The articles in this volume are an overview of work in a number of subjects and disciplines which contribute to the field of applied linguistics and language teaching. Specifically, they treat universal properties common to all languages, the historical developments and central issues in speech act theory, speech research on the various stages of spoken communication, the study of phonology, foreign language syllabus development, English language teaching, and media technology. The titles and authors are as follows: (1) "Language Universals: A Survey of Recent Developments," by B. Comrie; (2) "Speech Act Theory: The State of the Art," by S. C. Levinson; (3) "Phonology," by R. Coates; (4) "Speech Research," by F. Nolan; (5) "Foreign-Language Syllabus Development: Some Recent Approaches," by A. M. Shaw; (6) "Recent Developments in ELT," by J. T. Roberts; and (7) "Some Applications of Media Technology to the Teaching and Learning of Languages," by B. Hill. (AMH)