The english we learn

1. Study the list of topical vocabulary to avoid the difficulties in understanding the text in exercise IV. Consult the dictionary to pronounce the words correctly.

achievement – достижение

application – применение, употребление

borrow – заимствовать

carry out – выполнять

examine – рассматривать, изучать

feature – особенность, черта

field – раздел, сфера, область

foreign language – иностранный язык

investigation – исследование

precise – точный

purpose – цель, назначение

(inter)relation – (взаимо)отношение, связь

research – исследование, исследовательская работа

science – наука

sentence – предложение

term – термин

various – различный

vocabulary – словарь, запас слов

widespread – широко распространенный

word formation – словообразование

II. Translate the following words and word combinations into Russian. Try to memorize them. Make up sentences using these words.

Nowadays, thus, instead, therefore, so, for this reason, generally, ordinary, as a rule, semi-technical, firstly, extremely, at present, also, common.

III. Read and translate the sentences paying attention to the word cause used as noun or verb.

cause n – причина cause v – вызывать, обусловливать, причинять cause v + infinitive – заставлять

1. Modern achievements in science are the cause of making up new words and terms.

2. Research in many fields caused the development of scientific vocabulary.

3. The interdependence of different scientific fields causes scientists to carry out new various researches.

4. Studying natural sciences causes many students to read much technical literature.

5. Some English terms cause many difficulties for Russian students.

IV. Read and translate the text, say what its main points are. Study the vocabulary notes after the text.

SCIENTIFIC ENGLISH

The great technical and scientific achievements of our age have made very many people¹ study foreign languages. Nowadays modern scientists present the results of their investigations in English language: in that way their technical discoveries are examined by the large sections of the scientific public². Students who study natural sciences – such as chemistry, mathematics, physics etc. – often have necessity to read much technical literature written in a foreign language. Thus, scientific English is becoming more popular and widespread than ever before.

In examining the relation between ordinary and scientific English it is necessary to take into consideration³ vocabulary, grammar and style. If you want to understand scientific English you should have a detailed knowledge of ordinary everyday sentences with their grammatical constructions, vocabulary and rules of word formation.

Everyday English is mostly about people, their activities and feelings. When speaking, we normally use short sentences. In an ordinary conversation we usually use the active form. To make ourselves clearer we often repeat some phrases, use gestures or change the tone of our voice. So, it is possible to say that ordinary everyday English is quite personal.

Generally, scientific language depends to a large extent on⁴ writing. That is why scientific English has many particular features. Scientific writing is usually about things, matter, phenomena, natural processes etc. Scientists try to use precise words in their statements and construct sentences as carefully as possible.

At the same time any scientist should have an impersonal attitude towards the subject of his research – keep himself, his feelings and personality out of his work. He regards himself as an observer only. He records what exists or what happens, as if he were absent⁵. For this reason the passive form is commonly used in scientific writing and speech: This was done or That was taken, but not I did it or I took it. Indeed, you will hardly find a sentence beginning with I. Instead, you have the impersonal pronoun it: it is suggested, it can be stated, it is expected, it is evident etc. So, in scientific English the process the writer describes sounds mechanical, unchanging and inhuman.

The scientist seldom deals with isolated facts or events. As a rule, there are a lot of connected facts to be described, and the scientist shows what the connection is. The scientist is interested in the causes of different phenomena, therefore he usually uses in sentences: by, by means of, due to, thanks to, because of, by virtue of, owing to etc. Simple sentences are not so often used in scientific English.

The problem of scientific vocabulary in English also causes many difficulties. It is impossible to discuss a research or read an article about new investigations without knowing specific scientific vocabulary. To define phenomena accurately, scientists have been making up technical words and terms for hundreds of years. Scientific terms often mean complicated things and processes. At present a very great number of terms are created as new fields of science and new discoveries are made all over the world.

Each branch of science and technology has its special vocabulary. But many scientific terms are more or less similar in several languages. This is usually because the words have been built up from Greek and Latin roots. For example, if you know chemistry well in your own language, you will recognize many of the chemical terms when you read them in English. The difficulty is to pronounce them correctly. Examples are: agent, atom, diameter, catalyst, electrolysis, condenser, isotope, magnesium, temperature etc.

More than half of all the vocabulary of scientific English comes from a Graeco-Latin group, and is therefore international. Another group of scientific terms are the semi-technical words. Sometimes they cause great difficulty to the Russian student.

Such terms as energy, fracture, load, moment, movement, power, stress, strain, work etc. are semi-technical words for two reasons. Firstly, because a large number of them were not made specially for a definite scientific purpose: they have simply been borrowed from everyday English. They are very familiar in everyday life; but when they are used in a scientific context, they may have a different meaning. The word power, for example, is very common in ordinary speech, but it has a very special meaning in mathematics, and another special meaning in engineering. The second reason why they are called semi-technical is that they are often more general in their application. Many of them will be extremely useful and universal in the description of any phenomenon. Words like basis, concept, fundamental, problem, process, result, theory etc. are a part of the common vocabulary of all the scientists.

The main tendencies in science and scientific language are caused by the close interrelation of different scientific fields: chemistry and mechanics, physics and biology, mathematics and psychology etc. But at present great work is being carried out to reduce the number of terms and to make them more precise.

Vocabulary notes:

¹ have made very many people – заставили очень многих людей

² the large sections of the scientific public – широкие научные круги

³ it is necessary to take into consideration – необходимо принять во внимание

⁴ depends to a large extent on … – зависит в большой мере от …

⁵ as if he were absent – как если бы его не было