LLAS Centre for Languages, Linguistics and Area Studies

Conducting successful translation classes
Translating can be taught with a number of different methods so as to meet all of the students' needs. This article reviews some of these methods, and highlights ways in which they can be applied in the translation classroom.

Contrastive Linguistics
A definition of this linguistic subdiscipline, in its applied and its "theoretical" versions, indicating the scope of research in the field, ranging from Behaviourist interference error to neo-Whorfian cognitive approaches. The major rationales for including Contrastive Linguistics on a linguistics degree syllabus are presented together with some guidelines for organising this syllabus. A step-by-step procedure and methodology for teaching Contrastive Lingistics at tertiary level is presented, and the article contains a select set of key references.

Dialectology

This article introduces dialectology - the study of accents and dialects. It includes discussions of what it is, how it has evolved and how it is done, as well as considering recent developments in the field. The article argues that being a competent fieldworker and data collector is an essential skill in dialectology. A bibliography and list of dialectology web sites is included.

Methodology of historical linguistics
The article addresses issues of good practice in teaching the methodology of historical linguistics (including reconstruction, classification, variation and change and corpus-based work) at undergraduate and graduate level.

Mono- and multilingual reading circles

This paper aims to: describe the research and findings; explore issues around this type of task in HE; describe a small-scale research project to encourage students to read and discuss extensively outside class time.

Challenging cultural stereotypes through contemporary Italian films

This paper aims to demonstrate how cinema, as a visual aid, provides insights into contemporary Italian culture and society and at the same time how it can bring students into direct contact with an authentic use of Italian language and idioms.