69469 - English Language and Culture III (Second Language) (CL1)

Learning outcomes

Course contents

Module 1: Language and Culture (Prof. Leech)

 

The first module, Language and  culture, will focus on the issue of racism, multiethnicity and discrimination in Great Britain. It will be based on reading and analysis of a variety of texts from different genres (literature, criticism, autobiography, government reports, newspaper articles) which deal with the problem of racism and multiethnicity in Great Britain.    The aims to enable students:

-    to discover the linguistic features of different text genres;

-    to explore the nature of cultural diversity in Great Britain, also to promote critical reflection on the nature and practice of oral and written mediation.

 

The module will include also lessons in the language laboratory to improve listening skills and to prepare students in particular for the written exam.

 

 

Module 2: Liaison interpreting (Prof. Preziosi)

 

The second module will focus on community interpreting and in particular in legal situations (immigration, policy, the courts).

 

- Introduction to and basic terminoloty of the Italian and Anglo-Saxon judicial system, principal differences between the two systems and ways of resolving the complex translation problems which are due to these differences, the functioning of these systems and in particular of the situations in which an interpreting service is normally required (hearings, questioning and cross-examinations, client-lawyer interviews etc.).

 

- Consolidation of  sight translation techniques (speed, fruition, adequacy) and memorization.

 

- Compilation of specific glossaries for special langauges normally used in legal areas (legal-medical language, descriptions of the narrative of events, detailed descriptions of places, objects, people, emotions, descriptions and functioning of weapons and objects used to commit crimes etc.)

 

- Family and colloquial language, specific slang (slang from the drug world, slang used by police etc.)

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- Problems of deontology and intercultural communication which arise often in situations which require particular competence

 

The module will also include support lessons aimed at improving oral production and in particular aspects of pronunciation and intonation.

Readings/Bibliography

Module 1: The material for the module Language and Culture will be provided by the lecturer at the beginning of the module.  The course will make particular reference to The Future of Multiethnic Britain (Runnymede Trust report, 2000)

 

Module 2: A reading list for the second module, Liaison Interpreting, will be provided during the lessons. 

Teaching methods

Both modules will include lectures but also group and pair work to encourage the practical use of the language.

Assessment methods

Module 1: Language and culture.

The mark for this module will be based on three distinct exams which together will make up 50% of the final mark for the course.

• A written text in English based on quotations from the works analysed during the lessons;
• A listening and writing exam in the language laboratory: a written summary in English of a radio broadcast of about 5 minutes and a transcription of about 1 minute of the same radio broadcast;
• An oral exam consisting of the discussion of a novel (chosen by the student from a list which will be given out during the lessons) and a sight translation of a paragraph taken from material used during the lessons.

Students who demonstrate the ability to understand fully authentic oral and written texts on the topic and to produce written and oral summaries in a clear and communicative English will obtain an ‘excellent’ mark (28-30).

Students who demonstrate a good comprehension of the written and oral texts proposed and essentially correct written and oral summaries will obtain a 'good' (26-27) or 'average’ (23-25)mark.

Students who demonstrate a basic but superficial understanding of the written and oral texts proposed with adequate but not fluent summaries or with major grammatical, lexical or phonological errors will be given a ‘pass’ mark (18-22)

Students who are unable to demonstrate a basic understanding of the written and oral texts proposed and whose written and oral production is incorrect or difficult to understand will get a ‘fail’ mark.

Module 2: Liaison Interpreting.

For the second module, students will be assigned a specific situation relating to the situations tackled during the course. During this simulation the students must demonstrate:

a.        a knowledge of techniques typical to liaison interpreting;

b.       an ability to translate ritual formulas and specific legal language for the situation;

c.        an ability to translate efficiently the basic terminology appropriate to the specific crime involved (crimes involving drugs, violence etc.);

d.       know how to manage in a professional manner three-party communication and efficiently solve all the unforeseen problems that can arise during the simulation.

In preparation for this simulation students will have to prepare a specific glossary for the work situation envisaged.

The marks given to the students will be as follows:

• Excellent understanding and production of English and liaison interpreting skills: 28-30
• Competent understanding and production of English and liaison interpreting skills: 23-27
• Adequate understanding and production of English and liaison interpreting skills: 18-22
• Inadequate understanding and production of English and liaison interpreting skills: FAIL

Teaching tools

Video, PC, photocopies, language laboratori, e-learning

Office hours

See the website of John Patrick Leech