Course detail

Language as Discourse in Science and Technology

FEKT-HJDTAcad. year: 2016/2017

The course is focused on the style of technical, popular scientific and scientific texts, especially electrotechnical ones, on introduction to stylistics, basic concepts and style classification, on classification of formality degrees typical of texts in electrical engineering and on presentation of specific lexical, grammar and other features of such texts. The above-mentioned theoretical exposition will be illustrated with a large amount of examples and will be accompanied by reading (with the use of specialized reading techniques and strategies) and by analyzing technical texts.

Language of instruction

Czech

Number of ECTS credits

Mode of study

Not applicable.

Guarantor

doc. PhDr. Milena Krhutová, Ph.D.

Department

Department of Foreign Languages (UJAZ)

Learning outcomes of the course unit

The students will learn how to analyze and comprehend professional texts in the field of electrical engineering and they will get profound information on stylistic and other features typical of such texts. They will improve reading skills, techniques and strategies of mastering English texts for academic and professional purposes, they will get acquainted with different kinds of texts and will enrich both their general and specialized vocabulary.

Prerequisites

Knowledge of the English language at level B1 -B2 intermediate. Introduction to Linguistics.

Co-requisites

Not applicable.

Planned learning activities and teaching methods

Teaching methods depend on the type of course unit as specified in Article 7 of BUT Rules for Studies and Examinations

Assesment methods and criteria linked to learning outcomes

For successful completion of the course the students are required to do assignments given by the teacher during the course, they are supposed to master the content of lectures (incl.the basic literature) and the analysis of an electrotechnical text, in the form of a semester test (40 points max. and 20 points min.) and the final examination (60 points max. and 30 points min.)

Course curriculum

1) Introduction to pragmastylistics
2) Linguistic means of communication
3) Extralinguistic means of communication
4) Functional styles, specific discourse in science and technology, popular-scientific style
5) Objectivity, subjectivity, formality, informality
6) The Cooperative Principle
7) Communication agreement
8) Structure and analysis of scientific technical text
9) Genres typical of English for Specific Purposes
10) Producer´s approaches to discourse production
11) Speech acts in spoken and written discourse
12) The Politeness Principle
13) Revision
4) O

Work placements

Not applicable.

Aims

The aim of the course is to get familiar with the style and other features typical of electrotechnical texts, to master the analysis and comprehension of technical texts (both popular scientific and scientific) with the possibility of making use of the knowledge when creating one´s own scientific text in English.

Specification of controlled education, way of implementation and compensation for absences

The content and forms of instruction in the evaluated course are specified by a regulation issued by the lecturer responsible for the course and updated for every academic year.

Recommended optional programme components

Not applicable.

Prerequisites and corequisites

Not applicable.

Basic literature

Glendinning,E.H.: Information Technology, O.U.P.
Krhutová, M.: Parameters of Professional Discourse, Tribun EU, 2009
Krhutová,M.: The language of electrical engineering as a special province

Type of course unit

Lecture

13 hod., compulsory

Teacher / Lecturer

doc. PhDr. Milena Krhutová, Ph.D.

Language exercise

39 hod., compulsory

Teacher / Lecturer

doc. PhDr. Milena Krhutová, Ph.D.

VUT

Faculties

University Institutes

Parts

Language as Discourse in Science and Technology

Type of course unit