Unit 1: Everyday English and technical English

Word list:

to increase – зростати; збільшувати(ся); посилювати(ся) in order to – для того, щоб to dwell on (upon) – докладно спинятися на чомусь a peculiarity – особливість; специфічність a reason– причина, привід, підстава to denote – позначати meaning – значення to appear – з’являтися to borrow – запозичати origin – походження to cause – спричиняти, завдавати, викликати

to contain – містити (мати) в собі; вміщати frequency – частота; частотність to occur – траплятися, попадатися frequently – часто rarely – рідко, нечасто impersonal – безособовий; що не стосується певної особи concise – стислий; короткий primarily – головним чином, першочергово to master – опановувати, оволодівати, вивчати to acquire a thorough knowledge – отримувати ґрунтовні знання

Exercises to the subject:

1. Read the text and decide if the statements are true (t) or false (f).

The contacts between people increase and it is very important to study foreign languages nowadays.

English is native or the first language for the most population of Great Britain, the USA, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Besides, there are many countries, former British colonies (India, Nigeria, Ghana), where English is not a native language, but the second language with the official status in education and administration, and for communication between speakers of other languages.

English is one of the five official languages of the United Nations Organization. It is the working language of the General Assembly and Security Council of the UNO.

In Ukraine, higher school students and postgraduates study English in order to use it in their future practical activity. As you are students of technical speciality, we’ll dwell on some peculiarities of technical English.

Many people consider technical English to be very difficult. There are a number of reasons why it is difficult. The first and the most important problem is the vocabulary. Scientists and technologists use many ordinary words to denote new technological meanings. With the development of science and technology new words appear in the languages, many new terms are borrowed from other languages. Each branch of science and technology has its own terminology. Many of them have Latin or Greek origin and are often international. Some technical words borrowed from everyday English (power, roll, stress, strain, etc.) often cause much greater difficulty than terminology. In addition to terms, a text on some special problem usually contains so-called learned words (approximate, feasible, initial etc).

Grammatical patterns and models are the same as in everyday English, but there is a difference in the frequency with which certain grammatical forms occur. The Passive Voice of verb forms, the constructions Subject and Complex Object are frequently used. The first person singular is not generally used. Simple tenses are rarely used.

The style of most scientific texts, besides being impersonal, is also very concise. It is so because the author-scientist is writing primarily for other scientists.

In order to master technical English the learner must acquire a thorough knowledge of everyday literary English with its grammar, vocabulary and rules of word formation. Then it will be easier for him to learn the peculiarities of technical English.

1. English is native for most countries of the world.

2. China is a former colony of Great Britain.

3. Students consider technical English to be very difficult.

4. Some technical words borrowed from everyday English cause much greater difficulty than terminology.

2. Match the following words and word-combinations with their translation.

1. scientist 2. branch 3. foreign language 4. difficulty 5. pattern 6. native language 7. working language 8. learned words 9. learner 10. knowledge

a) робоча мова b) книжкові слова c) рідна мова d) галузь e) іноземна мова f) важкість g) знання h) той, хто вчиться i) зразок j) вчений

3. Match the following words and word-combinations with their synonyms.

1. peculiarity 2. reason 3. vocabulary 4. communication 5. origin 6. terminology 7. frequency 8. difference 9. word formation 10. administration

a) language, words, lexicon b) source; root, derivation c) language, terms, vocabulary d) distinctive feature, distinguishing characteristic e) contrast, distinction f) derivation g) management, government h) contact, conversation i) cause or motive j) oftenness

4. Match the following words with their antonyms.

1. increase 2. difficult 3. important 4. ordinary 5. appear 6. international 7. same 8. impersonal 9. concise 10. singular

a) special, rare b) plural c) different d) personal e) decrease, fall f) unimportant g) easy h) lengthy, long i) disappear, vanish j) national

5. Find the following phrases in English in the text.

- вивчати іноземні мови; - студенти ВНЗ та після-дипломники; - використовувати в майбутній практичній діяльності; - ряд причин; - розвиток науки та техніки; - кожна галузь науки та техніки; - на додаток до; крім того, до того ж;

- певні граматичні форми; - пасивний стан дієслова; - суб’єктний та об’єктний інфінітивні комплекси; - перша особа однини; - прості часові форми; - повсякденна літературна мова; - правила словоутворення; - вивчити особливості технічної англійської мови.