lesson 1 specialized communication and...

Lesson 1Specialized Communication and

TerminologyProfª Dra. Chelo Vargas

Chelo Vargas - http://www.ua.es/personal/chelo.vargas/index.html

Methodology:

Lesson 1: Specialized Communication andTerminology

11 Time organization

22 Lesson structure

33Teaching method


Methodology:


11 Time organization

1st week

1 session

in-/out-of-class activities: 2/3 h

Lecture: 1h


Methodology:


22 Lesson structure

1Presentation

of information

2Explanation of content

3Learningactivities

4Classroom

assessment


Methodology:


33Teaching method

LectureLecture ProblemProblem--solvingsolving

MATERIAL: RECORD FOR THEORETICAL CLASSES


The introduction1

The objectives2

The outline3

The content4

The lecture:




The introduction

The concept of language for specialThe concept of language for specialPurposes (LSP)Purposes (LSP)

Differences and similarities betweenDifferences and similarities betweenGeneral and Specialized communicationGeneral and Specialized communication


The objectivesThe objectives


identify the features that make special languages different from general language and artificial languages.

identify the role that terms have in specialized texts as knowledge carriers and organisers.

As a result of this lesson students will be able to:

1

2



Outline 2. Terminology is natural language.

The outlineThe outline

3. What is LSP?

1. Differences and similarities between general and specialized communication.


The contents


What is an LSP?

Do you think it is important for a

translator to learn an LSP? Why?

Is this sentence true?: «Specialized

translation onlyneeds to transferone language into

another»


The contents


LSP is the language used to discuss

specialized fields of knowledge

Translators need to familiarize with both the concepts in the subject field and the

language

To translate a special text you need actually to “know” what you are talking about, which means understanding the concepts behind the terms and using a special language as an expert will do


Specialized communication process may seem similar to general communication process What are the differences?

The contents - Differences and similarities LG & LSP





Jakobson (1960): in every concrete speech act

sender receiver

MESSAGE

has

code

uses

context

is transmitted

medium




Communication diagram:

code

message

receiver

context

mediumsender

Specialized communication




Experts in a specific area of knowledgeTheir context is limited to the area of knowledge that the parties shareThe communication system that is used includes general language

context




Each communication factor is thefocal point of a relation, or function, that operates between the messageand the factor:

REFERENTIALEMOTIVECONATIVEPHATIC METALINGUAL POETIC

The Earth is roundOh, my God!

Come here!Hello?

What do you mean by ‘mafic’?

The fire burned violently




Formally, 2 basic differences:Type of oral and written texts producedThe use of a specific terminology



Terms:Don’t belong to an independent system of words, but come together with words to form the vocabulary of speakersCan be analyzed from different points of view (linguistic, cognitive, communicative)Share the specialized communication space with other signs (non-linguistic)

The contents - Terminology is natural language



Terms:Don’t belong to an independent system of words, but come together with words to form the vocabulary of speakersCan be analyzed from different points of view (linguistic, cognitive, communicative)Share the specialized communication space with other signs (non-linguistic)


El término es tan signo lingüístico como cualquier unidadléxica de las áreas no especializadas, y los hablantescientíficos y técnicos son tan hablantes como el resto. Las diferencias entre "término" y "no término" son de tipo pragmático, no formal, funcional ni semántico. Estohace que muchos de los postulados tradicionales de la terminología sean desmentidos, o al menos puestos en entredicho, por la práctica cotidiana. (Alpízar, R., 1997: 8)


cognitive



Specialized Knowledge Unit (SKU)Units that represent and transmit knowledge

TERMINOLOGYOBJECT

are

linguistic communicative




Specialized Knowledge Unit (SKU)

they transmit and spread the specialized knowledge

they allow to represent and fix the specialized knowledge

they are created within a linguistic system and are formed by a signifier and a signified




Typical SKU: terminological units,form (number and type of morphemes): sphere, spherulite, twinning , handpolisher, gantry crane, ISO, perpend, Pafunctions (nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs): karst, cap, igneous, perpendicularlymeaning or kind of concept they represent (objects, processes, properties, relations): aggregate, bore, breccia-like ..Origin: lithofacies, gneiss


The contents - Terminology is natural language - SKU organization


SKUSKU

Natural LanguageUnits


Artificial LanguageUnits

Artificial LanguageUnits

Organization of the SKU:







Specialized Morphological Units(prefixes, suffixes, formatives)

Specialized Morphological Units(prefixes, suffixes, formatives)

Specialized Lexical Units(n., v., adj., adv.)

Specialized Lexical Units(n., v., adj., adv.)

Specialized Phraseological Units(NPhr, VPhr, AdjPhr, AdvPhr, PrepPhr)

Specialized Phraseological Units(NPhr, VPhr, AdjPhr, AdvPhr, PrepPhr)





Artificial Language UnitsArtificial Language Units

SymbolsSymbols

FormulasFormulas

NomenclatureNomenclature

IconographyIconography


The contents - What is LSP?


the language used to discuss specialized fields of knowledge (chemistry, gastronomy, biotechnology …)

language we use everyday to talk about ordinary things in a variety of common situations

LSP = language for special purposes

LGP = language for general purposes

LGP vs LSP




LGP & LSP: overlap

LSP

TERM

TERM

TERM

TERM

WORDWORD

WORD

TERM

LGP

WORD

WORD

WORD

TERM

TERM

TERM

De-terminologization(Meyer & Mackintosh, 2000)

E.g.: AIDS, diabetes, anorexia




LSP: striking featuresExample: LSP of Chemistry

‘the experiment was conducted’ rather than ‘X conducted the experiment’

Passive v.

Verbs+’experiment’? - ‘to do an experiment’?- experiments are typically ‘conducted’ or ‘carried out’.

Collocations

-Stating the purpose of the experiment- Describing the equipment used- outlining the methodology, etc.

Style

NaCl, C3H5(NO3)3)Formulas

sodium chloride, nitroglycerineTerms


The contents - What is LSP? – Artificial languages and special languages


prior conceptualization that is relatively controlled

do not usually admit new terms unless the concept has been defined and named

do not have (in theory) polysemous terms (polysemy in general language is homonymy in special languages)

written form of terms takes priority over the spoken form

many terms are valid internationally

have the same limited functions.

cannot be considered "invented“, but participate in the general language.

not constructed with language as a point of reference, as they form a part of language.

can admit new units, even if, it is desirable to control their growth.

permit synonyms.all the syntactic

possibilities offered by the LGP

inventory of signs that grows steadily

"invented" languages.constructed using natural

language a previous, controlled

conceptualization,unable to admit new units

not previously set and conceptualized.

unambiguous (no synonyms or polysemous terms)

reduced syntax reduced inventory of

signs first established in written form.

valid wherever used.no scope for meaning

variation.

LSPs =ALLSPs are not artificialArtificial languages


The contents – What is LSP? - Who uses LSP?


SemiSemi--expertexpert

ExpertsExperts

NonNon--expertsexperts

people who have training or experience in the specialized

field in question

StudentsExperts from related fields

Technical writersTranslators


The contents - What is LSP? – Different levels of LSP communication



ExpertsExperts

NonNon--expertsexperts




ExpertsExperts ExpertsExperts

HIGHLY SPECIALIZED LANGUAGEHIGHLY SPECIALIZED LANGUAGE





ExpertsExperts

TERMS + EXPLANATIONS

(text books)




ExpertsExperts NonNon--expertsexperts

Fewer terms + words for simplified descriptions of

concepts


The contents – What is LSP? - Learning an LSP


Acquire two broad types of knowledge:

information about the specialized concepts described using the LSP.

specialized terms, collocations, grammatical structures and stylistic features.

Translators need to actually know what they are writing or taking about, which means understanding the concepts behind the terms


The contents – What is LSP? - Learning an LSP


Translators need to familiarize with:Concepts in the subject fieldLanguage used to describe them

How?Learning the LSP terms and structures with texts or corpora


A corpus can be a useful resource for learning about the linguistic featuresof an LSP, such as:

The contents - What is LSP? - Learning an LSP





knowledgeabout terms




collocations




grammar




conceptual characteristic

relationships between two

concepts


The contents – KEY POINTSKEY POINTS


Specialized communication focused on the referent and the senderTerminology forms part of natural language.Terms share with other non-linguistic signs the space of specialized communication.




LSP is the language used to discuss specialized fields of knowledge. Terminology forms part of natural language.In addition to having a specialized vocabulary, an LSP may also have specialized collocational or stylistic features that differ from LGP




There are different types of LSP users, including experts, semi-experts, and non-expertsTwo broad types of knowledge are required in order to become a proficient LSP user: linguistic and conceptualA corpus can be a useful resource for learning about the linguistic and conceptual features of an LSP.


References


BOWKER, L. y PEARSON, J: (2002): Working with Specialized Language. A practical guide using corpora. London/New York: Routledge

CABRÉ, M.T. (1999): Terminology. Theory, Methods and Applications. Ámsterdam, Philadelphia: John Benjamins.

MEYER, I. & MACKINTOSH, K. (2000): «When terms move into our everyday lives: An overview of de-terminologization». In Terminology, 6(1), pp.111-138.

SAGER, JC., DUNGWORTH, D, & MCDONALD, P.F. (1980): English Special Languages. Principles and practice in science and technology. Wiesbaden: Oscar Brandstetter Verlag KG.


The contents – Link to the following session


Does a clearDoes a clear--cut borderline existcut borderline existbetween LGP and LSP?between LGP and LSP?

lesson 1 specialized communication and...

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