Analysis of data derived from an earlier study of Japanese-English interlanguage shows that discourse-pragmatic markedness conditions on the subject position combine with central aspects of a configurational syntax in the generation of sentential forms, creating a module interface distinct from the native or second language. (38 references)…

Presents an overview of intelligent computer-assisted language instruction (ICALI) research as a type of artificial intelligence research. Outlines the components and kinds of ICALI systems. Examines practical research considerations such as personnel needs for development of ICALI software. (Author/LS)

It is argued that the correct placement of sentential negation with respect to model auxiliaries in Swedish is an example of delayed acquisition resulting from a parametric preference in Universal Grammar. A syntactic analysis is proposed for four recognized stages in the acquisition of negative word order in Swedish. (Contains 41 references.)…

Considers problems of quantifying literary style. Examines several variables that may be used as stylistic "fingerprints" of a writer. Reviews work done on statistical analysis of change over time in literary style and applies this technique to the Bible. (CFR)

Reports on a longitudinal study of the relationship between productive phonological ability and awareness in children under the age of six. The study followed 45 subjects with variant productive phonology levels from the mean age of 3 years, 6 months to 6 years, 0 months. As a child matures in productive phonology, accompanying exponential growth…

This article discusses ethnographic research and its uses in English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) teacher preparation programs. It reviews various sociolinguistically orientated studies, as well as studies informed by a concern for power, politics, and elements of poststructuralism. (32 references) (MDM)

A total of 102 university English majors were administered 4 different language tests to form a General Language Proficiency measure against which the C-test was evaluated. Results confirmed its reliability and validity and also provided data on text difficulty/appropriateness, word structure, content, and different scoring methods. (13…

A pilot experiment showed that Arabic speakers tended to confuse words with similar consonantal structures. Findings support the hypothesis that Arabic-speaking learners of English, because of the lexical structure and orthography of their native language, tend to rely heavily on consonants when attempting to recognize English words. (five…

After a brief summary of the literature on interference and code switching, research with adult Sardinians living in Rome is discussed to determine the relationship between dialectal phonological interference and the degree of identification with the new culture. (26 references) (CFM)

The acquisition of German in three adult Poles over a three-year period is examined based on an acquisition profile of each person that specified the sequences in acquisition. The findings suggest that cognitive factors must be considered to explain the varying degree of success in the acquisition process. (40 references) (Author/LB)

Two members and a former member of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) Policy Council respond to Raimes' concerns about the TOEFL Test of Written English, particularly regarding the Educational Testing Service's research agenda and its effect on English-as-a-Second-Language instruction and graduate school admission. (17 references)…

Explores the relationship between the theoretical study of institutionalized varieties of English (IVEs) and their application in teacher training programs. It is argued that, although there is a nascent awareness of IVEs, a monomodal paradigm based on native-speaker norms remains firmly entrenched among teachers and in most teacher-training…

Videotapes of 45 subjects at 1;1 and 1;8 showed preexisting differences between mothers of earlier and later talkers as early as 1 year, 1 month. When the sample was divided according to stylistic preference at 1;8 (referential or expressive), associations between maternal language at 1;1 and mean length of utterance at 1;8 emerged only for the…

Compares speech-related (coverbal) gestures in brain-damaged patients (aphasics and visuo-spatial deficits) and in matched controls. Results suggest ideational gestures probably facilitate word retrieval and reflect transfer of information between propositional and non-propositional representations during message construction, and that conceptual…

Study examined transfer of learners' first language (L1) orthographic processing strategies to second language processing. Two groups learning Japanese, differing by L1 writing system (phonographic vs. morphographic), were tested on ability to represent novel kanji characters in short-term memory. Results indicate learners with a morphographic L1…