Approaches to language.(Editorial)

In his Maximes, La Rochefoucauld reminds us that "language tethers us to the world; without it we spin like atoms." Through language, we communicate with our fellow human beings, expressing our emotions, thoughts, and desires. To learn another language involves far more than learning vocabulary or grammatical structures: it is a lengthy and demanding process, by which we acquire a new frame of reference, a sort of lens through which we can see the world and express it. Language learning necessarily involves culture learning. As the medieval emperor Charlemagne put it so well, "to have another language is to possess a second soul." With this in mind, language educators must not be content with fostering speaking or writing skills in their students. We would all do well to keep in mind that, throughout the learning process, we are engaging our students' minds, and teaching them to think critically.

Seventeen articles make up this special feature of Academic Exchange Quarterly devoted to Language. A wide breadth of approaches to both English and foreign language learning are represented. It is our hope that this special feature will provide language educators with the means to engage cutting-edge research within their fields of interest. It is regrettable that too often our areas of specialization sequester us from each other. Foreign language pedagogy experts rarely exchange ideas with ESL teachers, linguists, or theorists. In its very nature, this volume tears down the traditional divisions within the field of language learning (and teaching) to provide an interdisciplinary and enriching forum for reflection on the many "Approaches to Language."

Four articles focus on the applications of technology to language learning. Simone Bregni considers how professionals can significantly enhance the language learning environment with the use of Peer-to-Peer networks. Melissa L. Fiori explores the possibilities provided by electronic technologies for fostering grammatical competence, and Miuyki Fukai considers what role the internet can play in addressing the standards for foreign language learning. Finally, Jose Davila-Montes addresses the current standards of computer assisted translation.

Another four articles deal more specifically with writing skills. Ishmael Doku discusses the problems fostered by students' use of the electronic spellchecker. Meanwhile, Melvin J. Hoffman's study questions how (and if) grammar belongs in language instruction. Jennifer Malia's study turns to English ...