Two speech styles, origin-myth telling and ritual wailing, found among the Shokleng Indians of south Brazil are analyzed from the perspective of two specific functions of speech style: (1) for indexing or highlighting the subject matter in certain contexts, and (2) for relating the contexts and subject matters to other contexts and subject matters…

Defining inquiry as a discussion, a conversation that tries to make sense of what is happening, this paper argues in favor of replacing the traditional metaphor for news--news as science--with an alternative metaphor--news as drama--in order to provide a useful vocabulary for making sense of news. Traditional metaphors that have organized research…

Joseph Priestley, in his "A Course of Lectures on Oratory and Criticism," developed a psychological theory of style. The "Course" covers three main topics: traditional rhetorical arts of invention, arrangement, and style. Borrowing from the ideas of David Hartley, the association psychologist; Joseph Addison, the aesthetician;…

A study investigated three United States and three foreign newspapers to determine the direction or bias of coverage of the 1983 Korean Airline (KAL) incident and any differences in coverage. It was hypothesized (1) that the amount of space allotted to the story in U. S. newspapers would be greater than that in foreign newspapers; (2) that there…

Research has shown that producers and consumers of television programs are still uncertain about the nature of the "grammar" or "lexicon" that makes up the language of television. Although attempts have been made in experimental television ("video art"), systematic studies on the idiosyncratic nature, unique features,…

Four twelfth-grade students of "distinct" personality types participated in a study of relationships between composing processes and use of cognitive strategies, of relationships between personality type and cognitive functioning, and of the effects of these interrelationships on composing. Personality profiles were drawn based on responses to the…

Discusses good translation techniques, "true bilingualism," and the effect of bilingualism on cognitive development. (Text is in French.) Available from Lloyds Bank Chambers, 91 Newington Causeway, London SE1 6BN, England. (AM)

Choice of language style depends on personality, society and culture, or in another view, on personal needs, immediate situation and background situation. Some of the literature on this subject is reviewed. Available from Instituut voor Toegepaste Linguistiek, Vesaliusstraat 2, B. 3000 Leuven, Belgium. (TL)

Reports a study dealing with the effects of three different Black dialects on perceived speaker image by a Black audience. Research methods, procedures and results are discussed. (MH)

A report on a two-year teaching experience at the University of Paris' Department of Expression and Communication Sciences and Techniques (DESTEC), a multidisciplinary center for the study of language in its communicative function. (Text is in French.) (AM)

The author illustrates how what used to be considered proper Engish usage is actually one of the hinderances to equality of opportunity. She offers guidelines for removing sex-stereotyping from management personnel language. (AJ)

This report presents the results of a review and evaluation of the Langley Research Center's scientific and technical information program, which examined technical reports from various institutions and organizations to determine the organization of reports, the language used to convey information, and the methods used to present information.…

Focusing on the social variation of language, this paper provides an overview of basic sociolinguistic concepts deemed to be necessary information for teachers involved in the language and literacy development of children who speak nonstandard dialects. The first section of the paper discusses three things that teachers must understand about…

This study investigates topic units and suggests some practical applications to the teaching of composition to native speakers and second language learners. A topic unit is a structural unit beyond the sentence. It is composed of clauses and consists of two parts -- a head proposition and a set of comments. The head proposition consists of the…

Degree of choice or options in language has been posited as being relevant to the psychotherapy process. To investigate the relationship of this concept to the course of therapy and to therapy outcome, 67 15-minute segments from six cases of individual psychotherapy were transcribed and the language of the clients was coded according to variables…