Longman Dictionary of

PE2379 ch04.qxd 24/1/02 16:05 Page 266
interdental
professional group, a gender discourse system, or a generational discourse
system
interdental adj
describes a speech sound (a CONSONANT) produced with the tip of the
tongue between the upper and lower teeth, e.g. /Â/ and /ù/ in the English
words /Â∂k/ thick and /ù∂s/ this.
see also MANNER OF ARTICULATION, PLACE OF ARTICULATION
interface n
in SLA, the relationship between implicit and explicit learning and knowledge.
The strong interface position holds that explicit knowledge can be
transformed into implicit knowledge through the process of automatization,
which is a consequence of practice. The no-interface position holds
that explicit and implicit knowledge develop independently and are
encapsulated systems, i.e. changes in one do not produce changes in the
other. In this view, the fact that a learner of English may have both intuitive
and explicit knowledge about a particular phenomenon (such as the
use of tense and aspect) would be no more than a coincidence. Various
weak-interface positions have also been articulated. For example, explicit
knowledge may be successfully incorporated into the implicit knowledge
system if it becomes available at just the right time in the development of
the implicit system, or explicit knowledge about the regularities of a language
may help learners to notice these regularities when processing
input, which leads to the development of implicit knowledge.
interference n
see LANGUAGE TRANSFER
intergroup communication n
communication between different groups, especially those which are
socially, ethnically, or linguistically different. Intergroup communication
is often by means of a LINGUA FRANCA, a language known by speakers of
both groups.
For example, in Indonesia, where many different languages are spoken,
Bahasa Indonesia, the national language, is the language most frequently
used for intergroup communication.
see also INTRAGROUP COMMUNICATION
interim grammar n
a temporary grammatical system used by children learning their first language
at a particular stage in their language development. Children’s
266