This paper reports an investigation into the dynamics of language processing. The experiment reported here consisted of administering an anagram test to samples from three populations: left brain-damaged with aphasia; right brain-damaged without aphasia and a normal control group. Data are discussed regarding performance in language processing.…

Describes a study that examines the ability of children to identify given/new elements in passive and cleft forms in order to ascertain the relationship between syntactic and pragmatic acquisition. Results indicate that complete competence with these marked sentence forms does not occur universally until some time in adolescence. (SED)

Presents a brief theoretical statement on definition and then discusses a study of the development of definition in children aged 5 to 10. The development of definition is characterized as the gradual articulation of a conventional definitional form out of more general forms of ordinary oral discourse. (NCR)

Describes a study of how the interdependence of speech and gesture is realized in the course of motor planning and execution. Do the two systems operate interactively or do they operate in a ballistic or independent fashion? Four experiments showed that, for deictic expressions, the ballistic view is very nearly correct. (SED)

Considers the application of neural network concepts to traditional natural language processing and demonstrates that neural network computing architecture can: (1) learn from actual spoken language; (2) observe rules of pronunciation; and (3) reproduce sounds from the patterns derived by its own processes. (Author/CB)

Examines the relationship between children's attribute saliency and metaphor interpretation. Findings indicate that attribute saliency for the individual perceiving the metaphor plays a key role in the interpretation process. (Author/CB)

Two studies examined the role of self-reference as a mnemonic for prose material. Prior to reading descriptive passages, undergraduate students received self-reference, other-reference, linguistic, or control processing instructions. Overall, the self-reference instructions resulted in the greatest amount of recall. (Author/LMO)

Reports a study (n=18) that compared growth in music reading skills among a group of students taught note recognition in isolation with a group taught by strategies focusing on whole-to-part relationships. Results favored the whole-to-part strategy. (BSR)

Discusses Mikhail Bakhtin's vision of the continuous affluence of language and claims it celebrates the polymeric nature of discourse as opposed to the traditional triangular paradigm which proves hopelessly inadequate.

Notes the limitations of the traditional conceptualization of reading in terms of a conduit metaphor, consisting of three parts: (l) an input, (2) an output, and (3) a model that describes the relationship. Argues the merits of looking at reading in light of the tool metaphor, viewing readers and writers as users of information. (NH)

A processing model is presented that deals explicitly with both the text-comprehension and problem-solving aspects of word arithmetic problems. The model simulates construction of cognitive representations at various levels, distinguishes several information processing steps, and analyzes processing requirements that differ among types of…

Discusses four types of computer programs that can manipulate linguistic symbols with great facility. These programs deal with: (1) machine translation; (2) word processing; (3) question answering; and (4) adjuncts to electronic mail known as coordination systems. Also considers the future of computer software dealing with language. (JN)

Looks at recent research on learners' intake of a second language and concludes that second language research has inadequately explored the process of intake. Argues that both theory and the research derived from it need to develop consistent, well-defined models and methods for investigating language learners' processing of input. (SED)

Presents a general theory of text processing that delineates the parallel operations in reading and writing. (FL)

Describes a study of four- to five-year-old children's interpretations of statements involving "know" (savoir) and "think" (croire). The study tried to ascertain the language operations that modify a proposition or a basic assertion and to show the speaker's attitude towards the event asserted in the statement. (SED)