Comments on an article that argues that the compartmentalism of structures observed in mixed languages is the result of the cumulative effect of different contact mechanisms. Discusses problems in three areas of the analyses. (Author/VWL)

Comments on an article that argues that the compartmentalism of structures observed in mixed languages is the result of the cumulative effect of different contact mechanisms. Takes issue with two points: the distinction made regarding various types of mixed languages and the characterization of secret languages as mere varieties of non-mixed…

Responds to comments by peers who reviewed an earlier article written by the author. Focuses on three principal issues raised in the commentaries: the role of study of code switching in explaining stable mixed languages, the multiplicity of the linguistic processes through which mixed languages arise, and functional methodology. (Author/VWL)

Focuses on learner development, a learner-centered innovation in foreign language-second language instruction that responds to learner diversity by aiming to improve the language learner's ability to learn a language. Describes various ideas that shaped early practice in learner development, and provides an evaluation of the theory and practice in…

Describes some stable syntactic features of Swazi English. Discusses, among others, the use of the modal auxiliary "must," the use of "as to," the conflation of the emphatic "do" with the simple past tense, and dangling modifiers. (Author/JL)

Identifies and discusses ten factors that contribute to the difficulties that language learners may have in dealing with false cognates. Provides suggestions for minimizing confusion. (Author/VWL)

Based on coexistence frequency of pairs of words or phrases, coword analysis is used to discover linkages among subjects in a research field and thus to trace the development of science. This article reviews the development of coword analysis, summarizes the advantages and disadvantages of this method, and discusses several research issues.…

Focuses on foreign language planning, or the planned changes in foreign language instructional systems and in uses of languages in different social contexts with special reference to the Nordic and Baltic countries. Special attention is given to the relationship between language planning and evaluation. (Author/VWL)

Examines how the evolution of Cantonese dialect is continually influenced by contact with English and Putonghua, as well as by the internal dynamic of language change. Concludes that the wish to preserve a Hong Kong cultural identity distinct from that of mainland China, may be a factor in also retaining a unique linguistic identity. (Author/VWL)

Examines the development of and response to world-system theory in language policy studies. Suggests a project for scholars interested in language and international structural relations that involves decentering core languages and assigning them an important, but not deterministic role in the world system. (Author/VWL)

Examines issues related to Cyprus's current sociolinguistic situation, where language is central in defining the identity of Greek Cypriots. Discusses linguistic practices of Cypriots described in various studies covering the diglossic situation in Cyprus, language and identity, attitudes toward dialect, language attitudes and how they affect…

Identifies a variable context in the use of two Galician verb forms and three Spanish verb forms used in Galician with identical modal, temporal, and aspectual values: the simple past indicative. Shows that this variation is constrained by linguistic factors, specifically pragmatic ones. (Author/VWL)

Outlines a way of dealing with vocabulary in English for academic purposes instruction in light of insights provided by empirical observation. Focusing on collocation in the context of English for special purposes (ESP), and more specifically, English for information science and technology, shows how the results of the contrastive study of lexical…

Reviews advancements in the development of conceptual frameworks for studying information behavior. Concludes that a unifying theoretical body is emerging that, beyond its user-centered core, emphasizes the contextual interplay of cognitive, social, cultural, organizational, affective, and linguistic factors and asserts that information behavior…

Examines similarities between human evolution of language and the development of child's language, including the gradual building of sentence, the use of gestures, and the introduction of symbols. Discusses principles of human uniqueness, brain development, and the internal mechanisms for language stages, and offers conclusions similar to…