ANGLÈS TÈCNIC

 

 

Coordinating lecturer: Juan García Ramírez (jgr@eupmt.cat)

 

Subject type: Mandatory

 

Level: 1A

 

Workload: 4.5 credits / 3.5 credits ECTS

 

Teaching organization:

Theory/application: 3 hours/week x 12 weeks

 

Language: English

 

Description

Analysis of specialised technical literature focusing on grammatical, lexical and stylistic features of technical register which provide students a better understanding of the technical bibliography they will come across all over their engineering studies and future professional career. Also, some attention is paid to listening comprehension skills which enable students to better achieve their career goals.

 

Objectives

The student will be able to:

·          Interpret and produce ‘s phrases.

·          Reduce relative clauses and interpret them adequately  within the context they appear.

·          Produce passive voice sentences and understand their rhetorical functions.

·          Analyse participles used in technical contexts.

·          Interpret and produce complex nominal phrases.

·          Make simple technical writings according to technical register constraints.

·          Translate technical literature into Catalan or Spanish.

·          Comprehend technical literature.

·          Make use of laboratory facilities for English learning.

 

Transverse skills

This module works on the following transverse competences:

·          To communicate effectively.

·          To manage information adequately.

 

Basic bibliography

·          Anglès Tècnic; J. García; Publicacions de l’EUPMt

 

Complementary bibliography

·          English for Science and Technology, Trimble, L. Cambridge 1985

·          Technical Writing and Professional Communication for Nonnative Speakers of English, Huckin and Olsen. McGraw-Hill, 1991

·          Essential Grammar in Use. Murphy, R. Cambridge 2003

·          Diccionario McGraw-Hill de Ingeniería Eléctrica y Electrónica

·          Dicionario de Informática y Tecnologías Afines. Michel Ginguay. Ed. Masson

·          Diccionario McGraw-Hill de Computación

 

Assessment criteria

·          Exam 1: Technical Register                                                                           40%

·          Exam 2: Reading Comprehension and Technical Translation                              40%

·          Homework, assignments, class work, summary of articles, lab work  20%

·          Exam 3: Resit exam                                                                                         80%

 

Exam 1 will be done when the first five points have been analysed in class. The date will be given at least two weeks before.

Exam 2 will be done once lessons have been finished, right on the last day. The exact date and time will be given at least two weeks before.

Exam 3 will be a resit exam to be done on the date fixed by the Academic Director.

Topics

Module 1. The 's genitive. The possessive case in Technical English (TE)

                1.1 The form of the possessive/genitive

                1.2 The use of the possessive/genitive and of+noun

                1.3 The possessive case in technical literature

 

Module 2. The Passive voice. Its use in TE .

2.1 Passive voice

                2.2 English passive forms vs Spanish/Catalan passive forms

                2.3 Rhetorical functions of the passive voice in TE

 

Module 3. Relatives. Shortening of Relative Clauses in TE

                3.1 Relative Pronouns. Functions

                3.2 Types of Relative Clauses: Defining, Non-Defining, Connective

3.3 Shortening of Relative Clauses in TE: Present Participle. Past Participle    

 

Module 4. Present and Past Participles in TE

                4.1 Functions/uses of the present participle (-ing)

                4.2 Functions/uses of the past participle (-ed)

                4.3 Analysis of -ing and -ed forms in technical literature

 

Module 5. Noun Compounds. Use and interpretation in TE

                5.1 Structure of noun compounds

                5.2 Noun compounds resulting from relative clauses and prepositional phrases

 

Module 6. Technical Style

 

Module 7. Technical Translation

 

Module 8. Reading Comprehension of two technical articles

 

Module 9. Listening Comprehension of selected stories and tales

 

Module 10. Laboratory Practice

 

 

Teaching method

Work in lessons will be based on the lecturer’s explanations on the different points of the syllabus supported on practical exercises from the dossier. Students will have to work on the exercises either individually or in small groups.

Asynchronous work, i.e. homework, will have to be made on the different items of the syllabus, which will have to be handed in just after analysing each point in class.:

-          Exercise on genitive case

-          Exercise on passive voice

-          Exercise on shortening of relative clauses

-          Exercise on participles

-          Exercise on noun compounds

-          Exercise on technical style

-          Direct technical translation

-          Summary of two technical articles

-          Laboratory practice

 

 

 

by Bitlonia