Analyzes different strategies used by speakers/writers and hearers/readers to deal with underspecified coherence relations, phrased in terms of Horn's (1984) Q- and R- principle. Presents data from the psycholinguistic literature on the interpretation of underspecified relations and data from language-acquisition research suggesting that both…

Discusses the relationship between second-language teaching and research from the multiple perspectives of a North American context. (Author/VWL)

Focuses on the aim of the Cultural Inglesa, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, which is the development of a new, fully sustainable concept for classroom-based research--exploratory practice--and its assimilation into the normal working and professional-development practices of Rio Cultura teachers. (Author/VWL)

Seeks to (1) show that the particular form of the model used to represent linguistic production has important consequences for the goals and practices of second-language acquisition research, and (2) that the theoretical model of Cognitive Grammar represents a valid framework for the investigation of second-language acquisition. (Author/VWL)

An analysis of the French construction in which a passive is followed by a simple infinitive (e.g., "Paul a ete prie de sortir"), which language purists claim does not exist in French, suggests an account similar to the passivization of verbs without direct object. Three verb groups are considered: verbs of perception, opinion, and…

Compares differences in benefit appeal in letters offering internships written by the business community to an internship director. Finds the promise of "opportunity" and "for credit" appears more often in unpaid internship offers; emphasis was placed on writing skills and work-related tasks in paid internship offers. Reveals…

Explicates two closely related metaphors about communication in everyday discourse that lead to a picture of communication as an indeterminate process for sharing subjective meanings. Demonstrates the tacit utilization of these metaphors by the Michigan State tradition of compliance-gaining research through examination of both their theory and…

Finds debate and confusion about the use of passive voice in texts in general, and in computer manuals in particular. Aims to provide clarity by presenting the "alternation principle" for the use of the passive voice in computer manuals, in which active voice is used for user actions and passive voice for automatic computer actions. (PA)

Argues that the most productive future directions for theory building and research in applied linguistics derive from the extent to which the field's investigators can enrich their conceptual framework and methods with insights from "constructivist" scholarly approaches. Focus is on three arenas in which such approaches and additional scholarship…

Responds to a previous article on constructive and constructivist challenges for applied linguistics. (Author/JL)

Responds to a previous article on emergentism, connectionism, and language learning. Suggests that connectionist models of emergent language knowledge will continue to be important in the years to come. (Author/JL)

Examines the relationship between and the relevance of second language acquisition (SLA) and language testing (LT). The relevance of LT to SLA is examined based on written interviews with leading scholars in SLA who were asked about the relevance of LT to their work. (Author/VWL)

The notion that a sensitive period exists for language acquisition has gained support from several studies. This study demonstrates that there exist differing periods of heightened sensitivity for certain aspects of the target language, periods before and after in which the learner is less sensitive to the relevant input. (Author/JL)

Reviews Tesar and Smolensky's, "Learnability in Optimality Theory" (2000). Discusses the main tenets of the book as well as the different topics included in each chapter. (Author/VWL)

Responds to essays on translation norms and studies by Toury and Hermans, noting their differences and focusing more on Hermans' essay. The paper reads Hermans' essay in terms of his metaphors of translation regarding the passage through the theme of light. It examines the epistemological problem that the light imagery can suggest, and discusses…