CJVAPOL English in Politics and EU Institutions

Faculty of Arts
Spring 2014
Extent and Intensity
0/0. 2 credit(s). Type of Completion: z (credit).
Teacher(s)
Mgr. Pavel Reich, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Dana Plíšková (assistant)
Guaranteed by
Mgr. Pavel Reich, Ph.D.
Language Centre Faculty of Arts Division – Language Centre
Contact Person: Mgr. Pavel Reich, Ph.D.
Supplier department: Language Centre Faculty of Arts Division – Language Centre
Timetable of Seminar Groups
CJVAPOL/A: Tue 8:00–9:30 U36, P. Reich
CJVAPOL/B: Wed 8:00–9:30 U36, P. Reich
Prerequisites
(FAKULTA(FF)||FAKULTA(FSS))&&(TYP_STUDIA(BMN))&&(FORMA(P))&&(!OBOR(AJ)&&!OBOR(AJA)&&!OBOR(AJU)&&!OBOR(PAJ)&&!OBOR(EP)&&!OBOR(EBA)&&!OBOR(EGO)&&!OBOR(SOA)&&!OBOR(CUSO)&&!OBOR(KSJ)&&!OBOR(VPLZA))&& ADAPT_B2 Adaptive Test B2
The course is intended for students who have upper-intermediate/advanced knowledge of English. Students need to register ADAPT_B2 and take the test in the information system. The result of the test must be B2 or higher.
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is offered to students of any study field.
The capacity limit for the course is 30 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/30, only registered: 0/30, only registered with preference (fields directly associated with the programme): 0/30
Course objectives
The course consists of two components. The first component, which is rather theoretical and forms the core of the course, focuses on linguistic aspects of political discourse. The objective is to familiarize students with particularities of the language used in politics and to teach them to look critically at political jargon and loaded language commonly used in English speaking countries. The second component, which is more practical, focuses on language skills the students might need for their possible future careers in EU institutions.
Syllabus
  • 1. Linguistic Background
  • 2. Doublespeak / Traineeship with the European Commission
  • 3. Linguistic Relativism / EPSO
  • 4. Politics and the English Language / Verbal Reasoning Tests in English
  • 5. Newspeak / Situational Judgement Tests in English
  • 6. Ten Rules of Effective Language / Living in BXL or LUX
  • 7. Political Pronouns / Multilingualism in EU Institutions
  • 8. Loaded Language / National Stereotypes
  • 9. Intensifying and Downplaying / Complaint about Maladministration
Literature
  • BEARD, Adrian. The Language of Politics. New York: Routledge, 2000, ix, 121 p. ISBN 04-152-0178-0.
  • TREBITS, Anna and Márta FISCHER. EU English: Using English in EU Contexts : B2. 1. ed., repr. Budapest: Klett, 2010, ix, 246 p. ISBN 978-963-9641-884.
  • MASCULL, Bill. Key Words in the Media. 1. ed., repr. London: HarperCollins, 1997, ix, 246 p. ISBN 00-037-0951-5.
  • ORWELL, George. Nineteen Eighty-Four. 1. publ. London [u.a.]: Penguin books, 1989. ISBN 01-402-7877-X.
Teaching methods
home reading, presentations, class discussion
Assessment methods
oral presentation, written test
Language of instruction
Czech
Further Comments
Study Materials
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2014, Spring 2015.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2014, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/phil/spring2014/CJVAPOL