This volume is an edited collection of recent research on institutional talk from an interlanguage pragmatics (ILP) perspective. It is targeted at ILP researchers, particularly those who have restricted themselves to the collection of elicited data. Its purpose is to demonstrate the value of and procedures for conducting research on institutional and workplace talk. The volume consists of an introduction, eight chapters (an overview chapter, six chapters on ILP research in institutions, and a final chapter that provides guidelines for conducting research in institutions), each with its own bibliographic references, and separate author and subject indexes.

In chapter 1, Bardovi-Harlig and Hartford argue for more research on institutional discourse, which represents only a small minority of ILP studies, by pointing to its advantages over elicited data. Institutional discourse (a) is authentic, interactive, and consequential, yet predictable and comparable; (b) is typically triangulated with retrospective interviews, expert judgments, or both; (c) examines a broad range of pragmatic features as well as the effects of multiple pragmatic features, timing, and escalation; (d) increases an understanding of context; (e) examines language acquisition with respect to the acquisition of language of the institution for both native and nonnative speakers, both of whom can be experts or novices in the institution; and (f) can investigate the entire range of proficiency from beginning to advanced levels. They then review 13 studies of institutional discourse in various institutional settings, published between 1990 and 2001, and discuss ethical concerns.

Five of the next six chapters report new research findings. Three studies are set in educational institutions. Chapter 2, by Williams, examines writing center conferences to determine how peer tutors negotiate their dual roles as peers and experts as well as how tutors vary advice to native and second language (L2) English writers. Chapter 3, by Yates, examines the between-group and within-group differences in the use of directives by trainee teachers of Anglo-Australian and Chinese backgrounds in order to determine the effect of first language (L1) and gender on the use of mitigation. In chapter 5, Davies and Tyler compare differences in discourse style and educational contexts across cultures in their investigation of a Korean teaching assistant's accusation of cheating in an American university. Chapter 4, by Kerekes, is set in a temporary employment agency. Although the study focuses on language use during the placement interview, it also examines the entire process from inquiry to placement decision. Chapter 6, by Tarone, does not present any new data but, instead, reviews previously published English for specific purposes (ESP) studies, drawing on the constructs of genre and discourse community to demonstrate how ESP can inform the study of ILP. Chapter 7, by Gibbs, examines interdepartmental “call-ins” made by housekeeping staff at a conference hotel. Gibbs uses genre analysis to compare workers' failed requests to the successful requests of an expert speaker in order to identify the source of the miscommunications.

Chapter 8, by Bardovi-Harlig and Hartford, is aimed at ILP researchers interested in conducting institutional research. It presents 22 guidelines within a five-step process: identifying the institution, obtaining permission, the standard review process, collecting data at the institution, and dissemination and practical application. The guidelines, developed with input from other ILP researchers, are illustrated with interesting, concrete examples.

This volume is especially useful for its target audience: ILP researchers who have so far restricted themselves to using elicited data. However, even for those few who are already experienced researchers in institutional discourse, this volume has much to offer, as the contributors draw on a range of theoretical and methodological approaches and raise many interesting questions regarding the assumptions underlying previous ILP research. The range of institutional settings is somewhat narrow, but, as the editors point out, the institutions studied are usually (although not always) those that are easily accessible, so this is not surprising. The studies also include a range of language proficiency levels, from beginning to advanced. Data are often presented in helpful tables or graphs. There are, however, a number of errors that might cause some initial confusion, such as mislabeled rows or columns in tables, transcript formatting errors, and a missing appendix. Nevertheless, the overview chapter convincingly argues the strengths of their approach, the five studies are all strong, their findings are theoretically, methodologically, and pedagogically interesting, and the guidelines at the end will facilitate those interested in transitioning into institutional research. This work is a fine addition to the ILP researcher's library.