English for Tax Administration Study I

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English for Tax Administration Study I
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General information

• Lecturer Dr. sc. Marijana Javornik Cubric
• Classes Tuesday 1000 1130
• Office hours Tuesday 1130 1230, Room No. 6
• Contact marijana.javornik_at_pravo.hr

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Coursebook

• Pavic, Smerdel, Vican. English for Lawyers,
  Narodne novine, Zagreb, 2012
• Units 1,2,3, 6, 7, 8, 12, 14

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Course outline

• Oct. 7 Introduction to ESP
• Oct. 14 What Is Meant by Law?
• Oct. 21 Sources and Varieties of English Law
• Oct. 29 Statute Law in Britain
• Nov. 4 Legal Profession in Britain
• Nov. 18 Talking to a Barrister
• Nov. 25 Revision
• Dec. 2 Legal Aid
• Dec. 9 The Significance of a Constitution
• Dec. 16 American Federalism
• Dec. 23 Revision
• Jan. 13 End-of-term examination
• Jan. 20 Revision
• Jan. 27 Final revision and signatures

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Examination

• Written part grammar, legal terms, basic
  definitions
• Oral part presenting a topic using relevant
  vocabulary

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ESP
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Common abbreviations

• EFL English as a Foreign Language
• ESP English for Specific Purposes (f. e.
  Business English)
• EAP English for Academic Purposes
• ELP English for Legal Purposes
• ESW English for Social Work

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The teaching of ESP

• A separate activity within English Language
  Teaching (ELT)
• ESP must be taught by studying a content-based
  subject knowledge of the language becomes the
  means of learning content (CLIL)

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A definition of ESP (Strevens)

• ESP is designed to meet specific needs of the
  learner
• Related in content (themes and topics) to
  particular disciplines or occupations
• Centred on language appropriate to those
  activities in syntax, lexis, discourse and so on
• In contrast with General English

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Key stages in ESP

• Needs analysis
• Course design
• Materials selection
• Teaching and learning
• Evaluation

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Language issues in ESP

• Grammar
• Vocabulary (technical, semi-technical)
• Discourse analysis

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ELP
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Difficulties in ELP

• 1. Polysemy
• 2. Phrases
• 3. Foreign and archaic words
• 4. Doubles and triplets
• 5. Technical vocabulary

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Polysemy

• Words that have several meanings one meaning in
  ordinary English and another meaning as a legal
  term
• The importance of the context (everyday language
  v. language for legal purposes)
• Examples common, act, consideration, tender,
  redemption etc.

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Phrases

• Collocations - examples
• rescind a contract raskinuti ugovor
• sham marriage lažni brak
• valid reason utemeljeni razlog
• voidable contract pobojan ugovor
• wrongful death smrt trece osobe

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Foreign and archaic words

• Words of Scandinavian, Latin and French origin
• Archaic terms

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Latin terms

• Ab ovo from the beginning
• Affidavit witnessedsigned statement
• Bona fide in good faith
• De facto (in fact) and de jure (by right)
• Et cetera (etc.) and so on
• Exempli gratia (e. g.) for example
• Id est (i.e.) that is
• Inter alia among other things

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French terms

• Acquis communitaire
• Voir dire (speak the truth) jury selection,
  preliminary questioning of witnesses
• Parley negotiations (cf. Parliament)
• Chattel(s)
• Executor

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Archaic terms

• Aforementioned set out above
• Hereafter after this
• Hereby in this way
• Herein in this (document)
• Notwithstanding despite
• Thereafter after that
• Thereby in that way
• Therein in that (document)
• Therewith with that

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Doubles and triplets

• To have and to hold to own
• Any and all all
• Last will and testament
• Null and void
• Full and complete
• Ready, willing and able

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Technical vocabulary

• Legal terms examples
• Tort
• Alternative dispute resolution
• Remedies
• Trafficking
• Money laundering

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Similar notions

• Contract v. agreement
• Probation v. parole
• Evidence v. proof
• Common law v. case law
• Barrister, solicitor, lawyer, attorney, counsel,
  litigator - odvjetnik

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Characteristics of legal texts

• Long and complex sentences
• The passive
• Impersonal style avoiding personal pronouns
• Legal shall imposing an obligation or duty on
  someone
• Technical vocabulary
• Archaic and foreign words
• Repetition of words

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Example

• Rewrite the following passage
• The statement for professional services that
  you will find enclosed herewith is, in all
  likelihood, somewhat in excess of your
  expectations. In the circumstances, I believe it
  is incumbent upon me to avail myself of this
  opportunity to provide you with an explanation of
  the causes therefor. It is my considered judgment
  that three factors are responsible for this
  development.
• (Source R. Wydick, Plain English for Lawyers, p.
  57)

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Plain English formulation

• The bill I am sending you with this letter is
  probably higher than you expected, and I would
  like to explain three reasons why.

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Thank you for your attention!