at a time that one finds in a language course where there is a “structure of
the day”, usually pre-specified by the teacher or the textbook.
see also consciousness raisingfocus on forms n
see focus on form
folk linguisticsn
popular beliefs about language and languages.
foreground(ed) information n
see grounding
foreigner talk n
the type of speech often used by native speakers of a language when speaking
to foreigners who are not proficient in the language. Some of the character-
istics of foreigner talk are:
a It is slower and louder than normal speech, often with exaggerated
pronunciation.
b It uses simpler vocabulary and grammar. For example, articles, function
words, and inflections may be omitted, and complex verb forms are
replaced by simpler ones.
c Topics are sometimes repeated or moved to the front of sentences, for
example: Your bag? Where you leave your bag?
Native speakers often feel that this type of speech is easier for foreigners to
understand.
see also accommodation, caretaker speech, pidgin, interlanguage
foreignism n
a person’s use of a word or expression from another language when speaking
one’s native language in order to create a special effect or to indicate special
knowledge. (This should not be confused with the use of a loanword.) For
example, when a speaker of Indonesian uses words from Dutch or English to
indicate their familiarity with those languages or when a speaker of English
uses a word from French or German (with a French or German pronun-
ciation), as in “I think he lacks a certain panache.”
foreign language n
alsonon-native language
a language which is not the native languageof large numbers of people
in a particular country or region, is not used as a medium of instruction
in schools, and is not widely used as a medium of communication in
government, media, etc. Foreign languages are typically taught as school
focus on forms