Language in Use 181-182
This unit is concerned with the way in which we draw upon language in order
to develop particular varieties of it to meet the special demands of a particular
field of enquiry. It examines the nature of technical language and the
reasons why it is necessary. Its aim is to build tip an awareness of how much
a part of our lives such technical language is, and a tolerance for 'the other
man's jargon'. A collection of objects will be needed, both familiar and
unfamiliar, such as a piece of fishing tackle; a piston-ring; a golf club; a
nasal spray; a rat-tail file; a circulation pump for an aquarium; a pattypan.
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[1] This session explores the fact that, although there are various
ways of using common language to describe each of the objects in the collection,
a technical name is available for every one of them. Hold up each object in
turn and ask the class to write down what it is. Circulate the results and discuss
them. Points to consider include:
(a) the range of names or labels which the class has used
(b) the length of those which are virtually descriptions
(c) the differences between the common language name, where there is one, like
golf club, and the technical name available to the experienced
user, like 5 iron or niblick.
[2] This session explores the way in which people with the same interests come to share a technical language. Ask the class to bring in any special interest' magazines which they take regularly. Examples would include fishing, modelling, motor-cycles motor-racing, knitting, cookery, gardening or do-it-yourself. Divide the class into pairs, so that each member of a pair has a magazine familiar to his partner and unknown to himself. The rest of the session should be used to discover what the technical language of the unfamiliar 'special interest' is like, and what problems it presents to a new reader.
[3] The aim of this session is to show that such technical language is not only convenient but necessary, Ask each member of the class to re-write an extract from his own 'special interest' magazine, without using the technical language available. Let each pair discuss the results, and consider how much sense the new text makes and what the problems were in trying to do without a handy and familiar set of terms. The session should end with a class discussion of the problems involved so that an awareness of their general nature can be arrived at.
[4] This session explores the limitations of technical language when the intended audience is wide and vaguely defined. The language of recipes provides a readily available example. Ask the class to bring in a collection of recipes from as many sources as possible, and then discuss the meaning of phrases such as 'brown for a few minutes', 'cook till done', 'baste frequently', 'add salt to taste' or 'doughy consistency'. The work of this unit may be related to that of G10 or to the technical language used in the writing of rules for games, as in G7. The work of [1] can be pursued through E5.