66639 - Specific Languages 1 - English (LM)

Learning outcomes

Students have a good knowledge of the connections between text its context of production regarding language for specific purposes, such as political, legal and economic language. They can use theoretical and practical tools for the production of specialied texts of various nature. Through language classes students will attain a C2 level in all abilities.

Course contents

This course is made up of two modules.

Module 1

The module of Dr. Turci begins with an analysis of tourist discourse from a historical point of view that focuses attention on its beginning and the evolution. It will take into consideration tourist discourse or early hybrid typologies in-between travel writing and tourist discourse written from the Victorian period to the present. Attention will then be focused on a selection of texts that deal with tourism towards populations that for various historical and political reasons have been relegated at the margins of society or considered “different”. These include Australian Aborigenes, American Indians, the Innuit, and people living in Indian slums. The analysis investigates discursive and rhetorical strategies from an interdisciplinary point of view that mobilizes a linguistic and a socio-linguistic perspective with post-colonial reflections. 

Module 2

Dr Fusari's module aims to develop the knowledge of the fundamental principles of corpus linguistics, as well as a series of practical skills related to textual analysis with dedicated software (corpus concordancers). The text types are the same as those analyzed in Dr Turci's module. The concepts of corpus, concordance, collocation, colligation, semantic prosody and semantic preference are illustrated and applied to textual analysis. The program is therefore divided into three parts:

 

1. introduction to the fundamental concepts of corpus linguistic theory;

2. hands-on introductory activities with corpus concordancers;

3. individual or group text and corpus analysis practice, guided by the teacher with corpus concordancers.

 

 Language Classes

Through the language classes, students will be able to put into practice analyses of discursive and communicative strategies/modalities in modern and contemporary discourse. They will be able to understand and produce various typologies of specific and specialist languages such as those of tourism, the media and institutions.

The classes aim, on the one hand, to consolidate and expand students' language skills, with particular emphasis placed on oral and writing skills. On the other, they aim to broaden critical reading skills of texts from the sectors.

The language classes will train students in argumentative and expository academic writing, involve class discussion on notions presented in written work. For exam preparation, emphasis will be placed on writing extended essays and academic essays in English.

Readings/Bibliography

Lindquist, H. (2009). Corpus Linguistics and the Description of English. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.

 

Primary Reading:

 

Dann G. The Language of Tourism  This is the reference book for this course. (it is in reserve in the library)

 

Additional material

Halliday MAK  An Introduction to Functional Grammar. This is a very important reference book. The part that is relevant for the course is that referring to the Transitivity analysis  (in the library)

 

Kress G. Reading Images. The Grammar of Visual Design. This is the reference book for the analysis of images. (in the library)

 

Martin J.R.  and D. Rose  Working with Discourse. This is the reference book for the Appraisal System and Engagement. (In reserve)

 

Peter Muehlhaeusler and Adrian Peace “Discourse of ecotourism: the case of Fraser Island, Queensland. In Language and Communication 21 (2001) 359-380 (in reserve)

All power points are available on line at the address http://campus.unibo.it/

 

Readings for the esercitazioni will be created by Dr. Nigel James and will be available on line and at  Master Copy and Ecrire in via Cartoleria.

Teaching methods

Module 1

Lrctures and guided group discussions on the interpretation of single texts

 

Module 2

Lectures; hand-on activities (in a computer lab) with corpus concordancers; computer-aided textual analysis (in a computer lab).

Assessment methods

Primo modulo

Exam consists in a written and an oral. The written exam is a short 2000-2500 word dissertation. Students should discuss the topi with the teacher before starting working on it.  Generally this has to focus on a tourist phenomenon/text. This dissertation should be handed in department porter's lodge  before the oral exam. The exact will be announced in the guide web. The oral part consists in a discussion in English on the dissertation. It lasts 15-20 minutes.

Evalutation of the dissertation includes the following points: appropriateness of grammar, syntaxis and lexis; 2. Students' ability to organize arguments and information in a clear way; 3. Use of specialized language; 4: content and correct use of critical material used in class. The oral part will evaluate students' communicative skills and their ability to discuss material

Module 2

The exam is a practical task in the computer lab. The task consists in analyzing one or more texts of the type shown in class, pertaining to the area of tourism. To perform the task, students are given one or more texts (chosen by the teacher), and a computer with a corpus concordancer. In the allowed time (2 hours) students are asked to write their textual analysis in English, showing that:

 

1. they have understood the fundamental concepts of corpus linguistics. Students therefore have to refer explicitly to such concepts as corpus, concordance, collocation, colligation, semantic prosody and semantic preference;

2. they know how to apply the fundamental concepts of corpus linguistics. Students therefore have to analyze the text/s with the corpus concordancer, and show that they are aware of which questions the software can answer to improve the depth and reliability of textual analysis.

 

Students who use corpus linguistic theory coherently and systematically for their textual analysis, use the corpus concordancer independently, and write in good, fluent English (higher C1 threshold of the Common European Framework for Languages) obtain an excellent mark. Students who, despite some gaps in their skills with the corpus concordancer, can still use it effectively to apply corpus linguistic theory to the text(s), in good, fluent English (level C1 of the Common European Framework for Languages) obtain a good mark. Students who have understood the fundamental concepts of corpus linguistics and can use the corpus concordancer, but cannot make a clear connection between theory and practice may still pass the exam, but with a lower mark. Students who show serious gaps in their knowledge of corpus linguistic theory and/ or in their use of the corpus concordancer and/ or in their capacity to highlight the corpus concordancer's usefulness for textual analysis and/ or in their command of the English language do not pass the exam.

 

Esercitazioni linguistiche

For all students, those who attend and do not attend the language classes, the written exam will consist of a 500-word essay on a theme connected to topics dealt with during the course. The written exam lasts 120 minutes and is held once per exam session. Students have to pass the exam before being able to register their overall final mark on almaesami. The essay will be assessed at the C2 level of the Common European Framework from various aspects: appropriateness of argumentation relating to the topic; presentation (layout, spelling, punctuation); structure/organization (application of academic writing criteria, cohesion/coherence), and lexico - grammatical and discursive accuracy of the standard academic English required. 

Teaching tools

Module 1

PPT will be used to illustrate in a concise and clear way ideas and theories particularly cogent for the analysis of texts. Photocopies and handouts. All material will be available on line (http://campus.unibo.it/).

Module 2

Corpus concordancers (students can use this in the lab or they can install it on the PC). All material will be available on line(http://campus.unibo.it/

Language Classes

PPT

Links to further information

http://www.unibo.it/docenti/monica.turci2

Office hours

See the website of Monica Turci

See the website of Sabrina Fusari