Three inter-related assumptions regarding best practice in second/foreign language teaching and bilingual/immersion education continue to dominate classroom instruction. These assumptions are that: (a) the target language (TL) should be used exclusively for instructional purposes without recourse to students' first language (L1); (b) translation…

Linguistics should make significant contributions to literary and critical theory, but has failed to do so. This paper investigates the reasons for the failure and suggests an approach based in Relevance Theory for a working relationship between literary studies and pragmatics. Literary critics have misappropriated linguistic terminology and…

Demonstrates how second language acquisition research can inform textbook writers and language teachers. Presents an analysis of 40 English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) grammar textbooks, which shows that few mention unaccusative verbs or inappropriate passives in their presentation of active and passive voice. Offers suggestions for dealing with…

Focuses on the indirection process presented in Searle's and Vanderveken's theory of speech acts: the performance of a primary speech act by means of the accomplishment of a secondary speech act. Discusses indirection mechanisms used in advertising and in political communication. (Author/VWL)

Examines the variable presence/absence of third person plural marking on French verbs in the speech of French immersion students. Considers both linguistic and social factors that condition variation and compares results with those found for native speakers of French. (Author/VWL)

Discusses part of a large-scale survey on the oral performance of advanced French-as-a-second-language students, as represented by recorded speech. Although schwa rarely leads to semantic confusions, its analysis in word-median or monosyllabic contexts shows interesting phonostylistic variations. (Author/VWL)

Demonstrates how multimedia tools can be combined with an enunciation based analysis of the French verb system in order to develop innovative ways of teaching the imparfait and passe compose. (Author/VWL)

Discusses ways of achieving productive use of authentic language in a computer-assisted language learning (CALL) environment. Concentrates on a particular area of CALL--parser-based CALL. Outlines two existing parsers for two CALL tools that support text production by encouraging learners to concentrate on the linguistic structure of a text…

Explores the concept and role of intensity in the research project on Intensive Core French in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Illustrates the relationship between second language learning and the development of cognitive, social, and personal capacities and organizational skills. Argues that the type of strategies used in second…

Discusses applications of second language acquisition (SLA) research to the preparation of language coursebooks. Suggests a number of ways that SLA research findings can help improve coursebooks and enhance the learning of large numbers of students. (Author/VWL)

Criticizes the naturalist argument underlying current propositions bearing on second language (L2) learning in natural or formal contexts. Contests Piaget's interpretation of "Didacta Magna," shows how Krashen's acquisition/learning hypothesis follows from the two brain theory and certain naturalist suppositions, and proposes language learning…

Discusses the definition of collocation, demonstrates that associative word combinations do form a continuum, and proposes some parameters to help delimit the scope of collocations in everyday contemporary French. (Author/VWL)

Describes the retrieving and transposing of utterances from plays that were staged in the context of a French course using drama techniques. Results show consistency even though the number of retrieved and transposed utterances varied between the subjects from one task to the other. (Author/VWL)