This is an analysis of the stylistic variation in English of a wide range of speakers. A main point is that in analyzing speech styles it is important to elecit more than one style from each speaker, as both interview conditions and other factors may influence style. The paper presents some concrete examples of two major stylistic divisions,…

This article examines several major sociological characteristics of the Caribbean region in a study of pidginization and creolization. Three major conditions which may have affected the ways that Creole languages develop are discussed. They include: (1) the relative proportion of Africans, Europeans, and other groups now present in specific…

As a controversial figure in classical studies, "Tacitus the historian" and "Tacitus the stylist" are pictured in a personal synthesis of new approaches to Tacitean scholarship. The literary character and purpose of the "Agricola" and "Germanica" are discussed prior to an examination of Tacitus' views on the…

"Variety" is defined as a "unique configuration of linguistic features." These features characterize the language of conversation, unscripted commentary, religion, newspaper reporting, and legal documents. Everyone learns many varieties of at least one language. The ambiguity of usage labels like "slang" and "colloquial" indicates that we know…

"Standard Filipino English" is defined in this monograph as "that type of English which educated Filipinos speak, and which is acceptable in educated Filipino circles." (This term should not be confused with the so-called "mix-mix" or "halo-halo" type of speech, which is fairly common in the Manila area, and…

The study of language variation has brought linguists closer to some of the problems which concern our schools, namely, the teaching of reading, writing, and speaking. Through variability studies, answers can be found to questions about how to delimit styles, how to effect acceptability in school writing and talking, how to appreciate the dynamics…

Linguistics has developed as an isolated discipline, while language has historically been the central subject of education. Linguistics need to begin contributing to the general understanding of language by developing courses for the non-specialist. A course conducted by the author for non-majors is outlined. The title of the course was…

Translation, viewed as a process of linguistic summation, is considered on the levels of morphology, syntax, phonology, and vocabulary. Random variables which bear on loss/gain ratios are examined in formulae illustrating the relationship of subjectivity and objectivity in the translation process. Implications of theory are illustrated through…

Developed by the Oregon Elementary English Project, this curriculum unit focuses on variations in language and consists of fourteen lessons. Subjects discussed include (1) natural differences in people, including speech; (2) environmental factors causing differences in life styles; (3) differences in the English spoken by people in Australia,…

This paper considers the existing evidence of systems of co-occurring, sex-linked, linguistic signals in the United States. In the first section, the type of research which has been done in linguistic sex contrasts and then the relevant material in "folk linguistics" are discussed. In addition, a number of studies about the differences among men…

This study investigated how much of the Language Instruction Register (variation in language in different social situations) black-vernacular speaking children had acquired by grades one, three, and five. A sentence repetition task was devised which contained selected Language Instruction Register forms having black ghetto vernacular semantic…

RESEARCH ON ENGLISH PHONOLOGY IN NEW YORK CITY IS DESCRIBED. CURRENT LINGUISTIC THEORY IS CONSIDERED UNABLE TO ACCOUNT FOR MASSIVE "FREE VARIATION" IN THE PHONOLOGY OF THE SPEECH OF THAT AREA. ISOLATED WERE PHONOLOGICAL VARIABLES WHICH ARE ASSOCIATED WITH SOCIAL, STYLISTIC, ETHNIC, AND INDIVIDUAL FACTORS IN NEW YORK CITY. QUANTITATIVE…

Studies the impact of children's verbal style, age, and sex, on social perception and concludes that the speaker with a dialect most similar to the listener will be perceived as the most credible. (MH)

Describes a classroom activity that emphasizes syntactic fluency and the richness of linguistic resources available in written language, while downplaying the "dos and don'ts" of traditional punctuation instruction. (RL)

Several new radical and Marxist journals, all nonpartisan and produced primarily by academics, have appeared over the past ten years. These journals--which cover nearly every aspect of the humanities and social sciences--are discussed, and it is suggested that their weaknesses are the expression of theory without a movement. (JMD)