Time Out
for Language

Like most students, I studied phonics in second and third grades. That's when I learned how to put word parts together to make complete words and complete words together to form sentences. After I passed that initial phase,  I grew very comfortable with every aspect of language and developed into a skilled listener, speaker, reader and writer. I made language my home. I edited and wrote for school newspapers, and in college majored in foreign language and literature. When it was time for me to consider post-graduate learning, it was a difficult choice. Mastery of language meant I had multiple professional options. I considered law, foreign languages, journalism and education because all of those discplines required strong communication skills. There was really no need for me to set limitations. Having language competencies meant I could confidently expect to excel in whatever field I chose.

 

I chose linguistics--or more specificially, theoretical linguistics. Theoretical linguistics approaches language as a science, delving into the cognitive processes involved in communicating. I explored speech production at the rudimentary level of acoustics. I analyzed simple sentences as the subconscious formulation of a string of grammatical equations. I learned that language, in addition to psychological, can have socioeconomic, technological and historical dimensions.

 

As a teacher of ESL, ABE and Pre-K-to-12 Spanish, I was surprised to discover the gap that existed between my language training and available textbooks and reference materials. I felt strongly that supplementary and self-help resources could connect learners with a more effective conceptualization of language. As a result, I published Adult Language Primer (Teletact 2005), a comprehensive pocketbook on American English speech hygiene targeting mature learners. Time Out for Language is an expanded and improved version of speech hygiene for youthful learners of articulatory phonetics.