Evaluates the BIA model of bilingual word recognition in the light of recent empirical evidence. Points out problems with the model and proposes a new model, the BIA+. The new model extends the old one by adding phonological and semantic lexical representations to the available orthographic ones, and assigns a different role to the so-called…

Seven peer commentaries focus on an article that evaluated the BIA model of bilingual word recognition in the light of recent empirical evidence, pointed out problems with it, and proposed a new model, the BIA+. Raise several issues of concern. (Author/VWL)

Responds to comments written in response to an earlier article by that proposed a new model of bilingual word recognition. Clarifies aspects of the proposed model that have led to misunderstandings. (Author/VWL)

This study focuses on the English demonstratives "this (these)" and "that (those)." It is shown that the uses of these demonstratives are related to their semantics, and an explanation is provided for why the many functions assigned to demonstratives are a result of a failure to distinguish their meanings from the senses…

Presents clues for determining whether "short passives," passive sentences from which the "by"-phrase has been deleted, are actually passive or stative. The clues include intensifiers, the verb "seems," contrasts, present tense, past tense, progressive aspect, and confirmation by examples. (CB)

Discusses the distinction between formal and contextual guessing of vocabulary in second-language learning. It is argued that formal guessing is more helpful and reliable than contextual guessing. (Author/VWL)

Argues that tables, graphs, and diagrams extend language's power by exploiting the Euclidean possibilities which a text suggests. Notes that graphic display elements form no compatible natural set and that their value and visual elements are decisively disparate. Concludes that graphic displays are unlikely candidates for unitary theoretical…

A review of studies on children's syntactic development in Spanish focused on their use of subordinate clauses within complex sentences. Results suggested that, although they made some developmental gains from 2 years of age, 10-year-olds had not acquired the full range of semantic and syntactic expression characteristic of adult use of…

Challenges the position of Clark (1988) that no two forms in a language can mean the same thing. An alternative is offered that draws on the drive towards the adult system, development of nonlinguistic concepts, acquisition of language in context, and use of a cooperative principle in conversational exchanges. (64 references) (Author/CB)

Recounts the efforts of a long-time advocate of E-Prime (English without the verb "to be") to use fewer forms of "to be" when writing, and especially, when speaking, where it is more difficult to monitor oral utterances. Uses a "crispness index" (a semantic equation) to measure language processes. Discusses empirical…

"Properties, Types and Meaning (Vol. I, Fundamental Issues and Vol. II, Semantic Issues)," by Gennaro Chiercia et al., is reviewed. The book contains revisions of essays originally presented at a 1986 meeting at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. A critique and application of Richard Montogue's Intensional Logic unites the two volumes.…

Discusses two meanings of abstract: abstract-apart, ideas removed from reality; and abstract-general, ideas general to a wide variety of contexts. Suggests that greater interest in abstraction as a process, instead of just a product, would be beneficial to mathematics education theory and practice. (48 references) (MKR)

Studied whether two-year olds use multiple syntactic frames to help determine meanings of novel verbs. The multiple frames tested were combinations of transitive and intransitive frames in two alternation patterns. As predicted, the Causative pattern was more predictive of actions involving physical causation, and the Omitted Object pattern was…

Examines the seven basic propaganda techniques (name calling, glittering generalities, transfer, testimonials, plain folks, card stacking, and bandwagon) in terms of the principles of general semantics. (SR)

Discusses knowledge graphs, a new form of knowledge representation, and their possible uses in electronic study books. Topics addressed include graph structures; semantics; and representing knowledge from books, including browsing, information marking, annotations, group-based learning, information sequencing, information distribution, and…