Advanced English language 2 and translation
- Overview
- Assessment methods
- Learning objectives
- Contents
- Full programme
- Teaching methods
- Contacts/Info
As classes are fully taught in Italian and English, students will be expected to be oral and written proficient in Italian (CEFR C1) and in English (CEFR B2), showing accurate and articulate oral and written skills.
The final exam consists of three distinct parts:
1. A preliminary written exam common to both pathways;
2. A preliminary specific and separate exam for the workshop chosen;
3. A final oral exam.
Second-year Exams
The written exam is divided into 3 (three) sections:
- Reading & comprehension
- Listening & comprehension
- Use of English
The written exam will be valid for all the academic year 2022-2023. The use of paper and online dictionaries, as well as of texts and materials provided during the course, is not allowed during the written exam.
In the oral exam, students will be expected to give a short talk on a topic covered in the course. The short talk will be followed by discussion type questions based on the same topic, with students being expected to give reasons, explain, justify their opinions, make comparison, agree/disagree, speculate etc.
Passing the preliminary written exam and the exam related to the workshop chosen (average - passing grade 18/30) will give access to the oral exam.
Legal and Business Translation Workshop
The exam specific to the pathway Workshop of Legal and Business English Translation will involve a translation of a legal or business text from English to Italian and/or Italian to English. The final exam is a 90-minute translation regarding the language concepts dealt with during the course. Students are allowed to use monolingual or bilingual dictionaries during this exam (both paper and online ones). The exam is divided into two sessions. The first session will be at the end of the first semester. This intermediate exam is a 90-minute translation regarding the language concepts dealt with during the first semester. The final session will be at the end of the second semester. This latest final exam is a 120-minute translation process on the issues examined during the second semester of the course.
The evaluation of these two sessions takes into consideration the fluency, the accuracy, the comprehension of the source text and the vocabulary adopted. Students are allowed to use monolingual or bilingual dictionaries during both these exams (both paper and online ones).
The marks achieved in these two sessions will be valid for all the academic year 2022-2023 (with final average - passing grade 18/30). This final average grade will average with the grade achieved in the written exams and in the oral exam of the course.
Linguistic, Cultural and Legal Mediation Workshop
The exam is divided into two sessions. The first session will be at the end of the first semester.
The final session will be at the end of the second semester. This latest final exam is a sight translation of two texts on the topics analyzed during the semester: one text to be translated from English into Italian, the other from Italian into English. Each text is about 100-word long. The evaluation of these two sessions takes into consideration the fluency, the accuracy, the comprehension of the source text and the vocabulary adopted.
The marks achieved in these two sessions will be valid for all the academic year 2022-2023 (with final average - passing grade 18/30). This final average grade will average with the grade achieved in the written exams and in the oral exam of the course.
This course aims to revise the upper-intermediate and advanced grammatical structures (B2+ and C1 CEFR - Common European Framework of Reference for Languages), necessary to convey certain linguistic functions. It provides students with the tools to deal with all sorts of conversations and texts in English, to improve their understanding of socio-cultural contexts and intercultural communication, and to explore practical dynamics and activities useful for mediators.
The second-year common course aims at gaining knowledge on:
- advanced grammatical structures
- vocabulary & collocations
- advanced speech features
- construction of the sentence & punctuation
- advanced use of the language
- rules of Academic English
- writing texts according to conventions
- lexical strengthening
The fourth level of English, C1, is defined by the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR), a set of standards for defining and describing language levels within the European Union. The C1 level is commonly referred to as the advanced level, hereby necessary to pass the exam at the end of the course. A proficient is someone who is skilled, fluent, and practicing, especially in the context of a skill or task. Through theoretical and practical exercises aimed at deepening students’ reflection on grammatical structures and vocabulary, at the end of the course students will be able to:
- Describe and appropriately use grammatical and linguistic structures in English;
- Understand main elements and specific aspects of an advanced speech;
- Express themselves in a grammatically correct manner in English;
- Understand the main points of clear standard input on familiar matters regularly encountered in work, university, leisure, etc.;
- Produce a clear, detailed text on a wide range of subjects and explain their opinion on a current issue;
- Recognize a wider range of vocabulary and be able to use it more flexibly.
The Workshop of Legal and Business translation provides a practical applicative context for the skills acquired during the course and is an integral part of the program. Case studies, problem solving and simulation exercises will allow the student to acquire practical competence in this professional fields.
The Linguistic, Cultural and Legal Mediation Workshop provides a practical applicative context for the skills acquired during the course and aims at practicing oral mediation skills translating from and into English.
The course aims at practising all macro skills: listening, reading, speaking and writing. The objective is to reach a C2 level (CEFR) by the end of the second year program.
The second-year course focuses on:
- Word stress, sentence stress, pitch and intonation;
- Parts of the speech, chunks an collocations;
- English lexicon: characteristics and training processes;
- Elements of lexical semantics;
- Specific structures of English language;
- English grammar C1 level;
- Listening: info transfer, comprehension;
- Features of a paragraph;
- Use of academic sources;
- Integration of sources;
- Translation EN > IT & writing exercises
Legal and Business Translation Workshop
The second-year workshop is designed to introduce students to the key features of the Legal & Business language and the practical/professional application of legal & business translation methods and strategies.
Therefore, the course will focus on essential language concepts, sources for legal & business translations and translation processes students need to be familiar with in order to tackle legal translation challenges successfully. Furthermore, at this stage of the course, guidelines will be provided, focusing on company law, trust, inheritance law, criminal law and tort law.
During the course, paper and online resources currently used in this field will be illustrated through English to Italian and Italian to English translation assignments of short excerpts from real-life contracts and company documents. Lectures at this stage of the course will be held in a translation workshop mode, offering students practical in-class translation training.
Linguistic, Cultural and Legal Mediation Workshop
This workshop aims at analyzing the role of mediators in the healthcare system and developing in-depth knowledge of Medical English and Italian. During the lessons, the following medical-related documents will be analyzed and translated: product information leaflets, clinical records, epidemiology questionnaires, informed consents, clinical trial, typical doctor-patient interactions, materials on the most common conditions in western countries and emerging conditions (e.g., eating disorders, burnout), new trends. Lectures at this stage of the course will be held in a translation workshop mode, practicing sight translation and exercises to strengthen memorization techniques to provide dialogue interpreting from and into English.
For appointments (ricevimento), please, send an email to the instructor.
The course objectives will be achieved through lectures, in which materials provided by the teacher and the integration of online applications support lessons. Exercises can be carried out individually, but above all collectively. Therefore, constant attendance and active participation are required.
The 30-hour workshop during the semesters offers different training subjects and makes up an integral part of the course.
Common course
Lecture notes (slides and any additional material in the form of links, articles or extracts) will be made available as announced by the teachers.
Second year:
Clare, Antonia, & Wilson, JJ(2018), Speakout Advanced 2nd edition Students’ Book & DVD-Rom Pack, Pearson, 2nd Edition
Powell Mark, (2014), In company 3.0 : Intermediate Student's Book, B1+, London, Macmillan
Other suggested references:
John M. Swales & Christine B. Feak (2012), Academic Writing for Graduate Students, University of Michigan Press, Ann Arbor, (3rd edition)
Depraetere, Ilse, & Langford, Chad. (2012). Advanced English Grammar: A Linguistic Approach. New York: Bloomsbury Academic.
Vince, Michael (2018). Language Practice for Advanced, London: MacMillan (4° edition with keys).
Thain Craig (2012), Cambridge Academic English C1 Advanced Student's Book [Lingua inglese]: An Integrated Skills Course for EAP, Cambridge University Press.
, Oxford University Press.
Legal and Business Translation Workshop
M.G. di Renzo Villata (2017), Legal English, Milano, CEDAM.
Suggested dictionaries
S. De Palma (a cura di), con la collaborazione di A. Grasso e J. Schorah, Dizionario di Inglese Giuridico, Filodiritto Editore, Bologna, maggio 2012.
G. Villa (a cura di), Dizionario esplicativo di inglese giuridico, Milan, Giuffrè Editore.
F. De Franchis (a cura di), Dizionario giuridico – Law dictionary, 2 – Italiano/Inglese e Inglese/Italiano, Milano, Giuffrè, ult. ed.
Other suggested references
Powell, Mark (2014), InCompany 3.0. Intermediate Student’s Book Pack, London: MacMillan.
Giampieri, Patrizia; Leuti,Flaminia (2021), Fondamenti di diritto civile e commerciale per traduttori con profili processuali, Torino, Celid.
Taylor S. (2012), Model Business letters, mails and other business documents, New York, 7th edition, FT Publishing.
Further authentic written and audio-visual material will be made available on the e-learning platform https://elearning.uninsubria.it/ in the relevant course section.
Linguistic, Cultural and Legal Mediation Workshop
Suggested readings:
Moratto R., Li D., Global Insights into Public Service Interpreting Theory, Practice and Training, Routledge, 2019
Bettinelli B., Catenaccio P., Beatti K. English for Medicine vol. 1 e 2, Hoepli
Nuland S., How we live (incredible medical case histories)
Goldacre B., Bad Science
Di Grazia S., Salute e bugie, ed. Chiarelettere