WHY DO WE STUDY THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE?

TOPIC 1: ENGLISH TODAY

Aspects highlighted: 1.1. Why do we Study the English Language? 1.2. The European Language Portfolio (ELP).

PRE-TASKS:

I. Read the title of the text. Can you guess what the text is about? Skim the text and write down the key words and the main ideas it deals with.

II. Read the text carefully. Consult the VOCABULARY part following the text for the numbered words, phrases and patterns. Comment on the main principles the VOCABULARY entries are presented (the choice of the language material, the kind of word forms for the entries, the usage of special abbreviations within the entries, etc.). While reading the text expand the VOCABULARY part using the given pattern putting down all the words and phrases you think deserve attention of an English language learner.

WHY DO WE STUDY THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE?

“Why indeed?” you may ironically echo on (I) being presented with (1) such a rather provocative question at one of the opening pages (2) of an English textbook. Is it not enough for (II) a person to command (3) only one’s mother tongue, leaving the whole trouble (4) of dealing with English, and the whole bunch of other foreign languages as well, to those specialists for whom it is part and parcel (5) of their trade – translators, international politicians, and so on?

We, all of us ( III), have tried to study English – each to the best of one’s ability (6). One may feel he or she has made little, if any ( IV), progress (7)in this, for some reason indispensable, activity. How can you account for (8) your results leaving more to be desired (9)? Maybe it is (V) the lack of motivation that is to blame or there was no clear-cut goal in view? Let’s face it: (10) as often as not (11) people are supposed (VI) to do things they would not for the world (12) do of their own accord (13). Yet it is not to say there is something repulsive about those things – a person just does not feel like doing it (14) for some reason or no reason at all.

Groping for (15) an answer to the question in the title, let us seek help from some authoritative source – a clever book or two ( VII). Surely at school we made acquaintance (16) – a nodding one though it may be – with quite a number of English books. Some of them were playful, humorous – the kind a child is expected (VI ) to like, though often too (VIII) superficial to be of real help in studies. At the other end of the library bookshelf there were formal linguistic studies – heavily footnoted (17), meticulously precise, and generally painful to read.

But have you ever come across (18) any of David Crystal's books of which there are over 100 at last count? Those who have are unanimous in (19) their praise of the stuff as highly readable. An honorary professor and part-time lecturer of linguistics at Bangor University in Wales, Crystal has been conducting research in language studies since the early 1960s. Through his personal website, one can find references to his recent works. But Crystal’s greatest achievement, and the one book about language that all the English language teachers and students alike (IX) should own, is The Cambridge Encyclopedia of the English Language (Cambridge University Press, 2003). One reviewer has described it as “the most diverting, delightful, imaginative and altogether entertaining compilation ever assembled about spoken and written English”. In The Cambridge Encyclopedia of the English Language one can learn about accents and dialects, the language evolution through the ages, and what not (20). Those readers who have looked through it say that phonology, morphology, syntax, and semantics have never been this much fun.

In his preface to The Cambridge Encyclopedia of the English Language, Crystal examines the question “Why study the English language?” and offers six good reasons for it. Here they are:

Because it’s fascinating. It is remarkable how often the language turns up as a topic of interest in daily conversation – whether (X) it is a question about accents and dialects, a comment about usage and standards, or simply curiosity about a word’s origin and history.

Because it's important. The dominant role of English as a world language forces it upon our attention (21) in a way that no language has ever done before. As English becomes the chief means of communication between nations, it is crucial to ensure that it is taught accurately and efficiently, and to study changes in its structure and use.

Because it's fun. One of the most popular leisure pursuits (22) is to play with the English language – with its words, sounds, spellings, and structures. Crosswords, Scrabble®, media word shows, and many other quizzes and guessing games keep ( XI) millions happily occupied every day, teasing their linguistic brain centres and sending ( XII) them running to their dictionaries.

Because it's beautiful. Each language has its unique beauty and power, as seen to best effect (23) in the works of its great orators and writers. We can see the 1,000-year-old history of English writing only through the glass of language, and anything we learn about English as a language can serve to increase our appreciation of its oratory and literature.

Because it's useful. Getting the language right is a major issue in almost every corner of society. No one wants to be accused of ambiguity and obscurity, or find themselves (24) talking or writing at cross-purposes (25). The more we know about the language the more (XIII) chance we shall have of success, whether (X) we are advertisers, politicians, priests, journalists, doctors, lawyers – or just ordinary people at home, trying to understand and be understood.

Because it's there. English, more than any other language, has attracted the interest of professional linguists. It has been analysed in dozens of different ways, as part of the linguist's aim of devising a theory about the nature of language in general. The study of the English language, in this way, becomes a branch of linguistics – English linguistics.

VOCABULARY

1. to present smb with smth [prɪ'zent] – преподнести кому-л. что-л. (формально); to be presented with smth – столкнуться с чем-л., оказаться лицом к лицу с чем-л.

N.B. Note how an English passive construction can be rendered into Russian as an active one.

2. the opening page (of a book) [ðɪ 'ʊəpənɪŋ 'peɪdʒ] – первая, начальная страница (книги)

3. to command (a foreign language /one’s mother tongue/) [kə'mɑ:nd] – владеть (иностранным языком /родным языком)

4. to leave the trouble to do smth to smb ['li:v] – предоставить какую-л. трудную работу кому-л.

e.g. Yesterday Mom and Dad went shopping leaving the trouble to baby-sit to me.

5. part and parcel of smth – составная /неотъемлемая/ часть чего-л.

6. to do smth to the best of one’s ability – делать что-л. по мере (своих) сил /способностей/

7. to make progress (in some activity) ['prəʊgres] – продвигаться /преуспевать/ (в какой-л. деятельности)

8. to account for smth [ə'kaʊnt] – объяснить что-л.

9. to leave more /much, a lot/ to be desired – оставлять желать лучшего

e.g. The job performance of the new employee leaves a lot to be desired.
Качество работы нового сотрудника оставляет желать лучшего.

10. Let’s face it! – Давайте посмотрим правде в глаза!

N.B. to face (smth difficult or unpleasant) – (смело) встретить (что-л. трудное или неприятное)

11. as often as not ['ɒfn] – достаточно часто

12. not to do smth for the world ['wз:ld] – не сделать что-л. ни за что на свете

13. to do smth of one’s own accord [ə'kɔ:d] – (с)делать что-л. по собственному желанию

14. to feel like doing smth – испытывать желание сделать что-л.

e.g. I feel like reading an interesting novel. Мне хочется почитать интересный роман.

15. to grope for smth ['grəʊp] – пытаться нащупать (букв. и перен.)

e.g. He was groping for the right word. – Он подыскивал подходящее слово.

16. to make acquaintance with smb /smth/ – познакомиться с кем-л. / чем-л. /

N.B. to make smb’s acquaintance / to make the acquaintance of smb/

a nodding acquaintance – ‘шапочное” знакомство

(то есть поверхностное, только на уровне узнавания)

17. footnote – n сноска (внизу страницы); v снабжать сноской

to beheavily footnoted – иметь многочисленные сноски (внизу страницы)

18. to come across smb /smth/ – случайно встречать кого-л./ что-л., наталкиваться на кого-л./ что-л.

19. to beunanimous in smth [jʊ'nænɪməs] – быть единодушным в чём-л.

e.g. ~ in one’s praise of smb /smth/) – быть единодушным в своей похвале кого-л./ чего-л. = Единодушно хвалить кого-л./ что-л.

20. … and what not. – (разг.) … и много ещё чего. = и многое другое /и так далее, и тому подобное/.

21. to force smth upon smb ’ s attention – усиленно привлекать чьё-л. внимание к чему-л.

N.B. Note the word order in the Russian translation as compared with that of the source phrase!

22. a leisure pursuit ['leʒə pə'sju:t] – занятие во время отдыха

23. to do smth to best effect – (с)делать что-л. наиболее результативно

24. tofind oneself doing smth – неожиданно для себя начать делать что-л.

25. totalk /to write/ at cross-purposes – разговаривать /переписываться/ и при этом не понимать друг друга

PATTERNS

I. on doing smth = at or immediately after the time or occasion of smth

(prep.) on + gerund /noun/

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