ENGLISH, ENGLISHES, GLOBAL ENGLISHES

The world of business has undergone a process of "Englishization": adopting English as the common corporate language is now a must for more and more multinational companies and learning English is an essential requisite for an internationally mobile workforce. To take full advantage of the new career and business opportunities offered by the modern global economy one should also be aware of the existence of different varieties of English and be able to deal with them.
This course aims at describing the socio-cultural dimensions and the linguistic features that determine and identify different varieties of English, and at equipping participants with the ability to understand and approach both nation-bound and non-nation-bound varieties of English.
Practical examples will be offered during classes (texts, sound samples, videos and songs).
The course will be held in English.

 1 English and the global village
1.1 ‘Englishization' of global corporations
1.2 The inner circle
1.3 The outer circle
1.4 The expanding circle
2 The history of the English language: a cultural subject
2.1 The importance of English
2.2 English: assets and liabilities

3 English varieties in the British Isles
3.1 Received Pronunciation
3.2 Cockney
3.3 Estuary English
3.4 The North
3.5 The West
3.6 Vernacular grammar
3.7 English in Wales
3.8 English in Scotland
3.9 English in Ireland
4 English around the world
4.1 American English
4.2 Canadian English
4.3 Australian English
4.4 New Zealand English
4.5 English in Africa
4.6 English in Asia
5 English: a changing language
5.1 Standard English today
5.2 Grammatical tendencies
5.3 Gender issues and linguistic change
5.4 English and computer-mediated communication

See "Vademecum 2014-2015 Parte Generale".

 Students will
Conoscenza e capacità di comprensione (knowledge and understanding):
-be familiar with the key terms and concepts for the study of linguistic varieties
-be able to describe the socio-cultural dimensions and the linguistic features that determine and identify different varieties of English
Capacità di applicare conoscenza e comprensione (applying knowledge and understanding):
-be able to identify and understand different varieties of English
Autonomia di giudizio (making judgements):
-be able to critically discuss the role of English as a global language
-be able to critically discuss current debates in global Englishes
Abilità comunicative (communication skills):
-be able to understand a talk (given in English) and to read and understand academic essays (written in English) on the topics of the course
-be familiar with different varieties of English
-be able to discuss the topics of the course in English, expressing and explaining their point of view
Capacità di apprendimento (learning skills):
-monitoring and evaluating their own learning process
-giving an oral presentation
-researching for their assignment
-working in groups
-critical thinking
-creative thinking

Modalità didattiche

Lectures and seminars.

English language tutorials held by the "Collaboratori and Esperti Linguistici" (Dott.ssa Elizabeth Ferguson)

Obblighi

Students are warmly invited to attend lessons, especially those held by "Collaboratori ed Esperti Linguistici" (Dott.ssa Elizabeth Ferguson).

Testi di studio

 1. Jan Svartvik and Geoffrey Leech. English. One Tongue, Many Voices. Palgrave Macmillan: New York, 2006.
AND
2. Jennifer Jenkins. Global Englishes. Routledge: London and New York, 2014 (3rd edition). SELECTED CHAPTERS (available for PDF download in Montironi's "Materiale didattico").
Lettorato: see the section "Lingua inglese - Lettorato" (Dott.ssa Elizabeth Ferguson).

Modalità di
accertamento

Oral exam in English. Possible classwork will also be evaluated.
Written exam and oral language assessment according to the rules applying to the Laurea magistrale.
For information about the "accertamento linguistico" and written exams, see the section "Lingua inglese - Lettorato" (Dott.ssa Elizabeth Ferguson).

Disabilità e DSA

Le studentesse e gli studenti che hanno registrato la certificazione di disabilità o la certificazione di DSA presso l'Ufficio Inclusione e diritto allo studio, possono chiedere di utilizzare le mappe concettuali (per parole chiave) durante la prova di esame.

A tal fine, è necessario inviare le mappe, due settimane prima dell’appello di esame, alla o al docente del corso, che ne verificherà la coerenza con le indicazioni delle linee guida di ateneo e potrà chiederne la modifica.

Obblighi

 

Testi di studio

 1. Jan Svartvik and Geoffrey Leech. English. One Tongue, Many Voices. Palgrave Macmillan: New York, 2006.
AND
2. Jennifer Jenkins. Global Englishes. Routledge: London and New York, 2014 (3rd edition). SELECTED CHAPTERS (available for PDF download in Montironi's "Materiale didattico").
Lettorato: see the section "Lingua inglese - Lettorato" (Dott.ssa Elizabeth Ferguson).

Modalità di
accertamento

Oral exam in English.
Written exam and oral language assessment according to the rules applying to the Laurea magistrale.
For information about the "accertamento linguistico" and written exams, see the section "Lingua inglese - Lettorato" (Dott.ssa Elizabeth Ferguson).

Disabilità e DSA

Le studentesse e gli studenti che hanno registrato la certificazione di disabilità o la certificazione di DSA presso l'Ufficio Inclusione e diritto allo studio, possono chiedere di utilizzare le mappe concettuali (per parole chiave) durante la prova di esame.

A tal fine, è necessario inviare le mappe, due settimane prima dell’appello di esame, alla o al docente del corso, che ne verificherà la coerenza con le indicazioni delle linee guida di ateneo e potrà chiederne la modifica.

 All students are invited to look up additional material which will be made available during the course at the instructor's "Materiale didattico" (www.uniurb.it/lingue).