Contributions of the philosophy of science to juridical semantics

Tessuto, Prof. Girolamo

Legal translation in international settings and the training of lawyer-linguists

In the light of a wide range of translation activity linked to institutional practice, opinions and judgments as codified specialised discourse in use in the EU Court of Justice and European Court of Human Rights do involve a pragmatic approach. This is because of their nature falling between oral and written discourse. This paper will focus on descriptive language features of such institutional legal texts combined with aspects of English into Italian specialist terminology which together are the token symbol of highly committing tasks based on functional approach to professional legal translation. The paper, while also discussing the need for properly trained and qualified lawyer linguists, will to some extent draw on ESP-related research made by the speaker in the fields of criminal discourse and terminology, and his professional experience as a conference interpreter and tutor.

Tkacheva, Ph.D., Prof. Ludmila

The problems of terminology in international cooperation

The international cooperation in all spheres of life intensifies the sci & tech development, the usage of high technologies and the professional communication between the people. That is maily realized through the English terminology. But very often namely the terminological units break the mutual understanding. It appears because of: 1) the synonymic nomination of one and the same thing or nation – alignment = set up = tuning = adjustment; 2) the polysemantic structure of the terms and even shortenings – TC technical complex, temperature compensator; 3) the usage of English terms in the American, Italian and other languages interpretation – E. proof test A. control test, I. proof pressure; 4) the hybrid terms built of the elements from English and the other languages – baka craft < J. baka + E. craft; 5) the multicomponent terminological combinations – liquid rocket engine combustion chamber; 6) the same combinations with some elements to be shortened – LRE combustion chamber.

The only way to make the international cooperation more effective is to realize the programme on the internationalization and transnationalization of terminology as in the aerospace sublanguage: E. antigravity, G. antigraviation, F. antigravité, I. antigravitá, Es. antigravedad. It seems reasonable to support the idea of the International Federation of Terminology Banks and Centres to compile the World Encyclopaedia of International Terms.


Toft, Bertha
A unified theoretico-scientific basis for future terminology science(s)?
In recent years, Wüsterian terminology science has been the scapegoat of many linguists and lexicographers. However unjust much criticism may seem, there is no denying that terminology science has an archaic and incomplete theoretical and scientific basis, including a naïve ontology and epistemology.
Some of the main points under discussion are: (a) is terminology a branch of lingustics or is it an independent scientific discipline? (b) How is its position vis-à-vis cognitive science? (c) Can Wüsterian terminology science be revised and adapted to present needs? (d) If not, should we have more than one new theory of terminology or should we develop different versions?
One of the issues of the thesis I am writing is the relationships between the sciences, philosophy of science, and terminology. Questions (c) and (d) are discussed here as a kind of spin-off.
In my paper, I shall discuss the possibility of creating some kind of extremely general unified theoretico-scientific basis for any terminology science that may emerge as a result of ongoing discussions, be it a unified theory or different theories. This general theoretico-scientific basis includes:
- a neo-realistic view of the relationship between ontology and epistemology

- a systems theoretical cum evolutionary world view

- a layered-structure cum non-reductionist view of the systems of reality

- groups of sciences being defined according to the level of the layered structure at which the systems they study can be found.

Toft, Bertha
Systems of concepts and the organisation of knowledge
see: Colloquium Terminology science at the crossroads?

Toivanen-Sevrjukova, Kirsi-Marja

Communicative competence in LSP – an integrated part of polytechnic students’ expertise?
The paper discusses LSP and communicative competence as an integrated part of polytechnic students’ expertise. The quantitative data comprises questionnaires from 291 former students (alumni) of agricultural institutes and polytechnics and their 25 employers. For qualitative analysis 8 polytechnic language teachers and 8 programme directors have been interviewed. Furthermore, 16 curricula representing the state before and after the formation of polytechnic institutions have been collected and qualitatively analysed. The aim of the research has been to find out how much agricultural polytechnic graduates (Fi: agrologi, Sw: agrolog) need foreign languages at work and whether or not languages are integrated into subject or vocational studies and communicative competence in LSP seen as a part of students’ expertise. These are important questions to be answered when polytechnic language curricula are planned and implemented.
The contents and aims of polytechnic language curricula have been defined through the concept of communicative competence. For the present research I have adopted Bachman and Palmer’s (1996) and Canale and Swain’s (1980) definitions of communicative competence. Communicative competence in LSP is seen to encompass both linguistic and non-linguistic factors, i.e. socio-linguistic, discourse and strategic competence. The strategic knowledge and skills are needed in communication but also in language learning (Oxford 1990 and Kristiansen 1997). I have complemented the above mentioned definition of communicative competence further by adding to it one more aspect i.e. cultural competence. With cultural competence I mean the knowledge of target culture(s) but especially the intercultural communication skills. For successful communication the learner will also need to be aware of affective, volitional, and other individual and situational factors involved in language use and learning. The learner also needs to possess topical knowledge. The language studies should be integrated into the subject studies so that the communicative competence may develop together with other aspects of professional expertise. Especially this is true with pre-service learners. Without considering the place and emphases of language studies in the curricula, the communicative skills and knowledge become tacit and are not transferable to situations outside the language class.
The preliminary results of the research show that foreign languages are not considered very important for the work of agricultural graduates. In the needs analysis the former students report that they cannot use foreign languages at work very often. Even the use of English, the most important foreign language, is limited to occasional reading of texts (e.g. manuals, etc.) and to the use of computers and the Internet. The agricultural employers see the need for language use somewhat greater. Contradictory to the fact that there is a very little actual need for foreign languages at work, agricultural graduates would like to improve their communication skills, especially spoken interaction skills and vocabulary. The former students consider their present language competence satisfactory or poor. The level of language skills is higher with students who had studied, worked or otherwise stayed abroad during their studies (approx. 20% of all). The language studies in agricultural education are considered rather insufficient. The biggest weaknesses in language education have been too few lessons as well as teachers’ inadequate expertise. In open-ended questions students comment that the language studies had not been practically-oriented. Lack of motivation and heterogeneous student groups were also mentioned. In the degree programmes for agriculture and rural industries the language studies are often considered less important than the so called subject or vocational studies. In the curricula languages are grouped together with biology, mathematics, and other “general” or “non-professional” subjects and scheduled to the beginning of the basic studies. When students have little topical knowledge, the LSP training tends to adopt the aims and methods of general language teaching. Even though language teachers might interpret communicative competence as an integrated part of expertise, they have little possibilities at the institutional level to affect the decision-making when the curricula are designed.
Keywords: communicative competence, curriculum, language learning, LSP, needs analysis


Torikai, Prof. Shinichiro
The development of an ESP reference for US constitutional cases: an approach based on applied linguistics and corpus linguistics

together with: Hajime Terauchi

This paper will report on the development of a legal corpus of more than 14,000 US Constitutional Cases from the USA. This is part of a project to an ESP reference book using techniques from Applied Linguistics and Corpus Linguistics. The following four points will be discussed:

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  After investigating the frequency of typical legal words and phrases used in US Constitutional cases, significant legal terms in US Constitutional cases will be identified.
  

• 
  Among the above legal terms, general words used in a legal sense (semi-technical words) will be analysed computationally for the following categories: meanings, grammatical features, collocational patterns and frequently occurring specific discoursal features.
  

• 
  Clarifying the rate of the technical legal words occurrences through their collocational patterns.
  

• 
  Establishing an ESP reference book for US Constitutional cases equipped with a number of examples of the use of legal terms: meanings, grammatical patterns and frequency patterns based on the above research.
  

The research has a theoretical overview from Applied Linguistics and Corpus Linguistics study, which is innovative in comparison with the previously published Common Law dictionaries both written in English and Japanese. Although those published law dictionaries explain the definitions of the legal technical words, and their historical backgrounds, they never indicate how the legal words should be used in a context. Furthermore, none of those dictionaries give an explanation of the way the general words are used in a legal sense in some contexts, which most frequently appear in a legal document. According to the pre-research on 1998 taken by Torikai, law students face the difficulty in reading cases because they cannot understand the senses of semi-technical legal words.  It appears much easier for the students to master the meanings of the legal technical words. Through the investigations into the differences of the use of the legal words in a general context and legal one, this research will indicate typical used patterns of the general words in a legal sense in US constitutional cases as well as the uses of the technical legal words and phrases explained both in English and Japanese.

This research will be able to inspire more experimental work in other ESP fields in Japan. Eventually the research will bring about a general improvement in language teaching at universities in Japan.

Trayner, Beverly
Aligning genre and practices with learning in higher education: an interdisciplinary perspective for course design and teaching
together with: Sally Mavor
This paper offers a conceptually integrated framework for course design and teaching of English for Specific Purposes in Higher Education. It is essentially part of an ongoing reflection on and for practice. Its theoretical foundations are interdisciplinary, principally coming from the areas of Applied Linguistics (Genre Analysis and Discourse Communities), Sociology of Work (Communities of Practice), and Higher Education Pedagogy (Constructive Alignment).
The paper begins by looking at the particular context of teaching ESP in the context of English as a Foreign Language rather than as a Second Language, emphasising the need for recognition and further investigation into this distinct, yet related, growing area which has not normally been addressed in the more established areas of ESP and EAP.
Examples are given of the GAP Framework in action in ESP courses developed in Higher Education Institutions in Portugal.
The paper concludes with questions that have arisen in addressing this course design process, including those related to interdisciplinary approaches to ESP teaching and learning, uncritical use of course books, and the roles of ESP teachers and course designers.


Trusheva, Larisa
Flexible component technology for maritime English teaching
see: Natalya Shpanova

Vaghi, Francesca

New labour, new media – UK politics on the Net

see: Paolo Donadio

Vangehuchten, Lieve
La enseñanza del léxico económico en Español Lengua Extranjera
El análisis de un corpus de doctrina económica nos hace tomar conciencia de que la teoría clásica de la terminología (Wüster) no alcanza para describir el léxico económico que este corpus contiene. Las restricciones que la terminología clásica impone son tantas que a nuestro parecer esta teoría es incapaz de dar cuenta de la especificidad del léxico de la economía, una ciencia humana cuyo lenguaje se caracteriza por una interacción continua con el lenguaje 'general' (si es que éste existe). No obstante, en la corriente reciente de la terminología – la terminología comunicativa representada por J. C. Sager, M. T. Cabré, R. Temmerman, etc. –, pensamos encontrar un marco teórico que permita identificar y describir el léxico económico en todas sus facetas (lingüística, cognitiva y sociocultural). Desde esta perspectiva analizamos y describimos el léxico económico del corpus escogido con vistas a su enseñanza y proponemos unas estrategias didácticas para afrontar su diversidad (términos, colocaciones, metáforas, unidades fraseológicas) de manera eficaz.


Vassileva, Irena
The conference presenter – a victim or a victor?
Galtung (1985:158) states in his seminal paper on intellectual styles of scientific communication that in certain cultures the conference presenter may experience the discussion session of the presentation as a 'defendant', a 'victim' of an audience eager to bash him/her, to confront his/her positions, claims, findings, etc. In contrast to academic writing, however, where the author is "in a pretty defenceless situation" (Ventola 1998:122), in conference discussions the speaker has a unique opportunity for immediate defence.
The paper will thus focus on the specific features of speaker-audience interaction in discussion sessions and, more particularly, on the use of English as a lingua franca and the strategies employed by the interactants in terms of what Ventola (1998) calls 'alignment' and 'bashing'. The study will be based on typescripts of recorded discussion sessions at several linguistics conferences with participants of various language and cultural backgrounds.

References
Galtung, Johann (1985) Struktur, Kultur und intellektueller Stil. Ein vergleichender Essay über sachsonische, teutonische, gallische und nipponische Wissenschaft. In: A.Wierlacher (Hrsg.). Das Fremde und das Eigene. München: Judicum-Verlag. 151-193.

Ventola, Eija (1998) Interpersonal Choices in Academic Work. In: Sanchez-Macarro, A.,R. Carted (eds.) Linguistic Choices across Genres. Amsterdam/ Philadelphia: John Benjamins. 117-136.

Weilgaard, Assoc. Prof. Lotte