Tarone (1980) attempted to show that some svllabk structure errors in the interlanguage ( I L ) speech of learners of English from ranous l a n g u a p backgrounds were not attributabk to l a n g u a p transfer and might provide evidence o f a universal tendency to produce open ( C V ) syllabks. a n interlanguage process which she argued opcrates independently of language transfer The case study presented here follows essentially the same method of investigation that Tarone followed to gather evidence for the hypothesized universal preference for the open syllabk. but usts speakers from d different language group (Polish) as subJccts Since Polish features man) of the same c o m p k x svllabk structures that English does. modification of these same complex svllabks in the interlanguage would not appear to be attributabk to transfer The next question would be whether the modifications found showed movement toward a n open sy Ila b k. lnnguagt Learning Vol. 35. No. 3 -. 1981. The role of the syllable in interlanguage phonolog). Minnusoru Puprs in Linguistics and Philosoph.1. o/' Language 7:45 54. Taronc, E.. and Ci. Yule. 1983. Communication strategies in East-West interactions. Paper prepared for the Conference on English as an International Language. Discourse Patterns Across Cultures. East-Wc.t Center, Honolulu. Hawaii (June I 8). Conrrcutiu Lmguistics 2189-95. P.pcr. 3 I 19s-2 16.

Informal conversations and structured opportunities for oral communication help international students overcome barriers to improving their academic language skills.

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