and philosophers include a third item in the process of signification, that is,
an abstract conceptof the thing for which the sign stands, e.g.:silent pausesilent pause n
see pausing
silent period n
just as children acquiring their first language go through a period in which they
hear language but do not yet produce it, many language learners also experi-
ence a period of time in which they are unable or reluctant to speak.
silent reading n
see reading
silent way n
a methodof foreign-language teaching developed by Gattegno which
makes use of gesture, mime, visual aids, wall charts, and in particular
Cuisenaire rods (wooden sticks of different lengths and colours) that the
teacher uses to help the students to talk. The method takes its name from
the relative silence of the teacher using these techniques.
simile n
see figure of speech
simple form n
see infinitive
simple past n
see past tense
simple sentence n
see complex sentence