Welcome to the first roadmap for the C2 Development Course. Below, you’ll see the guiding question for this week – you’ll be reflecting on this through the various tasks, as well as in our live sessions. You then have three tasks to introduce you to the topic and text(s), as well as an optional task. It is recommended that you complete the first three tasks before you attend the live session. Although the tasks are designed to be completed in order, you can skip to the main text task if you are short on time.
Guiding question one: to what extent does our language define our identity?
Task one: your language learning journey
Thinking of a language you’re learning (it could be English, but it doesn’t have to be!), what would you say are the watershed moments in your learning journey? Can you identify three different stages which marked an important ‘before and after’ in the way you feel and think about the language?
Task two: who are you in the language?
Think about the same language as in task one. Does your personality change when you are using it? Perhaps you’re more talkative in one than the other, or you might feel more confrontational when you’re speaking the language you’re learning.
Task three: the main text
You’re going to read an article entitled: the power of language: we translate our thoughts into words, but words also affect the way we think. First, make some predictions about what ideas you expect to encounter in the article. Then read it, thinking about:
- What you knew already
- What you learned
- What you found surprising
Language analysis questions
If so, would it be easier conveying this feeling to others if there was a word meaning just that?
- Meaning: Does the writer believe such a word currently exists in the English language?
- Form/Use: Look at the verbs would it be and there was. Is the writer talking about a past situation or a hypothetical present/future?
This begs the question of what happens when words don’t readily translate…
- Meaning: Does begs the question mean that the question has already been answered, or that the previous statement makes the question naturally arise?
- Use: This phrase is often used in formal arguments. Based on the text, what kind of tone does it set for the transition to the next paragraph?
Exaggerations have enticed illustrious linguists to write satirical essays…
- Meaning: If a person is described as illustrious, are they likely to be well-known and respected, or controversial and ignored?
- Use: Could you use illustrious to describe a close friend who is good at their job, or is it reserved for people with a high public reputation?
Being quite intuitive, this idea has enjoyed quite of bit of success in popular culture…
- Meaning: Does the first part of the sentence (Being quite intuitive) explain the reason why the idea is successful, or the result of its success?
- Form: What is the hidden subject of the verb being? Is it the popular culture or the idea?
Optional extension
These two articles are thematically linked to our main text, and will help you develop your understanding of the themes of this week. Repeat the prediction task and ‘during-reading’ task with these articles.
Want to go further?
In our live session this week, we’ll be exploring how the language choices in these articles help the writer build their argument, and what grammar and chunks of language we can steal to use in our own writing and speaking.
Start analysing the texts, finding any words or expressions which are new or interesting for you. You can also think about what grammatical structures are being used in the texts, and why the writer has chosen them.