Examines the effects of misused language--metaphors, euphemism, and prolixity--on the English language, concluding little can be done to bring about more precise usage of language as long as oral usage dominates. (RB)

This article examines the problem of the relationship between words that are classified as homonyms or as polysemes, and the relationship between these words and their environment. (Text is in French.) (AM)

This article discusses the problems involved in the study of functional load. It is proposed that a study of the dynamism of language be based solely on words containing phonemes which have varying pronunciations among speakers. (Text is in French.) (AM)

"Tilin Garcia," a novel by Cuban author Carlos Enriquez, reveals many regional expressions of the province of Camaguey, Cuba. This linguistic study of the novel examines some of the colorful vocabulary and its literal and figurative meanings. (Text is in Spanish.) (CK)

This paper proposes to give an evolutionary background to a method developed for the analysis of language seen as expression of intention and morality--the method is named "Perspective Text Analysis." The paper argues that this name indicates that beyond the physical dimension of a text there is a metaphysical one, which can be…

A study examined the effectiveness of messages to stockholders in the annual reports of four Chief Executive Officers (CEO's) representing corporations that are struggling to recover from financial losses or declining profits. The examination first considered each CEO's syntax and diction, then each CEO's awareness of audience and clarity of…

In competitive debate, a view of meaning as something that a team has a right to pre-select is inconsistent with Ludwig Wittgenstein's conception of meaning as use. The "language-linked value objection" rejects conventional value objection of identifying the negative consequences of taking a stance in the hypothetical world of the…

This dictionary contains a word list of 10,993 English-French cognates (words with the same or similar spelling and meaning in both languages), including some loan words from other languages. A systematic review of the Larousse "Dictionnaire Moderne Francais--Anglais" (1960) provided this list of cognates. Deceptive cognates, or words…

This paper discusses a cybernetic model of politeness strategies used in the process of making a request. The concept of systems, cybernetic models, and politeness strategies are reviewed, and the way they work together in the proposed model is examined. Politeness strategies are communication strategies used to change behavior enough to achieve…

Linguistic borrowing from English to Jordanian Arabic at the lexical level is described, focusing on phonology and the extent to which Jordanian Arabic has affected the phonetic structure of English loans assimilated partially or completely into it. Conspicuous distinctive sound features in the two languages that may affect non-native speakers'…

Several ways in which the speech event may constitute a frame for performing and interpreting a particular speech genre are illustrated in the Samoan "fono," a meeting of chiefs and orators. In this event, both the organization of verbal interaction and the particular kind of language used by participants is distinct from the…

The manner in which English is being nativized in Europe is examined by focusing on German English. The recent historical development of the nativization of English in Germany and the attitudes that foster this practice are described. Among the topics addressed are: (1) the effects of the expansion of English use on the German language itself, (2)…

Designed for all persons who conduct classes and for staff, administrators, and students, this booklet lays out guidelines for nonsexist communication. The booklet, intended both to raise consciousness about how sexist communication looks and sounds and to suggest nonsexist alternatives, is composed of four main sections. The first section…

In order to view the field of communication as a practical discipline, this paper examines the debate between linguistic prescriptivism (the belief that standards of correct language exist and can be warranted), and scientific linguistics (which rejects the idea of standards in the name of scientific objectivity). Following an introduction to the…

Noting that plain language laws--designed to put the consumer on a more equal footing with business and industry when signing business contracts--have become an important new kind of legislation, this paper traces the development of such legislation and the need to evaluate its effectiveness. The first section of the paper describes the federal…