ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the differences among various forms of oral and written language rather than their similarities. The discussion is based on the claim that it is misleading to compare the broad class "oral language" with all "written language," because differences within these classes can be much greater than any general distinction between them. The chapter examines the distinctions and then considers some implications of this taxonomy for teaching reading and doing research in reading comprehension. It discusses the difficulties that deictic words, whose meanings are sensitive to the time, place, and context of the utterance, may present to children when these terms are used in written text. The chapter also explores a preliminary look at the deictic terms, as they are called by linguists, and considers how they may be a source of confusion for children learning to read.
