Poster Presentations

POSTER PRESENTATIONS

LANGUAGE FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES: DICTIONARY INTERACTING WITH ITS USERS

University of Tartu, Estonia

The presentation examines the principles of compiling a bilingual terminological dictionary. Non-linguistic as well as some important linguistic theoretical bases are discussed, explaining the authors’ approach to the choice of vocabulary. The dictionary, which aims at developing communication skills, includes single linguistic forms together with collocations and colligations. This is why we will discuss some aspects of language learning, like the co-existence of words on lexical and grammatical levels. Examples are given to illustrate the practical value of the theoretical principles.

EFFICIENCY OF LANGUAGE STUDIES AND SHARED RESPONSIBILITIES IN AN ESP COURSE

Ursula Erik ursula.erik@emu.ee

Ülle Sihver ylle.sihver@emu.ee

Estonian University of Life Sciences / Eesti Maaülikool, Estonia

The result and outcome of the short-term objectives and long-term goals in language learning is characterised by the skills and competence of the student. The complex nature of the subject matter has to be considered, also the learning environment, the preparation, expectations and needs of the parties involved in the process and the students’ potential. The priority is the mutual understanding of the process, i.e what and how to learn. The teacher works out the dynamics for the group according to her/his special and social competence, which enables the student to practice and improve their skills via new information from the teacher and peer teaching. The responsibility for the quality of the output of language studies is divided into two: the learner, concerning the message conveyed, and the teacher, concerning the format, counselling and supportive atmosphere for practicing.

ENGLISH FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES: USE OF DICTIONARIES IN ESP CLASSROOM

Jane Tammeorg, jane.tammeorg@emu.ee

Estonian University of Life Sciences /Eesti Maaülikool, Estonia

Dictionaries are widely used in ESP learning and in ESP classrooms. There exists a need for specific dictionaries for almost all disciplines/specialities. Compilation of specific course/group dictionaries, tailor-made for each learner group, is one way to fill the gap between demand and supply and to boost learning.

This study was conducted to determine whether the use of group dictionaries and/or specific tailor-made dictionaries in ESP Classroom could help in learning specific terminology and language, specifically the students’ understanding of their needs.

Two different specific (real estate and economics) bilingual dictionaries were compiled for each group in 2006/2007 and 2007/2008: one by the lecturer, the other by students on the basis of their home-reading material. The dictionaries of 400-700 words were used in each group. Before the examinations, questionnaires were filled, the answers to the questions were analysed.

The results of the analysis showed, that the students (real estate) appreciated highly the possibility to use both dictionaries; the lecturer’s real estate dictionary received higher grades, because it contained mostly specific terminology and collocations, whereas the students’ course dictionary contained also terms from adjoining specialities (economics, and general vocabulary used in specific texts).

The students of economics, who used only one type of dictionary, valued highly their course dictionary, especially its compactness and material-related content. There exist several good bilingual dictionaries of economics, but none for the speciality of real estate planning.

The use of tailor-made course/group dictionaries proved feasible in each group. The compilation (as a group work) and the later use of a tailor-made course dictionary, comprising mainly basic terminology, is a way to lead students in ESP classrooms from a conglomerate of new specific/academic/scientific linguistic items to a more clearly-cut track of basic specific terminology, to help and lead them in their future studies.

PERCEPTION OF FORESTRY RELATED COLLOCATIONS PRIOR TO ESP STUDIES

Sigrid Tooming sigrid.tooming@gmail.com

Ülle Sihver ylle.sihver@emu.ee

Estonian University of Life Sciences / Eesti Maaülikool, Estonia

The study concentrates on the perception of a forestry collocation “aboriginal forest” among forestry students prior to ESP studies at Eesti Maaülikool. As the term may arouse different metaphoric associations, it was interesting to see the semantic field of the word “aboriginal” and the collocation “aboriginal forest” in the students’ minds. The second part of the research will involve the same task after a completed course of ESP.