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MLJ Reviews
Edited by JUDITH E. LISKIN–GASPARRO
University of Iowa
MLJ Review Policy
The MLJ reviews books, monographs, com-
puter software, and materials that (a) present re-
sults of research in—and methods of—foreign
and second language teaching and learning;
(b) are devoted to matters of general interest to
members of the profession; (c) are intended pri-
marily for use as textbooks or instructional aids in
classrooms where foreign and second languages,
literatures, and cultures are taught; and (d) con-
vey information from other disciplines that relates
directly to foreign and second language teaching
and learning. Reviews not solicited by the MLJ can
neither be accepted nor returned. Books and ma-
terials that are not reviewed in the MLJ cannot
be returned to the publisher. Responses should
be typed with double spacing and submitted elec-
tronically online at our ScholarOne Manuscripts
address: http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/mlj.
THEORY AND PRACTICE
FITZPATRICK, TESS, & ANDY BARFIELD.
(Eds.). Lexical Processing in Second Language Learn-
ers: Papers and Perspectives in Honour of Paul Meara.
Clevedon, England: Multilingual Matters, 2009.
Pp. xvii, 177. $49.95, paper. ISBN 978–1–84769–
151–4.
This book fits the classical definition of a
festschrift (minus the tabula gratulatoria) to Paul
Meara in recognition of the work he has done
to advance our understanding of vocabulary ac-
quisition among learners of a second language
(L2). The book begins with a preface by Wray, a
former colleague of Meara, who describes his Vo-
cabulary Acquisition Research Group (VARG) at
the University of Wales Swansea and the impact
that group, as part of the larger Centre for Ap-
plied Language Studies, has had on a generation
of researchers throughout the world. An intro-
ductory chapter by Read and Nation follows; they
detail Meara’s contribution to L2 lexicon process-
ing research, noting that he has focused on psy-
cholinguistic aspects such as storage, associations
between words, access, and so on, as opposed to
the pedagogical orientations of prior generations
of researchers. Ten empirical chapters then make
up the bulk of the book, with researchers, sev-
eral of them Meara’s former students or current
colleagues, presenting investigations that he in
some way inspired. These include replications of
Meara’s previous studies as well as research that
was motivated by his earlier work, but at times in
an attempt to disprove rather than confirm his
findings. In their summary of the volume, editors
Fitzpatrick and Barfield note that the authors in-
cluded herein have been both inspired by Meara
and drawn to challenge some of his conclusions,
noting that the strongest link of all of the studies
contained in this work “is the willingness to ask
uncomfortable questions and to question com-
fortable assumptions” (p. 158).
The volume has many strengths: the quality
of the research presented first and foremost; the
breadth of topics addressed; and, in this reviewer’s
opinion, the willingness of the editors to include
longitudinal case studies among this collection
of articles examining how knowledge of vocab-
ulary grows and changes over time. In a field
that is increasingly driven by large-scale quanti-
tative studies, it was refreshing to find two stud-
ies (chs. 7 & 9) that followed one learner at
length to determine how changes ultimately oc-
curred in the mental lexicon. Likewise, chapters 3
and 6 restricted their participant pools to six
and eight, respectively, to give an in-depth ac-
count of how participants’ mental lexicons are
organized (ch. 3) and to show the use that L2
learners make of electronic dictionaries (ch. 6).
This information can best be made known to the
researcher only through extensive interviewing,
think-aloud procedures, and the like, thus neces-
sitating a small sample size. The bias against quali-
tative studies, however, is great enough that it may
be difficult to publish such an article, despite the
contribution that this information can make to
the field, and the editors are to be commended
for not continuing this partiality for the purely
quantifiable.
Reviews 143
If there is a weakness in this volume, it is in the
overall organization. The common theme linking GRABE, WILLIAM. Reading in a Second Language:
the articles is the L2 mental lexicon. Several sub- Moving from Theory to Practice. New York: Cam-
themes, however, connect various chapters, and bridge University Press, 2009. Pp. xv, 467. $39.00,
the reader would have been helped had chapters paper. ISBN 978–0521–72974–1.
with common links been regrouped. For exam-
ple, chapters 2, 6, and 8 deal with the notion of
Prior to the publication of Reading in a Second
word knowledge—what it means to know a word,
Language there existed no comprehensive volume
how we estimate how many words a learner really
synthesizing research on the cognition of read-
knows, or how learners use electronic (or other)
ing comprehension and skill development to pro-
dictionaries to determine what an unknown word
mote effective instructional practice in the second
means. Placed as they are in the volume, how-
language (L2). Most L2 research has tended to
ever, there is nothing to suggest that these chap-
subordinate the cognitive underpinnings of read-
ters have any logical connection to one another,
ing comprehension to an emphasis on specific
or that they should be read together. Likewise,
pedagogical techniques, with the result that many
chapters 5, 7, 9, and 10 deal with various fac-
L2 teachers may implement some reading tech-
tors of acquisition of the L2 lexicon, and could
niques in their classrooms, but often in a void
have been logically grouped together. Subdivid-
without understanding the implications of cur-
ing the volume into three sections: “Acquisition,”
rent research for their students’ progress. Grabe’s
“Storage,” and “Knowledge,” for example, would
position is that educators must be provided the
have helped the reader to see the full scope of
necessary background in research and its im-
Meara’s research over the years as well as provide
plications for pedagogy to assure that learners
a framework for reading. As it is, readers bounce
receive effective instruction and practice in read-
from topic to topic and, although the research
ing. Grabe makes his case compellingly in chapter
is solid, they cannot help but feel a bit lost at
17 on reading assessment, in which he outlines
times.
the potential negative consequences of a lack of
Additionally, one must question the inclusion,
teacher training on educational policy. If teachers
or at least the focus, of the last empirical chapter.
do not have the expertise to make decisions about
This chapter, entitled “Acting on a Hunch: Can L1
appropriate assessment in their classrooms, then
Reading Instruction Affect L2 Listening Ability?,”
policy makers will make decisions for them. This
is peripheral to the questions of lexical process-
volume represents a decided effort to provide ed-
ing raised in the rest of the volume. Although the
ucators an essential background in reading theory
article does include a couple of paragraphs that
and practice.
intimate that lexical access could be an underly-
Reading in a Second Language is divided into
ing issue in listening comprehension, it is not the
four major sections, each containing four or five
central focus of the research presented here. This
chapters. Part 1 concentrates on definitions of
article could have been reformulated to better fit
reading, comprehension abilities, and cognition.
the theme of this volume.
Part 2 focuses on issues affecting the processing
All in all, however, this strong volume has much
of texts, including differences and transfer effects
to recommend it. Although short, the articles pro-
between the first language (L1) and L2, social con-
vide an important contribution to the field of L2
texts, and motivation. Part 3 targets fundamen-
lexicon research from a variety of perspectives.
tal components of reading—understanding main
The reader looking for a good assortment of stud-
ideas, reading strategies, discourse structure, and
ies ranging from how the lexicon is acquired, to
vocabulary recognition. Part 4 takes an expansive
how words are stored, to how associations between
view of reading comprehension and addresses is-
words (both within and between first language
sues such as reading fluency, extensive reading,
and L2) are built and change, will not be disap-
the reading curriculum, and assessment. The fi-
pointed. There are even a few surprises in store:
nal chapter of part 4 suggests areas for further
Whether meaning is acquired first, as convention-
research, including the reading–writing connec-
ally believed, or last, as Wolter proposes in chapter
tion, technology, reading disabilities, and read-
10, is one of many issues that are reexamined in
ing policy. Although Reading in a Second Language
this interesting book that is well worth a read.
could prove challenging for the nonexpert, Grabe
structures the book in an accessible way. Each of
THERESA A. ANTES the four parts opens with an overview outlining
University of Florida the major topics of the chapters therein. Each
144
chapter opens with a brief introduction present-
ing its main focus and closes with an “Implications
for Instruction” section that emphasizes the prac-
tical application of the research for instructional
practice. Thus, despite the thoroughness, density,
and complexity of the material, the reader is well
oriented, as the organization of the extensive re-
search review facilitates readability and compre-
hension.
The depth, scope, and timeliness of the re-
search review, always with an eye toward implica-
tions for teaching, are the most valuable aspects of
the book. Grabe goes far in increasing our under-
standing of reading comprehension in both the
L1 and L2 and in revising current common beliefs
and misconceptions about reading and best prac-
tices. In part 1, for example, Grabe reviews the
current criticisms of schema theory, which nev-
ertheless continues to dominate both L1 and L2
practices, pointing out its failure to accurately cap-
ture reading comprehension processes. Likewise
in chapter 5, Grabe critiques a range of reading
models—connectionist, text and situational, and
metaphorical. In discussing metaphorical mod-
els, which are most commonly defined in terms
of bottom–up, top–down, and interactive models,
Grabe notes that each is extreme in its own way
and oversimplifies the automatic processes that
typify fluent reading. Numerous implications for
teaching are contained in part 1. Reading curric-
ula should be designed to address the individual
component skills of reading, to encourage auto-
maticity skills through fluency practices, to rein-
force vocabulary acquisition, to take into account
the various purposes of reading, and to raise stu-
dents’ awareness of those purposes.
After having laid the groundwork for under-
standing the components of reading comprehen-
sion, Grabe turns to reading variation between
languages in part 2. In chapter 6, Grabe focuses
primarily on two concepts crucial to understand-
ing L1 and L2 reading differences: the Ortho-
graphic Depth Hypothesis and transfer effects.
According to the Orthographic Depth Hypoth-
esis, languages in which the orthography cor-
responds closely to the phonology (transparent
languages) allow learners to process words more
quickly than do languages with deep orthogra-
phies where the orthography does not closely
represent the phonology. After briefly reviewing
some of the many phonological, orthographic,
and morphological differences between the L1
and the L2 that learners need to recognize, Grabe
draws on the work of Koda to emphasize that read-
ing in the L2 does not simply involve overlaying
L1 processing resources on the L2. Rather, for
The Modern Language Journal 95 (2011)
L1 transfer effects to be active, L1 reading pro-
cesses must be firmly in place through extensive
practice. Moreover, L1 resources will be most in
effect when they correspond to L2 reading pro-
cesses and will continue to develop in relation to
developing L2 reading skills. Among the implica-
tions for teaching are that L2 reading skills need
explicit instruction, that learners need extensive
exposure to texts, and that further research is
needed on the ways in which L1 reading skills
might feed into developing L2 skills.
Part 3 focuses on fostering the development of
reading strategies, including understanding the
main idea (ch. 10), awareness of discourse struc-
ture (ch. 12), and building vocabulary (ch. 13).
As in the previous parts, the research review in
part 3 forces L2 educators to reconsider some
of their assumptions regarding effective reading
practice. For example, under the influence of
communicative approaches to language teaching,
learning words in context has been considered far
more effective than other methods of increasing
learners’ vocabulary. Calling on the most recent
research, however, Grabe points out that words
guessed from context are often not retained, nor
are precise meanings effectively derived. Success-
ful vocabulary building calls for a multipronged
approach that includes direct vocabulary in-
struction, word-learning strategies, and extensive
reading.
In short, Reading in a Second Language is the
most thorough treatment of this crucial subject to
date. It should be required reading for graduate
courses in second language acquisition theory and
applied linguistics courses targeting reading, as
well as for L1 or L2 educators concerned with best
practices for developing their students’ literacy
skills.
JEAN MARIE SCHULTZ
University of California at Santa Barbara
JEDYNAK, MALGORZATA. Critical Period Hypoth-
esis Revisited: The Impact of Age on Ultimate Attain-
ment in the Pronunciation of a Foreign Language.
New York: Peter Lang, 2009. Pp. 263. $65.95, pa-
per. ISBN 978–3–631–57528–4.
This book, a published dissertation, explores
the ultimate attainment of second language
(L2) pronunciation by post-puberty L2 learners.
The variables investigated include the learning
setting (naturalistic and formal instruction vs.
exclusively formal instruction), the presence of
Reviews
intensive training in L2 phonology and phonet-
ics, and the length of L2 learning. Jedynak aims
to challenge the Critical Period Hypothesis (CPH)
for the acquisition of L2 pronunciation by identi-
fying exceptionally successful learners (those who
pass as native speakers) who started learning the
target language after the critical period (i.e., post-
puberty).
The dissertation comprises five chapters. Chap-
ter 1 presents an extensive review of literature
on age-related differences in L2 acquisition and
the critical period. Various topics are addressed,
including brain anatomy, language lateralization,
and neurolinguistic, cognitive, psychological, and
environmental arguments related to the critical
period. The next chapter focuses on studies of the
critical period for L2 pronunciation by discussing
findings both supporting (younger = better) and
challenging (younger = better) the CPH. Chap-
ter 3 introduces the empirical research analyzing
the pronunciation of 42 late learners of L2 En-
glish (study 1, n = 32) and L2 Polish (study 2, n =
10), who were selected for high proficiency and
fluency. Six native controls (study 1, n = 4; study
2, n = 2) also participated. A read-aloud task, con-
sisting of a brief newspaper passage, and a limited
oral production task, based on one of three given
topics (“my hobby,” “my best friend,” or “my fam-
ily”), were used. The speech samples were then
rated by native judges (and, in study 1, by two
nonnatives) using a 5-point scale ranging from
“very strong foreign accent” to “no traces of for-
eign accent.” Results are presented and discussed
in chapter 4. The overall research findings (com-
bining both studies) show that the mean ratings of
the native controls were significantly higher than
those of the L2 learners, and that only length of
L2 learning was a significant factor in the ultimate
attainment of the L2 pronunciation, as rated by
the native and nonnative judges. Also included
are individual case narratives of the nine most
successful L2 learners in the study, those whose
pronunciation was either within (n = 5) or slightly
below (n = 4) the range (4.8–5) of the native con-
trols. The last chapter summarizes the research,
and the author concludes that for a few highly
motivated and exceptional late L2 learners, de-
spite diverse experiences and learning strategies,
acquisition of (near) native-like L2 pronunciation
is possible. Finally, a CD with all of the recorded
data is included.
There are several serious weaknesses in both
the theoretical framework and the research de-
sign. Although chapters 1 and 2, which comprise
nearly 70% of the book, are devoted to review-
ing arguments for and against the CPH, some
145
landmark studies (e.g., Johnson & Newport, 1989)
and some recent empirical evidence on ultimate
attainment of L2 phonology (e.g., Bongaerts,
Mennen, & van der Slik, 2000; Moyer, 1999) are
missing. More serious is Jedynak’s misguided view
of the CPH. Although she claims to understand
that probabilistic theories are not refuted by iso-
lated counterexamples (see pp. 156, 172), her
claims that adult learners are at no disadvantage
in acquiring native-like L2 pronunciation (see
pp. 80, 127, 131–133, 185, 231) belie such a nu-
anced perspective. Few supporters of the CPH
would argue against the possibility of finding ex-
ceptional counterexamples, so Jedynak’s is largely
a strawman argument. She focuses primarily on
the conflicting findings that dominated the
“younger is better” debate during the 1970s, and
she deemphasizes more recent research suggest-
ing that young learners have substantial advan-
tages in acquiring native-like L2 pronunciation.
Consequently, her arguments are effective against
only extreme and dogmatic (and rare) versions of
the CPH that postulate an absolutely fixed off-
set for native-like acquisition, with no exceptions
possible.
Concerning research design, the instruments,
procedures, and goals Jedynak uses do not ad-
vance earlier research, as her lengthy literature
review reveals. And although the study includes
L2 learners of various linguistic backgrounds, na-
tive language is not a variable explored in the
research. Also, there is an important design flaw
pertaining to the instructions given to the judges.
They were told that all speech samples belonged
to native speakers who were living in a foreign
country, so that their task was to assess the re-
tention of native accents rather than the acquisi-
tion of L2 pronunciation. Because judges’ ratings
could have been affected by this misinformation,
Jedynak was right to criticize this technique in her
review of Neufeld (1977). Nonetheless, she repli-
cated the error in her own study. Finally, Jedynak
did not discuss the role of what she found to be
the only significant variable in both of her studies:
the length of L2 learning.
Regarding applications, however, Jedynak’s re-
search makes a useful contribution to the litera-
ture by addressing the learning and teaching of
post-puberty L2 pronunciation. She offers a guide
to adult learners by categorizing into four types
the pronunciation learning strategies used by her
successful late learners: speaking, thinking, listen-
ing, and seeing. Jedynak also provides instructors
with suggestions on how to approach the teaching
of L2 pronunciation to post-pubescent learners.
The inclusion of individual case studies discussing
146
the learning techniques and experiences of her
exceptional L2 learners has substantial benefits
for both adult L2 learners and language teachers,
who are ultimately Jedynak’s intended audience.
IRMA ALARCÓN
Wake Forest University
NGUYEN, HANH THI, & GABRIELE KASPER.
(Eds.). Talk-in-Interaction: Multilingual Perspec-
tives. Honolulu: University of Hawai’i Press, 2009.
Pp. xiv, 393. $40.00, paper. ISBN 978–0–9800459–
1–8.
A reader approaching a title that promises multi-
lingual perspectives on talk-in-interaction has ev-
ery right to feel both excited and suspicious—
excited because this reflects an important ex-
tension of interest beyond traditional linguistic
boundaries and suspicious because range and va-
riety can all too easily override considerations of
focus and penetration. In fact, the title of this col-
lection is, if anything, unduly modest.
Co-editor Kasper, who is also the editor of the
Pragmatics and Interaction series in which the
volume appears, sets out her stall in the first sen-
tence of the opening paper: “This volume exam-
ines language-mediated interaction across a range
of social settings, activities, languages and cultural
contexts” (p. 1). The focus of the series is on the
Asia-Pacific region, and the authors of this volume
are all connected in some way to the University of
Hawai’i, but the reader does not lack for variety.
The collection covers eight languages, from Viet-
namese to Swahili, in five different countries and
embraces a range of settings from family discus-
sions (Nguyen) to political interviews (Ikeda) and
topics from religious affiliation (Higgins) to argu-
ment (Saft).
Its appearance is timely, coming at a point
where the global relevance of conversation analy-
sis (CA) is becoming clear and its extension to a
range of languages and cultural contexts is gath-
ering pace. Although explicit comparison is not
the purpose of this volume, a number of contri-
butions open up interesting links. Kim’s paper on
the use of –nuntey and kuntey in Korean, for ex-
ample, not only highlights L2 acquisition issues
(which are also featured in Ishida’s paper on the
Japanese particle ne) but also makes interesting
connections with work on discourse markers in
other languages.
The Modern Language Journal 95 (2011)
There are a number of reasons why someone
might be drawn to this collection, and some of
the papers are so entertaining that they would
attract any intelligent reader. Bilmes’s discussion
of kinship categories in a Thai narrative, for ex-
ample, unfolds around an entertaining, amusing,
and even touching story, explicating its otherwise
enigmatic conclusion: “A ‘child,’ when all is said
and done, is not a ‘child’” (p. 40). However, the
two main strengths of the book are the quality of
the opening paper and the extent to which the
collection engages with important issues in talk-
in-interaction, not the least of those relating to its
theoretical and analytical context.
Those who teach talk-in-interaction should
ensure that their students have access to this col-
lection, if only for Kasper’s paper entitled “Cate-
gories, Context and Comparison in Conversation
Analysis.” It provides as succinct a summary of
CA and its ethnomethodological roots as it is pos-
sible to find, and the discussion of membership
categorization analysis (MCA) makes a persuasive
case for its analytical credentials. Papers by Bilmes,
Suzuki, Higgins, and Talmy support this position
by illustrating how category work contributes to
the construction of social and institutional rela-
tionships and affiliations, and participants in the
last two papers also draw on codeswitching as an
interactional resource.
Kasper’s paper also engages with the knotty is-
sue of context, a topic taken up by Rylander in
his analysis of repair in a Chinese-as-a-foreign-
language classroom. Framed as a challenge to
Seedhouse’s model of classroom interaction, he
touches on broader questions about the legiti-
macy of using frameworks in applied CA. This
topic and institutional talk are also addressed by
Kasper, who concludes the opening chapter with
a stimulating discussion of the potential for com-
parison using CA. Her contribution as a whole
could serve as an agenda for the next generation
of CA studies, arguing persuasively for CA’s ana-
lytical range and robustness, characteristics that
make it ideal for exploring the interactional com-
plexities of a global research environment.
In this context, CA’s relationship with other re-
search traditions and new interactional environ-
ments will be important, and one of the strengths
of the collection lies in the quality of its en-
gagement here. Talmy’s elaboration of the rela-
tionship between CA and critical ethnography is
particularly impressive, and his case for moti-
vated CA analysis is provocatively enticing. Also
relevant are Nguyen’s use of CA “informed by
ethnographic data” (p. 57), which situates an en-
counter in the context of a history of two key
Reviews
participants in what might be described as lon-
gitudinal embedding, as well as Bilmes’s linking
of MCA to taxonomic analysis. González-Lloret’s
paper on synchronous computer-mediated com-
munication argues the case for using CA in online
environments.
The editors have ensured that all contributions
are based on solid methodological and theoreti-
cal foundations, which makes this an excellent re-
source for students or novice researchers. It is also
encouraging to see that the nonverbal dimension
is included in a number of analyses, the paper by
Hauser being a good example. Suzuki’s contribu-
tion also demonstrates that in this respect a little
can go a long way: There is only one reference
to visual evidence in the paper, but it is a telling
one.
Inevitably, the diversity of a collection with
this range must raise questions of focus, but the
level of engagement with fundamental issues in
research on talk-in-interaction in this book ren-
ders such criticism churlish, especially given that
the opening chapter highlights these issues and
frames the collection as a whole. Nevertheless, I
should have liked a brief introduction along tra-
ditional lines, providing an easily accessible ori-
entation and overview. This minor reservation,
however, should not detract from the virtues of
an outstanding publication that is both penetrat-
ing and richly varied. It will be valued by anyone
with an interest in conversation analysis, spoken
discourse, cross-cultural interaction, language ac-
quisition, or language teaching.
KEITH RICHARDS
University of Warwick
NORRIS, JOHN M., JOHN MCE. DAVIS, CASTLE
SINICROPE, & YUKIKO WATANABE. (Eds.). To-
ward Useful Program Evaluation in College Foreign
Language Education. Honolulu, HI: National For-
eign Language Resource Center, 2009. Pp. viii,
229. $30.00, paper. ISBN 978–0–9800459–3–2.
Foreign language programs in the United
States are under considerable pressure to show
their effectiveness to different stakeholders—
administrators, colleagues from other programs
and departments, colleagues from other foreign
language programs, parents, students, among
others—and are now feeling growing pressure to
engage in critical evaluation, particularly in the
147
current times of global economic crisis and bud-
get restrictions. In this climate of uncertainty, the
better a foreign language program can show its
efficiency and competence, the more likely it is to
survive and even expand. This is why Norris et al.’s
collection of case studies on engaging in produc-
tive self-evaluation is a much-needed resource for
any foreign language practitioner. Thus, the prin-
cipal value of this bold enterprise lies in the fact
that the editors provide not only a comprehen-
sive analysis of how college foreign language pro-
grams conceptualize evaluation (ch. 1) but also
seven concrete examples of how engaging in eval-
uation has actually improved the quality of differ-
ent language programs (chs. 2 through 8). The
last chapter (ch. 9) provides a general overview
of program evaluation as a field of inquiry and re-
flects on its present and future value in overall aca-
demic life and the identity of those who perform
it. The theory and experiences described in this
volume are part of the Foreign Language Program
Evaluation Project (FLPEP), which was developed
at the University of Hawai’i and funded through
a U.S. Department of Education International
Research and Studies Grant between 2005 and
2008.
The book opens with Watanabe, Norris, and
González-Lloret’s report on a project aimed at
understanding the priorities and needs that for-
eign language programs face regarding eval-
uation. Through open-ended interviews with
foreign language educators and a Web-based sur-
vey, the authors identify some of the main con-
cerns regarding evaluation: the external pressure
that can cause programs to lessen the quality of
their education, time and resource constraints,
and lack of institutional and disciplinary support.
In chapter 2, Milleret and Silveira explain the un-
derpinnings of the evaluation of the Portuguese
program at the University of New Mexico, which
resulted not only in the creation of some new ex-
perimental courses, such as Portuguese for Span-
ish speakers, but also in improved course delivery.
Perhaps more important, the program is grow-
ing and, as a result of the evaluation, administra-
tors have been persuaded to support this growth.
The third chapter is an example of evaluation
undertaken to support curricular change. Accord-
ing to Loewensen and Gómez, one of the rea-
sons for the low registration and retention of
students in the undergraduate major in their
department was that stakeholders did not un-
derstand its unique nature. Through a survey
distributed to faculty, students, alumni, and em-
ployers, the authors could base the introduc-
tion of a major in Spanish on real data, instead
148
of anecdotes, speculations, or individual prefer-
ences. In addition, the expertise acquired in this
process will be used again to start an accreditation-
mandated departmental program review.
In chapter 4, Zannirato and Sánchez-Serrano
address the thorny issue of training foreign lan-
guage teaching assistants whose main area of inter-
est and research is literature, a common scenario
in U.S. universities. The evaluation’s main goal
was to design a foreign language teaching meth-
ods class, and the evaluation process consisted of
class observations and questionnaires directed at
section heads, directors of graduate studies, lan-
guage coordinators, and graduate students.
In chapter 5, Walther provides a detailed
overview of the planning stages of an evaluation at
Duke University to assess language proficiency, as
well as cultural knowledge and understanding. In
chapter 6, Grau Sempre, Mohn, and Pieroni pro-
vide a statement of 10 student learning outcomes,
as well as the results of their innovative portfolio
assessment procedure.
In chapter 7, Ramsay reports on the evaluation
of two study abroad programs through classroom
observations, meetings with directors and admin-
istrators, interviews with students, and analyses of
teaching materials and graded assignments. The
dissatisfaction revealed by the evaluation led to
the cancellation of the programs. Finally, Pfeif-
fer and Byrnes summarize the evaluation of the
German program at their institution through
questionnaires addressed to alumni and enrolled
students, which provided recommendations for
future action.
The seven chapters illustrate the heterogeneity
of experiences with evaluation in different foreign
language departments. In each case, the impetus
for starting the evaluation process and the defined
goals differed, but all shared the desire to take a
critical look at their practice and outcomes. In the
final chapter, the authors argue that the optimal
approach to conducting evaluation is character-
ized by local ownership of the undertaking—that
is, evaluation done by and for people within the
program (p. 211). This approach, however, was
not followed in chapter 7, and that is probably
why it had the most extreme and dramatic conse-
quences of all the cases reported.
It is a brave act of honesty and ethics to inquire
whether your program’s performance is satisfac-
tory or can be improved, but it is even braver
to make the process and results public. Critical
evaluations of foreign language programs usually
take the form of an internal report that is rarely
disseminated beyond the institution that gener-
ated it, which is why this volume is a particularly
The Modern Language Journal 95 (2011)
refreshing novelty and a much-needed reference
for professionals who are planning on engaging
in program evaluation.
ASUNCIÓN MARTÍNEZ ARBELAIZ
University Studies Abroad Consortium
RAST, REBEKAH. Foreign Language Input: Initial
Processing . Clevedon, England: Multilingual Mat-
ters, 2008. Pp. xvi, 261. $59.95, paper. ISBN 978–
1–84769–041–8.
This book is a first-exposure study (i.e., a study of
adult second language acquisition within the first
hours of exposure) in which the native language
(NL) of those participating is French and the tar-
get language (TL) is Polish. The study originated
in the author’s interest in language pedagogy, sec-
ond language acquisition and, in particular, her
interest in the transition at the beginning of sec-
ond language acquisition from input (i.e., mate-
rial available to learners) to intake (i.e., material
incorporated by them), a distinction to which she
returns throughout the volume. Following an in-
troduction (pp. xiii–xiv), the book comprises two
parts: (a) “Theoretical Preliminaries” (pp. 1–44),
including two chapters (“Input and Intake Re-
visited,” pp. 3–28 and “First Exposure Studies,”
pp. 29–43); and (b) “The Study” (pp. 45–237),
including eight chapters, two of which provide
additional contextualization (“Polish–French
Contrastive Analysis,” pp. 47–65 and “Research
Methodology,” pp. 66–82), the remainder of
which are best described in terms of the top-
ics they address rather than their less informa-
tive titles: “The Relevance of Existing Knowl-
edge to Second Language Learning” (pp. 83–
107), “The Performance of Learners with Similar
Backgrounds” (pp. 108–142), “Factors Relevant in
Speech Perception” (pp. 143–165), “Factors Rel-
evant in Speech Comprehension” (pp. 166–191),
“Factors Relevant in Grammatical Analysis” (pp.
192–225), and “Discussion of the Findings” (pp.
226–237). These are followed by five appendices,
references, and an index.
The study, as expected, proceeds crucially from
a contrastive analysis of the NL and the TL,
and it is in the description of the TL that we
find, perhaps, the major weakness of the study.
The author’s description of Polish is sometimes
inaccurate, and throughout it is insufficiently
Reviews
detailed or explanatory to ensure the reliability
of conclusions or to be helpful to readers unac-
quainted with the language. For example, Polish
nasal vowel graphemes should not be compared
with nasal vowel phones and phonemes in French
(p. 50). Polish, arguably, has no nasal vowels (i.e.,
phones). The Polish nasal vowel graphemes rep-
resent phonetic oral vowel + homorganic nasal
consonant before stops and affricates (e.g., in dab 
‘oak’), otherwise, oral vowel + nasalized glide
(e.g., in pisze ‘I write’), with the glide frequently
omitted in certain registers leaving, in effect, an
oral vowel. A second example is found in the des-
ignations “hard” and “soft” (pp. 49–50), which
are commonly used to distinguish the two sets of
Polish palatal consonants from each other (e.g.,
cz/ć). Although well established as designations,
they are descriptively opaque, offering the reader
little to assist in understanding the articulatory
difference.
The author states that her justification for us-
ing Polish as the TL was twofold (p. 47): (a) Little
research has been devoted to the study of adult ac-
quisition of Polish; and (b) Polish is interestingly
different from French in a variety of ways. But nei-
ther of these reasons, regardless of the language,
is sufficient unless the investigator is thoroughly
familiar with the structure of the language. In the
absence of such familiarity, if it was indeed absent
in this study, a single widely known and respected
source would have been useful in establishing rel-
evant structural traits and would have added gravi-
tas to the study. The author instead used a number
of sources with no comment on their suitability or
status. Some appear to be textbooks or reference
grammars for students, which should have been
avoided in a scholarly treatment.
There are also difficulties of a more general
nature in this book. The extent to which the par-
ticipants had received instruction in grammar, ei-
ther of their native language or some other target
language, is described in only the most general
terms (p. 69), although it is potentially important
to the reader’s evaluation of the results. Second,
the author sacrifices clarity by dealing simultane-
ously with native speakers of French who have
differing linguistic profiles with respect to other
languages studied (e.g., some had studied Russian
or German). Each linguistic profile might better
have been treated independently, at least initially,
to facilitate comparison and the reader’s interac-
tion with the author’s findings. Finally, the author
refers to grammatical accuracy (pp. 96–99), but
she fails to define the concept or apply it consis-
tently (e.g., neither German jeden ‘each’ or Pol-
ish studentem ‘student’ is identified with respect
149
to case, the former being accusative and the lat-
ter instrumental). In addition to these difficulties,
there are occasional errors, such as the apparent
claim that Italian and Spanish do not express gen-
der inflectionally, although they do (p. 86), and
the mistranslation of Polish mnie ‘to me’ as Span-
ish yo ‘I’ rather than me, and Italian io ‘I’ rather
than mi (p. 90).
The author does provide an interesting and
generally informative study that will be appreci-
ated by the audience to which it is addressed and
by those with a more restricted interest in lan-
guage pedagogy. Although her conclusions are
not unexpected (e.g., plurilingualism increases
the range of hypotheses, p. 106; learners show
considerable variation in their approaches to lan-
guage activity, p. 142), they do confirm the results
of earlier research. The study ends with a return
to the opposition of input versus intake, as well
as with generalizations formulated on the basis of
the findings in perception and comprehension.
MARK J. ELSON
University of Virginia
ROSENHOUSE, JUDITH, & ROTEM KOWNER.
(Eds.). Globally Speaking: Motives for Adopting En-
glish Vocabulary Languages. Clevedon, England:
Multilingual Matters, 2008. Pp. xii, 337. $99.95,
cloth. ISBN 978–1–84769–051–7.
This book compares the use and impact of En-
glish lexical items in a dozen other languages
around the world. The goal is to determine which
items are taken in and why, noting as appropri-
ate secondary effects such as the introduction of
new phonemes or syntactic patterns. The com-
mon term for such a phenomenon is borrowing ,
perhaps an unfortunate metaphor from the com-
mercial domain because the loans are not gener-
ally going to be repaid, although there are some
French terms taken into English that have come
back to French after several hundred years across
the Channel (e.g., budget).
Borrowing is perhaps the least offensive
metaphor for a natural consequence of language
contact, so it is appropriate that one of the first
chapters (“Icelandic: Phonosemantic Matching”
by Sapir & Zuckermann) confronts the termi-
nological issue head on. The authors settle on
the term reproduction ex externo. Elsewhere in the
volume we read of threats, pollution, and the
150
onslaught of English (“Is Dutch Threatened by
English?” by De Vries), and invasions and torren-
tial inflows (“English Borrowing in Hungarian” by
Gombos-Sziklainé & Sturcz).
This is not to say that these authors embrace
such inflammatory rhetoric, but such terms are in-
dicative of the emotional reaction to this natural
process among some segments of each of the so-
cieties studied. The emotion is the result of mem-
ories of British domination and fear of American
domination: Because words reflect certain ways of
conceiving of the world, does the use of English
terms surreptitiously destroy other value systems?
This theme was perhaps most famously pursued by
the French sinologist René Étiemble in his Parlez-
vous franglais? (1964), a rabid rant taken far too
seriously by French politicians, which spawned in-
effective terminological commissions and myriad
organizations for the defense of the French lan-
guage (another unfortunate martial metaphor).
Twelve chapters are devoted to individual lan-
guages or language families: Icelandic, French,
Dutch, Hungarian, Russian, Hebrew, Arabic
(Israeli), Amharic, Farsi, languages of India,
Taiwanese Chinese, and Japanese. These are
complemented by an introductory chapter out-
lining various approaches to the typology of con-
tact contexts and conclusions that tie together the
comparisons among the situations described.
Each of the language-specific chapters includes
an historical perspective on the contact situation
that gave rise to the dissemination of English vo-
cabulary. Some countries described have been, at
various points, colonies or protectorates within
the British Empire (India, Palestine, Iran); others
have been strongly tied politically and militarily
with the United States or the United Kingdom
(Israel, Taiwan, Japan). All of the countries have
been influenced by the technological dominance
of the English-speaking world, which can be at-
tributed to the fact that the United Kingdom, and
even more so Canada and the United States, did
not have their research programs disrupted by the
Second World War or other subsequent conflicts.
This technological and economic opportunity
led as well to the domination of world cultural
production, especially cinema and television (and
more recently the Internet). As a result, Anglo-
American culture came to be perceived as essen-
tial to modernization, as well as to economic and
technological competitiveness. Scientific publica-
tion and the business of international commerce
and political organizations thus came to be car-
ried out predominantly in the English language.
Consequently, students worldwide began studying
English in ever larger numbers, English becoming
The Modern Language Journal 95 (2011)
a mandatory subject matter in many school sys-
tems or effectively mandatory in many domains.
In any situation of such extensive and perva-
sive contact in popular culture, as well as in eco-
nomic, technical, and political and legal areas,
words of the dominant language will enter the
local language. The linguistic similarity of the lo-
cal language plays a certain role in determining
how easily the transfer will take place and the
integration of the foreign words into the local lan-
guage’s phonological, morphological, and syntac-
tic patterns. Because much of the technical and
scientific vocabulary of English is based on Greek
and Latin roots, Western European languages that
have a similar heritage can easily introduce such
terms into their word stock, often without native
speakers realizing that the word has come from
English.
The attitudes toward the use of English words
often depend on an imagined ability to distin-
guish between necessary and frivolous insertion
of English-origin words. Words relating to spe-
cific cultural items from the Anglo-Saxon world
(e.g., basketball ) are deemed necessary, whereas
others are considered unacceptable as examples
of moral failings, such as pretentiousness (use
of English is found to be snobbish) or laziness.
Thus both Russian and French laws related to lan-
guage condemn the use of foreign terms when
the national language has officially approved
equivalents.
An important issue, occasionally addressed in
these individual studies, is who in each popula-
tion is actually using English words and how the
use might vary from one segment of the pop-
ulation to another. To give a reverse example,
the extension of the French term croissant to En-
glish has resulted in a wide variety of pronuncia-
tions, from imitations of the French (/krwasã/) to
English reformulations (/krusant/, plural /kru-
sants/). There are morphological implications,
as well: Those imitating the French do not add
a pronounced /s/ to mark the plural, whereas
those reinterpreting the French do.
This volume is a good introduction to the di-
versity of linguistic situations concerning this phe-
nomenon. Much of the discussion of this topic is
still in a prescientific phase, with real attempts at
numerical evaluation a rarity. In this area of study,
many claims with numerical implications (more,
fewer, increasing, decreasing) are not backed up
by scientific evaluation. Bogaards (2008) is a rare
example of numerical evaluation of claims about
the penetration of English, and even that study
does not address the issue of sociolinguistic diver-
sity. As the use of broader based corpora becomes
Reviews
possible, the promise of this kind of comparative
study will be realized.
DOUGLAS A. KIBBEE
University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign
SICOLA, LAURA. No, they won’t ‘just sound like
each other’: NNS–NNS Negotiated Interaction and At-
tention to Phonological Form on Targeted L2 Pronun-
ciation Tasks. New York: Peter Lang, 2009. Pp. xv,
113. $39.95, paper. ISBN 978–3–631–58476–7.
Based on the author’s dissertation study, this
book brings together two areas of research in
second language acquisition (SLA): nonnative
speaker (NNS) interaction and speakers’ second
language (L2) pronunciation. Chapter 1 contains
a statement of the problem, essentially that de-
spite various instructional approaches and cur-
ricula that focus on L2 learners’ production,
learners have not generally been successful in
attaining more targetlike pronunciation or per-
ception. Sicola thus suggests that greater focus
on how learners process L2 phonological input
may be valuable for researchers, teachers, and
learners. Chapter 2 comprises a literature re-
view of previous SLA research on task-based in-
teraction, noticing, negotiation of meaning, and
corrective feedback, with particular reference
to implications for L2 pronunciation learning.
Three research questions are then presented. The
first asks whether, in interactive tasks, NNSs can
provide each other with corrective feedback about
selected L2 pronunciation forms and can modify
their production of those forms. The second and
third questions ask what types of feedback NNSs
provide and whether NNSs’ modified pronuncia-
tion is more targetlike than the original.
Chapter 3 describes the study’s method-
ology. Three pronunciation classes of adult
intermediate-level English-as-a-second-language
learners with a variety of first languages (n =
47) completed two paired interactive speaking–
listening tasks. The pronunciation focus of both
tasks was the sound /θ/ as in think or three. The
first task was a contextualized minimal-pairs activ-
ity meant to determine if learners could produce
the /θ/ sound. The main task was an interactive
map task in which targetlike pronunciation of /θ/
was necessary to complete the activity successfully.
All interactions were audio-recorded, transcribed,
and coded for feedback and /θ/ modification,
151
yielding descriptive analyses of their types and fre-
quencies.
The results are detailed in chapter 4. Findings
from the first task showed that all learners could
produce /θ/. Results from the main task demon-
strated that learners could indeed provide feed-
back on the /θ/ form and modify their produc-
tion of it. Learners also used strategies to make
their production of the /θ/ form more salient,
such as pausing before producing the form or
using rising intonation while pronouncing /θ/.
Overall, learners were able to modify their pro-
duction of the /θ/ form in a more target-like di-
rection 65% of the time.
In the discussion in chapter 5, Sicola concluded
that “NNSs can successfully work together to
improve their pronunciation” (p. 67) and that
learners are not simply reinforcing each other’s
non-target-like pronunciation. She also noted that
most feedback moves were prompted by problems
of perception, as listeners tried to confirm what
they had heard; they then seemed to show more
accurate perception as they negotiated over the
form of their partners’ utterances. Finally, the au-
thor suggested that, in addition to observing and
analyzing interactional moves between interlocu-
tors, future research in this area might include
measures of phonological learning (e.g., pronun-
ciation pretests and posttests).
Despite numerous studies on NNS interaction,
few have targeted L2 pronunciation. Sicola’s book
is therefore a welcome contribution to this emerg-
ing area of research. The study’s theoretical back-
ground and rationale are laid out clearly and in
detail, and the task materials are carefully de-
signed to elicit interactions that are communica-
tive but with a focus on the targeted /θ/ form.
Sicola’s important finding that NNSs can and do
independently and accurately identify and mod-
ify non-native-like pronunciation strengthens and
extends findings from earlier observational stud-
ies, and it is especially of interest to learners and
teachers.
The study findings raise a pedagogical ques-
tion. If NNSs can help each other modify inap-
propriate L2 pronunciation, what aspects of L2
pronunciation should be seen as inappropriate?
The map task in the study was carefully designed
so that learners had to produce the /θ/ form in
a native-like way to successfully complete the task.
Non-native-like pronunciation of /θ/ was inap-
propriate in this task because it meant the task
could not be completed. However, which aspects
of L2 pronunciation are inappropriate in authen-
tic NNS interaction? In previous research (Jenk-
ins, 2000), much non-native-like pronunciation
152
(including non-native-like /θ/) was accepted by
NNS interlocutors. The only L2 pronunciation
that was problematic for interlocutors was pro-
nunciation that caused comprehension problems.
Therefore, along with investigating how learn-
ers recognize and modify L2 pronunciation, it
is also essential to identify those aspects of L2
pronunciation that are crucial for success in au-
thentic communication. Teachers and learners
can then work first on these key aspects before
turning to non-native-like, but still intelligible, L2
speech.
Some terminological issues to note are Sicola’s
use of the term corrective feedback for moves that
should more appropriately be called interactional
feedback. Additionally, the term modifications re-
ferred not only to learners’ attempts to repair
their pronunciation, but also to spontaneous in-
tralearner variation in /θ/ pronunciation, which
would not seem to fall under intentional modifi-
cations.
Overall, this book is a useful contribution to
research on NNS interaction and L2 pronuncia-
tion, highlighting the value of focusing on the pro-
cess of learner–learner interaction and reminding
us that learners can autonomously and accurately
work on their L2 pronunciation.
SARA KENNEDY
Concordia University
TEDDLIE, CHARLES, & ABBAS TASHAKKORI.
Foundations of Mixed Methods Research: Integrating
Quantitative and Qualitative Approaches in the So-
cial and Behavioral Sciences. Los Angeles: Sage,
2009. Pp. viii, 387. $42.95, paper. ISBN 978–0–
7619–3012–9.
Over the past few decades and particularly in
the past 10 years, leaders in mixed methods re-
search methodology have been working to define
and formalize the philosophies, purposes, and ap-
proaches to mixed methods research in the social
and behavioral sciences. A common language for
how and why those approaches have been mixed
has only recently become available to novice schol-
ars, and even experienced scholars have struggled
with addressing the issues and conflicts raised by
such mixing in a consistent manner. This volume
is an attempt to right these wrongs in the field.
As the area of mixed methods research becomes
more formalized and prominent, this text is one
The Modern Language Journal 95 (2011)
of many that seek to be definitional and founda-
tional to the nascent field.
Intended for individuals interested in the social
and behavioral sciences, the authors position the
text as both a textbook for students who are just
learning about mixed methods for the first time
and a sourcebook for professional scholars. One
can also deduce that Foundations is a work of advo-
cacy for mixed methods research and an attempt
to legitimize the tradition as an equal to the quali-
tative and quantitative research communities and
traditions. Importantly, the authors suggest in the
introduction that this volume is particularly im-
portant in its inclusion of changes in the field
within the past decade.
The chapters have a similar structure. Each one
begins with a detailed index of the chapter’s con-
tents and a list of its objectives. Examples, def-
initions, figures, tables of related concepts, and
other illustrations are distributed throughout the
chapters. Each chapter also concludes with a list
of discussion questions, key terms (that corre-
spond to a glossary at the end of the book), and
notes.
The volume is organized into two sections, the
first of which focuses on demonstrating how the
mixed methods research community fits appro-
priately alongside the qualitative and quantita-
tive research communities. Chapters 1 and 2 of-
fer information about the basic terminology and
purposes of these three research communities.
Chapters 3 and 4 (authored jointly with R. Burke
Johnson) contextualize social science research in
history, focusing on the role of mixed methods re-
search. The major philosophical challenges and
objections to mixed methods research are sum-
marized and addressed in chapter 5. This chapter
is notable in its summary of recent (since 2002)
dialogues between qualitative and mixed methods
researchers about the orientation and viability of
mixed methods research.
The second section of the book offers a se-
quential overview of creating a mixed methods
study, from generating research questions (ch.
6) through choosing an appropriate design for
the study (ch. 7), sampling (ch. 8), collecting
data (chs. 9 & 10), analyzing data (ch. 11), and
making inferences (ch. 12). The epilogue briefly
addresses the community of mixed methods re-
searchers who are advocating for and teaching
about the mixed methods research tradition. A
glossary of terms and exhaustive indices of the
volume conclude the text.
This text ultimately provides a great deal
of information for anyone interested in mixed
Reviews 153
methods research, or even in social science re-
search in general. However, despite the numerous TURNBULL, MILES, & JENNIFER DAILEY–
strengths of this book, its first purpose, as an intro- O’CAIN. (Eds.). First Language Use in Second and
duction to mixed methods research for students Foreign Language Learning . Clevedon, England:
just learning about the tradition, is not clearly Multilingual Matters, 2009. Pp. xi, 207. $48.95,
achieved. The information provided in the first paper. ISBN 978–1–84769–195–8.
section is quite detailed and dense, with a high
level of abstraction and dependence on under-
This collection of thought-provoking articles ex-
standing of difficult terms. The inclusion of a list
plores the issue of first language (L1) use, a
of key terms with each chapter and a comprehen-
topic relevant to the daily practice of second (L2)
sive glossary at the end of the book do somewhat
and foreign language teachers at all levels. The
mitigate this problem, as do the numerous exam-
contributors present a moderate approach to a
ples, figures, and illustrations. However, a student
controversial notion and effectively balance
using the text would need a strong understanding
recognition of the need for target language in-
of both the quantitative and qualitative traditions
put with research findings that highlight the
to understand the first section of the book, as
cognitive benefits of using the L1 as a tool. Fur-
it moves very quickly through those concepts in
thermore, the authors’ data-driven approach fo-
order to contextualize mixed methods research.
cuses on what teachers and learners actually do,
The second section offers a more approachable
and it makes a persuasive case for legitimizing the
and concrete background to the logistics of con-
L1. Their use of the term codeswitching to refer
ducting mixed methods research, and would thus
to the use of both the L1 and L2 in the language
serve this audience in a more effective way.
classroom elevates the status of language learners
As a sourcebook for experienced researchers in
to aspiring bilinguals and frames classroom L1
the mixed methods community, it is a valuable re-
use as a natural reflection of everyday communi-
source. For instance, the rich and detailed context
cation in the bilingual world. Even more impor-
for mixed methods research provided in the first
tant, this volume advances the discussion beyond
section can help researchers understand the posi-
personal opinion or experience and sets a prece-
tion of mixed methods research both historically
dent for basing future research on solid empirical
and methodologically. Furthermore, the authors’
ground.
chronicles of the recent debates both within and
The editors open this volume by outlining the
outside of the mixed methods community are re-
major positions on L1 use in L2 classes, highlight-
quired reading for anyone seeking to be a part of
ing relevant research findings and explaining the
that dialogue. The second section can be equally
controversy surrounding the topic. The next nine
useful to experienced researchers, particularly for
chapters examine distinct aspects of L1 use by stu-
those seeking to expand their mastery of differ-
dents and teachers in a variety of contexts and use
ent mixed methods research designs or to advise
a range of data collection techniques.
their students who are developing mixed methods
In chapter 1, McMillan and Turnbull report on
studies.
research conducted with two French immersion
A Web site is referenced in the introduction
teachers in Canada. Despite official recommen-
and at a few intervals in the text; it contains a
dations to the contrary, both used the L1 and
small number of examples of mixed methods re-
seemed to base their practices on their own ex-
search, some with annotations. These few online
periences and preferences. The authors advocate
resources are excellent, and one questions why
action research as a means for developing teach-
more were not included.
ers’ awareness of their codeswitching practices,
This text offers a high-level and important anal-
and their study provides an excellent model for
ysis and description of mixed methods research as
practitioners interested in reflecting on their lan-
it is today. Experienced researchers and individu-
guage use.
als interested in the background and context of
In chapter 2, Macaro summarizes approaches to
mixed methods research would certainly benefit
L1 use: optimal, virtual, and maximal. He presents
from adding this text to their libraries.
the findings of two studies on codeswitching and
vocabulary acquisition; not only is there no evi-
PAMELA M. WESELY dence pointing to negative effects of codeswitch-
University of Iowa ing, but some data suggest that making ties to
154
L1 vocabulary may stimulate deeper processing.
Macaro identifies several factors that have been
neglected in previous research and which must
be considered in future codeswitching studies.
Chapter 3 addresses an overlooked area in
the research: the use of codeswitching in asyn-
chronous computer-mediated communication
(CMC). Evans studied online exchanges between
students of English and students of French, and
he found that they used codeswitching for many of
the same functions identified in bilingual speech.
This observation establishes an important link be-
tween classroom language learning and sociolin-
guistic research on bilingualism, and it affirms the
need to explore further the benefits of CMC.
The use of the target language at the primary
school level is also underexplored, and in chap-
ter 4, Nagy and Robertson identify factors that
affect teachers’ language use in English classes in
Hungary. They highlight activity type, teachers’
control over input, and teachers’ assessment of
the demands that the textbook places on learn-
ers. The relationship between L1 use and curric-
ular materials, an issue addressed in chapter 9, is
a crucial area for future study.
Chapters 5 and 6 examine the use of the
L1 in dual immersion classrooms. Potowski pro-
vides a detailed analysis of codeswitching among
four fifth-grade Spanish–English immersion stu-
dents, comparing the practices of native En-
glish speakers and heritage Spanish speakers. She
notes that more structurally complex codeswitch-
ing by heritage learners points to a higher level
of proficiency. She summarizes current views on
the use of the L1 in dual immersion and of-
fers practical advice for immersion teachers. In
chapter 6, Fuller combines two perspectives, the
sequence approach from conversation analysis
and the social constructivist approach, in her
analysis of codeswitching among fourth- and
fifth-grade students in a German–English dual
immersion program in Berlin. She argues that be-
cause codeswitching is typical of interactions in
the bilingual world, prohibiting L1 use in the class-
room works against the ultimate goal of helping
students emulate bilingual behaviors. Her anal-
ysis exposes the important relationship between
codeswitching and group membership or identity
construction.
In chapter 7, Dailey-O’Cain and Liebscher em-
phasize the need to consider different guidelines
for teacher and student codeswitching, an impor-
tant distinction that is often blurred in discus-
sions of L1 use. Their research demonstrates that
learners use codeswitching for all the functions
that bilingual speakers do and that it is not neces-
The Modern Language Journal 95 (2011)
sary for teachers to model L1 use. Their findings
contribute to the establishment of an empirically
based set of guidelines or recommendations for
L1 use in L2 classes.
Levine approaches L1 use from sociocultural
and ecological perspectives, and chapter 8 is based
on his detailed analysis of one 30-minute conver-
sation between two students of German as they
answered questions about a literary text. He ana-
lyzes their use of the L1 to build identities, rela-
tionships, and connections, as well as sign systems
and knowledge. Levine concludes with numerous
suggestions for teaching language learners about
bilingualism and bilingual speech.
In chapter 9, Blyth examines the curricular role
of the L1, specifically the innovative online cur-
riculum created at the University of Texas that
follows the experiences of a group of real stu-
dents who study abroad in France. He found that
the majority of beginning French students reacted
positively to the inclusion of nonnative speakers,
and nonnative French, in pedagogical materials.
This promising line of research has wide-reaching
implications and merits additional exploration.
This timely volume effectively highlights and
expounds the key issues related to L1 use and tar-
gets numerous key areas for further investigation.
Given its far-ranging connections for theory, prac-
tice, and curriculum development, it is a valuable
read for all those involved in second and foreign
language teaching and will prove itself particu-
larly informative for teacher trainers, researchers,
and policy makers.
ANNE EDSTROM
Montclair State University
ARABIC
ABDEL–MASSIH, ERNEST T., ZAKI N. ABDEL–
MALEK, EL–SAID M. BADAWI, & ERNEST N.
MCCARUS. A Reference Grammar of Egyptian
Arabic. Washington, DC: Georgetown University
Press, 2009. Pp. xii, 337. $29.95, paper. ISBN 978–
158–90126–08.
The book under review is a 2009 reprint of the
original edition (1979), produced by the George-
town Classics in Arabic Language and Linguistics
in the Press’s continued interest in making out-
of-print Arabic works, especially on spoken Ara-
bic varieties, available to students and researchers.
Originally, this book was intended to be part of
a four-volume series titled A Comprehensive Study
Reviews
of Egyptian Arabic spanning language, culture,
and customs of Egypt, designed for students of
Egyptian Arabic at the intermediate and advanced
levels. As far as we know, only three volumes ap-
peared in this series; two were published in 1978
and the third in 1979. The reprint of the latter
volume, whose main thrust is grammatical and lin-
guistic terms and illustrations of Egyptian Arabic,
is the subject of this review.
This reprint keeps the foreword of the origi-
nal edition and adds a new foreword by Bergman.
In addition, there is a transcription key (pp. xiii–
xiv), a list of Egyptian Arabic consonants and semi-
vowels (p. xv), a comprehensive index (pp. 331–
335), and a short bibliography (p. 337). The rest
of the volume is a presentation of grammatical
and linguistics terms arranged alphabetically, be-
ginning with Active Participles under the letter A
and ending with Writing System under W (pp. 3–
330). Elaboration on each of the items discussed
varies from one topic to another. We note, for
example, that the first item in the work, Active
Participles, is treated in some length: The authors
discuss their definitiveness by the use of the defi-
nite article –il as well as the use of the relative pro-
noun in Egyptian Arabic (and many other Arabic
dialects) –illi, their derivation, gender of singular,
meaning, number, and syntactic usage. Other top-
ics, such as Nouns and Vowels, are also accorded
lengthy discussions. In the case of vowels, how-
ever, the authors do not treat them all under one
heading, but they cross-reference them in differ-
ent places. In contrast, the authors provide brief
discussions of other topics as in Word Structure,
for example, a topic that deserves its own lengthy
monograph.
Furthermore, the authors, in the tradition of
linguistic study of the period, reflect in their en-
tries the topics linguists were engaged in teach-
ing, discussing, and presenting to their students.
They include some topics without any obvious
relevance to Egyptian Arabic. One example suf-
fices to mention here: Hard Palate is explained in
terms of point of articulation without mention of
its function in the production of sounds in Egyp-
tian Arabic.
At times, the authors use Arabic terminology
to describe a certain linguistic phenomenon, for
example, Haal (pp. 105–106), often translated as
“adverb of circumstance”; at other times they use
English terms without their Arabic equivalents, as
in construct phrase (pp. 79–80) and many others.
In explaining the last example, the authors pro-
vide an algebraic formula as in N1 + N2 = the N1
of N2. Without illustrative examples, this formula
may be difficult to understand. In this reviewer’s
155
opinion, the use of Arabic grammatical terminol-
ogy in conjunction with imposed Latinate gram-
matical categories would have been more illustra-
tive and explanatory and would have been wel-
come in this edition.
Furthermore, oftentimes the examples are
not from Arabic. Take, for example, the terms
voiced/voiceless consonants (p. 79). Examples from
Egyptian Arabic would have been more meaning-
ful to readers.
Consonants are presented under many head-
ings: Clear versus Dark (p. 75), Their Distri-
bution (p. 75), Doubled (p. 76), Emphatic =
Velarized, Pharyngealized = Flat (p. 77), Plain
(p. 77), and Pronunciation (pp. 77–78). The au-
thors simplify the discussion of this topic by en-
listing the Egyptian Arabic consonants that are
shared with English and by providing equivalents
in English words (p. 77). This list lacks men-
tion of the Egyptian Arabic consonants referred
to in the following quote: “a few are quite un-
like anything in English and, therefore, require a
great deal of practice on the part of the student”
(p. 77). Those so-called problem sounds, which
merit attention when teaching English speakers,
are absent from the discussion. The book would
have rendered the user better service had they
been included. For example, we know that the
uvular stop /q/ is not used in Egyptian Arabic ex-
cept in loan words from FusHa (classical and/or
Modern Standard Arabic), as in the word Qur’an,
or when readers recite this holy book. /q/ is men-
tioned only under the section “Uvular” (p. 259)
without discussion of its usage, or lack thereof,
in Egyptian Arabic. The same comment applies to
c
the voiced and voiceless fricatives ayn and Haa’. In
discussing the glottal stop, the authors state that
it should not give the learner any trouble on the
assumption that it is found in New York dialect.
Of course, not every speaker of English is a New
Yorker; furthermore, many New Yorkers do not
pronounce the phoneme /t/ in “bottle” as a glot-
tal stop. From this reviewer’s experience, speakers
of English learning Arabic fail to recognize this
sound as a consonant in the target language and
always view it as a vowel.
It is understandable that the Georgetown Uni-
versity Press intended to adhere to the original
(1979) printing of the book. However, since the
publication of this book in that year, many stud-
ies on Egyptian Arabic have come to light, in-
cluding the German language study by Woidich
that Bergman alludes to in her foreword, as
well as monographs and doctoral dissertations.
The reprint would have benefited from including
some of these publications in the bibliography for
156
those desiring more reference works on Egyptian
Arabic.
MOHAMMED SAWAIE
University of Virginia
CHINESE
HE, WAYNE, DELA JIAO, QIUXIA SHAO, &
CHRISTOPHER M. LIVEACCARI. Chinese for To-
morrow: A New Five-Skilled Approach, Vol. 1. Boston:
Cheng & Tsui, 2008. Pp. xxxiii, 437. $62.95, paper.
ISBN 978–0–88727–568–5. Grammar Book, $41.95,
paper. Teacher’s Manual , $73.95, paper. Online Re-
sources, free to adopters.
———. Chinese for Tomorrow: A New Five-Skilled
Approach, Vol. 2. Boston: Cheng & Tsui, 2008. Pp.
xxiv, 440. $75.00, paper. ISBN 978–0–88727–608–
8. Grammar Book, $44.95, paper. Teacher’s Manual ,
$79.95, paper. Online Resources, free to adopters.
Chinese for Tomorrow is a three-volume series that
covers first- through third-year Mandarin Chinese
instruction. It is tailored for a 6-semester sequence
of college or high school Chinese courses. Com-
puter input of Chinese characters is utilized as a
fifth language skill to facilitate the learning pro-
cess, along with speaking, listening, reading, and
writing. The package includes a textbook in either
traditional or simplified character form, a gram-
mar book, a teacher’s manual, and free online
supplements. These text materials introduce a
uniquely effective approach to Chinese language
learning that takes full advantage of the possibili-
ties offered by computer technology.
Constructed from 5 years of experimentation
with the text at the authors’ respective institu-
tions, volumes 1 and 2 are devoted to beginning
and intermediate levels of language learning with
10 lessons in each volume. Volume 1, which is fo-
cused on the needs of true beginners, starts with
an introduction section to present an overview
of the language, pronunciation, the writing sys-
tem, and computer input in Chinese. Volume 2
introduces college-related vocabulary and topics
such as course registration, Internet lingo, study
abroad, transferring credit, looking for jobs, and
so forth. These topics reflect real-life activities of
typical college learners in authentic cultural con-
texts, and they conform to the ACTFL National
Standards and the HSK Chinese Proficiency Test
Guidelines. Both volumes use the “Computer Chi-
nese” method, and volume 2 features significant
The Modern Language Journal 95 (2011)
enhancement in character handwriting and re-
duction of pinyin.
Within the body of each lesson, there is both
richness in detailed vocabularies and expressions
and a wide range of materials and exercises
heretofore unseen in many beginning and inter-
mediate Chinese textbooks. Each lesson is theme
based and content oriented. The lessons are or-
ganized into sections of learning objectives, two
dialogues, a narrative, vocabulary, notes on lan-
guage usage, English translations of the texts,
Chinese customs and culture, and exercises for
listening and speaking, computing and learning
characters, understanding the texts, and for sup-
plementary reading. It is particularly impressive
that the vocabulary is introduced not merely in
atomized lists of single characters, but also in
compounds. In addition, for most of the com-
monly used characters according to frequency-of-
usage ranking and the A-level characters of the
HSK Exam, activities are provided for learners
to explore the transition from characters to com-
pounds using dictionaries. The authors made an
effort to update the language use, and introduce
new expressions to reflect newly emerging every-
day Chinese language; for example, ‘home-
ward bound overseas returnees,’ ‘overseas re-
turnees waiting for jobs,’ and ‘people who
always spend all their salary or earnings before the
end of the month.’ The length of the texts (i.e.,
dialogues and narratives) increases from early to
later chapters, and each narrative is repeated in
three formats: pinyin only, pinyin with characters,
and characters only. Thus, learners may find them
easy to comprehend. Culture and customs are in-
teractively introduced by including each learner’s
experience in the exploration of such cultural in-
formation.
In addition to the above-mentioned merits, I
would also like to praise the accessibility of this
series. It is user friendly, as evidenced by its pleas-
ant layout highlighted by the reference tags ar-
ranged on the right side of the page to catch the
reader’s eye. The informative table of contents
and the overview of each lesson at the beginning
of the book enable readers to go to a certain gram-
mar/language point without wasting too much
time on flipping pages. Further, a glossary orga-
nized by alphabetical order and the list of notes
on language usage at the end of the book allow
for easy searching.
Separating grammar from the regular text-
books allows for deeper knowledge and analytical
understanding of the language system. The major-
ity of the grammar points are selected from Level
Reviews
A and Level B Grammar Programs of HSK, and
they are introduced according to learning facility
and usefulness. Each grammar item is presented
with an explanation, followed by multiple exam-
ples and exercises of daily language usage. Func-
tional explanations are also provided for some of
the complicated items. For example, the explana-
tory notes touch on differences in word order be-
tween Chinese and English relative clauses; irreg-
ular negative forms, such as ‘have to’ and
‘don’t have to,’ and common errors that learners
may make in translating an English sentence into
Chinese.
The instructor’s manuals are designed to help
teachers plan their curriculum. Each lesson con-
tains five sections: sample teaching schedules,
class activities, answer keys to the exercises in the
textbook, sample written quizzes with answer keys,
and sample oral assessment exams. The manuals
are especially helpful for junior faculty or teach-
ing assistants who need guidelines for test con-
struction, classroom management, and teaching
pedagogy. Online supplements are arranged by
volume and lesson. This program provides every-
one with free access to flashcards, supplementary
readings, audio files for new words, dialogues, nar-
ratives, and for listening and speaking exercises.
There are several areas in which Chinese for To-
morrow is in need of editorial revision. First, ty-
pos and inconsistencies of characters detract from
the book’s effectiveness. For example, characters,
pinyin, and punctuation marks are printed incor-
rectly. A few of the many errors are given here:
(p. 22 of vol. 1; pp. 3, 10, 76 of vol. 2), (p. 93 of
vol. 1), (p. 104 of vol. 1), and (p. 142 of
vol. 1). Further, there are mix-ups of tradi-
tional and simplified characters; for example,
(pp. 171, 366 of vol. 1), (p. 8 of vol. 2),
and , , , , (pp. 47, 63 of vol. 2)
need to be converted to simplified charac-
ters. Another error involves a discrepancy be-
tween characters and pinyin: ‘ruănjiàn’
(p. 313 of vol. 1).
Another issue is the amount of material pre-
sented in each volume. The series is designed
for Chinese programs that meet approximately 30
class periods per semester (6 periods × 5 lessons
= 30 periods). For many Chinese programs at the
college level, beginning and intermediate classes
may meet 45 times or more per semester (based
on 3 class meetings per week for 15 weeks, a tra-
ditional college semester). Instead of increasing
the pace of lessons, and covering volume 2 (of the
intermediate level) in the first year of instruction,
learners would benefit if one or two new lessons
could be added to each volume. With additional
157
content at the learners’ current proficiency level,
teachers have more flexibility to use these materi-
als either in class or after class as readings.
Third, the feature of cross-references between
textbooks and grammar books results in some lan-
guage items introduced in a given textbook lesson
being covered in a different lesson than in the
grammar book. The authors provided a full and
ample explanation of this intentional two-track
design (i.e., language items are presented accord-
ing to frequency of usage in textbooks, but accord-
ing to degree of difficulty in grammar books). As
far as this reviewer can determine, textbook items
marked with an asterisk are those that learners
must master before moving on to the next les-
son. It would be desirable to coordinate the in-
troduction of these items between textbooks and
grammar books. For example, progressive aspect
is marked as a key item in textbook lesson 4, but
it is introduced in lesson 7 in the grammar book.
Readability would increase if this item were pre-
sented as a required item consistently across texts.
Chinese for Tomorrow exemplifies a recurring
issue—that the text does not meet the different
needs of teachers and learners equally. Linguistic
explanations of some difficult grammar/language
points could be explicitly introduced in the
teacher’s manual to supplement the grammar
book, which is designed for learners to use the
grammar items in their speech. For example,
there is a dramatic difference between Chinese
and American linguists with regard to the Chi-
nese morphological classification system. It would
have been helpful if the manual had mentioned
the difference and had illustrated the guidelines
of classification used in this series.
Despite the aforementioned areas that need
improvement, volumes 1 and 2 of Chinese for To-
morrow are valuable additions to the field of Chi-
nese language pedagogy. The package, therefore,
is highly recommended to high school and col-
lege learners, and to anyone who would like to
adopt computer-based techniques in Chinese.
MINGZHEN BAO
University of Kentucky
FRENCH
ROCHAT, DENISE. Contrastes: Grammaire du
français courant. 2nd ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ:
Prentice Hall, 2010. Pp. viii, 396. $51.33, paper.
ISBN 978–02056–4699–9.
ROCHAT, DENISE, & CATHERINE BLOOM.
Workbook for Contrastes: Grammaire du français
158 The Modern Language Journal 95 (2011)
courant. 2nd ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: items is listed, along with the page number on
Prentice Hall, 2010. Pp. 280. $37.80, paper. ISBN which each item is located. Throughout the 21
978–02056–2848–3. chapters, all grammatical points are numbered for
ease of reference, presented in context and illus-
trated through colloquial French examples (with
Rochat’s second edition of Contrastes is a spiral-
English translations), organized into easy-to-read
bound, 6 12 × 9-inch paperback French grammar
tables for clarity, and are clearly presented with
reference book that is a more comprehensive iter-
exceptions to or in contrast with particular gram-
ation of its 2005 first edition. The book is written
matical rules. In addition, students are given the
primarily in French, albeit with ample use of En-
opportunity to practice particular points of gram-
glish (i.e., translations of grammatical examples
mar stressed within each chapter through guided
and clarifying footnotes), and it is most appro-
(vérification) exercises, and to self-grade their re-
priate for English-speaking students at the inter-
sponses by consulting the answers located at the
mediate and advanced levels. Contrastes consists
end of the book.
of 21 chapters (each with practice exercises) that
A brief look at chapter 3, Les pronoms objets
straightforwardly address key aspects of French
directs et indirects, will help illustrate the major
grammatical points, followed by four robust ap-
strengths of Contrastes. The chapter begins with
pendices, answers to the practice exercises, a gen-
a brief explanation of the function of the direct
eral index, and a verb index.
pronouns le, la, and les, and it ends with a re-
The second edition of Contrastes meets and ex-
minder: “Notez que devant une voyelle ou un h muet,
ceeds all objectives set forth in the author’s pref-
le et la deviennent l” (p. 30). Next are examples of
ace. Of particular usefulness to both students and
the direct objects’ usage in context, with transla-
their instructors is the easy-to-follow organization
tion, followed by a footnote in English explaining
of each chapter, in which there is a liberal use
what a direct object is. Later in the chapter, an
of tables for illustrative and contrastive examples;
N.B. (Nota Bene) is shown (p. 31), highlighted in a
boldface font for emphasis; Nota Bene boxes that
green box, contrasting definite articles with direct
include highlighted exceptions to rules, contrasts,
objects. A second N.B. box (p. 32) emphasizes the
or frequently occurring errors; pages with color
differences between French and English with cer-
bands to indicate advanced or complex topics;
tain verbs. Later, an example of the correct usage
and Vérification et récapitulation exercises for in-
of these verbs is shown, along with a commonly oc-
context practice of the grammatical items stressed
curring error when using them (e.g., [ET NON:])
in a particular chapter.
with a line through the incorrect usage. Finally, a
Contrastes is not just another French grammar
Vérification et récapitulation (p. 34) is given for stu-
ancillary; it is an all-inclusive textbook of French
dent practice.
grammar that could stand on its own as the pri-
In sum, the second edition of Contrastes would
mary textbook for a college-level intermediate or
be a valuable and useful text for intermediate and
advanced French grammar course (in concert
advanced French classrooms.
with an optional available workbook), or serve
as a valuable reference tool in an advanced high PATRICIA DAVIS–WILEY
school French class. A brief tour of Contrastes will The University of Tennessee, Knoxville
illustrate this point.
The Table des matières in this textbook con-
sists of 21 chapters: (1) Le présent de l’indicatif;
L’impératif ; (2) Les articles; (3) Les pronoms objets ITALIAN
directs et indirects; (4) Les pronoms disjoints; (5) Les
adjectifs et pronoms démonstratifs; (6) L’interrogation
KRAMER, MARTIN. The Phonology of Italian. Ox-
directe; (7) L’appartenance; (8) La négation; (9)
ford: Oxford University Press, 2009. Pp. xii, 286.
Le passé de l’indicatif; Le récit au passé; (10) Les
$120.00, cloth. ISBN 978–0–19–929079–6.
participes présent et passé; (11) Le futur et le con-
ditionnel ; (12) Le subjonctif ; (13) L’infinitif ; (14)
L’expression de la condition; (15) Le discours indi- As the title implies, the purpose of this text is to
rect au passé; (16) Les subordonnées relatives; (17) give an overview of the phonology of Italian. The
L’expression du temps; (18) Le passif et les tournures author has cast a wide net in that the goal is to pro-
passives; (19) La comparaison; (20) Les indéfinis; vide an overview of the historical development of
and (21) Pluriels et accords. For each of these Italian, a description of the major issues in Ital-
chapters, a detailed list of discrete grammatical ian phonology, and a theoretical interpretation
Reviews
of these issues using primarily two frameworks:
Optimality Theory and the parallel structures
model of segmental representations. The text
consists of seven chapters, the first three of which
are introductory. The first chapter provides a
general background of Italian and explains the
organization of the text, the second is a cur-
sory overview of the theoretical frameworks em-
ployed, and the third gives a brief history of Italian
phonology. The rest of the chapters cover segmen-
tal phonology, syllable structure, word stress, and
prosodic phonology. Each chapter begins with a
nontheoretical description of the issues and is fol-
lowed by a theoretical interpretation. The pri-
mary features of the Italian sound system that
are analyzed are voicing of intervocalic /s/, rad-
doppiamento fonosintattico, velar palatalization at
morpheme boundaries in verbs and nouns and id-
iosyncratic velar palatalization in nouns, and stress
placement.
The introductory comments on the Italian lan-
guage take into account the regional and dialectal
diversity of Italy and note that the formal anal-
yses are not intended to present the linguistic
competence of one speaker, but rather to rep-
resent a meta-Italian grammar. Given the scope
of this text, the overview of the theoretical frame-
works in the second chapter is necessarily lim-
ited. The basics are taken for granted and the
author presents some of the new developments
in both theories, which means that the reader
of these sections is assumed to have some back-
ground in each. However, the author wants to sat-
isfy both theoretical linguists and those who are
not interested in theory by pointing out that this
chapter and the theoretical analyses in the rest
of the chapters can be skipped. The discussion
of the history of the language is also cursory, but
in this case it is not clear that previous knowl-
edge is assumed. The comments on the external
history of Italian are brief and elementary, taken
from Marazzini’s (2003) Breve storia della lingua
italiana (Bologna: Il Mulino), and the descrip-
tion of the consonants, vowels, diphthongs, sylla-
ble structure, and word stress in Classical Latin
and the major consonantal changes in Italian are
sketches that ignore more in-depth discussions of
well-known problematic issues, such as inconsis-
tent diphthongization of stressed lax mid vowels
and sporadic voicing in Italian. However, the dis-
cussions of the features analyzed in each chapter
are sophisticated and well researched, and they
assume clear understanding of phonology. Thus,
the audience for this book is researchers and stu-
dents with a strong background in phonology who
may or may not be interested in theory.
159
The author takes positions or comes to con-
clusions on various issues; for example, (a) the
formal analyses are based on the assumption that
language change originates in language acquisi-
tion; (b) his inventory of contrastive segments
is motivated in part by system economy and, as
a result, affricates do not constitute a separate
class of manner of articulation; rather, they are
classed as stops and affrication is seen as an en-
hancement strategy; (c) glides are independent
of vowels; (d) front vowels and palatal glides have
the place feature [coronal] (which accounts for
palatalization), and back high and mid vowels
and the labiovelar glide have the feature [labial]
(which accounts for the reluctance of the mid-
low back vowel to break into a diphthong in the
emergence of mobile diphthongs); (e) the glide
in rising diphthongs is part of the onset rather
than the nucleus; and (f) secondary stress is op-
tional and tends not to be realized.
The author uses a variety of approaches to ex-
plore the structures of Italian, and one leaves
the text feeling that no stone has been left un-
turned. One interesting approach is the use of
nonce-word tests that provide interesting results,
which are incorporated into the theoretical anal-
yses. The author’s nonce test to find out if ve-
lar palatalization in pluralization of masculine
nouns is synchronically active complements previ-
ous studies and clearly demonstrates that palatal-
ization is not dictated by stress placement, but
rather varies from speaker to speaker, in that
speakers who do not palatalize store the plurals
as exceptions and those who do palatalize store
allomorphs to trigger it. Similarly, another nonce
test provides provisional evidence that nouns
are lexically marked for stress (although penul-
timate heavy-syllable stress could be a default).
The theoretical discussions of all of the features
are exhaustive. The only quibble, coming from a
researcher with a nontheoretical agenda, is that
care must be taken in the use of the word “expla-
nation” when discussing language change; that is,
special consideration should be given to the dis-
tinction between explanation and description of
a historical process.
JANICE M. ASKI
The Ohio State University
KOREAN
CHOO, MIHO, with HYE–YOUNG KWAK. Us-
ing Korean: A Guide to Contemporary Usage. New
160
York: Cambridge University Press, 2008. Pp. vi,
325. $36.99, paper. ISBN 978–0–5216–6788–3.
This book, part of the Cambridge Textbooks in
Language and Linguistics series, is an important
and impressive contribution to the fields of Ko-
rean linguistics and Korean pedagogy. As a refer-
ence guide to the contemporary usage of Korean,
the volume provides authentic Korean language
samples of both spoken and written discourses.
Twenty-two chapters of this book are thematically
organized into three parts: (a) “Style and Usage,”
(b) “Vocabulary,” and (c) “Grammar.” Each part
presents a wide range of linguistic items, expres-
sions, and texts by means of relevant categoriza-
tion, informative comparisons, visually appealing
tables, and summary of patterns.
Part 1, “Style and Usage,” reviews different styles
of speaking and writing in Korean and discusses
how the selection of a particular style is related
to such factors as rhetorical genre, discourse set-
ting, and the relationship between interlocutors
or between writer and reader. In chapter 1, Choo
and Kwak illustrate different sentence types and
speech levels in Korean that are marked by sen-
tence endings. Concrete speech and writing sam-
ples provided in this chapter (e.g., news broadcast,
job interview, advertisement) help readers to bet-
ter understand different registers of the Korean
language. Formal and polite speech styles are fur-
ther elaborated in chapter 2 with the discussion of
Korean honorifics, including honorific markers,
words, and expressions. Chapter 3 concerns how
to appropriately address people in Korean. Draw-
ing attention to the fact that, unlike English, the
use of personal pronouns (particularly the second
person pronoun) is often avoided in Korean, this
chapter presents useful non-pronoun words that
perform the same function as pronouns.
Chapters 4, 5, and 6 of part 1 deal with prag-
matic features of Korean and interactional strate-
gies commonly employed by Korean speakers in
everyday communication. Chapter 5, which lists
formulaic expressions and exchanges in various
daily situations (e.g., expressions of gratitude,
apologies, condolences, encouragement, invita-
tions), serves as a practical and informative guide
for learners of Korean who wish to acquire the
ability to perform speech acts. In ordinary con-
versations, speakers do not always produce perfect
and complete sentences as portrayed in scripted
model dialogues in second or foreign language
(L2) textbooks. Speakers often hesitate, repeat,
pause to look for a word, and use many fillers.
Chapter 5 gives details on such filler words and
The Modern Language Journal 95 (2011)
hedges in Korean (e.g., well, uh, um, you know,
how shall I put it?), which are handy devices to
link one’s utterances and maintain the floor in a
conversation. The interactional functions of such
pragmatic devices carry significant value as au-
thentic L2 input, especially given the fact that they
are hardly taught in language classrooms. Entitled
“Softening Strategies,” chapter 6 describes polite
ways of making commands, requests, or inquiries
in Korean while avoiding directness or confronta-
tion, a strategy that is important in maintaining
conversational solidarity. Although the book fo-
cuses on the usage of Standard Korean, features
of local dialects are briefly highlighted in chap-
ter 7. The last chapter of part 1 is a compara-
tive account of written versus spoken language.
In Korean, as in many other languages, there are
expressions and pronunciations more appropri-
ate for formal writing and speech, whereas other
expressions are more appropriate for colloquial
speech. The authors provide a decent summary
of differences between written and spoken lan-
guage in terms of grammar, vocabulary, spelling,
and pronunciation.
The second part of the book includes chap-
ters related to vocabulary and word building. It
starts out with the discussion of native Korean
words and borrowed words in chapter 9. Native
versus Sino-Korean contrast and Koreanized West-
ern loan words (mostly from English) are the fo-
cus of this chapter. In the next chapter, Choo and
Kwak classify patterns of word formation, namely
word + word, prefix + word, and word + suffix,
the knowledge of which facilitates improvement
of one’s vocabulary skills in Korean. In chapter 11,
Korean vocabulary that has no direct counterpart
in English is presented, such as verbs of wearing
and verbs of playing, which are error-prone items
for learners of Korean. The subsequent two chap-
ters deal with Korean proverbs and idioms (ch.
12) and words of sound symbolism (ch. 13). Ko-
rean is one of the languages that have highly de-
veloped onomatopoeia and mimesis. Chapter 13
elaborates those sound and image words, without
which many ideas and concepts cannot be vividly
expressed in Korean. The last chapter of part 2
concerns two different number systems in Korean
(i.e., native versus Sino-Korean numbers), which
often pose challenges to L2 Korean learners. Un-
like typical number explanations found in other
textbooks, this chapter adds information on how
to read mathematical calculation (e.g., addition,
multiplication, fractions, decimals) and unit mea-
surements (e.g., distance, area, volume, weight).
Part 3, “Grammar,” tackles grammatical areas
that cause the most confusion and difficulty to
Reviews
English-speaking learners of Korean, rather than
provide a comprehensive overview of grammati-
cal categories in Korean. Chapter 15 “Verb Types”
and chapter 18 “Negation” illustrate action verbs
and descriptive verbs in Korean, as well as the
negative forms of those verbs. In chapters 16 and
17, grammatical constructions denoting tense, as-
pect, and modality are discussed. In these two
chapters, special attention is paid to grammatical
forms that look similar but mark different tenses,
aspects, or modalities. Chapter 19, the lengthi-
est chapter of this volume, provides a list of par-
ticles and their usage. The authors make notes
on particles of identical or similar meaning by
explaining the contexts in which both particles
are interchangeably used or a certain particle is
preferentially or exclusively used. In chapter 20,
readers can find a useful list of grammar patterns
that express equality, similarities, and differences,
including comparatives and superlatives. The last
two chapters of this book are devoted to illustra-
tion of conjunctives and complex sentences in Ko-
rean, such as how to combine clauses and how to
express direct/indirect quotations.
Overall, this book is well written and thoroughly
researched. Much space is allocated to exhaus-
tive lists of up-to-date and representative language
samples. The examples reflect highly authentic
natural language, much of which seems to be
driven from real-world data rather than from the
authors’ intuition or introspection. The authen-
ticity of these examples effectively communicates
the usage and functions of presented linguistic
items. As the authors point out, this book assumes
a basic proficiency both in spoken and written
Korean. Although examples are presented with
English translations, given the lexical density and
grammatical complexity of the content, this book
is not well suited for beginner-level learners. The
volume is best suited for high-intermediate or ad-
vanced learners of Korean who wish to reorganize
and advance their knowledge of vocabulary, gram-
mar, and pragmatic usage. A number of summary
charts and comparative illustrations help learners
raise their consciousness of improper and proper
uses of troublesome words and expressions.
For a reference work like this, it is impossible
to cover everything. Some readers might expect
to see more detail on contemporary language for
daily situations. Some readers may find discussion
of some topics (e.g., ch. 8) too brief or limited.
There are also minor errors in some examples
(e.g., camtuncwul alassteni misspelled as camtunci
alassteni ‘I thought you fell asleep,’ p. 200; tunka
misspelled as tenka ‘or,’ p. 278). These minor inad-
equacies, however, do not detract from the overall
161
value and merits of this book. The authors did an
excellent job in providing balanced information
of colloquial and formal language use. As an out-
standing reference for studying contemporary Ko-
rean, this book will prove to be a useful resource
for learners, teachers, and researchers of Korean
as a foreign/second language.
DANIELLE OOYOUNG PYUN
The Ohio State University
SPANISH
FEBLES, JORGE, & CAROLYN HARRIS. Por es-
crito: De la palabra a la composición. Upper Saddle
River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2010. Pp. 336. $74.60,
paper. ISBN 978–0–205–64698–2.
Por escrito is a no-frills Spanish composition text
that is straightforward and systematic in its ap-
proach to teaching writing. Intended for second-
year students, it is written entirely in a Spanish that
is approachable by intermediate learners. The au-
thors’ philosophy is that the students should begin
to express themselves in simple themes using sim-
ple structures before being expected to continue
to more sophisticated and complex writing tasks.
They maintain that students run into difficulties
when they try to write beyond their linguistic ca-
pacity (p. ix). To this end, the approach is to begin
at the sentence level and guide students to express
their ideas in writing in increasingly complex and
sophisticated ways.
The procedure for writing the composition con-
sists of three steps. It starts by having students
brainstorm to create 20–25 sentences related to
the theme of the composition. Next, these sen-
tences are organized into paragraph form, are
corrected by the instructor, and are returned to
the students for revision. The final draft, presum-
ably containing limited grammatical errors, can
be evaluated for content and structure (p. xi).
The text consists of six chapters, from prelimi-
nary to chapter 5. The preliminary chapter could
have been titled chapter 1, as it does not dif-
fer in length or format from the other chapters.
The principal focus is description and narration,
which the authors state are the two most common
ways of expressing oneself in writing (p. x).
As for the format of the book, the prelim-
inary chapter presents description using sim-
ple sentences; chapter 2 deals with narration
in the past using complex sentences; chapter
3 continues with narration with dialogue; and
162
chapters 4 and 5 cover argumentative and an-
alytical expository writing. Each chapter begins
with a clear and concise presentation of the
grammatical structure to be used in the com-
position, always introducing structures in terms
of their communicative functions before mov-
ing to their forms. These are followed by largely
mechanical exercises in production that will dis-
appoint those who favor a more communica-
tive, input-processing approach to practice. It
should be noted here that four to five gram-
mar structures are presented in each chapter.
Given that students at the intermediate level of
proficiency are at the very beginning stages of
their acquisition of the marked structures covered
in this text, such as ser/estar, preterit/imperfect,
and subjunctive, this approach is likely to over-
whelm and frustrate many learners. On a more
positive note, taking into account students’ dif-
ficulties with traditional terminology for gram-
matical categories, Por escrito takes a functional
approach to the discussion of syntax by pairing
the traditional terms (verb, noun, adjective, etc.)
with transparent and descriptive terms, such as
palabra-acción ‘action word,’ palabra-concepto ‘con-
cept word,’ and palabra-modificadora ‘modifying
word,’ to minimize errors in translation, accord-
ing to the authors (p. x). But, it also helps learn-
ers to cultivate an understanding of syntax and
sentence structure in terms of real-world relation-
ships among people and things that the abstract
terms do not.
There is a useful feature, new to the second edi-
tion, intended for those with heritage speakers in
their classes. Called Si yo fuera hispanohablante,
it focuses students’ attention on common errors
made by native speakers. The intention, accord-
ing to the authors, is not only to focus native speak-
ers on their errors, but also to encourage English
speakers to reflect on their errors (p. ix). It is sur-
prising that there is no discussion of orthography
and accentuation in this section, arguably the area
that challenges heritage speakers more than any
other. Two other additions to the second edition
are a section on proper use of dictionaries—both
bilingual and monolingual—which appears only
in the first two chapters, and a section on crit-
ical thinking entitled Para pensar crı́ticamente in
the last two chapters, which are dedicated to ar-
gumentation and critical analysis. All chapters in-
clude a final section called Chateemos, in which two
antagonists argue over various issues using online
chat. Students are invited to express their opin-
ions on the matter under discussion. Although
the purpose of this new feature is to promote crit-
ical thinking according to the authors (p. ix), it
The Modern Language Journal 95 (2011)
also seems to be motivated somewhat by a desire
to introduce computer-mediated communication
into the program, which otherwise is devoid of
technological features.
Student writing starts with two short 100- to 150-
word compositions per chapter for which they are
given specific instructions on using the grammar
learned. The Cuadernos, as they are called, are
intended to get the learners thinking about the
composition type being studied and the correct
and appropriate use of the structures needed to
help communicate the message of the text. The
process of writing the final composition in each
chapter begins with a brief description of the type
of writing: description, narration, and so forth.
This stage is followed by a list of 25 statements
related to a particular theme, then by a list of titles
to choose from. After reading these sentences,
students answer questions related to such topics
as organization, structure, and point of view.
Next, in pairs, they read and analyze a com-
pleted version of the composition. The final activ-
ity in this preparatory exercise is to arrange groups
of isolated sentences into coherent paragraphs.
The actual writing assignment involves the three-
step process described in the second paragraph.
The text is completed by five appendices, which
include information on accentuation and how to
type accents on Macintosh and PC computers, as
well as rubrics for evaluating writing and critical
thinking.
In spite of the reservations related to grammar
presentation and the dearth of technology, Por
escrito is a text with many excellent features. The
Spanish is approachable by intermediate learners,
the grammar is clearly presented and, during the
writing phase, the book presents the learners with
appropriate writing models and then leads them
systematically and incrementally through the writ-
ing process, never allowing them to stray far from
their linguistic capabilities. It is a common-sense
approach to the difficult task of writing in one’s
second language that many instructors will find
appealing.
GREGORY TAYLOR
Minnesota State University Mankato
KLEE, CAROL A., & ANDREW LYNCH. El español
en contacto con otras lenguas. Washington, DC:
Georgetown University Press, 2009. Pp. xiv, 331.
$39.95, paper. ISBN 978–1–58901–265–3.
Reviews
This volume, written entirely in Spanish, presents
a comprehensive synthesis of numerous empirical
studies and descriptions that have been published
over the years regarding Spanish in contact with
other languages. The authors characterize a num-
ber of Spanish varieties resulting from historical
and social factors at work in different contact sit-
uations throughout the Spanish-speaking world.
The linguistic consequences on the Spanish lan-
guage are examined with respect to changes in
phonology, morphology, syntax, and pragmatics.
Klee and Lynch indicate in the preface that the
book is intended to serve as a reference guide for
future studies of Spanish in contact situations and
is directed primarily at researchers and advanced
students interested in sociolinguistics and bilin-
gualism. The authors also acknowledge that the
text does not attempt to propose any new theo-
retical models for examining the dynamics and
consequences of language contact and change,
nor does it engage in refuting or expanding on
previous frameworks. The authors point out that
one of their goals is to provide an impartial treat-
ment of the various controversial issues associated
with the study of languages in contact by offering
a critical analysis of the arguments and evidence
used to support particular claims.
The book is organized into seven chapters.
Chapter 1 outlines the diverse language contact
situations in the Spanish-speaking world and ad-
dresses basic theoretical concerns for the study
of languages in contact, highlighting the rela-
tive importance of linguistics and social factors.
Chapter 2 focuses on the multilingual situation
of Spain by examining the varied sociohistorical
conditions and consequences of Spanish contact
with Basque, Catalan, and Galician. In chapter 3,
the authors depict the influence of African lan-
guages on Spanish varieties in the Caribbean re-
gion and Equatorial Guinea, and they consider
Spanish-based creoles such as Papiamento, Palen-
quero, and Chabacano. Chapter 4 explores Span-
ish language contact with a number of indigenous
languages still spoken in the Americas. These in-
clude regional Spanish varieties resulting from
contact with Nahuatl, Maya, Quechua, Aymara,
and Guarani. Chapter 5 identifies a number of
Spanish varieties in the Southern Cone resulting
from contact with different European languages.
Contact with Portuguese, resulting in fronterizo va-
rieties, is examined for the northern region of
Uruguay. The extent and type of contact with En-
glish is reported for Buenos Aires. The limited,
transitional influence of Danish and German on
Spanish is also documented. Italo-hispanic vari-
eties such as cocoliche and lunfardo are described,
163
along with the long-lasting phonological influ-
ence of Italian on the distinctive speech patterns
of Buenos Aires. Chapter 6 provides an overview
of the Spanish colonial legacy in North America.
The evolution and expansion of the Spanish lan-
guage in the United States is reviewed, focusing
on the three major Hispanic groups: mexicanos,
puertorriqueños, and cubanos. The chapter also dis-
cusses the immigration and influence of other
Hispanic groups from various nationalities in Cen-
tral and South America. The important topic of
intergenerational Spanish language maintenance
and shift to English is surveyed, taking into ac-
count such factors as the home language situa-
tion, socioeconomic conditions, and gender roles.
Spanish language varieties, including Spanglish,
are considered in relation to a number of lan-
guage contact issues such as bilingualism, code
shifting/mixing, borrowings, and calques. The
authors also note diverse language changes and
simplification processes at work in the verb sys-
tem, pronoun use, and discourse markers. They
conclude that a hybrid, creole-type of Spanish
will not emerge among Spanish–English bilin-
guals born and schooled in the United States. In
chapter 7, the authors offer a summary of the
linguistic consequences that tend to occur in lan-
guage contact situations. Klee and Lynch also de-
scribe some of the principal linguistic changes
that characterize Spanish in contact with other
languages. They summarize some of the signif-
icant changes that have occurred in phonology
(vowels, consonants, intonation), morphosyntac-
tic aspects (pronouns, verbs, word order), and
pragmatic considerations (double negation, di-
rectives, deictic forms, discourse markers). The
last section of the chapter recommends, though
in a limited manner, some areas for future stud-
ies of Spanish in contact with other languages in
different contexts.
This book is a valuable contribution to the study
of Spanish in contact with other languages. It of-
fers an excellent, comprehensive synthesis of the
historical, social, and linguistic factors that have
shaped many contact varieties of Spanish. The
book’s numerous tables, figures, and maps con-
tribute to the comprehension and understanding
of the complex dynamics involving language con-
tact situations. Given that the book is intended
as a guide for researchers and advanced students
in sociolinguistics and bilingualism, an appendix
or table listing the studies reviewed would have
been useful. The summary table could include
the particular sociolinguistic variables taken into
account and, thus, would contribute to the lin-
guistic findings in the study. The factors taken into
164
account might include relevant personal charac-
teristics (age, gender, degree of bilingualism, so-
cial class, education, profession), language setting
(rural, urban, work, home), and data collection
method (conversation, structured interview, ob-
servation). It is important to recognize that En-
glish has assumed an international lingua franca
status around the world. The nature and linguis-
tic significance of this type of English contact with
Spanish in places like Puerto Rico, Mexico, and
Spain, to name a few, merit scholarly attention as
an emerging language contact zone.
ARNULFO G. RAMÍREZ
Louisiana State University
LACORTE, MANEL, & JENNIFER LEEMAN.
(Eds.). Spanish in the United States and Other
Contact Environments. Madrid, Spain: Iberoamer-
ica, 2009. Pp. 402. $35.72, paper. ISBN 978–
848489424–7.
This edited collection of 17 articles—some in En-
glish, others in Spanish—covers a variety of topics
within Spanish sociolinguistics and related work
in Spanish language contact in the United States,
including linguistic ideologies, pedagogy, and ed-
ucation policy. The collection derives from a con-
ference entitled “Español en los Estados Unidos
y el español en contacto con otras lenguas,” or-
ganized by the editors and held in Arlington, Vir-
ginia, in March 2007. The editors’ introduction
concerning how to find the social in the linguistic
or the linguistic in the social, or what they call the
ecological character of the linguistic phenomena,
is a representation of some of the various aspects
of the field, which are all well illustrated in the
subsequent chapters.
The separation of chapters into three main sec-
tions seems to have misplaced several articles, par-
ticularly those investigating issues of linguistic ide-
ologies, pedagogy, and policy. Although there is
an expected overlap between the different top-
ics addressed in the papers, some included in the
last two sections may be better suited to the first
section on language contact. Within the field of
language contact for shaping the contact-induced
change process, the first section is described as fo-
cusing on several aspects of the contact between
Spanish and other languages, mainly with indige-
nous ones including Aimara, Guajiro, and Nahu-
atl, among others, and with creole and English
The Modern Language Journal 95 (2011)
languages. It looks at different linguistic phenom-
ena and adopts different linguistic frameworks
(e.g., generativist, variationist) related to syntax
(e.g., usage of pronouns) and phonology. It em-
ploys a variety of methodologies (e.g., corpus
analysis, questionnaires, fieldwork), paying atten-
tion to qualitative and quantitative data. The sec-
ond section complements the previous one and
deals with different themes related to language
contact in general, but concretely with the situ-
ation of Spanish in contact in the United States
within the framework of the language ideology
field. Several chapters with a similar focus made
up this section. The first two chapters comple-
ment each other by examining the role played by
the Real Academia de la Lengua Española and
the Cervantes Institute in spreading the so-called
standard panhispanic (or lengua común) language
ideologies across Spanish, Latin American, and
American language academies. The third chap-
ter focuses on the relationship between political
power and ideology constructions in relation to
the standardization of the Spanish language. The
remaining chapters in this section deal with the
examination of ideologies between Spanish and
English in the language employed in the press,
academic discourse, and medical services. The
third section is an attempt to evaluate the cur-
rent educational politics adopted in recent years
in the United States with respect to the educa-
tion of Spanish speakers and other minority bilin-
gual groups. It deals with the implementation of
some educational policies and their repercussions
for the survival of Spanish within the U.S. ed-
ucation system. The following three chapters in
this section touch on the evaluation of different
pedagogy and educational techniques adopted
for heritage speakers’ education in the United
States.
Aside from several spelling mistakes and occa-
sional unlabelled abbreviations, the articles are
well written, with adequate tables, discussion
of main findings and statistical analyses, mainly
following Varbrul (i.e., a multivariate analysis),
which is indeed appropriate for sociolinguistic
studies. Although many articles can be used as
excellent examples of sociolinguistic research for
graduate students, academics, and practitioners,
some contributions may require extensive knowl-
edge of theoretical background (e.g., dealing with
the situation of heritage speakers and bilingual
education in the United States). All of the chap-
ters contain statistical analyses where appropriate
and a discussion of the sociolinguistic method-
ology adopted; however, some chapters contain
clear statistical flaws, showing a certain lack of
Reviews
knowledge about basic statistical principles. One
shortcoming to the present collection is that sev-
eral of the chapters appear somewhat inconclu-
sive and do not make strong contributions to the
field, as merely preliminary analysis of data is pre-
sented. Some chapters are on the verge of being
too anecdotal and superficial. Hence, results are
presented but implications are not discussed in
detail in all of the articles. Several articles present
findings that are in line with previous research
but lack an original contribution. Given that this
collection is based on presentations from a con-
ference, further research by these authors will un-
questionably provide more conclusive results that
will contribute to the field.
Overall, this collection is a great example of cur-
rent sociolinguistics research, touching on a vari-
ety of topics and dealing with different aspects of
the field in relation to the situation of Spanish and
its influence in diverse cultural, historical, social,
and political contexts. In summary, the volume is a
nice contribution to the new and emerging Span-
ish sociolinguistics field, along with other publi-
cations based on conference presentations (e.g.,
Workshop on Spanish Sociolinguistics, U.S.; Sym-
posium of Hispanic Linguistics, UK).
PEDRO GUIJARRO–FUENTES
University of Plymouth
MORGAN, TERRELL A. Sonidos en contexto: Una
introducción a la fonética del español con especial ref-
erencia a la vida real . New Haven, CT: Yale Uni-
versity Press, 2009. Pp. 434. $95.00, cloth. ISBN
978–0–300–14959–3.
In recent years an inordinate number of text-
books on Spanish pronunciation and phonetics
has been published. The result of this prolifera-
tion in textbooks on this topic is that it is easy to
see any new publication as just another book to
add to the growing pile of textbooks sitting on the
bookshelf or stacked on the desk. Indeed, several
of the new textbooks on Spanish pronunciation
and phonetics that have come out in recent years
have done little to distinguish themselves from
the others. Sonidos en contexto, however, is not one
of those books. Rather, Morgan provides a fresh
approach, with a focus on real-life Spanish that I
have not encountered in any other text.
The general structure of the book is similar
to that of other texts on Spanish pronunciation
165
and phonetics. After an introductory chapter and
a chapter on the orthographic representation of
Spanish sounds, there are chapters on syllabifica-
tion, stress, and the phoneme that set the stage for
discussions of the specific sound classes. Vowels
are introduced generally in one chapter, followed
by a more detailed chapter dedicated to each
vowel, and then finally a chapter that goes fur-
ther into issues affecting vowels, such as synalepha
and syneresis. Following the treatment of the vow-
els, consonants are presented similarly, with an
overview chapter, and then detailed chapters typi-
cally treating classes of consonants. The main text
wraps up with an overview chapter on the sound
system, which includes a wonderfully succinct yet
complete chart detailing for each phoneme its
pronunciation in different contexts, and finally
a chapter on dialectal differences in pronuncia-
tion (though the primary differences are not ig-
nored in the relevant earlier chapters). The main
text is followed by five appendices, most of which
deal with phonetic symbols (an International
Phonetic Alphabet [IPA] chart, correspondences
between IPA and other symbols often used in
Spanish, etc.), a glossary, and a bibliography, in
addition to an index. The descriptions and expla-
nations given throughout the text are as complete
as those of any other text on the subject, requir-
ing no supplementation in order to provide com-
plete and detailed information to students. But
where Sonidos en contexto really shines and clearly
distinguishes itself from other texts is in the mate-
rials that accompany the descriptions and expla-
nations.
The exercises included in this book are one of
its strengths. Most textbooks are limited to exer-
cises that are largely boring and repetitive and
which do not engage the students. As repeated
practice is necessary for the improvement of pro-
nunciation, practice texts are included here, as
well. However, although there are words and sen-
tences to practice, there are also texts of vary-
ing lengths, many of which are poems and songs
from around the Spanish-speaking world that il-
lustrate the specific sounds being treated at that
point in the text, whereas others deal with fasci-
nating pieces of Hispanic cultures. Examples of
other types of exercises are activities based on
graphics, making students practice pronunciation
without relying on the orthographic representa-
tion, linguistic culture activities in which students
will come to appreciate that certain pieces of cul-
ture exist specifically because of the structure of
the Spanish sound system (e.g., a syllabic cross-
word puzzle in the chapter on syllabification, a
cartoon strip in the chapter on /x/ that makes
166
sense only in Spain because of the uvular pro-
nunciation of this phoneme), investigation activ-
ities that require students to interact with native
Spanish speakers, and phonological problems in
which students learn by looking at data and solv-
ing the problem. These are but a sampling of the
15 different engaging activity types used through-
out the book that provide a variety of learning
opportunities that are unmatched by any other
textbook on Spanish pronunciation and phonet-
ics. In addition to this variety, the sheer quantity
of activities is impressive. It is hard to imagine an
instructor needing to supplement the text with ad-
ditional activities; rather, the more likely issue will
be the tough decision of which activities to use and
which to leave out due to a lack of time for all of
them.
Another outstanding feature of this textbook is
its audio program. Although it should be expected
that any textbook dealing with this topic have an
accompanying audio program, the Sonidos en con-
texto audio program is the best of any I have seen.
The accompanying CD contains 295 MP3 files,
among them native-speaker productions of many
of the pronunciation exercises and texts, poems,
and songs (including many professional record-
ings). One of the appendices contains additional
texts for practicing pronunciation, and the CD
contains readings of these texts by speakers of var-
ious dialects of Spanish, allowing students to com-
pare different pronunciations of the same texts.
Although the CD is outstanding, it is not the only
supplement. There is also a companion Web site
with a variety of additional materials to further
enhance the already outstanding materials in the
book and on the CD.
Although many textbooks on Spanish pronun-
ciation and phonetics have been published in re-
cent years, Sonidos en contexto stands above the
rest, surpassing, in my view, the quality of even the
textbooks that have been mainstays as the most
popular over the last few decades. Although there
may be an occasional characteristic that an in-
structor might not be fond of, any such criticisms
are bound to stem mostly from personal prefer-
ences and minor points that do not affect the
overall quality of this textbook. Having considered
many different textbooks for my class on Span-
ish pronunciation and phonetics over the years,
even in the best cases I have had to choose a text
that I knew to be significantly inadequate in one
way or another. No longer will that be the case.
Morgan should be congratulated, as in Sonidos en
contexto he has produced a textbook that is the
most complete, most engaging, most varied in ac-
tivities, most connected to real-life Spanish, and
The Modern Language Journal 95 (2011)
has the best audio program of any textbook on
this subject.
TIMOTHY L. FACE
University of Minnesota
TECHNOLOGY
ABRAHAM, LEE B., & LAWRENCE WILLIAMS.
(Eds.). Electronic Discourse in Language Learning
and Language Teaching . Philadelphia: Benjamins,
2009. Pp. x, 346. $143.00, cloth. ISBN 978–90–
272–1988–6.
In an effort to move beyond technology research
within instructed classroom contexts, this edited
volume examines a variety of issues related to the
analysis of authentic electronic discourses (i.e.,
created for nonpedagogical purposes) and their
application within language learning. The book
is divided into five sections, with part 1 focusing
on new literacies and each of the subsequent sec-
tions addressing a specific technological tool—
chats (part 2), podcasts (part 3), blogs (part 4),
and discussion forums (part 5). Each section con-
tains three chapters, with one analyzing discourse
in English, one in French, and one in Spanish.
The section on podcasts is the exception, con-
taining two chapters in total, one concentrating
on Spanish, and the other on French.
Part 1 of the book tackles issues related to new
literacies. It includes a chapter on the assessment
of English literacy in Canada and the inclusion of
new electronic literacies (Lotherington, Neville-
Varardi, & Sinitskaya Ronda), a chapter analyz-
ing the use of tu and vous on French Web sites
as compared to other French texts (Williams),
and a chapter examining the quality of online
translation sites for English to Spanish transla-
tions (Abraham). Despite a lack of methodologi-
cal rigor, each of the three chapters in part 1 chal-
lenges readers to rethink previous ideas they may
have had about learners’ language skills in rela-
tion to electronic discourses. Topics include new
ideas about the types of literacy skills on which
learners should be evaluated, the ways in which
second-person pronoun use varies in different
electronic contexts, and the potentially positive
aspects of online translation sites.
Part 2 includes chapters that analyze discourse
and negotiation in chat environments. In the first
chapter of part 2, Sotillo explores the type of
feedback and negotiation that occurs between
native speaker and advanced nonnative speaker
tutors and English-as-a-second-language (ESL)
Reviews
students. Next, van Compernolle and Pierozak
compare language variation in French in mod-
erated and unmoderated chatrooms. Finally, in
the third chapter of this section, Lee compares
sociolinguistic and negotiation features of native
speaker–nonnative speaker chat conversations in
Spanish across six different task types. With the
exception of van Compernolle and Pierozak, the
studies in this section tend to follow a more
traditional trajectory of classroom research and
chat experiences (i.e., analysis of chat discourse
within traditional educational contexts). This fea-
ture makes them somewhat inconsistent with the
rest of the volume. Nevertheless, they are both
insightful and well written.
The third section of the book focuses on pod-
casting with two strong articles that define various
genres of podcasts and include noteworthy lists
of podcasting resources in Spanish and French.
The first (McBride) advocates different genres of
podcasts in Spanish for the improvement of lis-
tening comprehension, and the second (Pettes
Guikema) analyzes the discourse of French pod-
casts to help instructors make educated decisions
about podcast use for listening comprehension.
Due to the numerous creative pedagogical sug-
gestions, the chapters in part 3 will be especially
useful for those interested in the practical appli-
cation of authentic podcasts in the language class-
room.
Blogs are the focus of the chapters in part
4. Included are a chapter addressing the use of
English-language blogs as relevant social practices
for ESL students (van Compernolle & Abraham),
a chapter focusing on tu/vous pronoun use in
French blogs for further understanding of lan-
guage variation in this context (Douglass), and a
chapter examining blogs in Spanish to help stu-
dents extend their language activities to discur-
sive practices outside of the language classroom
(Negueruela-Azarola). The strength of this group
of articles lies in the overall conceptualization of
blogs as meaningful social practices that are not
just online representations of paper-and-pencil
writing. In addition, the pedagogical implications
offered in each of these three chapters are notably
useful, especially for those in the beginning stages
of using blogs for language learning.
The final section of the volume focuses on
discussion forums. The first chapter (Blattner &
Williams) analyzes the wide variety of linguistic
and social dimensions in a corpus of French-
language discussion forums. Next, Farrell Whit-
worth reports on a study of pragmatic features of
discussion forums in English with the intention
of aiding learners in meaningful second language
167
(L2) socialization. Finally, Abraham and Williams
conclude with an analysis of the ways in which dis-
cussion forums can serve as sites for technology-
enhanced Integrated Performance Assessment
using examples from Spanish sites about ecology.
As is the case with many of the other sections,
part 5 reconceptualizes technological affordances
in thought-provoking ways and provides excellent
examples for instructors and students seeking to
understand this digital medium.
Overall, this is an insightful volume that will
be of value for graduate students, practition-
ers, and researchers beginning to work in the
area of digitally mediated spaces and second lan-
guage acquisition. The attempt to address new
literacies and digital discourses “beyond the class-
room setting” (p. 1) is a noteworthy and a well-
executed objective throughout the majority of
the volume. Another strength is the extensive col-
lection of ideas for pedagogical implementation
based on thoughtful, although not necessarily
rigorous, analyses. Emphasizing pedagogical sug-
gestions that fundamentally expand learners’ ex-
periences in digital spaces as active participants
outside of formal learning contexts would add fur-
ther value to many of the chapters. Nevertheless,
those that are included are well framed using a
variety of theoretical pedagogical models, most
notably addressing spheres of learning suggested
by the New London Group (1996). It should be
noted that many of the specific analyses will be rel-
evant only for those familiar with each language
(i.e., English, French, or Spanish) and may not
be as methodologically rigorous as some would
hope. However, as suggested by the editors, those
working with other languages will benefit from the
general findings of the analyses and pedagogical
implications.
Despite the previously mentioned limitations,
this volume adds to our understanding of elec-
tronic discourses and offers insightful ideas about
their integration in L2 acquisition contexts. The
editors and authors have successfully combined
theoretical considerations with practical pedagog-
ical suggestions to create a volume that effectively
takes a step forward in bridging the gap between
research and pedagogy.
JULIE M. SYKES
University of New Mexico
O’DOWD, ROBERT. (Ed.). Online Intercul-
tural Exchange: An Introduction for Foreign Lan-
guage Teachers. Clevedon, England: Multilingual
168
Matters, 2007. Pp. xvii, 286, paper. ISBN 978–1–
84769–008–1.
As the editor states in chapter 1, the introduction,
the field of foreign language education has been
influenced at the turn of the century by both a fo-
cus on intercultural communicative competence
and by the use of technological tools to achieve
these new goals. This book is therefore timely and
important for the field, as it expands on a simi-
lar volume, Internet-Mediated Intercultural Foreign
Language Education (Belz & Thorne, 2005), with
many of the same authors.
In chapter 2, O’Dowd presents the rationale
for conducting online intercultural exchanges
and suggests how they can be successfully in-
tegrated into the foreign language classroom.
He discusses questions of whether the current
younger generation of foreign language learners
is particularly well suited to such online exchanges
and whether these exchanges facilitate increased
student participation, develop students’ commu-
nicative ability in the target language, and en-
courage intercultural awareness and sensitivity. By
providing balanced coverage of both the advan-
tages and the disadvantages of online learning
activities, he demonstrates that they are not a
panacea for promoting intercultural communica-
tive competence. The choices of both appropriate
tasks and appropriate communication tools are es-
sential, and it cannot be assumed that the younger
generation will learn simply because online tech-
nologies are used. In addition, O’Dowd astutely
takes a social realist approach and does not “at-
tribute the affordances of the Internet’s magical
powers to change undesirable aspects of society
such as stereotyping, group domination or dis-
crimination” (p. 34) but sees computer-mediated
communication as providing intercultural contact
to confront and deal with these issues rather than
avoid or disguise them.
Part 2 contains three chapters that describe
three of the most commonly used models of
telecollaboration. All of the chapters present the
key principles and structures of their respective
models, provide examples of uses and outcomes
of actual project implementation, and conclude
with a frank discussion of the strengths and weak-
nesses of the model. First, O’Rourke presents
e-tandem learning, a long-standing pedagogical
practice based on learner autonomy, which has re-
ceived further impetus from the Internet mainly
because finding and communicating with part-
ners is easier and also because the written medium
seems to promote reflection on language form.
The Modern Language Journal 95 (2011)
His discussion of the different choices that teach-
ers must make and his summary of the possible
risks of such an open model are honest and in-
valuable.
The second model, based on the well-known
Cultura project, is described by Suárez Garcı́a and
Crapotta, who adapted Cultura to their particu-
lar needs and supplemented the online exchange
with live class visits abroad. It is instructive to learn
about adaptations of a successful model because
no model is suited in every way to different learn-
ing environments. In addition to describing the
positive outcomes of the exchange, the authors
also discuss the typical problems of such an inter-
cultural exchange, such as overgeneralization and
misinterpretation, emphasizing differences and
minimizing similarities, and factors that might
compromise sincerity and spontaneity among par-
ticipants.
Domı́nguez Miguela presents the third model,
eTwinning , which is unlike the other two mod-
els in that it does not propose a specific set of
guidelines as to language use, thematic content,
or exchange structure but is rather a network of
schools and educators within the European Union
that uses the tools and platforms on the eTwinning
portal to bring students together in collaborative
international projects. Following a description of
the tools provided in the portal and the steps to
organizing a project, a sample project suitable for
the foreign language classroom is presented.
Part 3 consists of five chapters, each dealing
with a particularly salient issue that has emerged
in the research or practice of telecollaboration.
Ware and Pérez Cañado discuss the rationale for
their focus on language form, a welcome topic in
contrast to many studies that are concerned pri-
marily with intercultural competence or with pro-
moting conversational fluency and negotiation
of meaning. Belz succinctly summarizes Byram’s
(1997) framework of intercultural communicative
competence (ICC), adding a brief critical discus-
sion, and then provides a number of practical and
detailed examples of how ICC can be taught in for-
eign language classes. Müller-Hartmann focuses
on the role of the teacher in telecollaborative
projects, noting that teachers have the opportu-
nity to become intercultural speakers themselves
and in fact must have this competence to help
their students develop ICC. His chapter describes
how to establish contact, establish dialogue, and
reflect critically, both in contexts for young learn-
ers and older learners, concluding with a help-
ful list of recommendations. Pérez Torres and
Vinagre address the secondary school level with
a focus on task-based and content-oriented email
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exchanges that include not only the typical top-
ics of personal information and thematic discus-
sions, but also those that follow up on game-based
activities, WebQuests, and other projects of inter-
est to younger learners. In the final chapter in
this section, Dooly suggests ways to integrate tech-
nology into language learning environments with
a particular focus on selecting appropriate com-
munication tools; she surveys the tools currently
available and discusses possible uses in the class-
room.
The last part of the book contains seven short
reports from practitioners around the world who
have implemented telecollaborative projects in
their curricula. The editor is to be commended
for asking all of the authors to follow the same
organizational structure—namely, presenting the
socio-institutional context of each exchange, the
objectives of the project, the structure and out-
comes of the exchange, and their plans for the
future. Readers find here a nice variety of differ-
ent projects using different combinations of tools
based on the projects’ different needs, goals, and
educational contexts.
In conclusion, the strengths of this volume are
its breadth, depth, and balanced coverage. Parts
2 and 3 provide the theoretical bases of online in-
tercultural exchanges, present three well-known
models, and discuss the most important pedagog-
ical and institutional issues for teachers (and re-
searchers). In all of these chapters, information
and examples from real projects are included, and
concrete advice is given for anyone wishing to be-
gin a project, including pitfalls to be avoided. In
Part 4, the short reports showcase the variety of
existing projects and address basic, practical con-
cerns of language teachers. This volume brings to-
gether in one place some of the best projects and
best practices of how technology is being used to
encourage and sustain intercultural exchanges.
DOROTHY M. CHUN
University of California, Santa Barbara
TESTING
CSÉPES, ILDIKÓ. Measuring Oral Proficiency
through Paired-Task Performance. New York: Peter
Lang, 2009. Pp. 239. $61.95, paper. ISBN 978–3–
631–56496–7.
This book is an interesting presentation of two
interrelated studies whose overall purpose is “to
169
provide empirical evidence for the validity of the
paired speaking exam [of English as a foreign lan-
guage, EFL] as part of a model of exam designed
for Hungarian school-leavers” (p. 13). The book
seeks to investigate a controversial topic related
to the paired-task oral-testing method: Does us-
ing partners of differing levels of oral proficiency
in a paired testing task have a negative impact
on test results? In chapter 1, the book sets the
two EFL testing studies in the context of a spe-
cific language test development effort—the Hun-
garian Examinations Reform Project—part of an
effort to develop a new EFL exit exam in Hun-
garian secondary schools nationwide. Chapter 2
reviews the relevant scholarly literature on for-
mal models of language performance, from the
1960s through the 1990s, evaluating the strengths
and weaknesses of each with particular attention
to how well they account for language compe-
tence, language performance, and their mutual
interaction. Chapter 3 addresses the first of the
two studies, which investigates discourse patterns
in EFL oral interviews at a Hungarian secondary
school. The purpose of the study was to determine
whether there were equal distributions of power
present in the oral interactions between tester and
examinee and between two examinees, and the
effect of proficiency level on the candidates’ dis-
course patterns. The remainder of the book deals
with the second study, which investigates whether
scores on a paired oral proficiency test vary de-
pending on whether an EFL test-taker performed
with a partner having a higher, lower, or similar
proficiency level. (The answer, which may or may
not be generalizable to other second language
[L2] testing contexts, is No.) Chapter 4 describes
the research design—participant selection, data
collection procedures, method of rating the per-
formances, and follow-up questionnaire. Chapter
5 discusses evidence for the validity and reliability
of the data collection methods. Chapter 6 focuses
on the primary research question—the impact of
interlocutor EFL proficiency level on paired oral
performance. Chapter 7 draws on the responses
to the follow-up questionnaire, which investigated
relationships between examinees’ proficiency rat-
ings and various classroom variables. Chapter 8
examines the test-takers’ perceptions, both pos-
itive and negative, of their partners’ proficiency
and of the paired oral testing format. Chapter 9
gives the author’s conclusions from the study. The
back of the book supplies numerous appendices,
including test task descriptions and data collec-
tion instruments.
One of the key strengths of this book is its or-
ganization; the research objectives, review of the
170
scholarly literature, research design, analysis, and
discussion are well delineated. A second strength
is the care with which the author has designed the
study and appraised its limitations critically. For
example, she takes pains to ensure the validity of
the proficiency measure used to group subjects by
proficiency level: Only if the measure were validly
used could one ask whether scores on a paired
oral proficiency test varied with interlocutor pro-
ficiency level. She also attempts, mostly success-
fully, to control for test-taker characteristics—age,
familiarity with fellow student examinees, educa-
tional level—so that EFL proficiency level can be
reasonably used as an independent variable. Her
statistical and qualitative analyses of the data are
carefully thought out, with one limitation (see be-
low).
Some shortcomings about the book need to be
kept in mind. One is that, as a somewhat edited
doctoral dissertation on a language-testing topic,
the book may be challenging in places for those
who are not assessment specialists. There are some
helpful glosses, as where the author explains the
need to test for the underlying assumptions of
ANOVA (pp. 99–100). Other places, however, as
in the literature review (pp. 26–31), could use a
clearer underscoring of the rationale, in the con-
text of L2 testing, for devising a good working
model of language knowledge and use. Moreover,
perhaps the chief explanatory lack is an explicit
The Modern Language Journal 95 (2011)
rationale for the qualitative study 1. Although the
author states that this first study “provided . . . very
useful lessons for designing a subsequent study to
explore partner effects in the pair mode” (p. 77),
its role as a jumping-off point for study 2 needs to
be made more explicit. Another problem lies in
the discussion of the use of nonparametric statis-
tical tests; although their use seems well justified,
the issue of statistical power is not clearly dealt
with. On the copyediting level, the book suffers oc-
casionally from distracting formatting problems.
The short paragraph (p. 20) beginning “The uni-
tary trait . . .” probably should be a block quote
in a smaller font. There are also a few main-text
paragraphs, the font sizes of which do not match
that of the surrounding text, as on pages 26 and
100.
These issues aside, the major strength of the
work is the timeliness of the topic. To date, rela-
tively few studies into the validity of testing oral
proficiency in pairs have been made; thus, the
book is a necessary contribution, and highlights
questions and issues for L2 teachers and testers
to watch for, for example, whether the lack of ef-
fect of co-examinee proficiency level on L2 oral
test performance also occurs in other institutional
and cultural contexts.
F. SCOTT WALTERS
Southern Connecticut State University

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