Demolinguistics is a branch of sociolinguistics observing linguistic trends as affected by population distribution and redistribution and by the status of societies. Modern communication techniques favor the spread of the 'big' languages to the disadvantage of the 'small' ones. (Text is in French.) Available from Humanities Press, Inc., Atlantic…

This paper examines historical processes in American Sign Language (ASL) and shows that there is a tendency for signs to change in the direction of arbitrariness, rather than maintaining a level of iconicity. Changes at the formational level are seen as contributing to language-internal consistency, at the expense of transparency. (Author/CLK)

A critical review of the development of case theory as put forth by N. Chomsky, C. J. Fillmore, J. M. Anderson, J. J. Robinson, and S. Starosta. (Text is in French.) (AM)

Discusses problems related to case grammar theory, including: the organizations of a case grammar; determination of semantic roles; definition and hierarchy of cases; cause-effect relations; and formalization and notation. (Text is in French.) (AM)

Advocates a reworking of lexical pedagogy with reference to the instruction of techniques of expression. (Text is in French.) (AM)

Using as an example indirect discourse in English, the article shows in detail how the introduction of "pragma-linguistic dimensions" requires a different approach from that of the traditional pedagogy, for teaching FL with communicative ability as the chief goal. Concrete teaching suggestions are given. (Text is in German.) (IFS/WGA)

This study is an attempt to combine the methods of sociolinguistic research with those of comparative education to study the language attitudes of teachers in two countries with the larger purposes of gaining insights into the teaching and learning of the mother tongue. (Author)

Examines some of the main theoretical issues at the basis of generative grammar and the ways they can be a useful theoretical frame of reference for field procedures. (SC)

The effect of three model variables on student performance of syntactic and semantic language behaviors in the absence of direct or vicarious reinforcement was examined. Subjects were sixth-grade students of both sexes attending New Mexico Schools. Half of the subjects and models were Chicanos and half were Anglos. (BJG)

Summarizes the Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis on language and thought process, along with several critical viewpoints. The writings of Koschmieder, Gipper, and Lenneberg, as well as psychological and linguistic aspects of experiments on color differentiation and conditioned response, are discussed. (Text is in German.) (DH)

Investigations show that the nature of conditions affecting motivation influences test performance more than variations in the manner of presentation or in the program strategy. These findings are considered more useful in the designing of teacher programs than reliance on a computer. (Text is in German.) (Author/AM)

This article discusses features of spoken and written language which are seldom systematically taught, and outlines a methodology for the teaching of reading comprehension. (AM)

The morphemes /-k/ and /-m/ function as nominal case endings and as verbal syntactic and derivational suffices. They are also polysemous rather than homophonous in Yavapai. Many verbal suffixes are accounted for by the referent-switching rule, indicating the subject of a verb in relation to the next highest verb. (SC)