS INTENDED PRIMARILY FOR AMERICANS STUDYING MODERN NORWEGIAN. IT IS THE FIRST DICTIONARY TO INCLUDE BOTH FORMS OF NORWEGIAN, "BOKMAL" ("RIKSMAL," DANO-NORWEGIAN) AND "NYNORSK" ("LANDSMAL," NEW NORWEGIAN) IN ONE ALPHABET, AND THE FIRST NORWEGIAN-ENGLISH DICTIONARY TO INCLUDE…

In Black English (BE), in addition to the motion verb "come," there exists a modal-like "come" which expresses speaker indignation. This "come" is comparable to other modal-like forms, identical to motion verbs, which occur in Black and non-Black varieties of English, and which signal various degrees of disapproval.…

While it is fashionable to use the semantic pun in advertising (for example, the meaning extension in "dollars and sense"), a lot of this humor slips past the American reader; not only unintentional bloopers that get past the proofreader but also intentional puns that escape the audience. Advertising humor has other pitfalls as well--the…

This paper discusses the nature of the relationship between grammar and pragmatics--specifically, between the rules of a language and the principles for using language. It argues that knowledge of language itself plays a small, primarily enabling part in people's ability to communicate effectively and that a large share of communicative competence…

A general semantics perspective of science fiction writer A. E. van Vogt is presented in this paper. The first major section of the paper contains a biographical sketch of van Vogt and traces the influence of A. Korzybski's work on general semantics, "Science and Sanity," on his writing, while the second major section provides an…

By giving assignments to children in a field that inquires into the nature of language use, teachers can help enhance their total language development and sensitivity to language. To be most effective, such projects should involve children working interactively in groups; should require considerable time to complete and involve the solving of…

Data from referential communication studies with children four, five, and seven years old were examined with respect to metaphorical productions. Speakers in the task were 24 "primed" four-year-old children and 72 "nonprimed" four-, five-, and seven-year-old children equally divided by age. Priming consisted of asking questions that would elicit…

The principal claim of this paper is that the Japanese passive consists of two different constructions, each derived from a distinct deep structure and each having associated with it a distinct set of syntactic and semantic properties. One of these constructions, the "adversative passive," implies that the grammatical subject of the…

A "good" book may be defined as a book that is rich and dense in texture and that draws on many authorial resources. This paper demonstrates the way in which richness in word usage contributes to making books good. It discusses the way in which words are emotionally charged and then analyzes the use of individual words in a brief portion…

This paper provides a brief but broad review of studies in semantics. Particular attention is given to I.A. Richards' analyses of utterances, to value statements which express moral or ethical judgments, and to recent efforts to formulate a logic of contextual implication. J.L. Austin's analysis of performative, or illocutionary, utterances and…

As a means of revitalizing the drill (still the most convenient technique of practicing skills in such subjects as grammar and punctuation), the content of exercises should be reworked to (1) motivate the student to complete the drill carefully through stressing reasons for correct English usage, (2) facilitate proper mental attitudes by making…

The teaching of English in the United Kingdom has undergone change during the last decade and is presently in a state of flux. Current language concerns, mainly involving students 11-18 years old, may be viewed in three ways. Students' use of language should be encouraged in the classroom through expressive talk but with teacher guidance and…