Linguists who have studied simplified varieties of a given language, such as pidgins or the language of care-givers, have tended to explain similarities in their structure by the fact that they use the same mechanisms of simplification. Bruthiaux tests this idea by looking at the structure of classified ads in American English, using a body of 800 ads from four categories: automobile sales, apartments for rent, help wanted, and personal ads.

Bruthiaux's thesis is that strict, uniform constraints on space should result in uniformly simple texts, no matter which category they are in, and...

French Bred is a recollection of post-war France and a reflection on a search for wider horizons. The book tells of growing up in a small Catholic town before finding emotional release in London. It explores the delights of childhood, the frustrations of adolescence, and the hopes of early adulthood, with anecdotes recounted by family members evoking earlier aspects of provincial life. The tone is wistful, upbeat, and reflective. The book will charm, inform, and challenge preconceptions about all things French. ~~~~~~~~~~~~ Paul Bruthiaux was born in France. At eighteen, he moved to London...