Forty normal children aged 3 and-one-half to 5 and-one-half were tested on the pronunciation of initial /-1/, /-r/, and /s-/ clusters in 120 words, occurring 36, 48, and 42 times, respectively; other phonemes in the cluster occurred from 6 to 18 times. Articulation errors of individual subjects were examined for evidence of (1) degree and type of…

This paper summarizes a number of generalizations concerning the vowels used in a dialect of English spoken in northwest Arkansas. The generalizations are in the form of ordered rules in line with theories of generative grammar. The concept of an underlying system of diaphonemes is used, similar to that of Rudolph Troike. The primary focus is on…

The relationship between the ability of elementary pupils to blend phonemes in nonsense syllables and their silent reading achievement was examined. An original test designed to measure phoneme blending of nonsense syllables was administered to 252 boys and girls randomly selected from grades 1 through 6 and from a wide ethnic and socioeconomic…

Developed by the Oregon Elementary English Project, this curriculum unit intended for grades three and four aims to (1) help students become aware of some of the sounds of the language; (2) help students discover how some of these sounds are pronounced; and (3) help students understand that with a limited number of sounds they can produce an…

This article intends to shed light on the somewhat nebulous term "basis of articulation," which is used frequently in Eastern European phonetic and linguistic literature but highly neglected in contemporary American literature. In a historical approach, it is shown how the term originated and developed, how it is defined by various authors, and…

A SIMPLE, INEXPENSIVE, AND LARGELY SELF-INSTRUCTIONAL LANGUAGE PROGRAM WAS ESTABLISHED AND EVALUATED FOR FIVE ACADEMIC QUARTERS AT KALAMAZOO COLLEGE IN MICHIGAN. THE PROGRAM WAS CALLED THE "NEGLECTED LANGUAGE PROGRAM" (NLP) AND OFFERED INSTRUCTION IN MANDARIN CHINESE, JAPANESE, HINDI-URDU, PERSIAN, SWAHILI, AND BRAZILIAN PORTUGUESE. ITS…

THE LESSON MATERIAL OF THIS TEXT COMPRISES THE FIRST UNITS, ABOUT ONE-THIRD, OF A NEW COURSE IN ELEMENTARY CHINESE. THE CHIEF AIM OF THE MATERIAL IS TO PROVIDE DRILLS TO ENABLE A STUDENT TO ACQUIRE AN ACTIVE FACILITY IN SPOKEN CHINESE. EACH LESSON UNIT CONTAINS (1) CONVERSATIONAL PHRASES AND DIALOGS, (2) SUPPLEMENTARY VOCABULARY, AND (3)…

Some discussion concerning standard spoken language usage is followed by advice to teachers. Course organization and lesson plans are sketched. Drill possibilities are discussed, using as examples certain difficulties in the pronunciation of English. (Text is in German.) (IFS/WGA)

Describes a prototype electronic device that may be used in the classroom or in the laboratory to display pedagogical models and student articulations of target language sounds simultaneously. (Author/AM)

Analyzes the physiological, acoustic, and auditory reasons for errors in the pronunciation of French nasal vowels by students, and suggests techniques for overcoming the difficulties identified. (AM)

A study is reported investigating the average American's attitude toward faultless English spoken with a foreign accent. The results seem to indicate that the attitude is negative. The possibility is suggested of a link between this attitude and the unpopularity of foreign language study in the United States. (Author/RM)

Certain concepts of redundancy at the phonological level are mistaken or misapplied. Three "fallacies" ("string of beads," vowel redundancy, and single error) of the nature of redundancy are explored. Although learners should be sensitized to other varieties of English, teachers should also provide a model of pronunciation that conforms to a…

Neurophysiological aspects of the development and use of accents in language are considered, including the function of age of the second language learner, left brain hemisphere, language tasks, and other neuroanatomical considerations. (CB)

Results of two experiments investigating phonological skills of illiterate, unschooled adults and formerly illiterate, unschooled adults from shantytowns in Portugal suggest that learning to read, though not strictly necessary, plays a decisive role in the development of the ability of many individuals to focus on phonological length of…

A study examined the effect of age of arrival, length of years in an English-speaking country, and linguistic context on the pronunciation of 29 adult learners of English as a second language. Unexpectedly, pronunciation ratings were nearly identical for both retelling a personal trauma and for reading aloud. (MSE)