Units, rules, codes, systems: this is how most linguists study language. Integrationalists such as Michael Toolan, however, focus instead on how language functions in seamless tandem with the rest of human activity. In Total Speech, Toolan provides a clear and comprehensive account of integrationalism, a major new theory of language that declines to accept that text and context, language and world, are distinct and stable categories. At the same time, Toolan extends the integrationalist argument and calls for a radical change in contemporary theorizing about language and communication. In every foundational area of linguistics--from literal meaning and metaphor to the nature of repetition to the status of linguistic rules--Toolan advances fascinating and provocative criticisms of received linguistic assumptions. Drawing inspiration from the writings of language theorist Roy Harris, Toolan brings the integrationalist perspective to bear on legal cases, the reception of Salman Rushdie, poetry, and the language of children. Toolan demonstrates that the embeddedness of language and the situation-sensitive mutability of meaning reveal language as a tool for re-fashioning and renewal. Total Speech breaks free of standard linguistics' fascinated attraction with "cognitive blueprints" and quasi-algorithmic processing to characterize language anew. Toolan's reflections on the essence of language, including his important discussion of intention, have strong implications for students and scholars of discourse analysis, literature, the law, anthropology, philosophy of language, communication theory, and cognitive science, as well as linguistics.

Only once did David Foster Wallace give a public talk on his views on life, during a commencement address given in 2005 at Kenyon College. The speech is reprinted for the first time in book form in THIS IS WATER. How does one keep from going through their comfortable, prosperous adult life unconsciously' How do we get ourselves out of the foreground of our thoughts and achieve compassion' The speech captures Wallace's electric intellect as well as his grace in attention to others. After his death, it became a treasured piece of writing reprinted in The Wall Street Journal and the London Times, commented on endlessly in blogs, and emailed from friend to friend. Writing with his one-of-a-kind blend of causal humor, exacting intellect, and practical philosophy, David Foster Wallace probes the challenges of daily living and offers advice that renews us with every reading.

This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 10th International Conference on Text, Speech and Dialogue, TSD 2007, held in Pilsen, Czech Republic, September 3-7, 2007. The 80 revised full papers presented together with 4 invited papers were carefully reviewed and selected from 198 submissions. The papers present a wealth of state-of-the-art research results in the field of natural language processing with an emphasis on text, speech, and spoken dialogue ranging from theoretical and methodological issues to applications in various fields and with special focus on corpora, texts and tra.

Speech and Language: Volume 6, Advances in Basic Research and Practice is a collection of papers that discusses pathology, theories, and clinical issues related to language and speech. Some papers describe auditory discrimination and intervention techniques for articulatory defects, assessment of auditory disorders, phonological systems of deaf speakers, as well as speech and language characteristics of aging persons. Other papers discuss issues in language and cognitive assessment of black children, distortions of the supralaryngeal vocal tract, the structure of the human tongue, transformation of the acoustic signal into speech, and methods to estimate glottal volume velocity waveform properties. One paper suggests guidelines that investigators should be aware of before giving any speech discriminating tests. These guidelines include the following: use of age appropriate tests, use of culturally unbiased tests, adaption of intrapersonal testing procedures, and utilization of recorded stimulus presentation. Another paper reviews auditory processing deficits associated with brain damage and the considerations applicable to the assessment of such disorders. It also suggests treatment planning. One paper concludes that the phonological structure of a fluent speech requires that the listener employ higher level sources of knowledge while making phonetic decisions. Linguists, speech pathologists., psychologists, speech therapists, neurologists, neuropsychologists, and neurolinguists will find the collection highly relevant.

This study of speech representation in English texts from 1350-1600 examines the problems of interpreting discourse in these early works.

Do you remember the topic of the last speech you heard? If not, you're not alone. In fact, studies show that audiences remember only 10% to 30% of speech or presentation content. Given those bleak statistics, why do we give speeches at all? We give them, says communications expert Nick Morgan, because they remain the most powerful way of connecting with audiences since ancient Greek times. But as we've evolved to a more conversational mode of public speaking, thanks to television, we have forgotten much of what the Greeks taught us about the nonverbal aspects of speech-giving: the physical connection with audiences that can create an almost palpable emotional bond. Morgan says this "kinesthetic connection" comes from truly listening to your audience—not just with your brain but with your body. In this book, he draws from more than 20 years as a speech coach and consultant, combining the best of ancient Greek oratory with modern communications research to offer a new, audience-centered approach to public speaking. Through entertaining and insightful examples, Morgan illustrates a 3 part process—focusing on content development, rehearsal, and delivery—that will enable readers of all experience levels to give more effective, passion-filled speeches that move audiences to action.

Communication is one of life’s most fundamental joys, yet one often taken for granted until it is lost or fails to develop. Yet for millions of children each year, the skills that encompass communication stall or do not emerge at all. Even a mild disorder or temporary interruption in development can have long-term effects and result in serious and far-reaching deficits that touch every aspect of a child’s life. Each year, millions of children and their families join the ranks of those who are navigating a life they never expected, and frequently feel they are unable to take on. While it is critical to address the child’s deficits with supports and specific interventions, it is equally important to directly address the impact on the family, from the marital relationship to the well-being of siblings. With a warm and compassionate approach, Suzanne Ducharme provides parents with comprehensive information about speech and language development and the intervention process, but also delves deeply into the fears, concerns, and questions that every parent faces when something goes wrong. She provides families with information and resources, but also support and perspective. Using real stories throughout, Ducharme is able to illustrate the range of difficulties, challenges, and triumphs of families who love and support children with speech and language issues.