LIN2470

Linguistics for business

Proposed to be offered next in 1999

Heather Bowe

8 points
* 3 hours per week
* Second semester
* Clayton

Objectives Upon the successful completion of this subject students are expected to be familiar with key approaches to the study of the relationship between the actual forms of language used and the intentions of the speaker; understand the way in which conventions concerning directness, indirectness, politeness and deference have been shown to influence the interpretation of meaning; identify how such factors operate in business contexts such as negotiation and in cross-cultural communication where conventions may be different among different speakers.

Synopsis This subject provides a theoretical perspective on aspects of communication in the international context including (a) issues in cross-cultural communication, (b) analysis of business communication, (c) typological approaches to languages of interest in the business sector and (d) issues relating to interpreting.

Assessment Written assignments (4000 words): 60%
* Class test (1 hour): 15%
* Class exercises and participation: 25%

Prescribed texts

A set of readings will be available from the department