Language Assessment Bibliography

Guidelines for Editors

This page is a repository for texts that are useful to practitioners and students of language assessment. Therefore, only a few non-relevant references to Calvin & Hobbes and Far Side collections will be permitted. Feel free to put sources in more than one section if relevant and to create new sections as needed. If you do create a new section though, please maintain alphabetical order of sections for easy reading.

When you edit sections of this page, please use the format templates below for books and articles or chapters. For any other sources types.... just make it up! When adding a new source, please place it in the most relevant section and then add tags for other topics covered by the source.

Please do add some blurb so that people can see why the source is relevant and, where possible, include links to the relevant Amazon site and Google Books so that readers can get more information on titles.

Finally, you MUST add key words to help readers find sources by being able to search this page.

Book Source Wiki Code Template

'''TITLE''' by AUTHOR/S ''published YEAR by PUBLISHERS.''
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Journal Article/Book Chapter Code Template

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Dialectology

Dialectology as Dialectic: Interpreting Phula variation by Jamin R. Pelkey published 2011 by Mouton de Gruyter.

Dialectology proper has traditionally focused on the geographic distribution of language variation as an end in itself and has remained relatively segregated from other branches of linguistic and extra-linguistic inquiry. Cross-fertilizing winds have been blowing through the field for more than a decade, but much work remains for adequate synthesis. This book seeks to further the interdisciplinary integration of the field by highlighting, and harnessing, the many dialectic tensions inherent in language variation research and dialect definition.

Undertaking a broadscale experiment in applied dialectics, the book demonstrates multiple grounds for insisting on a more robust, integrational approach to dialectology while simultaneously demonstrating grounds for defining the Phula languages of China and Vietnam. The Phula languages belong to the Burmic sub-branch of the Tibeto-Burman family and are primarily spoken in southeastern Yunnan Province, China. With origins as early as the ninth century, these language varieties have been left undefined, and largely unresearched, for hundreds of years.

Based on extensive original fieldwork, the book identifies 24 synchronic Phula languages descended from three distinct macro-clades diachronically. This is accomplished by blending typological-descriptive, historical-comparative and socio-cognitive perspectives. Diagnostics include both qualitative and quantitative measurements, and insights from history, geography, ethnology, language contact, sociolinguistics and more are called on for data interpretation. This dialogic approach incorporates complexity by asserting that dialectology itself best flourishes as an interdependent dialectic - a dynamic synthesis of competing perspectives.

Tags: dialectology, variation, China, Vietnam, Phula, Tibeto-Burman, sociolinguistics, language contact, ethnology

Google Books Link | Amazon.com Link

Ethnography

Folk Linguistics by Nancy A. Niedzielski & Dennis R. Preston published 2003.

Folk knowledge of language has not engaged linguists very often in the history of that field. Introductory texts often disparage folkbelief in contrast to 'scientific truth'. In fact, language is a ubiquitous topic of discussion and general concern of the folk. They talk about grammar, pronunciation, first and second language learning, language disabilities, dialects, gender and language, and a host of other topics. This book approaches such beliefs as one of the most important aspects of ethnography. Surely what a people believe about their language is as important as any other key to an understanding of their culture.

Tags: ethnography, folk, disabilities, dialectology, gender, language learning, pronuncation, grammar

Google Books Link | Amazon.com Link

Language Diversity

Language Diversity in the Pacific by Cunningham, Ingram & Sumbuk published 2006 by Multilingual Matters.

Contains articles of particular relevance to assessment in Papua New Guinea and Indonesia. Challenges the drawing of language boundaries and describes issues connected to endangerment.

Tags: endangerment, Indonesia, China, Papua New Guinea, language boundaries, language naming, dialectology, pidgins, creoles, minority languages, vitality, Australia, Pacific, language documentation, education, language revitalisation, East Timor, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, Australia, domains, language maintenance

Google Books Link | Amazon Link

The Mixed Language Debate:Theoretical and Empirical Advances by Yaron Matras & Peter Bakker published 2003 by Mouton De Gruyter.

Mixed Languages are speech varieties that arise in bilingual settings, often as markers of ethnic separateness. They combine structures inherited from different parent languages, often resulting in odd and unique splits that present a challenge to theories of contact-induced change as well as genetic classification. This collection of articles is devoted to the theoretical and empirical controversies that surround the study of Mixed Languages. Issues include definitions and prototypes, similarities and differences to other contact languages such as pidgins and creoles, the role of codeswitching in the emergence of Mixed Languages, the role of deliberate and conscious mixing, the question of the existence of a Mixed Language continuum, and the position of Mixed Languages in general models of language change and contact-induced change in particular. An introductory chapter surveys the current study of Mixed Languages.

Tags: mixing, varieties, dialectology, pidgins, creoles, codeswitching, language change, language contact

Google Books Link | Amazon Link

Language Diversity Endangered by Matthias Brenzinger published 2008 by Mouton de Gruyter.

This book presents a comprehensive overview of endangered languages with a global coverage. The contributions are unique in analysing the present extent and the various kinds of language endangerment by applying shared general indicators for the assessment of language endangerment. Apart from presenting the specific situations of language endangerment at the sub-continental level, the volume discusses major issues that bear universally on language endangerment. The actual study of endangered languages is carefully examined, for example, against the ethics and pragmatics of fieldwork. Practical aspects of community involvement in language documentation are discussed, such as the setting up of local archives and the training of local linguists. Numerous case studies illustrate different language shift environments with specific replacing factors, such as colonial and religious conquests, migrations and governmental language education.

Tags: endangerment, ethics, field linguistics, language shift, migration, language planning

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Mapping Linguistic Diversity in Multicultural Contexts by Monica Barni & Guus Extra published 2008 by Mouton de Gruyter.

Within the European context, linguistic diversity can be studied at the level of both official state languages and non-national languages. This comprehensive overview offers insightful crossnational and crosscontinental perspectives on non-national languages in terms of both regional and immigrant languages. The book focuses on mapping linguistic diversity in both the private and public domain. Methodological issues and empirical outcomes are explored for a variety of European and non-European countries and languages.

The book consists of four parts. Part 1 provides an introduction to the subject, as well as an overview and discussion of migration statistics and language use. Part 2 deals with the mapping of regional languages in Europe, exemplified by case studies on Welsh, Basque, and Frisian. Part 3 focuses on immigrant languages in Europe and includes case studies from both national (Switzerland, Italy, France) and crossnational (Multilingual Cities Project) perspectives. Part 4 turns to mapping linguistic diversity abroad with case studies on Australia, South Africa, Turkey, and Japan.:Tags: Europe, offical languages, Welsh, Basque, Frisian, Switzerland, Italy, France, Japan, South Africa, Turkey, multilingualism

Google Books Link | Amazon Link

Teamwork

Building Credible Multicultural Teams by Lianne Roembke published 2000 by William Carey Library.

Realistic and practical, it touches on attitudes of mutual respect and open communication.

Tags: multicultural, teamwork, teams, communication

Google Books Link | Amazon.com Link

Cross-Cultural Partnerships by Mary T. Lederleitner published 2010 in Downers Grove by Inter Varsity Press.

Mary is an SIL executive who became involved as an accountant with various cross-cultural issues in the worldwide movement and is now working on a PhD in this area. Her book focuses on only one aspect, the multicultural conflict issues and how to minimize them. The basics of formation of a mono-cultural team are not in focus; something else will be needed for that.

Tags: teams, teamwork, cross-cultural issues, multi-cultural, conflict management

Google Books Link | Amazon.com Link

Teamwork: How to Build Relationships by Gordon & Rosemary Jones published 2003 by Scripture Union.

The book brings in personality type, how individuals of various types relate to others within a team context as well as stages of team development, spiritual giftedness and individual uniqueness. Exercises at the end of the book include self-perceptions of team roles, topics to discuss within the team context and team satisfaction.

Tags: teams, teamwork, relationships, personality type, spiritual gifts

Google Books Link | Amazon.com Link

Leading Teams: setting the stage for great performances by J. Richard Hackman published in 2002 by the Harvard Business School Press in Boston.

Tags: teams, teamwork

Google Books Link | Amazon.com Link