Proposes a revision and expansion of Schumann's (1978b) model of pidginization as it relates to second language learning. A distinction is made between sociocultural aspects of the pidginization cycle and the acquisitional processes of pidginization, creolization, and decreolization. (Author/AM)

Several hypotheses are developed concerning the semantic-pragmatic shifts that take place in the development of grammatical markers such as prepositions, auxiliary verbs and sentence connectives. Over time, grammatical markers shift from being primarily referential to more pragmatic meanings, from propositional to textual to attitudinal. (PMJ)

The size of linguistic elements (morphemes, words or word groups) varies proportionately with their frequency. Because word frequency is unstable, this balance can be disturbed. When elements become too long in relation to their frequency, they are reduced. Examples from Latin illustrate the theory. (PMJ)

The necessity for stylistic appropriateness in translation as well as correct content is discussed. To acquire this skill, translators must be trained in stylistics through close examination of their own language and must have practice in translating for different audiences at different levels. (PMJ)

Discusses two basic areas of difference between British and American English, namely the complementation of certain participles and the complementation of certain verbs. Complementation after "concerned" and "interested" is illustrated by several examples taken from speech and from newspaper advertisements. (AMH)

Discusses the importance of uncovering the universal features of proper names and relating them to different naming systems. Suggests that this viewpoint may lead to an appreciation of proper names as a sociolinguistic universal and a cultural variable, beyond the particulars on which most of the literature has focused. (MES)

Proposes that metaphor and metonymy combined with cross-cultural regularities of naming-behavior are the common denominators that facilitate language change. Includes bibliographic references and notes. (PMJ)

Offers a tentative explanation for the development of the phonological processes of aspiration and deletion of syllable final and word final position /s/ in Cuban Spanish. Summarizes other explanations of this phenomenon. (PMJ)

Gives an overview of the language situation on Ponape, with reference to social structure. (AM)

Defines language awareness, examines shifts in meaning which words undergo, and discusses how this topic can be applied in education. (DD)

A wide-ranging discussion with William Labov, a sociolinguist interested in the study of nonstandard dialects, especially Black English dialect. (DD)

Explored preschoolers' inferences about language and group membership. Found preschoolers believe minorities and people with unfamiliar clothing/dwellings are more likely to speak a foreign language; do not map social group differences to language for all categories; do not derive inferences from intelligibility; and identify common property in…

Investigates variable deletion of short vowels in word-final unstressed syllables in Latvian spoken in Riga. Affected vowels were almost always inflectional endings and results indicated that internal phonological and prosodic factors (especially distance from main word stress) were the strongest constraints on vowel deletion, along with the…

Argues that statistical analysis of the potential distinctiveness of near-merged contrastive pairs must simultaneously take into account several acoustical dimensions. Discriminant analysis of the speech of five Utah speakers distinguished near-merged contrasts but not homophones, suggesting that discriminant analysis is useful in assessing…

Discusses the significance of a Wittgensteinian approach to the ethics of language for world Englishes. Focuses on the role of metaphysics in the ethics of language and on the significance of context in the moral use of language. Argues that morality lies not only in its content but also in its use. (Author/VWL)