The conceptualization of teacher education as a socialization process focuses attention on the more covert aspects of professional development such as self-esteem and confidence. Using the Coulter/Elsworth semantic differential instrument, this study measured shifts in student teacher professional self-perception in order to evaluate the…

Presents three studies which examined adults' and preschoolers' sensitivity to implicit causality in interpersonal verbs. Findings suggest that the scenes concerning the causes and consequences of interpersonal events can readily be activated in the process of understanding these verbs. This finding holds true for both preschoolers and adults.…

The verbs in Gougenheim's Basic Dictionary are regrouped according to three classifications (synonyms, antonyms, and association) and organized according to semantic fields. Exercises designed to emphasize these relationships are suggested. (MSE)

Aspects of syntax, semantics, morphology, and vocabulary that would be helpful in teaching elementary French slang are outlined briefly. (MSE)

The consistency of factor structure of Osgood's semantic differential was examined in three different adult samples, aged 18 to 87. Three different concepts were used: the University of West Florida, Myself, and Death. Results indicated consistency for the evaluation factor and moderate consistency for potency and activity. (Author/GDC)

Describes a study that tested deaf and hearing readers' sensitivity to the morphological structure of English words by using a lexical decision (word/non-word classification) task. Results indicate that despite prelingual and profound hearing impairment, it is possible to acquire a sensitivity to the morphophonological structure of English words.…

Discusses research which suggests that language learning occurs by learning the regularities inherent in the semantic system and not by learning any regularities present in the syntax system. (EKN)

Recent developments in cognitive science are assessed as challenge to well established view in philosophy of linguistics that meaning is inherent to language and is relatively fixed. Information provided by words and sentences, language comprehension, constructions of interpretations (not meanings), and arguments against relativism are discussed.…

There is little use spending time and money implementing multicultural programs which have little or no effect. Discussed are two techniques, the sociometric test and the semantic differential, which can be used by teachers to evaluate the effectiveness of their efforts to reduce or perhaps eliminate prejudice and discrimination. (RM)

Considers question of appropriate translation of English gerund into Spanish. While English has two distinct constructions, the gerund and the clause (tensed or infinitive), Spanish has both types of clauses but no comparable use of the gerund. Suggests that English gerund be translated into Spanish not by a bare clause, but instead by the…

Investigated the hypotheses that language-impaired children produce fewer logical propositions per utterance and evidence less control of formal syntactic markers. Matched for mean length of utterance, language samples from 10 language-impaired children approximately five years of age and 10 normal children about three years of age were analyzed.…

Examines some of the early uses of instrumental nouns unaccompanied by prepositions and considers the various meanings they conveyed, in order to show the kinds of changes they have undergone. A number of nominal forms have been adverbialized, and some have been replaced by prepositional phrases or other grammatical constructions. (SL)

Used 12 bipolar adjectives to assess perceptions of 41 counseling students who rated themselves as counselors. Pretest and posttest ratings showed trainees' self-perceptions changed positively on evaluative, potency and activity dimensions during their initial skills training. The semantic differential technique was sensitive to changes in…

The acquisition of verbs may be more difficult than noun acquisition because verbs encode information that is inherently less stable and more ephemeral. A sorting-strategies method was utilized to analyze young children's acquisition of verb meaning. (DF)

Investigates the extent to which children develop the ability to comprehend and explain literal and idiomatic meanings as a function of age and sex. (EKN)