EDITORIAL: Adam Smith

This first Australian Style for 2011 has arrived rather late in the year, but we still intend to publish a second edition in December. Articles include speech pathologist Dr Elizabeth Harrison, on stuttering - a topic that has been in the news this year because of the popularity of the film The King's Speech. On a political theme, Jakki Trenbath writes about the trivialisation of public debate, as discussed in a forum at this year's Sydney Writer's Festival based around Lindsay Tanner's book Sideshow.

Regular features include the word column, featuring the topical word, burkini, SCOSE notes by Irene Poinkin, a review of Guy Deutscher's Through the Language Glass by word expert Michael Quinion, cartoons by Judy Dunn, and David Astle's enduringly popular Rubicon.

Feedback 34 is on punctuation practices. It will be interesting to see if the internet has had an impact on stops, hyphens and apostrophes. The previous Feedback, on an aspect of pronunciation, found some notable differences across the age groups, which are commented on here.

Finally I'd like to draw your attention to 2 upcoming language conferences. Style Council, in Sydney on Saturday 10 September will discuss a range of issues relating to Australian English, including a public forum to be broadcast by the ABC. Australex (in Canberra, 28-9 November) has the theme 'Dictionaries inside and outside the classroom'. There should be something of interest for many of you language enthusiasts at both of these events.

Contact: adam.smith@mq.edu.au

• Editorial
  
  
• Stuttering
  
  
• Sidestepping the issues
  
  
• SCOSE Notes
  
  
• Book Notes
  
  
• Word focus
  
  
• Questionnaire (Feedback 34)
  
  
• Feedback 33 Report
  
  
• Letters to the Editor
  
  
• Rubicon
  
  
• Rubicon solution