A principal argument against the use of elicited imitation (EI) to measure L2 oral proficiency is that performance does not require linguistic knowledge, but requires only rote memorization. This study addressed the issue by administering two tests to the same group of students studying English as a second language: (1) a working memory test, and (2) an English oral proficiency EI test. Participants came from a range of English language proficiency levels. A Pearson correlation was performed on the test results for each participant. The hypothesis was that English EI scores and working memory scores would not correlate significantly. This would suggest that the two tests do differ in what they measure, and that the English EI test does measure knowledge of the language to some degree. The results of the Pearson correlation revealed that there was a small positive correlation between working memory and English EI scores, but that it was not significant. There was also a significantly positive correlation between students' English EI scores and ELC level. These findings suggest that the English EI test fundamentally functions as a language test, and not significantly as a working memory test.

Literacy is an important phenomenon in all societies today. Nations around the world put in a great deal of effort and allocate a lot of funding for educational purposes to improve literacy rates of children and to help them to become literate citizens so that they can function better in society. Studies of teacher education in the United States have shown that many of the in-service teachers lack the basic foundation of linguistic constructs needed to improve literacy skills in elementary classrooms. Further, it has been shown that students who were taught by teachers with a linguistic background performed better on reading, writing, and spelling skills than those children who were taught by teachers without such a linguistic background. These studies have recommended better teacher training programs that incorporate classes to specifically teach linguistic constructs. However, there are various factors that may affect literacy development in school children, such as family background and number of books available at home. The majority of these studies have been conducted in the United States and what is true for the U.S. may not be true for other countries. The purpose of this study is to examine the linguistic knowledge of elementary classroom teachers and how it impacts children’s achievement in literacy skills in the North West region of Cameroon where English is the predominant language of instruction in schools. Data were collected from 100 primary school teachers and 200 third grade children from the rural and urban regions, then analyzed using independent t-tests at a 0.05 level of significance. Overall the teachers exemplified a lack of linguistic knowledge; however, when comparing rural to urban, the urban teacher’s linguistic knowledge was significantly higher. Similarly, the children’s results also revealed a higher performance rate from the urban children. Based on the results it is recommended that teacher preparatory programs should foster content and pedagogic expertise and include essential features in literacy instruction. The quality of teachers teaching in the primary schools is important and the Ministry of National Education in Cameroon should ensure a better teacher education program that can prepare confident and knowledgeable teachers.

Literacy is an important phenomenon in all societies today. Nations around the world put in a great deal of effort and allocate a lot of funding for educational purposes to improve literacy rates of children and to help them to become literate citizens so that they can function better in society. Studies of teacher education in the United States have shown that many of the in-service teachers lack the basic foundation of linguistic constructs needed to improve literacy skills in elementary classrooms. Further, it has been shown that students who were taught by teachers with a linguistic background performed better on reading, writing, and spelling skills than those children who were taught by teachers without such a linguistic background. These studies have recommended better teacher training programs that incorporate classes to specifically teach linguistic constructs. However, there are various factors that may affect literacy development in school children, such as family background and number of books available at home. The majority of these studies have been conducted in the United States and what is true for the U.S. may not be true for other countries. The purpose of this study is to examine the linguistic knowledge of elementary classroom teachers and how it impacts children’s achievement in literacy skills in the North West region of Cameroon where English is the predominant language of instruction in schools. Data were collected from 100 primary school teachers and 200 third grade children from the rural and urban regions, then analyzed using independent t-tests at a 0.05 level of significance. Overall the teachers exemplified a lack of linguistic knowledge; however, when comparing rural to urban, the urban teacher’s linguistic knowledge was significantly higher. Similarly, the children’s results also revealed a higher performance rate from the urban children. Based on the results it is recommended that teacher preparatory programs should foster content and pedagogic expertise and include essential features in literacy instruction. The quality of teachers teaching in the primary schools is important and the Ministry of National Education in Cameroon should ensure a better teacher education program that can prepare confident and knowledgeable teachers.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:30:28Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2011-10-18Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T20:00:41Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 garcia_da_dr_sjrp_parcial.pdf: 53536 bytes, checksum: 92088386bf1d94b9e123d1ad90f3da8a (MD5) Bitstreams deleted on 2015-07-02T12:36:10Z: garcia_da_dr_sjrp_parcial.pdf,. Added 1 bitstream(s) on 2015-07-02T12:37:32Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 000680351_20211018.pdf: 53353 bytes, checksum: 127d30b61aaf1091fe5e6bcedeb85587 (MD5) / Nossa tese de doutorado consiste em analisar como o saber linguístico se constituiu no discurso da Revista do Instituto Histórico e Geográfico Brasileiro (RIHGB) no século XIX (1838-1889). Objetivamos analisar que formas de saberes linguísticos foram coletadas/metodizadas/divulgadas na RIHGB. A tese segue quatro direções: (i) Um discurso de abertura: o IHGB, (ii) O saber linguístico na RIHGB, (iii) Os instrumentos linguísticos e (iv) A RIHGB n° 400 (1998). Em (i), analisamos os discursos de abertura do IHGB que aparecem no primeiro tomo da RIHGB (1839), o modo como esses discursos se formulam e constituem um dizer do/sobre o IHGB no Brasil do século XIX. Em (ii), evidenciamos como o saber linguístico aparece na Revista do IHGB, que concepções linguísticas circulam nas RIHGB, como a RIHGB conceitua língua e como esse conceito aparece nas Revistas. Que teorias são consideradas para a produção desse saber linguístico? Quais são os autores que escrevem na Revista? Que obras são documentadas? Em (iii), observamos o modo como os instrumentos linguísticos (principalmente os dicionários) são coletados e divulgados nas RIHGB. Nessa direção, analisamos como um verbete se constitui. Para isso analisamos os prefácios, a nomenclatura, a definição, os exemplos, a etimologia que são apresentados nesses instrumentos linguísticos. Por fim, nessa direção, compreendemos como uma Revista, aqui especificamente a RIHGB, participou do processo de gramatização no Brasil do século XIX. Em (iv), analisamos como a RIHGB n° 400 funciona como um índice, isto é, analisamos como um índice sistematiza, ordena, data e seleciona os saberes sobre as línguas do Brasil desde a primeira publicação da Revista (1839) até 1998. Nossa perspectiva teórica é a da Análise de Discurso em articulação com a História das Ideias Linguísticas / Our doctoral thesis analyzes how the linguistic knowledge was constituted in the discourse of Revista do Instituto Histórico e Geográfico Brasileiro (RIHGB) in the 19th century (1838-1889). We aim at examining which forms of linguistic knowledge were collected/methodized/disclosed in RIHGB. The thesis follows four directions: (i) Um discurso de abertura: o IHGB, (ii) O saber linguístico na RIHGB, (iii) Os instrumentos linguísticos and (iv) A RIHGB n° 400 (1998). In (i), we analyze the opening speeches of the IHGB that appear in the first volume of RIHGB (1839), how these discourses are formulated and constitute a saying of/about the IHGB in nineteenth-century Brazil. In (ii), we highlight how the linguistic knowledge appears in the IHGB magazine, which linguistic conceptions circulate in RIHGB, how the RIHGB conceptualizes language and in which way this conception appears in the magazines. Which theories are considered in order to produce such linguistic knowledge? Who are the authors who write for such magazines? Which works are documented? In (iii) we observe how the linguistic tools (especially dictionaries) are collected and divulged in RIHGB. In this direction, we analyze how an entry is composed. In order to do that, we examine the prefaces, the nomenclature, the definition, the examples, and the etymology presented in such language tools. Eventually, in this direction, we comprehend how a magazine, here specifically RIHGB, took part in the process of grammaticization in nineteenth-century Brazil. In (iv), we analyze how RIHGB n° 400 serves as an index, i.e. we study how an index systematizes, orders, dates and selects the knowledge about the languages in Brazil since the first publication of the magize (1839) until 1998. The theoretical perspective which supports our work is the Discourse Analysis in conjunction with the History of Linguistic Ideas

Orientador: José Horta Nunes / Banca: Carolina María Rodriguez Zucolillo / Banca: Claudia Regina Castellanos Pffeiffer / Banca: Lídia Almeida Barros / Banca: Maria Onice Payer / Resumo: Nossa tese de doutorado consiste em analisar como o saber linguístico se constituiu no discurso da Revista do Instituto Histórico e Geográfico Brasileiro (RIHGB) no século XIX (1838-1889). Objetivamos analisar que formas de saberes linguísticos foram coletadas/metodizadas/divulgadas na RIHGB. A tese segue quatro direções: (i) Um discurso de abertura: o IHGB, (ii) O saber linguístico na RIHGB, (iii) Os instrumentos linguísticos e (iv) A RIHGB n° 400 (1998). Em (i), analisamos os discursos de abertura do IHGB que aparecem no primeiro tomo da RIHGB (1839), o modo como esses discursos se formulam e constituem um dizer do/sobre o IHGB no Brasil do século XIX. Em (ii), evidenciamos como o saber linguístico aparece na Revista do IHGB, que concepções linguísticas circulam nas RIHGB, como a RIHGB conceitua língua e como esse conceito aparece nas Revistas. Que teorias são consideradas para a produção desse saber linguístico? Quais são os autores que escrevem na Revista? Que obras são documentadas? Em (iii), observamos o modo como os instrumentos linguísticos (principalmente os dicionários) são coletados e divulgados nas RIHGB. Nessa direção, analisamos como um verbete se constitui. Para isso analisamos os prefácios, a nomenclatura, a definição, os exemplos, a etimologia que são apresentados nesses instrumentos linguísticos. Por fim, nessa direção, compreendemos como uma Revista, aqui especificamente a RIHGB, participou do processo de gramatização no Brasil do século XIX. Em (iv), analisamos como a RIHGB n° 400 funciona como um índice, isto é, analisamos como um índice sistematiza, ordena, data e seleciona os saberes sobre as línguas do Brasil desde a primeira publicação da Revista (1839) até 1998. Nossa perspectiva teórica é a da Análise de Discurso em articulação com a História das Ideias Linguísticas / Abstract: Our doctoral thesis analyzes how the linguistic knowledge was constituted in the discourse of Revista do Instituto Histórico e Geográfico Brasileiro (RIHGB) in the 19th century (1838-1889). We aim at examining which forms of linguistic knowledge were collected/methodized/disclosed in RIHGB. The thesis follows four directions: (i) Um discurso de abertura: o IHGB, (ii) O saber linguístico na RIHGB, (iii) Os instrumentos linguísticos and (iv) A RIHGB n° 400 (1998). In (i), we analyze the opening speeches of the IHGB that appear in the first volume of RIHGB (1839), how these discourses are formulated and constitute a saying of/about the IHGB in nineteenth-century Brazil. In (ii), we highlight how the linguistic knowledge appears in the IHGB magazine, which linguistic conceptions circulate in RIHGB, how the RIHGB conceptualizes language and in which way this conception appears in the magazines. Which theories are considered in order to produce such linguistic knowledge? Who are the authors who write for such magazines? Which works are documented? In (iii) we observe how the linguistic tools (especially dictionaries) are collected and divulged in RIHGB. In this direction, we analyze how an entry is composed. In order to do that, we examine the prefaces, the nomenclature, the definition, the examples, and the etymology presented in such language tools. Eventually, in this direction, we comprehend how a magazine, here specifically RIHGB, took part in the process of grammaticization in nineteenth-century Brazil. In (iv), we analyze how RIHGB n° 400 serves as an index, i.e. we study how an index systematizes, orders, dates and selects the knowledge about the languages in Brazil since the first publication of the magize (1839) until 1998. The theoretical perspective which supports our work is the Discourse Analysis in conjunction with the History of Linguistic Ideas / Doutor

Submitted by Fabiano Vassallo (fabianovassallo2127@gmail.com) on 2017-05-10T18:52:24Z No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) O CAMPO GLOTOPOLÍTICO DO ESPANHOL. TESE.pdf: 1672539 bytes, checksum: cfeea166623bf032c87978dbca0e034c (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Josimara Dias Brumatti (bcgdigital@ndc.uff.br) on 2017-05-10T19:24:52Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) O CAMPO GLOTOPOLÍTICO DO ESPANHOL. TESE.pdf: 1672539 bytes, checksum: cfeea166623bf032c87978dbca0e034c (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-05-10T19:24:52Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) O CAMPO GLOTOPOLÍTICO DO ESPANHOL. TESE.pdf: 1672539 bytes, checksum: cfeea166623bf032c87978dbca0e034c (MD5) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / O conceito de norma suscita interesse entre os especialistas das disciplinas linguísticas. Na tentativa de descrever a natureza objetiva dos fatos linguísticos, a atitude prescritiva foi sistematicamente rejeitada pela ciência moderna. No entanto, tendo em conta que inclusive a descrição científica mais estritamente constatativa sempre corre o risco de funcionar como uma prescrição, as análises dos efeitos materiais da objetivação devem ser consideradas. A presente tese examina as relações conflitivas em torno das definições de norma e de autoridade normativa no contexto da língua espanhola. Nesse sentido, é apresentado um esboço do espaço teórico de posições elaborado a partir do recenseamento das propriedades de produtores de conhecimento linguístico. Com base numa perspectiva glotopolítica (GUESPIN; MARCELLESI, 1986; DEL VALLE, 2007, 2014; ARNOUX, 2000, 2008) e relacional (BOURDIEU, 1996 [1982], 2010 [1989], 2008 [1972]) é desenvolvida a noção de campo glotopolítico para designar o lugar de concorrência entre agentes interessados na definição legítima de norma linguística. Dentre os resultados da análise destacam-se: (a) a posição predominante da Real Academia Espanhola no campo de produção normativa; (b) o trabalho coletivo (investimentos, estratégias, práticas) destinado a validar os critérios que fundamentam o valor da produção; e (c) a distribuição desigual de capital de autoridade entre os agentes glotopolíticos / The concept of norm arouses interest between linguistic discipline specialists. In attempting to describe the objective nature of linguistic facts, the prescriptive attitude has been systematically rejected by modern science. However, taking into account that even the most strictly proven scientific description runs the risk of functioning as a prescription, the analysis of the material effects of the objectivization must be considered. This thesis examines the conflicting relationships surrounding the definitions of norm and normative authority in the context of the Spanish language. Thus, is presented a draft of the theoretical space of positions elaborated from the census of the properties of producers of linguistic knowledge. With a base in a glotopolitical perspective (GUESPIN; MARCELLESI, 1986; DEL VALLE, 2007, 2014; ARNOUX, 2000, 2008) and a relational one (BOURDIEU, 1996 [1982], 2010 [1989], 2008 [1972]), the notion of glotopolitical field is developed to designate the concurrent place between agents interested in the legitimate definition of linguistic norm. The following is highlighted within the results of the analysis: (a) the predominant position of the Real Spanish Academy in the field of normative production; (b) the collective work (investments, strategies, practices) destined to validate the criteria that substantiate the value of production; and (c) the unequal distribution of capital of authority between glotopolitical agents

Submitted by Silvana Teresinha Dornelles Studzinski (sstudzinski) on 2016-04-28T13:46:52Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Maricélia de Lemos Cruz_.pdf: 6720012 bytes, checksum: 290a1618b59c7f4c4ba60b890e7de3a2 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-28T13:46:52Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Maricélia de Lemos Cruz_.pdf: 6720012 bytes, checksum: 290a1618b59c7f4c4ba60b890e7de3a2 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-09-23 / UNISINOS - Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos / Esta dissertação de mestrado busca analisar como os conteúdos voltados à oralidade e aos conhecimentos linguísticos são abordados em dois livros didáticos de português do 6º ano, procurando verificar se as atividades voltadas a esses campos de estudo são coerentes para o ensino e para o uso da língua. O trabalho considera dois livros didáticos aprovados pelo PNLD 2014. O primeiro é “Singular e Plural – Leitura, produção e estudos de linguagem”, de Figueiredo, Balthasar e Goulart (2012), adotado por uma escola privada de um município maranhense; o segundo, adotado por escolas públicas, é “Vontade de saber português”, de Tavares e Conselvan (2012). A base teórica do estudo concentra-se em uma retomada do que se entende por fonética e fonologia, em reflexões sobre suas diferenças e aproximações, evidenciando variações fonéticas e fonológicas, traços da oralidade e da escrita, considerando também aspectos históricos sobre o livro didático no Brasil. Também são apresentados estudos de Rodrigues (2005), Borstel (2008), Silva (2012), Veloso e Rodrigues (2002), Batista (2011), Haupt (2012), Faraco (2014), dentre outros, por se voltarem ao tema em foco. A análise está dividida em duas etapas. Na primeira, retomamos a leitura de Leis e Programas Governamentais que antecederam e influenciaram o Programa Nacional do Livro Didático (PNLD 2014) de Língua Portuguesa, como os PCN (Parâmetros Curriculares Nacionais) e o Referencial Curricular de Língua Portuguesa do Ensino Fundamental do Estado do Maranhão (RCLPEF). No que concerne aos livros didáticos, são considerados capítulos e seções voltadas para o estudo de temas relacionados à oralidade e aos conhecimentos linguísticos, conforme orientações de Brasil (2013) e Maranhão (2010), com a apresentação dos temas correspondentes e presentes nos livros didáticos. De posse desses temas, verificamos como estes se relacionam aos critérios adotados pelo PNLD 2014 e aos conteúdos previstos no RCLPEF (MARANHÃO 2010). Por último, apresentamos considerações sobre as análises dos livros, destacando que, em linhas gerais, as obras analisadas contemplam aspectos necessários ao trabalho com a oralidade e conhecimentos linguísticos. Entretanto, vemos necessidade de mais atenção a tais aspectos para considerar, de fato, as especificidades linguísticas de seus usuários, sem privilegiar classe social ou região do país. Além disso, salientamos que o livro didático não deve ser a única fonte de conhecimento da qual o professor deve se valer, mas um apoio para o ensino-aprendizagem da língua no seu cotidiano escolar. / This Master Degree final paper aims to analyze how contents related to phonetics and phonology, devoted to orality and to linguistic knowledge, are approached in two Portuguese didactical books designed to the sixth grade in Brazil´s Elementary School curriculum, seeking to verify if the activities related to these fields of study are coherent concerning the teaching and the usage of the language. This research takes into account two didactical books approved by the Didactical Book National Program (PNLD) 2014. The first one is “Singular e Plural – Leitura, produção e estudos de linguagem” (Sigular and plural – Reading, production and language studies), by Figueiredo, Balthasar and Goulart (2012), adopted by a private school in a city in the State of Maranhão; the second one, adopted by public schools, is “Vontade de saber português” (The Will of Knowing Portuguese), by Tavares and Conselvan (2012). This study theoretical base is concentrated in a retake of what is understood by phonetics and phonology, and on reflections about their differences and common features, highlighting phonological and phonetic variations, traces of orality and written forms, also considering historical aspects about the didactical books in Brazil. Studies by Rodrigues (2005), Borstel (2008), Silva (2012), Veloso and Rodrigues (2002), Batista (2011), Haupt (2012), Faracco (2014), amongst others, are also presented, once they relate to the subject of this paper. The analysis is presented in two phases. In the first one, we retake the reading of the Laws and Governmental Programs that preceded and influenced the Didactical Book National Program 2014 (PNLD), in Portuguese language, as well as the National Curricular Patterns (PCN) and the Portuguese Language Curricular Referential of Elementary School from the State of Maranhão (RCLPEF). When it comes to the didactical books, chapters and sections are considered towards the study of themes related to phonetics and phonology, aiming at observing the orality and the linguistic knowledge based on Brasil (2013) and Maranhão (2010), by presenting the respective and referred subjects in the didactical books. Having these subjects, we verify how they relate to the criteria adopted by the PLN 2014, as well as to the contents predicted by the RCLPEF (MARANHÃO, 2010), when it comes to the orality and to the linguistic knowledge. At last, we present considerations about the books analysis, highlighting that, in short, the works analyzed include necessary aspects to the work with orality and linguistic knowledge. Therefore, we see a necessity of more attention to such aspects in order to consider, in fact, the linguistics specificities of its users, without regards to social classes or regions of the country. Furthermore, we emphasize that the didactical book must not be the only source of knowledge on which the teacher relies exclusively, but an instrument to the teaching-learning process of the language in its school routine.

Since 1980, the number of people in the United States who speak a language other than English at home has increased by 140% (United States Census Bureau, 2010). Therefore a greater percentage of students now are multilingual. Throughout the world, multilingualism is considered the norm and monolingualism is the exception (Auer & Wei, 2008). In the United States, however, policies regarding instruction in schools are still influenced by monolingual ideology that carries expectations and assumptions of assimilation, loss of mother tongues, and defined hierarchical structures. As classroom populations become socially, ethnically, racially, and linguistically more diverse, it is increasingly important for teachers to have an understanding of how to address diversity in schools and for educators to understand how language use and the teachers' role in the classroom impacts learning. This paper explored the existing language beliefs and linguistic knowledge of preservice teachers as they prepare to enter linguistically and culturally diverse classrooms. The increasing prominence of cross-cultural interactions creates a necessity for teachers to develop intercultural competence. Employing a conceptual framework of intercultural communicative competence theory, this qualitative study investigated experiences and knowledge in linguistics that influence teacher speech acts. Research in fields of applied linguistics such as psycholinguistics, neurolinguistics, sociolinguistics, and educational linguistics revealed basic language knowledge that teachers need before they enter diverse classrooms including knowledge of language acquisition, phonology, syntax, semantics, pragmatics, culture, instruction language, and how the brain processes language. The literature from these fields was used to create an instrument that included a demographics questionnaire, beliefs survey, linguistic knowledge assessment, and interview questions. Twenty-three preservice teachers participated in the study to describe their language beliefs and knowledge. Many of the findings in this study reflected key-findings in the literature; however, this study also found several significant findings that extend existing research. The results revealed significant impacts of 1) individual experiences with culture and linguistic contact, 2) the language used in classrooms, specifically languages other than Standard English and the deep and surface structure of language, 3) linguistic knowledge, specifically phonology, 4) meta-cognitive behavior and reflection, and 5) differences between monolingual and multilingual preservice teachers. The data also indicated that the majority of preservice teachers were concerned about preparedness in teaching in diverse classrooms. Implications for teachers working in culturally and linguistically diverse classrooms and for teacher preparation programs are discussed.

Abstract The problem addressed in the present thesis is the utility of linguistic knowledge in one domain of language technology, word prediction. An important characteristic of any practical language technology application is its level of performance, and it is therefore essential to be able to measure this quantitatively. The main questions in the present thesis are the following: (1) how can a significant improvement in performance be obtained in practical language technology products, and (2) what is the cost of improved performance in terms of the sources of linguistic knowledge that should be incorporated in them? On a more general level, the major findings suggest that the practical utility of linguistic knowledge in language technology should generally be evaluated from at least three larger perspectives: (1) language, (2) technology, and (3) the user of the application. From these three perspectives, a variety of constraints can be identified which either increase or decrease the usefulness of linguistic knowledge in practical language technology applications. A statistical state-of-the-art word prediction system was developed and tested in the empirical part of this work, and testing the performance of a few prediction methods that utilise sources of linguistic knowledge showed that they can perform just as well as some existing state-of-the-art statistical prediction methods. When the syllable-initial characters of the words to be predicted were used, for example, the expected length of the search key in a running text with a prediction list of ten tokens was only 1.59 characters, while the use of information on the parts of speech of the word tokens to be predicted in a system with five lists representing five parts of speech resulted only in a three percent improvement in performance. One of the practical implications of these results for the field of language technology is that a significant improvement in the performance of a word prediction system may be achieved only incrementally. The simultaneous use of several techniques may in turn dilute the real-time operation of the prediction system, so that it is unable to suggest candidate words quickly enough for the user. It can also affect some performance aspects such as the average percentage of keystrokes/characters saved. / Abstrakti Tässä työssä tutkittiin lingvistisen tiedon hyödyllisyyttä kieliteknologian yhdellä sovellusalueella eli sanan ennakointia englannin kielessä. Sovellus pyrkii ennakoimaan sanan, jota käyttäjä kirjoittaa parhaillaan tai aikoo kirjoittaa seuraavaksi. Nämä sovellukset ovat hyödyllisiä esim. pienissä päätelaitteissa, joissa tekstin tuottaminen on hankalaa. Eräs kieliteknologiasovellusten tärkeimmistä ominaisuuksista on niiden tehokas toiminta ja suorituskyky, jonka tulisi olla kvantitatiivisesti mitattavissa. Oleellisin tutkimuskysymys on näin ollen: (1) miten käytännön kieliteknologiasovellusten suorituskykyä voidaan parantaa merkittävästi lingvistisen tiedon avulla ja (2) mitä tämä vaatii käytännössä? Yleisellä tasolla tutkimuksen tärkeimmät tulokset ovat seuraavat: lingvistisen tiedon käytännön hyödyllisyyttä pitäisi arvioida ainakin kolmesta näkökulmasta, jotka ovat: (1) kielen näkökulma, (2) teknologian näkökulma ja (3) sovelluksen käyttäjän näkökulma. Näiden kolmen näkökulman avulla voidaan määrittää joukko tekijöitä, jotka joko lisäävät tai vähentävät lingvistisen tiedon hyödyllisyyttä käytännön kieliteknologiasovelluksissa. Työn empiirisessä osassa kehitettiin tilastollinen sananennakointisovellus englannin kieleen hyödyntäen parhaiten toimivia ennakointitekniikoita yhdessä ja samassa järjestelmässä. Kehitetyssä järjestelmässä suorituskyky vastaa täysin aiempien järjestelmien suorituskykyä. Työssä testattiin myös joitakin uusia, lingvististä tietoa hyödyntäviä ennakointitekniikoita, joiden suorituskyky vastasi tiettyjen tilastollisten ennakointimenetelmien suorituskykyä. Tutkimuksen tuloksista voidaan päätellä muun muassa, että sananennakointisovellusten suorituskykyä voidaan parantaa merkittävästi lingvistisen tiedon avulla vain käyttämällä samanaikaisesti useita lingvistisen tiedon lähteitä. Tämä taas saattaa hidastaa sovelluksen reaaliaikaista toimintaa ja vaikuttaa sovelluksen suorituskykyyn silloin kun se mitataan näppäinsäästönä merkkisäästön asemesta.

Considerando-se a prática das escolas de línguas de não exigirem a formação em Letras dos professores de língua inglesa que atuam nessas instituições, o trabalho tem como objetivo analisar as representações em torno dos saberes e habilidades desse profissional e de sua formação, bem como fazer reflexões sobre o ensino de língua estrangeira, relacionadas a essas representações. As representações são analisadas em três contextos, o da escola de línguas, o da escola de ensino fundamental e médio da rede oficial de ensino e o do curso de licenciatura em Letras. O corpus constitui-se de entrevistas com sujeitos alunos e professores nesses três contextos, além de entrevistas com sujeitos coordenadores de escola de línguas. A pesquisa sustenta-se por pressupostos teóricos da Análise do Discurso, para a qual a língua não é transparente, e o sujeito e o sentido se constituem mutuamente. Os resultados revelam que as representações sobre os saberes do professor constroem, entre outros, sentidos em torno das quatro habilidades da língua como o único tipo de saber que o professor necessita e, de forma complementar, dos cursos de Letras como lugares em que não se constroem saberes lingüísticos relevantes. A análise das representações sobre a prática, por sua vez, mostra que ela está relacionada à aula voltada para o aluno como cliente, no contexto da escola de línguas, e sentidos do fracasso no ensino da língua inglesa e do controle da sala da aula, na escola pública. Procura-se mostrar como essas representações sobre a prática articulam-se com aquelas sobre os saberes e a formação. / Taking into account the fact that language schools in Brazil do not require a degree in Letters in order for the teacher of English as a foreign language to work at this institution, the objective of this dissertation is to analyse the representations about this professionals knowlege and skills, as well as his education, besides reflecting upon English language teaching practices related to these representations. The representations are analysed in three different contexts, namely the language school, the public secondary school and the Letters undergraduate course. The corpus was is formed by interviews with teachers and students in the three contexts, besides interviews with coordinators of a language school. The analysis is based on the theoretical concepts of Discourse Analysis, according to which language is not transparent, and subject and meaning mutually build each other. The results show that the representations about the knowledge of the teacher produce, among others, meanings about the four abilities in the language as the only type of knowledge the teacher needs and, in a complementary manner, about the Letters courses as contexts in which relavant knowledges about the language cannot be built. The analysis of the representations about the practice shows that it is related to the class aimed at the student as a client, in the language school context, and meanings about the failure in the English language teaching and the control over students, at the public school. There is an attempt to show how these representations about the practices are related to those about the knowledge and the teacher education.