LINGUIST List 8.1566

Fri Oct 31 1997

Qs: ESL, Dialects, Language Planning in China

Editor for this issue: Anita Huang <anitalinguistlist.org>

Directory

1. Laurie Zaring, ESL Proficiency Testing
2. MichaelSC, Dialects in the World
3. Peter Yongqi Gu, Language Planning in China

I'm looking for some easy-to-implement testing procedures for determining the
approximate level of proficiency (oral and/or written) of non-native speakers
of English. I have an undergraduate student who is pursuing an independent
research project working with speakers of Mandarin Chinese, and she needs to be
able to gauge roughly the degree to which they speak English. I know that
ACTFL has a detailed process for assessment of written and spoken proficiency
in many languages, but this involves a lengthy training process and goes into
much more detail that we need for this particular project. Does anyone know of
less-detailed and more readily-available testing materials that might lend
themselves to what we need? If so, please contact me at:

Laurie.Zaringreed.edu

Thanks in advance!

Laurie Zaring

I am trying to find out how many dialects exist. I don't need an EXACT
number but something in the ballpark would be useful. I know that there are
~ 6,700 languages in the world but there MUST be more variants than that. If
you have any idea, please contact me  margaritamanlinkport.com (NOT by
replying to this message!) as I am using a co-worker's account at my
internship site.

Thanks for your help!

Kevin Orfall

I'm looking for materials published in English regarding language planning
and language policy in China. I posted this question to the BILINGUAL list
and got only a few replies. Would someone here give me some pointers please. 
Thanks!
Peter



 ___________________________________________________________________
 Dr. Peter Yongqi Gu, Assistant Professor
 Dept of English, Lingnan College, Tuen Mun, Hong Kong
 Tel: (852) 2616-7783 Fax: (852) 2461-5270 Email: peterguln.edu.hk