Measurement of the mutual intelligibility of dialects of a language is discussed. The focus is on several theoretical constructs in measurement, illustrated with data from an earlier study of the mutual intelligibility of 17 Chinese dialects. Measurement procedures are also explained. It is proposed that mutual intelligibility is based on the…

Mestreechs, the dialect of Dutch spoken in Maastricht, the Netherlands, is analyzed for patterns of phonological duration or quantity. Two forms of prosody, hard (H) and slurred (S), are distinguished and their distribution is examined, making reference to previous research on Dutch phonology and on the realization of prosody in Northern European…

The relationship between bidialectalism and literacy in the United States is discussed. The primary issue addressed is whether the spoken language of dialectally divergent groups creates a linguistic mismatch that creates problems in the acquisition of literacy skills. First, the controversy over use of dialect readers, which incorporate…

Criticizes the traditional establishment stand on teaching Standard English, with particular emphasis on a previous article in this journal by Karen M. Hess. (RM)

Schools should provide opportunities for students, especially Black students, to become knowledgeable about their language system and culture. (JH)

This article defines the linguistic situation in Puerto Rico and explains why the term "bilingualism" cannot be used to accurately describe the linguistic reality there. (Text is in Spanish.) (CLK)

A pilot project was undertaken to more clearly determine teacher attitudes toward Black English. A Teacher Attitude Scale (TAS) was constructed, based upon the literature and interviews with teachers and administrators, and administered to 15 teachers. Items significant at the .05 level were retained, forming the final edition of the TAS.…

A study of integration of English lexicon into the Spanish spoken in New Mexico considers formal English, formal Spanish and the informal mixture spoken by local Chicanos. (CK)

A study of 1970 U.S. Census language data made to determine Mexican American language loyalty points out that the census data are valuable only if the sociological variables involved are known. (CK)

Author described efforts to modernize a system of writing, extremely difficult to teach and to learn, and assessed the benefits of changing from traditional characters to a Latin alphabet including the cost that would be involved: the separation of modern Chinese writing from the heritage of the past. (Editor/RK)

A discussion and clarification of various forms and levels of Black English is provided together with a conjugation of the verb "to be" outlining the levels of meanings as used by most divergent black speakers. (EH)

The teaching of standard Italian to speakers of Italian dialects both in Italy and in North America is discussed, specifically through a specialized pedagogical program within the framework of a sociolinguistic and psycholinguistic perspective, and based on a structural analysis of linguistic systems in contact. Italian programs in Toronto are…

A study compared salient variables of Canadian English from two concurrent sociodialectal surveys, one for Ottawa, Ontario and one for Vancouver, British Columbia. Using the Labovian model of phonological variation in association with sociological parameters and other linguistic variables within each specific area, the analysis investigated four…