Technical English course

Dr. BOUCHAREB iLhem

2020-2021
 Chapter I: Definition and Generalities

1.1. Introduction

As English for Specific Purposes (ESP) practitioners we often explain what we do by

talking about the sort of English we teach. So we say that we teach business English, or
medical English, or legal English, and people have a rough idea what we mean. But when we
say technical English we have a problem, because the term “technical” has a specific meaning
within ESP –it is used to refer to the specialized language which professionals use to
communicate with each other, and which isn’t necessarily used by people outside that
profession. In this sense business, medical and legal English all contain technical English.

When we look at this technical English we find that it can be quite difficult to pin down.
Sometimes words and phrases are specific to one profession (eg otorhinolaryngology), and
sometimes they take on a different meaning depending on the context (eg “realize” means to
comprehend or to understand something. But in accounting it means "convert to cash").

There are countless studies which attempt to characterise and define exactly what we mean by
technical English, and they make fascinating reading. We come across terms like sub-
technical (Cowan, 1974), semi-technical (Farrell, 1990), lay-technical and cryptotechnical
(Fraser, 2006). Baker (1988) has six types of sub-technical vocabulary, and Nation (2001) has
four categories. It is a difficult area, and there is no consensus on how best to do it.

But of course ESP practitioners use the term “technical English” in another way too – to
describe the common core language used in technical professions, such as engineering or
science. So OUP’s Tech Talk is aimed at “adult learners in the technical industrial and
scientific sectors who need English for everyday communication at work”, and
Pearson’s Technical English “covers the core language and skills that students need to
communicate successfully in all technical and industrial specialisations”. This is much more
than vocabulary or jargon – this has to do with communication skills in a particular type of
workplace or context. It may include technical vocabulary in the sense of specialized
language, but it is much more than that.

So when someone tells you they teach “technical English”, ask them what they mean.

1.2. References

Baker, M. (1988). Sub-technical vocabulary and the ESP teacher: An analysis of some
rhetorical items in medical journal articles. Reading in a Foreign Language, 4(2), 91-105.

Bonamy, D. (2008). Technical English 1. Harlow: Pearson.

Cowan, J.R. (1974). Lexical and syntactic research for the design of EFL reading
materials. TESOL Quarterly, 8(4), 389-400.

Hollett, V., and Sydes, J. (2009). Tech Talk Intermediate Student’s Book. Oxford: Oxford
University Press.
Farrell, P. (1990). Vocabulary in ESP: A lexical analysis of the English of electronics and a
study of semi-technical vocabulary. CLCS Occasional Paper No. 25 Trinity College.

Fraser, S. (2006). The nature and role of specialized vocabulary: What do ESP teachers and
learners need to know? Hiroshima Studies in Language and Language Education 9, 63-75.

Nation, P. (2001). Learning Vocabulary in Another Language. Cambridge: Cambridge

University Press.

1.3. Electrical Engineer

An electrical engineer is someone who designs and develops new electrical systems, solves
problems and tests equipment.
They study and apply the physics and mathematics of electricity, electromagnetism and
electronics to both large and small scale systems to process information and transmit energy.
They work with all kinds of electronic devices, from the smallest pocket devices to large
supercomputers.
UNSW's Electrical Engineering students learn through a combination of design and lab work.
This mix of theory and practical application allows students to visualize concepts and then
apply their ideas in a variety of real life situations.
Students learn to analyse and diagnose problems and develop innovative solutions.

1.4. Industries electrical engineers work in

Electrical engineers are usually concerned with large-scale electrical systems such as motor
control and power transmission, as well as utilizing electricity to transmit energy. Electrical
engineers may work on a diverse range of technologies, from the design of household
appliances, lighting and wiring of buildings, telecommunication systems, electrical power
stations and satellite communications. Another emerging field for electrical engineers is
microelectronics - the design and development of electrical systems and circuits in computers
and mobile devices.

However, graduates are not just limited to the above industries. UNSW's Electrical
Engineering degree teaches you excellent problem solving skills and logical thinking. The
courses are structured in ways that encourage analytical thinking, help master time
management and ensure students are technically proficient. Because of this, electrical
engineers from UNSW are in high demand even in areas such as:

 Renewable energy
 Global Positioning System (GPS) technologies
 Mobile networking
 Banking
 Finance
 Arts
 Management
 Consulting
 1.5. Electrical engineering design

A few examples of the applications and reach of electrical engineering are:

 The computer, tablet or smartphone you purchased recently is a masterpiece of

electrical engineering design.
 Robots are comprised of sensors, actuators, microprocessors and sophisticated
feedback control systems, designed by electrical engineers!
 Space projects - deep space communications, robust control systems, extra terrestrial
GPS for navigation and positioning, power generation and storage networks, imaging systems
- made possible by electrical engineers.
 Sophisticated medical technology that you encounter in a modern hospital including
CT, MRI and PET imaging machines, ECG and blood pressure monitors, all based off
electrical engineering principles.

1.6. ELECTRICAL CONDUCTOR

Electrical conductor is any material that offers little resistance to the flow of an electric
current.

The difference between a conductor and an insulator, which is a poor conductor of electricity
or heat, is one of degree rather than kind, because all substances conduct electricity to some
extent.

A good conductor of electricity, such as silver or copper, may have conductivity a billion or
more times as great as the conductivity of a good insulator, such as glass or mica.

A phenomenon known as superconductivity is observed when certain substances are cooled to

a point near absolute zero, at which point their conductivity becomes almost infinite.

In solid conductors the electric current is carried by the movement of electrons; in solutions
and gases, the electric current is carried by ions.

1.7. Present Simple & Present Progressive

Present Simple: Uses Permanent or long-term situations Facts Regular activities and routines
Feelings Opinions and states of mind Timetables and schedules.

Examples:
- The sun rises in the east.
- Water boils at 100°C.
- The postman usually comes before noon.
- In France, people drive on the right-hand side of the road.
- Our plane leaves at 10 PM on Thursday.
Present Progressive: Uses Actions happening now Future plants and arrangements.

Examples:
- I'm reading a page on the Internet at the moment.
- We’re introducing new system
- She’s meeting the CEO at 2 p.m
- Prices are going up; the value of the Euro is going down.
- I'm visiting my parents next Sunday.
 Chapter II: Artificial Intelligence (AI)

2.1. Introduction

The paper explains the basics of the technology behind AI, identifies the key considerations
and challenges surrounding the technology, and provides several high-level principles and
recommendations to follow when dealing with the technology.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a rapidly advancing technology, made possible by the Internet
that may soon have significant impacts on our everyday lives. AI traditionally refers to an
artificial creation of human-like intelligence that can learn, reason, plan, perceive, or process
natural language. These traits allow AI to bring immense socioeconomic opportunities, while
also posing ethical and socio-economic challenges.

The collection of “Big Data” and the expansion of the Internet of Things (IoT), has made a
perfect environment for new AI applications and services to grow. Applications based on AI
are already visible in healthcare diagnostics, targeted treatment, transportation, public safety,
service robots, education and entertainment, but will be applied in more fields in the coming
years. Together with the Internet, AI changes the way we experience the world and has the
potential to be a new engine for economic growth.

Artificial intelligence (AI) traditionally refers to an artificial creation of human-like

intelligence that can learn, reason, plan, perceive, or process natural language.

 Fraud detection: Banks use artificial intelligence to determine if there is strange

activity on your account. Unexpected activity, such as foreign transactions, could be
flagged by the algorithm.
 Speech recognition: Applications use artificial intelligence to optimize speech
recognition functions. Examples include intelligent personal assistants, e.g. Amazon’s
“Alexa” or Apple’s “Siri”.

2.2. Training  data & learning algorithm

The basic process of machine learning is to give training data to a learning algorithm. The

learning algorithm then generates a new set of rules, based on inferences from the data. This
is in essence generating a new algorithm, formally referred to as the machine learning model.
By using different training data, the same learning algorithm could be used to generate
different models. For example, the same type of learning algorithm could be used to teach the
computer how to translate languages or predict the stock market.

2.3. How machines learn?

Although a machine learning model may apply a mix of different techniques, the methods for
learning can typically be categorized as three general types:
 Supervised learning: The learning algorithm is given labeled data and the desired
output. For example, pictures of dogs labeled “dog” will help the algorithm identify the
rules to classify pictures of dogs.
 Unsupervised learning: The data given to the learning algorithm is unlabeled, and the
algorithm is asked to identify patterns in the input data. For example, the
 recommendation system of an e-commerce website where the learning algorithm
discovers similar items often bought together.
 Reinforcement learning: The algorithm interacts with a dynamic environment that
provides feedback in terms of rewards and punishments. For example, self-driving cars
being rewarded to stay on the road.

2.4. Robotic Hand Science Project

Step 1: Gather Your Supplies
Supplies Needed:
 Tape
 Scissors
 Cardboard paper or cardstock paper
 Standard drinking straws (Dollar Store variety is fine)
 Pearl drink straws or bigger diameter straws
 Yarn or twine

Step 2: Draw Your Robotic Hand

1. Trace your hand on a cardboard or cardstock paper.
2. Cut the traced hand out (cutting it a little bigger than the actual tracing).

Step 3: Creating Joints

1. Mark your finger joints on the cutout.
2. Draw straight or curved line across it.

Step 4: Creating Your Robotic Hand

1. Fold the fingers at the lines.
2. Cut smaller straws to size (leave a little gap between the lines to facilitate in threading
the yarn).
3. Tape straw pieces to the hand.
4. Thread yarn through the straw pieces. Each finger will have a length of yarn of its
own.
5. Thread all five pieces of yarn through the bigger straw.

Step 5: Additional Comments:

The threading part was difficult. If I had a big needle for the yarn, it would have made it
easier, but I didn't. So, I struggled with it. If I do go forward with this one in the classrooms, I
think I'll have to buy big plastic needles for this project.
I had grand plans for making a sleeve that will cover the arm, but I'm not sure I'll be able to
build all of that in an hour let alone a 2nd grader. So, I might still try it, but I probably won't
take it into the classroom.
I think I'll buy different colored yarns for each finger, so the students will know which finger
they are trying to move. With the same colored yarns, it was difficult to figure out which end
went with which finger.
2.5. PAST SIMPLE & PAST PROGRESSIVE

THE PAST SIMPLE TENSE:

 Uses : Finished past actions

Examples: usually used with : yesterday, last night, in 1999, 10 years ago….

 I watched the film on TV last night.

 I saw that film a long time ago.
 The vampire got out of his coffin and walked towards us.

THE PAST PROGRESSIVE: (or Continuous)

Examples :

 I was watching TV when the phone rang.

 Dracula's helpers were moving his coffin to a new location.