Choice 评论

A detailed and in-depth look at a major modern construct in the field of second-language (L2) acquisition, L2 learners' use of special strategies for communicating in their imperfect non-native language. Bialystok (York University, Ontario) employs extenstive descriptions and analyses of the published literature on L2 communicative strategies and on related topics such as child first-language (L1) communication, as well as data of her own, to argue that L2 communicative strategies are best viewed as manifestations of more general cognitive strategies. While her writing is clear and extremely well organized, with adequate examples and explanations of terminology and concepts, this book would be accessible only to readers with considerable background knowledge in cognition, second-language learning, and/or psycholinguistics. Also, this is not a reference work, but rather an extended development of an original thesis, which must consequently be read as a whole. Strongly recommended for libraries where graduate students and faculty members are interested in current issues in second-language acquisition or language learning in general. L. Bebout University of Windsor