A contrastive analysis of the National Language, or Standard Mandarin, and some of the major dialects of China is presented. It serves to reveal the points in the standardization process where confusion is most likely to occur. The phonological component seems to be the most problematic. Available from Humanities Press, Inc., Atlantic Highlands,…

To keep the balance between internal and external needs in a modern world regional languages should be used as the media of instruction at the elementary level. Standardized link languages should be introduced at some point in the secondary level to ease the transition from monolingualism to multilingualism. Available from Humanities Press, Inc.,…

Surveys the linguistic situation as well as the organization of foreign language instruction in the countries of Western Europe. Although linguistic diversity would serve rather than hinder mutual comprehension and cooperation, monolingualism is the usual tendency in most of the countries with the exception of Holland and Luxemburg. (Text is in…

THE COUNTRIES REPRESENTED AT THE TENTH INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF LINGUISTICS AT BUCHAREST AND THE SIXTH INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF PHONETIC SCIENCES AT PRAGUE WERE WIDELY VARIED IDEALOGICALLY, BUT THE MAJORITY OF THE PAPERS PRESENTED AT THESE 1967 CONFERENCES WERE IN A COMMON LANGUAGE--ENGLISH. WHILE THE PAPERS REFLECTED LITTLE CONCERN ABOUT THE…

A SUMMARY IS GIVEN OF EVALUATIONS MADE BY FOUR CURRICULUM COMMITTEES OF THE GERMAN, ITALIAN, RUSSIAN, AND SPANISH PROGRAMS OFFERED IN ONTARIO SECONDARY SCHOOLS. FOR EACH LANGUAGE, AN OUTLINE OF THE SPECIAL PROBLEMS PERTAINING TO THE PARTICULAR LANGUAGE, AN ASSESSMENT OF THE LATEST TEACHING AIDS, MATERIALS, AND METHODS, AND AN OUTLINE OF A PROPOSED…

The following papers on the issue of multilingualism in second language instruction are included: (1) "Problemes linguistiques dans les societes plurilingues (Linguistic Problems in Multilingual Societies)," by Amadou-Mahtar M'Bow; (2) "Aim: Multilingualism. The Dismantling of Resistance and Prejudice," by Eva Koberski; (3)…

This paper discusses the background of the language situation in Guam, comparing the findings of a 1966 survey to the present situation. Apparent changes both in the language situation and in attitudes towards language and some of the causative factors involved in the changes are discussed. The study currently underway, which utilizes informal…

The U.S. Southwest and particularly the region along the 1000-mile long U.S.-Mexican boundary, offers a ready laboratory for the observation of many phases of multilingualism and multiculturalism. The author feels, however, that the rich sociolinguistic material of the area has suffered from over-simplification and neglect. Very few synchronic…

Traces the history of sociolinguistic studies in West Germany from the early nineteenth century with Humboldt and reports on the state and purposes of sociolinguistic studies in present-day Federal Republic of Germany. Available from Liber Laeromedel, Box 1205, S-22105 Lund, Sweden (Text is in German.) (TL)

Describes a setting in which some people become bilingual and others do not, in which some languages are learned as second languages and others are not, and in which bilingualism is sometimes a creature of formal education and sometimes is not. (Author/HP)

In connection with the hypotheses of Whorf and Sapir, this article describes a test using Osgood's semantic differential technique on subjects who were monolingual speakers of English or French. The control group consisted of multilinguals. It is concluded that the experiement supports Whorf's hypothesis. (IFS/WGA)

A review of problems and prospects regarding the communicative approach to second language teaching considers learner needs, syllabi, "real" communication, teacher concerns, and future prospects. While there is a set of shared assumptions about the concept of a genuine communicative approach, there is no one specific communicative method. (CB)

The educational deficit in Guatemala, reflected in a high, chronic level of illiteracy, is only partly due to the existence of a large, multilingual Indian population. The high proportion of rural population and the ineffectiveness of the rural education program must be addressed to increase literacy in Guatemala. (Author/CB)

Juxtaposes a series of quotations from Hitler's "Mein Kampf" on such educational topics as the study of history as politics, the learning of history, and multilingualism. (JBM)

Focuses on the changes necessary in Dutch foreign language teaching policies. Cites the need for a greater differentiation of objectives in learning languages. The relevance of the European context to these policies suggests international communication as one essential goal, whether the approach involves multilingualism or a small number of…