intern . journal of the sociology of language ( ijsl ) 133 ( 1998 ) international journal of the sociology of language issue 133 ( 1998 ) americans in europe - a sociolinguistic perspective : probes in northern and western europe edited by gabrielle varro and sally boyd mouton de gruyter * berlin * new york this issue looks into the daily lives of americans in europe , the contacts they establish as permanent residents , how they cope with their new languages , whether they maintain english and transmit it to their children , how attitudes and self-perceptions change over time according to national , social , and family contexts . it is a unique attempt to analyze the sociological , historical , political , and linguistic backdrop against which their experience should be understood : whether living as part of the local scenery ( ` mixed ' couples ) or as americans in residence , they are individuals who in some instances are seen to reflect the particular status of the us in the world . contents gabrielle varro and sally boyd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . introduction . probing the background sally boyd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . north americans in the nordic region : elite bilinguals ? sirkku latomaa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . english in contact with ` the most difficult language in the world ' : the linguistic situation of americans living in finland elizabeth lanza . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . raising children bilingually in norway pierre - don giancarli . . . . . . . . . . equilinguisme ou dominance ? le bilingualisme d ' enfants de couples franco-americains en france et en angleterre gabrielle varro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . does bilingualism survive the second generation ? three generations of french - american families in france susan fries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . different phases : a personal case study in language adjustment and children 's bilingualism david antal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . a linguistic odyssey : one family 's experience with language shift and and cultural identity in germany and france anne - sophie perriaux . . . . . . . . . . le qualificatif ` americain ' dans quelques textes francais ( 1975-1990 ) book review _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ mouton de gruyter walter de gruyter , inc . postfach 30 34 21 200 saw mill river road d-10728 berlin hawthorne , ny 10532 germany usa fax : + 49 ( 0 ) 30 26005-351 fax : + 1 914 747-1326 email : mouton @ degruyter . de publications by de gruyter can also be ordered via world wide web : http : / / www . degruyter . com