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Linguistic Distance : A Quantitative Measure of the Distance Between English and Other Languages

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dc.creator Miller, Paul W.
dc.creator Chiswick, Barry R.
dc.date 2004
dc.date.accessioned 2013-10-16T07:10:50Z
dc.date.available 2013-10-16T07:10:50Z
dc.date.issued 2013-10-16
dc.identifier http://hdl.handle.net/10419/20510
dc.identifier ppn:39590126X
dc.identifier.uri http://koha.mediu.edu.my:8181/xmlui/handle/10419/20510
dc.description This paper develops a scalar or quantitative measure of the ?distance? between English and a myriad of other (non-native American) languages. This measure is based on the difficulty Americans have learning other languages. The linguistic distance measure is then used in an analysis of the determinants of English language proficiency among adult immigrants in the United States and Canada. It is shown that, when other determinants of English language proficiency are the same, the greater the measure of linguistic distance, the poorer is the respondent?s English language proficiency. This measure can be used in research, evaluation and practitioner analyses, and for diagnostic purposes regarding linguistic minorities in English-speaking countries. The methodology can also be applied to develop linguistic distance measures for other languages.
dc.language eng
dc.publisher
dc.relation IZA Discussion paper series 1246
dc.rights http://www.econstor.eu/dspace/Nutzungsbedingungen
dc.subject J24
dc.subject J15
dc.subject I29
dc.subject ddc:330
dc.subject immigrants
dc.subject language proficiency
dc.subject linguistic distance
dc.subject Migranten
dc.subject Fremdsprache
dc.subject Englisch
dc.subject Mehrsprachigkeit
dc.subject Vereinigte Staaten
dc.title Linguistic Distance : A Quantitative Measure of the Distance Between English and Other Languages
dc.type doc-type:workingPaper


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