Uses a think-aloud protocol to investigate how a professional actor analyzes a script to discern the plans his assigned character is following. Shows that the actor attends not only to the meaning but also to such elements of the text as structure, punctuation, and linguistic devices to determine the character's internal states and specific…

Explores the territory of whiteness in order to map the discursive space it occupies, as the first step in the process of exposing whiteness as a rhetorical construction. Discusses some of the rhetorical strategies through which whiteness resecures its discursive space and concludes with three aspects of reflexivity that offer directions for…

Finds that temporal markers modify the availability of preceding words: segmentation markers like "around two o'clock" and "then" reduce this availability, whereas continuity markers like "and" improve this availability. Supports the hypothesis that segmentation markers lead readers not to integrate new information…

Proposes four defining conditions for undoable phenomena and applies them to power, examining the foundation of its inevitability and looking for a lever to unhinge its constructions. Suggests, with four procedural steps, how power may be contested, rearticulated, and undone. Explains the distinction between power and force, and demonstrates the…

Describes a method for using electronic mail discussion as a heuristic in a business communication class for planning and writing business documents. (SR)

The notion of critical linguistics is examined, and it is argued that the diverse objectives usually given for Language Awareness programs appear to be given desocializing weightings in actual materials. Ways that Critical Language Awareness can be incorporated into a family history writing project are described. (20 references) (Author/LB)

After critiquing speech act treatment of inviting as either single or cooperative speech act, it is proposed that Chinese invitation is type of discourse that features tripartite structure and embodies dual politeness strategy. It is argued that such a discourse accords to its participants a cultural identity that attends both "a public…

Describes typical differences in conversational routines in French and Australian English and kinds of tensions arising when speakers with two different sets of rules come into contact. Even simple questions contain a variety of assumptions ranging from whom it is suitable to ask to the kind of answer or the amount of detail that is expected. (13…

The 1980 and 1990 volumes of "The State of the Language," edited by Michaels and Ricks, are reviewed, including the selection of topics and contributors. (two references) (LB)

The focus of this paper is the acquisition of the verb "eat." The transcripts of 40 children who were audiotaped monthly from 1;0 to 3;0, showed that "eat" was the first member of this verb class to be acquired. (16 references) (JL)

Analyzed conversational narratives spontaneously produced by preschool children. Results indicated that children use three forms of narrative, usually mark new topics with an introductory phrase, and prefer to talk about themselves as engaged in positive events. Notes that children are most likely to address their narratives to adults. (HTH)

Examines Edward Miner Gallaudet's speech, "Remarks on the Combined System," to illustrate the power of the rhetorical knowledge thesis to account for paradoxes in Gallaudet's discourse on educating the deaf student. Contends that Gallaudet offered his remarks to preserve his ideas for a later age when they might receive sympathetic…

Argues that on-line linguistic choices are made in a matrix of continuous discourse connection. Investigates hypotheses concerning communicative dynamism. Identifies gestures as reflective of the status of utterances. Interprets correlations of gestures and linguistic material as reflective of an underlying unity. (HB)

Investigates and demonstrates the strong effects of the role of global discourse organization on the comprehension of temporal order in narrative texts. Proposes three principles of discourse organization. Tests the comprehension of underlying event order of five passages by subjects. (HB)

Responses of 125 older adults to a life-history interview were rated for frequency and extent of off-target verbosity. Talkativeness was rated by participants, 125 peers, and 10 professionals. Talkativeness did not appear to be age linked, suggesting that irrelevance in discourse may instead reflect longstanding personality traits. (SK)