ENGLISH FOR CORPORATE COMMUNICATION

Degree course: 
Corso di Second cycle degree in SCIENZE E TECNICHE DELLA COMUNICAZIONE
Academic year when starting the degree: 
2019/2020
Year: 
1
Academic year in which the course will be held: 
2019/2020
Course type: 
Supplementary compulsory subjects
Credits: 
8
Period: 
First Semester
Standard lectures hours: 
64
Detail of lecture’s hours: 
Lesson (64 hours)
Requirements: 

Upper-Intermediate Level (B2 according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages – CEFR).

Final Examination: 
Orale

The students’ knowledge will be assessed through a final written test
which lasts 2 hours and consists of 2 parts:
1. Writing a text type based on the criteria taught in class and with the specific data provided (15 pts).
2) Translating a corporate text from English into Italian (15 pts).

For both parts the assessment criteria are: grammar (25%), vocabulary (25%), style and register (25%), coherence and cohesion (25%). The final mark is calculated out of 30.

Assessment: 
Voto Finale

The course aims to:
1. provide the theoretical knowledge of the structure of texts used in corporate communication;
2. develop the lexical and morphosyntactic skills required to produce some of the texts that are usually used in the field of communication, such as business email and press releases, in a consistent and coherent manner;
3. acquire translation strategies to translate corporate (web-based) texts from English into Italian and vice versa.

Specifically, students are required to learn, know and use a proper vocabulary, the main morpho-syntactic structures of English at an advanced (B2+/C1) level, read and understand specialised texts, and to use specialised writing strategies for corporate communication. The main language skills involved are writing, reading and comprehension.

The course is divided into two modules:

A) Corporate writing skills (44 hrs)
1. Corporate emails:
- Conventional expressions according to various communicative situations;
- Registers, formality of styles;
- Requests, suggestions, complaints;
2. Catalogues and technical manuals;
3. Brochures and tourist guides;
4. Press release:
- main components of a press release;
- effectively structuring and conveying information;
- analysis of good and bad examples of press releases

B) Specialised translation (20 hrs):
1. Theoretical frameworks of translation;
2. Translation online resources;
3. Translation strategies for some of the corporate text types analysed in A (e.g. brochures, tourist guides, catalogues, manuals, press releases, websites).

The material will be shown/distributed in class and uploaded to the e-learning page of the course.

Bibliography:
- Emmerson P. (2013), Email English, London: Macmillan.
- Hughes R. (2005) Exploring Grammar in Writing. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
- Gambier Y., van Doorslaer L. (2009) Handbook of Translation Studies, Amsterdam: John Benjamins.
- Grego K. (2010) Specialized Translation: Theoretical issues, operational perspectives, Monza: Polimetrica.

Convenzionale

Teaching is based on writing workshops, whereby the teacher shows the contents of the course and the students are required to write or translate the texts analysed in class.

Office hours upon appointment via email: daniel.russo@uninsubria.it

Professors