Argues that English has no future tense, but instead uses the modals "will" or "shall" or "be going to" to indicate a futurity that is an expression of present or past intention, prediction, or expectation. Suggests the myth of future tense provides a false sense of certitude about the future equivalent to the certitude about the past and present.…

Responds to an article by Lauver, Holiman, and Kazama (1982) in which the authors decry the use of the "rhetoric of warfare" as a metaphor for counseling process. Reiterates the power of symbolism and the importance of the considered use of language, drawing support from linguistic theory. (BH)

Argues that pragmatics should expand its research interest to include not only the study of how speakers perform speech acts but also the investigation of instances where they decide not to perform them, referred to as the "opting out" choice. (CB)

Investigates language-normal one-year-olds' (N=14) and language-impaired two- and three-year-olds' (N=10) acquisition of words referring to three types of action. Findings revealed that, although both groups produced few of the words, the language-normal subjects comprehended the different types of action, whereas the impaired subjects did not.…

Considers children's understanding and use of contrast in language, including discussion of the role contrast plays in adult speech, the kinds of contrast commonly exemplified, and possible tests for sameness or difference of meaning. (CB)

Examines the age at which and the form in which children produce speech acts which commit them to a future action. Results revealed that all of the four- to 11-year-olds produced directive speech acts, but only the older children used the explicit performative verb "promise" to reassure the hearer of their commitment. (Author/CB)

English is the most widely used language for commerce, industrial expansion, diplomacy, science, and other fields. As speakers of other languages adapt it to their purposes, educators must adjust their perceptions of how the language is used. This idea, and related ones, are discussed in this article. (JL)

Describes a synonym exercise--composing an essay without using the verbs "be,""have,""go," or "get"--which increases students' awareness of at least six different language features. (MM)

A study of how children acquire language suggests that schools and their structured classroom situations offer few opportunities for students to develop linguistic competence. Four approaches to increasing classroom communication are offered. (CB)

Catalogs a variety of common grammatical errors that have entered the English language and become entrenched during this past generation, primarily through the fault of the mass media. (NKA)

Supports the assertion that pedagogical grammar must be a marriage of syntax and pragmatics through consideration of the different characteristics of "yes/no" questions and of how input from both syntax and pragmatics is needed to explain these characteristics. (Author/CB)

Discusses Mikhail Bakhtin's vision of the continuous affluence of language and claims it celebrates the polymeric nature of discourse as opposed to the traditional triangular paradigm which proves hopelessly inadequate.

Explores the advantages and disadvantages of microcomputer text editors and spelling checkers and implications for their classroom use. (SRT)

Examines the opinions of Fred Newton Scott concerning language usage and asserts that Scott was on the side of the scientific descriptive linguists in asserting that questions of usage cannot be legislated. (SRT)

Discusses glosses, that is, formulations which, on their occurrence, are adequate but which turn out to have been incomplete, ambiguous and perhaps misleading. Examines the ways in which a coparticipant's activities may result in a speaker either maintaining or revealing the gloss. (SED)