This book enables students who have already developed a basic competence in Italian to broaden and improve their vocabulary and choose among words with similar meanings. It is the first book of Italian synonyms to be produced with the needs of English speakers in mind. All entries are accompanied by examples of usage and are graded to indicate their level of formality, and there are two indexes allowing users to locate words in Italian or English. This is an essential reference for intermediate and advanced students and teachers of Italian.

This book proposes unique conceptual bases for addressing questions about technology in second language teaching, testing, and research. It illustrates existing computer applications; overviews essential software concepts; outlines research needs; and suggests approaches for investigating computer applications in second language teaching, testing, and research.

This is a guide to Japanese usage for students who have acquired the basics of the language and wish to extend their knowledge. Unlike conventional grammars, it gives special attention to those areas of vocabulary and grammar that cause the most difficulty to English speakers. Careful consideration is given throughout to questions of style, register, and politeness, and there are sections on social rituals such as greetings, introductions and apologies. Clear, readable and easy to consult, with two indexes (Japanese and English), this is an essential reference for learners seeking access to the finer nuances of the Japanese language.

This is a guide to Japanese usage for students who have acquired the basics of the language and wish to extend their knowledge. Unlike conventional grammars, it gives special attention to those areas of vocabulary and grammar that cause the most difficulty to English speakers. Careful consideration is given throughout to questions of style, register, and politeness, and there are sections on social rituals such as greetings, introductions and apologies. Clear, readable and easy to consult, with two indexes (Japanese and English), this is an essential reference for learners seeking access to the finer nuances of the Japanese language.

The Oxford A-Z of Grammar and Punctuation offers accessible and coherent explanations across a broad range of topics, and is an excellent first port of call for any reader seeking clear, authoritative help with grammar and punctuation. Incorporating hundreds of examples of real usage taken from the Oxford English Corpus, this handy volume contains more than 300 alphabetically-arranged entries, including standard grammatical terms such as active voice, conjunction, pronoun, synonym, and transitive verb. It also discusses related questions of usage, including how to distinguish between 'may or might', 'that or which', and 'it's or its'. Over 30 feature entries on major headwords like adverb, clause, and spelling include diagrams listing related terms. The A-Z has been fully revised and updated, and the structure and approach has been revisited to improve its accessibility, including clearer typographical conventions, and the reintroduction of the easy-to-use two-colour format found in early editions. Major headwords have been made (where possible) shorter and easier to navigate, and all sample sentences have been revised, replacing those that are out of date and adding new ones where needed. Readers of all levels will find this volume to be an essential tool for writing at home, in the office, at school, and at college.

This book, designed for students who have already developed a basic competence in German, aims to broaden and improve their vocabulary by providing detailed information on groups of German words with related meanings. It is invaluable as a guide to finding the right word for the context. In order to enhance understanding of the structure of the German vocabulary, groups of synonyms are organised under German (rather than English) headwords. All entries are accompanied by an example of usage and English glosses and there are two indexes allowing users quickly to locate words in German or English. The book takes full account of register variation, indicating the degree of formal or informal use, and reflects regional usage especially in Austria and Switzerland. It is an essential reference for intermediate and advanced students as well as teachers and other professional linguists seeking access to the finer nuances of the German language.

This book, designed for students who have already developed a basic competence in German, aims to broaden and improve their vocabulary and is invaluable as a guide to finding the right word for the context. It provides detailed information on groups of German words with related meanings, including examples of usage, English glosses, and regional variations. There are two indexes allowing users quickly to locate words in German or English. The book is an essential reference for undergraduates, teachers of German, and other professional linguists.

This book was first published in 2000 and is a thoroughly revised edition of the acclaimed Using French, first published as A Guide to Contemporary French Usage in 1982. It provides guidance for those who have already acquired the basics of French and wish to extend their fluency and confidence. Unlike conventional grammars, it gives special attention to those areas of vocabulary and grammar which cause most difficulty to English-speakers, and incorporates the concept of register differences throughout. This third edition takes account of the expanding vocabulary and changing grammatical usage of contemporary French. * Designed to promote fluency and accuracy vital to effective communication * Tailored to the needs of the English-speaking user * Clear format for ease of reference * Full treatment of key grammatical areas * Important section on vocabulary extension, with index for efficient access * Invaluable to all advanced learners, and to anyone requiring up-to-date guidance on points of grammar and vocabulary

This is a new, thoroughly revised edition of the acclaimed Using French. It provides guidance for those who have already acquired the basics of French and wish to extend their knowledge of the language. Unlike conventional grammars, it gives special attention to those areas of the vocabulary and grammatical usage of contemporary French that cause most difficulty to English-speakers, and incorporates the concept of register differences throughout. Clearly laid out and easy to consult, it will prove invaluable to all who wish to improve their fluency and confidence in French.

This textbook provides a comprehensive and structured vocabulary for all levels of undergraduate French courses, including relevant higher and further education courses. It offers a broad coverage of concrete and abstract vocabulary relating to the physical, cultural, social, commercial and political environment, as well as exposure to commonly encountered technical terminology. Within each section, words and phrases have been grouped into manageable, assimilable units and broadly 'graded' according to likely usefulness and difficulty. The accompanying exercises for private study and classroom use are designed to reinforce the work done on lists, to develop good dictionary use, to encourage independent and collaborative learning, to promote precision and awareness of nuance and register, and to offer the opportunity for the development of cognate transferable skills, such as communicative competence, teamwork and problem-solving. The division of the book into twenty thematic sections allows it to be easily integrated into a modular course structure.

This Dictionary of Language Testing was written over a number of years by a group of researchers at the Language Testing Research Centre at the University of Melbourne. It contains some 600 entries, each listed under a headword with extensive cross-referencing. It is intended for those who may or may not have had experience in the field of language assessment but who do have a need for information. This Dictionary is intended as a first stage in meeting that need, and intends to provide an orientation and, where appropriate, indicate where next to look.

Spoken Language and Applied Linguistics argues for putting spoken language right at the centre of the syllabus. It brings together a number of separate studies by the author, based on the CANCODE spoken corpus, and weaves them together to illustrate the central role the study of spoken language can play in applied linguistics. After an introduction to the corpus, the author lays out the main components of a theory of spoken genres, with corpus examples. There then follows a broad discussion of what can/should be taught about the spoken language, followed by chapters on discourse grammar and on the sometimes parallel, sometimes different, grammatical patterning of spoken and written texts. The book then turns to lexis, with a general overview of the vocabulary of spoken language and closes with a look at another central area of language teaching, speech reporting.

An English Grammar book with an emphasis on sentence constructure.

A learner-centred teaching orientation begins with the premise that the learner is the central reference point in decision making because: needs analysis and goal-setting can be more effective if students inform them with their own knowledge and experience; learning is more successful if methodology and study mode take into account student preferences and characteristics. This text provides a framework of theory, discussion and practical guidelines to help teachers implement these principles in a sensitive and flexible manner, in response to the specific features both of their students and of the wider context of learning. Also examineed are the implications a learner-centred approach has in terms of the role and responsibilities of the teacher.

This book examines the field of educational psychology and considers how insights from the discipline may be of some use in language teaching. Areas considered in the book include approaches to learning, motivation, attribution, mediation, the role of the individual, the cognitive demands of tasks and the learning environment.

In the most reliable and readable guide to effective writing for the Americans of today, Wilson answers questions of meaning, grammar, pronunciation, punctuation, and spelling in thousands of clear, concise entries. His guide is unique in presenting a systematic, comprehensive view of language as determined by context. Wilson provides a simple chart of contexts -- from oratorical speech to intimate, from formal writing to informal -- and explains in which contexts a particular usage is appropriate, and in which it is not.

The Columbia Guide to Standard Written American English provides the answers to questions about American English the way no other guide can with:

* an A--Z format for quick reference;

* over five thousand entries, more than any other usage book;

* sensible and useful advice based on the most current linguistic research;

* a convenient chart of levels of speech and writing geared to context;

* both descriptive and prescriptive entries for guidance;

* guidelines for nonsexist usage;

* individual entries for all language terms.

A vibrant description of how our language is being spoken and written at the end of the twentieth century -- and how we ourselves can use it most effectively -- The Columbia Guide to Standard American English is the ideal handbook to language etiquette: friendly, sensible, and reliable.

This work investigates the ESP claim that tertiary level ESL students should be given reading proficiency tests in their own academic subject areas, and studies the effect of background knowledge on reading comprehension. It is set against a background of research into reading in a first and second language, and emphasizes the impact that schema theory has had on this. Results from versions of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) reading subtests are analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively. Rhetorical function, academic/topic specificity, EAP teacher uncertainty, student familiarity and varying background knowledge are all identified as causes of variation in the appropriacy of reading passages. The book concludes by considering the implications of the findings for future test construction and research into reading.

This volume contains a selection of research papers that were presented at the 15th Annual Language Testing Research Colloquium (LTRC) on the themes of performance testing, and on aspects of communication in relation to cognition and assessment. This edited collection includes contributions reporting research into the testing of speaking and writing, especially in relation to raters, tasks and assessment criteria, contributions exploring the application of various statistical methods in langauge test validation and contributions addressing the issues relating to langauge testing in specific contexts with particular candidate groups. This volume will be of relevance to language testing specialists concerned with the design, development, delivery and validation of performance tests, as well as to academic researchers and graduate students interested in the complex relationship between cognition and assessment.

From 'shotclog', a Yorkshire term for a companion only tolerated because he is paying for the drinks, to Albanian having 29 words to describe different kinds of eyebrows, the languages of the world are full of amazing, amusing and illuminating words and expressions that will improve absolutely everybody's quality of life. All they need is this book! This bumper volume gathers all three of Adam Jacot de Boinod's acclaimed books about language - The Wonder of Whiffling, The Meaning of Tingo and Toujours Tingo (their fans include everyone from Stephen Fry to Michael Palin) - into one highly entertaining, keenly priced compendium. As Mariella Frostup said 'You'll never be lost for words again!'

." . . In Diagramming the Scriptures. . . the curriculum starts with the simple sentence, adds precept upon precept until the learner is able to master complex sentences. . . As each concept is introduced, the student has plenty of practice, followed by quizzes, and later a cumulative test over the entire text. As an educator, a homeschool parent, and a tutor I see this curriculum as an excellent choice for a homeschool, a Christian school classroom, or for an individual of any age who is interested in studying grammar or God's Word, word by word." Deana Haines, Families for Home Education Executive Director ." . .I am quite pleased to recommend your book to college professors as an excellent addition to their basic texts in teaching English grammar. . . Since your examples and exercises utilize Bible sentences, your book is also a valuable asset to the study of hermeneutics." Jim Anderson, Chancellor, Midwestern Baptist College, SBC "Diagramming the Scriptures is a unique way to help focus the Bible student on the words and meanings of Scripture. I commend Shirley Forsen for providing this excellent book and recommend it to all who desire to "go deeper" in their study of God's Word." Dr John A Hash, Bible Pathway Ministries ." . .I recommend Diagramming the Scriptures to all scholars to clarify interpretations of all books and to all teachers of grammar." Glada Kelley, retired teacher and librarian ." . .The best and unique part of Miss Forsen's book is that Bible verses are used for the examples and exercises. This teaches the student an important aspect of "rightly dividing the word of truth": understanding how the structure of the verse influences its meaning. Diagramming the Scriptures teaches necessary skills, both educational and spiritual." Laura Blunk, college freshman

In Perspectives on Pedagogical Grammar, Professor Odlin brings together eleven authorities from various parts of the world to update current theory and research in this area of language pedagogy. The first section addresses grammatical analysis, covering Chomskyan Universal Grammar and a number of alternative models. Section two shows how lexicon and discourse rules interact with and influence the grammatical system. A final section deals directly with applications, outlining effective methods of teaching grammar in different areas of the language curriculum.

Die Autorin klassifiziert das Komma im Sprach- und Schriftsystem des Deutschen. Sie diskutiert (system-)linguistische Beschreibungsansatze und modelliert das Komma ausgehend von seinem Form- und Funktionszusammenhang als graph(emat)isches und in seiner historischen Kontinuitat relationales Zeichen. Aus historischer Perspektive erforscht sie dessen Zeichenvorlaufer in zwei empirischen Korpusuntersuchungen: zur formalen (typographischen) Durchsetzung des Kommas in deutschsprachigen Texten gegenuber der Virgel im fruhen Neuhochdeutschen (GerManC) und zur Grammatikalisierung der Interpunktion im Mittelhochdeutschen (Prosatexte im Korpus der Mhd. Grammatik) am Beispiel des Punktes. Dieser tritt in semantisch-syntaktisch ambigen Kontexten auf und hat bereits Funktionen inne, die spater dem binnengliedernden Komma zukommen.

Why is legal language so different from ordinary English? Statutes, judicial opinions, contracts, deeds and wills profoundly affect our daily lives, but their language tends to be convoluted, antiquated and often nearly impossible for the public to understand. So where did the "lessees" and "tortfeasors" come from and are they necessarily here to stay? This history of legal language slices through the polysyllabic thicket of legalese. It shows to what extent legalese is simply a product of its past, when Anglo-Saxon mercenaries, Latin-speaking missionaries, Scandinavian raiders and Norman invaders all left their marks on the language that lawyers use today. Peter Tiersma suggests, however, that history alone provides an inadequate explanation for the peculiarities of legal language. He considers how lawyers cling to their foreign-sounding language because it convinces laypeople that the legal system is far too complex to navigate without professional assistance. Obscurity, Tiersma suggests, can also be strategic (as when an insurance company prints oppressive legal terms in small type on the back of a policy), as can clarity (if lawyers need to persuade a jury of their client's innocence, they speak and write with newfound ease). All these issues are wrapped up in the legal language that continues to evolve and shape our culture. This text demonstrates that arcane vocabulary is not an inevitable feature of our legal system and Tiersma concludes with a call for simplification. It brings the verbiage of leases, employment agreements and other consumer documents out of the shadows.