“…The above not withstanding, there is an increasing number of studies investigating research on elderly language attitudes (Ryan & Capadano, 1978), conversations between younger and older people (e.g., Coupland, Coupland, & Giles, 1991), and socio-psychological and linguistic consequences of intergenerational communication (Ryan, Giles, Bartolucci, & Henwood, 1986). In Germany, however, research on language and communication by, and with, the elderly is only at a starting point (Fiehler, 1996(Fiehler, ,1997Fiehler & Thimm, in press;Thimm, 1995Thimm, , 1996. We want to draw attention to some aspects which have, in our view, been relatively underrepresented in research so far: communication between younger and elder speaker in non-institutional settings, the influence of positive stereotypes on communication with the elderly, and gender-specific styles of communication.…”