7.1375, Qs: Dialects and comp, Language revival, Minimalist program

[The Linguist List]

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LINGUIST List:  Vol-7-1375. Sat Oct 5 1996. ISSN: 1068-4875. Lines:  142
 
Subject: 7.1375, Qs: Dialects and comp, Language revival, Minimalist program
 
Moderators: Anthony Rodrigues Aristar: Texas A&M U. <aristar at tam2000.tamu.edu>
            Helen Dry: Eastern Michigan U. <hdry at emunix.emich.edu> (On Leave)
            T. Daniel Seely: Eastern Michigan U. <dseely at emunix.emich.edu>
 
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                   Ann Dizdar <dizdar at tam2000.tamu.edu>
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Technical Editor:  Ron Reck <rreck at emunix.emich.edu>
 
Software development: John H. Remmers <remmers at emunix.emich.edu>
 
Editor for this issue: dizdar at tam2000.tamu.edu (Ann Dizdar)
 
We'd like to remind readers that the responses to queries are usually
best posted to the individual asking the question. That individual is
then  strongly encouraged to post a summary to the list.   This policy was
instituted to help control the huge volume of mail on LINGUIST; so we
would appreciate your cooperating with it whenever it seems appropriate.
 
---------------------------------Directory-----------------------------------
1)
Date:  Wed, 02 Oct 1996 22:23:15 EDT
From:  T720026 at VM.SC.EDU (Sonja Launspach)
Subject:       dialects and composition
 
2)
Date:  Wed, 02 Oct 1996 21:32:02 BST
From:  mja102 at york.ac.uk (MJ Allen)
Subject:  Language Revival.
 
3)
Date:  Fri, 04 Oct 1996 12:38:16 EDT
From:  C.Kuribara at reading.ac.uk (Chieko Kuribara)
Subject:  parameters and minimalist program
 
---------------------------------Messages------------------------------------
1)
Date:  Wed, 02 Oct 1996 22:23:15 EDT
From:  T720026 at VM.SC.EDU (Sonja Launspach)
Subject:       dialects and composition
 
 
A colleague and I are designing two workshops dealing with dialect
awareness and composition skills. We are planning one for the
composition teachers and one for the students.  I would like to tap in
on the expertise of this list and solicit suggestions from list
members, especially if you have done a similar project or unit.
 
We would like to set up the teacher's workshop to 1) educate them (
since they are non-linguists) on dialects differences,--how to
identify dialect features-rhetorical and syntactic and 2) how to
discuss the issue sensitively with the students. We are trying to work
out the best approach to take so as not to alienate the student or
cause them to be defensive in any way.  I would especially welcome
input from minority colleagues on this aspect of our project. We are
in a state with a large African American population.
 
The workshop for the students would be more fun. Our plan was to use
videos, exercises or in class projects to raise students' awareness of
the existence of dialect and use that as a way to talk about learning
academic English and discussions of audience and language choices that
they as writers could make.
 
I know about the video _American Tongues_. Are there
any others out there?
 
I'll be glad to put together a summary of the suggestions
if there is any interest.
 
Thanks for your help
Sonja Launspach
Linguistics Program
University of South Carolina
T720026 at vm.sc.edu
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2)
Date:  Wed, 02 Oct 1996 21:32:02 BST
From:  mja102 at york.ac.uk (MJ Allen)
Subject:  Language Revival.
 
I am researching Language Revival (Reversing Language Shift). I have been
trying to get hold of this book for over a year:
 
   The Problem of Language Revival
             by
 
   Peter Beresford Ellis and Seumas Mac A' Ghobhainn (1971)
			(Inverness: Club Leabhar)
 
I wonder if anyone knows of a copy which could I could buy or borrow.
I know Professor Fishman has one because he says so in his book
(Fishman,1991), but he got his from Nancy Dorian.It has been out of print
for some years.
 
I'd also welcome other suggestions about Language Revival.
 
Thanks,
 
Regards
 
Margaret Allen
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3)
Date:  Fri, 04 Oct 1996 12:38:16 EDT
From:  C.Kuribara at reading.ac.uk (Chieko Kuribara)
Subject:  parameters and minimalist program
 
 
Dear linguists:
 
I'm doing a research on Japanese speakers' acquisition of English.  I
would like ask you how minimalist program explains parametric
variations across languages. There was such a query in 'Linguisti
List'.  An answer for the question was that the parametric variations
are caused by the differences of the strength of the features.
 
My specific questions are:
 
1. Are there any papers which clearly discuss Japanese and/or English
(contrastive) syntax within minimalist program (which give me firm
theoretical foundations that can be applied into L2 area)?
 
2. How is the pro-drop parameter and its clustering constructions (if
they cluster) explained /analysed in minimalist program? How are
Japanese null subjects (and/or null objects) analysed concerning this
parameter and its clustering constructions?
 
I would very much appreciate if you could give me ideas about these.
 
			Thank you.
 
					
 
 
 
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