- •In the World of English
- •In the World of English
- •1) What is language? Think of as many notions associated with language as you can to complete the spidergram.
- •3) Now read the definitions of language from the encyclopedia and dictionaries, compare them with your own definition. Which one is better? Why?
- •3. Amazing facts about English
- •1) Read the following facts about English. Which one is the most amazing? Why?
- •2) Could you think of some other amazing facts about English? Your language? Share your suggestions with the class.
- •3) Follow-up
- •2) These are some of the sentences that you will hear in the lecture. Read them paying attention to the italicized words and expressions.
- •3. Now follow the Topic Outline while the speaker gives a brief overview of what will be discussed in the commentary. Lecture outline - a topic outline
- •I. Animal and Human Communication Systems
- •II. The Origin of Language
- •III. Statistics on Modern Languages
- •8. Recount the information you heard in the lecture to a partner. Use your notes and the outline to help you.
- •9. Discuss the following with the class. Use the language of agreement / disagreement and persuading from Reference Section at the back of the book to organize your discussion.
- •1. Before you read, discuss the following questions with your partner.
- •2. Read the text below and write out the major stages in the development of English spelling and factors which influenced its change.
- •3. Discuss the following questions with your class.
- •4. Do you know how English in America developed? What factors influenced its development? Discuss with your class.
- •5.Now read the text below and make notes concerning major stages in the development of American English. Language change and the development of american english
- •6. Put the sentences below in chronological order. Use transitional words or phrases if needed between the sentences to form a paragraph.
- •7. Work with your partner, refer to your notes and summarise the information given in the text. You may use the paragraph from the previous exercise as an example.
- •8. Read the text once again and decide if the statements below are true or false according to the article. Correct the false statements.
- •9. Discuss the following questions with your class.
- •1. Before you listen discuss the questions below with your partner.
- •2. You will hear an interview with a journalist Robert MacNeil who wrote a book"Do You Speak American?". As you listen make brief notes on the answers to the following questions:
- •3. Look at these extracts from the report. Complete as many of the sentences as you can before you listen again.
- •4. With a partner reproduce the interview using the questions and responses given below (aa - Avi Arditti):
- •5. Discuss with your groupmates.
- •1. Read the famous words by George Bernard Shaw. Do you agree with his opinion?
- •4. Language Focus
- •2) Here are some more examples of differences between American and British vocabulary. Can you match the American word on the left with its British equivalent on the right?
- •3) With a partner in two minutes write down as many other examples of American vocabulary that is different from British vocabulary as you can.
- •3. Work with a partner. Reproduce the interview using the questions and responses given below (aa - Avi Arditti; rs - Rosanne Skirble):
- •4. Discuss the following questions with your groupmates.
- •Rendering 1. Британский или американский
- •Британский или американский
- •Englishes of the World
- •In groups of four match the explanations (1-9) to the words, phrases and figures. Then answer Questions 10-17.
- •1. What do the following countries have in common? Is it an advantage for these countries? Why? Why not? Discuss with your partner.
- •3. Language facts
- •2) Could you continue the list of language facts? Share your suggestions with the class.
- •Discuss with your partner.
- •2. You are going to listen to the lecture about historic struggle and conflict between Ireland's two languages: Irish and English. Before you listen, preview the content of the lecture.
- •3. Before you listen, preview the vocabulary you will hear in the lecture.
- •1) Fill in the blanks with the appropriate vocabulary items.
- •2) These are some of the sentences that you will hear in the lecture. Read them paying attention to the italicized words and expressions.
- •Languages in Conflict: Irish and English
- •5. Now listen to the lecture again and take your own notes.
- •9. Recount the information you heard in the lecture to a partner. Use your notes and the outline to help you.
- •10. Discuss the following with the class.
- •1. On May 23-25, 2001 Moscow State University hosted an international conference "Global English for Global Understanding". Could you explain its title. What problems were on the agenda?
- •3. Now read the whole article, underline the main idea in each paragraph (if possible). Make an outline of the article. Global understanding for global english
- •1.Read the title of the article. What is it about? What is a democratic linguistic order? Read the introductory part of the article quickly and check.
- •2.Now read the whole article, underline the main idea in each paragraph (if possible). Make an outline of the article. Envisioning a democratic linguistic order
- •Introduction
- •The Structure of the Hegemony of English
- •Language as Environment, not Commodity
- •Democracy Among All Languages
- •Conclusion
- •2. Would you agree or disagree with the following quotations? Why? Why not?
- •3. Skim the text and decide whether its author would agree or disagree with the quotations above.
- •Silent witnesses
- •5. Paraphrase the following extracts from the article and explain what the author means. What is your opinion?
- •6. In pairs discuss the main points the writer makes. Then summarise the article.
- •7. Work in a small group. Discuss the questions below. Then share your ideas with the class.
- •1. You are going to read the three articles about three different languages. Before you read comment on the language facts given below.
- •2. Now look quickly at the articles and decide what languages they are about. What do two of the languages have in common? Try not to take more than one minute.
- •3. Answer questions 1-8 by referring to the three newspaper articles about different languages.
- •4. Which of the following categories of text type would you say the articles belong to?
- •3. Now listen to the interview and answer the questions below.
- •1. Divide into two teams, and debate the problem of the English language globalization.
- •Глобализация и развитие языков
- •1. Look at the picture below. What is its message?
- •3. Now compare your list with those of other students.
- •4. Compare your notes with those written by a partner. Do your partner's notes make you want to add anything to your own or to change anything in your own?
- •5. Listen again to the lecture and decide whether the following statements about it are true or false.
- •1. Researchers who study gender and communication have realized that women and men communicate in different ways.
- •2. The lecturer will talk about how children learn the communication patterns of their gender and about some false stereotypes people have of men’s and women’s communication patterns.
- •3. Now listen to the lecture again and take notes.
- •4. Check your notes to be sure that they are complete. Check if you can:
- •5. Recount the information you heard in the lecture to a partner. Use your notes and the outline to help you.
- •6. In a group of two or four discuss the questions below. At the end of the discussion, a representative from the group should summarise the group’s discussion for the class.
- •1. The following two passages are from the book You Just Don’t Understand by Deborah Tannen. Before you read these passages, answer the questions below.
- •2. Now read and find out whether your suggestions were correct. His Politeness Is Her Powerlessness
- •It's Different Coming From a Man
- •3. Work with your partner. Discuss the questions below. Then share your ideas with the class.
- •Rendering1. Мужское и женское в языке
- •Мужское и женское в языке
- •1. Paraphrase the quotations below. Which one do you agree with? Why?
- •2. Euphemistically Speaking
- •2) Do the quiz below. Then compare your answers with a partner. Quiz: Euphemistically Speaking
- •3) Work with your partner and discuss the following questions.
- •4) Here are some more examples of euphemisms.
- •3. Look at two web pages from an on-line translator below. What do they illustrate? Does political correctness pose any difficulties for translators and interpreters?
- •4. What is political correctness? Does the term ‘political correctness’ overlap with ‘euphemism’? What is the difference?
- •2) Is it a good idea to rewrite famous works of literature to make them more politically correct? Discuss with your class.
- •1. You are going to read an article The World of doublespeak by William Lutz.
- •2. Read the article and write out the examples of doublespeak and their meanings.
- •The world of doublespeak
- •3. Check your answers.
- •3. Now read the article and check your answers. Life under the Chief Doublespeak Officer
- •(From William Lutz, Life under the Chief Doublespeak Officer http://www.Dt.Org/html/ Doublespeak.Html)
- •4. Work with your partner, discuss the following questions, then share your ideas with the class.
- •1. Before you listen think of some political speech you know (e.G. M.L. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech) and try to answer the following questions.
- •6. In pairs discuss the following questions.
- •In this project you are going to analyse the language politicians use.
- •1. Before you listen discuss the questions in pairs.
- •3. Reproduce the interview using the questions and responses given below (aa - Avi Arditti; rs - Rosanne Skirble):
- •4. In class discuss the following questions.
- •Политическая корректность, или языковой такт
- •«Черный человек». Политкорректность в русском языке
- •3. Do you know any funny stories / anecdotes about translators / interpreters? Share them with the class.
- •Deadlines
- •To make a long story short...
- •1. You are going to read the text under the title ‘Ambassadors of the Word’. Who could be called an ambassador of the word? Why? Discuss with your partner.
- •2. Look through the text quickly and check your suggestions. Ambassadors of the Word
- •3. Now read the text more carefully and from the ideas and opinions expressed in the article, decide which of the sentences are likely to be true (t) or false (f).
- •4. Match the words in column 1 with the meanings in column 2.
- •5. Comment on the following quotations. Which do you agree with? Why?
- •6. Work in pairs, discuss the following questions. Then, share your ideas with the class.
- •1. You are going to listen to the interview between the journalist and Fiona Guiffs, the translator. What are the possible advantages and disadvantages of this profession? Discuss with your partner.
- •2. Now listen to the interview and complete the chart below.
- •3. Now look at these extracts from the interview. Complete as many of the sentences as you can before you listen again.
- •4. In pairs discuss the following questions.
- •2. Now listen to the interview and make notes on Michael Gove and Professor Tony Briggs’s opinions. Compare your notes with those of your partner.
- •3. Read the following statements and decide whether they are True (t) or False (f). Correct the false ones.
- •6. Discuss the following questions.
- •1. What do you know about computer translation systems? How do they work?
- •2. Now read the text below and find out.
- •In the near future
- •3. Answer the questions below.
- •1. Have you ever used on-line translation services? Was your experience successful?
- •2. What problems could a person face using online translation tools? Read the article and find out. Getting lost in the translation
- •4. Answer the questions below.
- •5. Work in pairs, discuss the following questions. Then share your finding with the class. To organize you discussion use the useful language from Reference Section.
- •2. Now work in your groups and match the words on the left with their definitions on the right. Consult the dictionary if necessary. Add them to the categories you have.
- •3. Provide the Russian equivalents for words and expressions 1-26 from Exerscise 2.
- •Профессия переводчик
- •Нужны ли переводчики?
- •Решение мировой проблемы перевода
- •Переводчик в кармане
- •Inbound text
- •Voice-over, voiceover
- •Useful Language
- •Inviting a response
- •Interrupting
- •Strong agreement / disagreement
- •Persuading
- •Framing an argument
- •Listening 2. Male-Female Conversation as Cross-cultural Communication
- •В мире английского языка
- •In the world of english
3. Look at two web pages from an on-line translator below. What do they illustrate? Does political correctness pose any difficulties for translators and interpreters?
4. What is political correctness? Does the term ‘political correctness’ overlap with ‘euphemism’? What is the difference?
The use of political language modification has a history in satire and comedy. One of the earlier, and most well-known, satirical takes on this movement can be found in the book Politically Correct Bedtime Stories by James Finn Gardner, in which traditional fairy tales are rewritten from an exaggeratedly-PC viewpoint. The roles of good and evil in these PC stories are often the reverse of those in the original versions, with the goal of showing that political correctness ignores or inverts morality.
1) Read an extract from J.F. Gardner’s Politically Correct Bedtime Stories. Underline the words and expressions which are exaggeratedly politically correct. What do they stand for? Why?
Snow White Once there was a young princess who was not at all unpleasant to look at and had a temperament that many found to be more pleasant than most other people’s. Her nickname was Snow White, indicating of the discriminatory notions of associating pleasant or attractive qualities with light, and unpleasant or unattractive qualities with darkness. Thus, at an early age Snow White was an unwilling if fortunate target for this type of colorist thinking. (From Politically Correct Bedtime Stories by J.F. Gardner. - New York, Toronto, Oxford, Singapore, Sydney, 1994.)
2) Is it a good idea to rewrite famous works of literature to make them more politically correct? Discuss with your class.
READING 1. The World of DOUBLESPEAK
1. You are going to read an article The World of doublespeak by William Lutz.
What is doublespeak? Who might use it? Why?
Read the definition from Concise Oxford Companion to the English Language. Were you right?
DOUBLESPEAK. Language that diverts attention from, or conceals, a speaker's true meaning, or from what is on the speaker's mind, making the bad seem good, and the unpleasant attractive or at least tolerable. It seeks to avoid, shift, or deny responsibility, and ultimately prevents or limits thought. Doublespeak can be discussed in terms of euphemism, bureaucratese, jargon, and inflated language.
2. Read the article and write out the examples of doublespeak and their meanings.
William Lutz is a professor of English at Rutgers University in Camden and the author of a number of books on language, including The New Doublespeak: Why No One Knows What Anyone's Saying Anymore. He is also a language consultant to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and to a bevy of private businesses.
The world of doublespeak
Farmers no longer have cows, pigs, chickens, or other animals on their farms: according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, farmers have grain-consuming animal units. Attentive observers of the English language also learned recently that the multibillion dollar stock market crash of 1987 was simply a fourth quarter equity retreat, that airplanes don't crash, they just have uncontrolled contact with the ground; and that President Reagan wasn't really unconscious while he underwent minor surgery, he was just in a non-decision-making form. In other words, doublespeak continues to spread as the official language of public communication.
Doublespeak is a blanket term for language which pretends to communicate but doesn't, language which makes the bad seem good, the negative appear positive, the unpleasant attractive, or at least tolerable. It is language which avoids, shifts, or denies responsibility, language which is at variance with its real meaning.
We know that a toothbrush is still a toothbrush even if the advertisements on television call it a home plaque removal instrument, and even that nutritional avoidance therapy means a diet. But who would guess that a volume-related production schedule adjustment means closing an entire factory in the doublespeak of General Motors, or that energetic disassembly means an explosion in a nuclear power plant in the doublespeak of the nuclear power industry?
The euphemism, an inoffensive or positive word or phrase designed to avoid a harsh, unpleasant, or distasteful reality, can at times be doublespeak. But the euphemism can also be a tactful word or phrase; for example, "passed away" functions not just to protect the feelings of another person but also to express our concern for another's grief. A euphemism used to mislead or deceive, however, becomes doublespeak.
Jargon, the specialized language of a trade or profession, allows colleagues to communicate with each other c early, efficiently, and quickly. Indeed, it is a mark of membership to be able to use and understand the group's jargon. But it can also be doublespeak - pretentious, obscure, and esoteric terminology used to make the simple appear complex, and not to express but impress. Lawyers and tax accountants speak of an involuntary conversion of property when discussing the loss or destruction of property through theft, accident, or condemnation. So, if your house burns down, or your car is stolen or destroyed in an accident, you have, in legal jargon, suffered an involuntary conversion of your property.
A final kind of doublespeak is simply inflated language. Car mechanics may be called automotive internists, elevator operators members of the vertical transportation corps; grocery checkout clerks career associate scanning professionals. When a company initiates a career alternative enhancement program, it is really laying off 5000 workers; a negative patient care outcome means that the patient died.
These last examples should make it clear that doublespeak is not the product of careless language or sloppy thinking. Indeed, serious doublespeak is carefully designed and constructed to appear to communicate but in fact to mislead. Such language is highly strategic, and it breeds suspicion, cynicism, distrust and, ultimately, hostility. If we really believe that we understand doublespeak and think that it communicates, we are in deep trouble.
(From The World of Doublespeak by William Lutz)