- •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
5. Discuss with your groupmates.
Would you agree or disagree with the opinion of Daniel Defoe who wanted it to be “as serious a crime to coin your own new word as it would be to counterfeit money.”?
Some people consider the processes going on in American English as its decline. Do you agree or disagree? Give you reasons. What way would American English develop? Would it become more tolerant?
With the world turning into global village and rapidly changing demographics within the USA would American English lose its national identity?
Is the Russian language facing the same threat?
READING 2. A Trolley in a Grocery Store? Americans Would Reckon That's Crazy
1. Read the famous words by George Bernard Shaw. Do you agree with his opinion?
England and America are two countries divided by a common language. |
2. Work with your partner and discuss the differences between British and American English, then complete the chart below. Pay special attention to words which have different meaning in British and American English.
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American English |
British English |
Pronunciation |
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Grammar |
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Vocabulary |
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3. Now read the interview below and add other examples to the chart. Make a list of words which have different meanings in British and American English.
A Trolley in a Grocery Store? Americans Would Reckon That's Crazy
AA - Avi Arditti
RS - Rosanne Skirble,
AA: I'm Avi Arditti with Rosanne Skirble. This week on WORDMASTER: we talk about a few of the differences between American English and British English.
RS: After all, some differences can lead to embarrassment, others to plain old confusion.
AA: For instance, Americans put babies to sleep in a "crib." The British call the same kind of bed a "cot."
RS: In America a cot is a flimsy, fold-up bed made of canvas.
AA: Oh, you mean what the British call a "camp bed."
RS: In Britain, "public school" is what Americans would call "private school," where you pay to have your children go. Now let's say you have "to go" - or you're looking for the toilet. Here, it's not polite to ask where "the toilet" is. Say "bathroom" or "restroom" when speaking to an American.
AA: Joining us now from New York is the author of a handy little book called "Speak American: A Survival Guide to the Language and Culture of the USA." Dileri Borunda Johnston lived in England, so she knows what it's like from both sides.
DILERI JOHNSTON: "A lot of the grammar is slightly different, so you would have things in British English that perhaps you wouldn't want an American child to learn because it might sound slightly incorrect. Like you wouldn't say 'I haven't got any more.' You would rather an American kid would learn to say 'I don't have any more.'"
AA: Let's say a speaker of British English steps off a plane in the States. Just to catch a bus or train into town from the airport requires a different vocabulary.
DILERI JOHNSTON: "In England you would catch a 'coach' whereas here you take the 'bus,' or if you're taking the public transportation you would take the 'subway in America rather than the 'tube' or the 'underground' as you would in England."
AA: Also, what the British call "lorries" we Americans call "trucks."
RS: Now let's say the weather is cold and wet, and our traveler didn't pack the right clothes. Dileri Johnston pointed out some British terms that might confuse an American clerk.
DILERI JOHNSTON: "Like, for example, 'jumper,' which in England is the most common thing to call a sweater."
RS: "Here it's a dress."
DILERI JOHNSTON: "And a jumper here is a dress, yes."
AA: "And then here we have 'boots' and 'galoshes' and there..."
DILERI JOHNSTON: "They have 'wellies,' yes."
RS: "They have what?"
DILERI JOHNSTON: "Wellies."
AA: "Here we talk about 'boots,' but, again, a 'boot' is in British English the trunk of a car. Here it's a heavy shoe that you wear when you're going through puddles."
DILERI JOHNSTON: "You use the word 'boot' in British English as well; you know, for regular boots or cowboy boots or riding boots or anything like that. But just the rubber boots are called 'wellies.'"
RS: And the differences don't stop there.
DILERI JOHNSTON: "Pants' is the very big sort of trouble spot, because 'pants' here are quite -- you know, the common thing to call the things you put on your -- the long things you put on your legs, whereas 'pants' in England is always referring to underwear."
RS: "So here that would be 'underpants.'"
DILERI JOHNSTON: "Underpants, or underwear or boxers or whatever." RS: "So if you say, 'do you have a pair of pants to wear to the party,' that would be pretty inappropriate to say in England unless you were forewarned."
DILERI JOHNSTON: "And over there they say 'trousers,' which is not a word that is completely unknown in American English, but it's not the most common one."
RS: Along these lines, it seemed to us that a lot of the terms used in British English are older forms of the words used by Americans -- for instance, it might sound odd for an American to say "spectacles" instead of "glasses."
DILERI JOHNSTON: "That's often the case. You know, you have 'spectacles,' you have 'trousers.' They tend to be sort of things that might be more common in regional varieties of American English. You know, like in England, it's quite common to say 'reckon,' which in American English is quite unusual, or you might here it in the South perhaps or in more old-fashioned contexts."
AA: "Like, 'I reckon I'll go in when the sun gets too hot.'"
DILERI JOHNSTON: "Yeah, and people in England say it sort of quite seriously, without meaning it to be funny or ironic or anything like that."
RS: Same with some other terms that might strike Americans as funny.
DILERI JOHNSTON: "You know, if you go shopping, for example, you don't really want to take a 'trolley' which is what Americans ride around in on the street, like say in San Francisco. Here you would rather use a 'shopping cart' when you go to do your groceries."
AA: And it's not just words that set American and British speakers apart.
DILERI JOHNSTON: "Speakers of British English have to be very conscious of the fact that British accents are quite incomprehensible to Americans at times. I know from experience - my husband, who's British, has a horrible time ordering water in restaurants. Nobody understands him when he asks for 'waw-tuh.' So he's tried to modify it and say 'waw-da, can I have some waw-da please.'"
AA: Dileri Borunda Johnston, author of "Speak American: A Survival Guide to the Language and Culture of the USA."
(From VOA Wordmaster http://www.voanews.com/specialenglish/)
Compare your chart with that of your partner.