This paper, based on the analysis of forty oral and forty written personal experience narratives elicited from the same subjects for two different audiences, explores the shaping of participant reference with respect to considerations of audience and the effect of modality. The discussion first focuses on the impact of cognitive constraints on the…

The so-called deviant character of a set of non-native texts is examined by looking closely at how sentence syntax realizes and affects textual functions. Two broad groups of syntactic phenomena are considered: subordination and "marked structures," such as passives and clefts. Emphasis in this paper is on the following four ways in which syntax…

In order to investigate relationships between spoken and written language knowledge at a phonological level, linguistic theories of syllable structure that treat initial consonant clusters as units are first discussed. Second, experimental evidence is presented suggesting that analysis of initial clusters is difficult for both children and adults…

The simplified documents produced by the British and Rhodesian governments to explain the settlement proposals to Africans are compared in terms of syntactic complexity and lexical choice, and in terms of the audience to which the documents are addressed. (Author/RM)

Discusses nonstandard dialects, particularly Black English, in the classroom. (RM)

The question of whether apparent similarity of two languages really facilitates the learning process is raised. Linguistic and pedagogical problems involved in the instruction of languages which resemble each other are discussed. (Text is in French.) (TL)

The Gregg shorthand system is founded on formal and theoretical principles originating in the structure of the English language. An analysis of some aspects of the formal code of this system illuminates some interrelationships between the verbal and the written sign. (CHK)

Confirms the hypothesis that individuals with high apprehension of writing encoded significantly less intense messages than did those with low apprehension. (RB)

English classes should develop the use of good English in student compositions, which should in turn influence student morality. (JH)

Discusses two radically opposed theories about written and spoken language. The first states that the written word is the most perfect form of expression. According to the second concept, written language is viewed as the inaccurate translation of spoken language. (Text is in French.) (PMP)

A syntactic density instrument was devised to determine how children use specific syntactic structures in their oral and written language. (JH)

Describes analysis made of the results of candidates in 1973 Mode 1 examination in French of the North Western Secondary School Examinations Board which showed that less able language students performed disproportionately badly on tests of written self-expression. Implications for teacher and examiner are discussed. (RM)

An analysis of non-Arabic words used in two Kuwaiti daily newspapers reveals that (1) the newspapers often use loan words instead of their Arabic equivalents to emphasize that they are discussing something European; (2) the number and frequency of loan words relating to objects of daily use are much greater than those of abstract and technical…

In addition to presenting the results of analyses of written texts from a linguistic perspective, this book proposes productive methods for discourse analysis and identifies new directions for work on written communication. The studies presented in the book illustrate the importance of text linguistics and discourse analysis for research on…