Minimal Languages in Action

✍ Scribed by Cliff Goddard

• Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan
• Year: 2021
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 358
• Edition: 1
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

This edited book explores the rising interest in minimal languages – radically simplified languages using cross-translatable words and grammar, fulfilling the widely-recognised need to use language which is clear, accessible and easy to translate. The authors draw on case studies from around the world to demonstrate how early adopters have been putting Minimal English, Minimal Finnish, and other minimal languages into action: in language teaching and learning, ‘easy language’ projects, agricultural development training, language revitalisation, intercultural education, paediatric assessment, and health messaging. As well as reporting how minimal languages are being put into service, the contributors explore how minimal languages can be adapted, localised and implemented differently for different purposes. Like its predecessor Minimal English for a Global World: Improved Communication Using Fewer Words (Palgrave Macmillan, 2018), the book will appeal to students and scholars of applied linguistics, language education and translation studies, as well as to professionals in any field where accessibility and translatability matter.

✦ Table of Contents

Contents
Notes on Contributors
List of Figures
List of Tables
1: In Praise of Minimal Languages
1.1 What Is a “Minimal Language”? What Are Minimal Languages Good For?
1.2 Issues, Terms, and Labels
1.3 Design of a Minimal Language
1.3.1 Why “Plain English” Is Not Enough
1.3.2 Choosing Words That Everyone Can Understand
Semantic Primes
Semantic Molecules
Other
1.3.3 Expanding the Minimal Lexicon
1.3.4 Using Simple Translatable Grammar
1.4 Minimal Language Vignettes
1.4.1 An Angel Visits Mary (Mariam)
1.4.2 What is a Tropical Cyclone?
1.5 Review of Chapters
1.6 Where to from here?
References
Part I: Finding the Best Words
2: Balancing the Local with the Universal: Minimal English and Agricultural Training in the Pacific
2.1 Introduction
2.2 How Minimal English Focuses on the Local
2.3 Language and Development: Adapting Universal Concepts to Local Contexts
2.4 Lessons from One Pacific Context to Another
2.4.1 Minimal English Vocabulary
2.4.2 Investigating Semantic Molecules and Explaining New Terms
2.5 Participatory Action Research and Minimal English
2.6 Conclusion
References
3: The Hunt for the Simplest Possible Vocabulary: Minimal Finnish Meets Easy Finnish
3.1 Introduction
3.1.1 The Concept of Easy Language
3.1.2 Guidelines and Difficulty Levels for Easy Finnish
3.1.3 Guidelines for Vocabulary in Easy Finnish
3.1.4 Natural Semantic Metalanguage and Minimal Languages
3.1.5 Research Questions
3.2 Material and Methods
3.2.1 Original Text in Standard Finnish: Criteria Words in the Non-discrimination Act
3.2.2 Text Modification Process
3.2.3 Feedback from Experts Modifying the Texts
3.2.4 User Testing with L2 Students and Comments from L2 Teachers
3.3 Results and Analysis of the Text Modification Process
3.3.1 Counting the Words and Sentences
3.3.2 Changes in Word Classes
3.3.3 Explaining and Rephrasing Criteria Words
3.3.4 Examples of Modifications of Criteria Words
3.3.5 Comments from Participating Easy Finnish Experts
3.3.6 Comments from L2 Teachers
3.4 Discussion
3.4.1 Was the Hunt for the Easy Finnish Core Vocabulary Successful?
3.4.2 Lessons Learnt for Future Studies on Minimal Finnish and Easy Language
3.4.3 Conclusion
References
4: Minimal English and Revitalisation Education: Assisting Linguists to Explain Grammar in Simple, Everyday Words
4.1 Background
4.1.1 Language Endangerment and Revitalisation
4.1.2 Language Education and the Communication Gap Between Communities and Linguists
4.2 Explaining “parts of speech” Using Minimal English
4.2.1 A First Approach, Using Lexical Prototypes
4.2.2 An Additional Strategy: Using Question-Answer Frames
4.2.3 Benefits of the Question-and-Answer Texts
4.2.4 Limitations and Extensions
4.3 Explaining “root and suffix” Using Minimal English
4.3.1 Explaining “suffix”
4.3.2 Explaining “root” and “suffix” Together
4.4 Explaining “forms of a word/suffix” Using Minimal English
4.4.1 A First Approach to “allomorphs”
4.4.2 Explaining “forms of a word”
4.4.3 Explaining “forms of a suffix”
4.5 Conclusions and Future Directions
References
Learner’s Guides and Language Resources
Other References
Part II: Language Learning and Intercultural Education
5: Using Minimal English (Minimal Spanish, Etc.) for Non-circular Learners’ Dictionaries
5.1 Introduction
5.1.1 Minimal English for Learners’ Dictionaries
5.1.2 Vocabulary Challenges
5.1.3 Why Non-circular?
5.1.4 Defining Vocabulary Size
5.1.5 New Multi-layer Structure for Learners’ Dictionaries
5.2 Learn These Words First
5.2.1 Lessons 1–2: The Core Vocabulary’s 61 NSM Semantic Primes
5.2.2 Lessons 3–12: The Core Vocabulary’s 300 Semantic Molecules
5.2.3 Longman Defining Vocabulary: Definitions for 2000 Words
5.2.4 Longman Dictionary: Definitions for More than 70,000 Words
5.2.5 Word Finding Tool
5.2.6 Why a Monolingual Dictionary?
5.3 Dictionary Development
5.3.1 NSM-LDOCE Non-circular Dictionary
5.3.2 LTWF Learners’ Dictionary
5.3.3 Tools for Checking Vocabulary and Circularity
5.4 Dictionary Evaluation
5.4.1 Definition Quality (Maximise)
5.4.2 Breadth of Coverage (Maximise)
5.4.3 Core Vocabulary Size and Definition Length
5.5 Universal Molecules and Cross-translation
5.5.1 Allolexes and Portmanteaus (26 Headwords)
5.5.2 Universal Semantic Molecules (57 Headwords)
5.5.3 Common Semantic Molecules (87 Headwords)
5.5.4 Other LTWF Molecules (96 Headwords)
5.6 Conclusion and Future Work
5.6.1 Organisational Improvements to Lessons
5.6.2 Other Improvements and Additional Features
5.6.3 Other Languages
References
6: Standard Translatable English: A Minimal English for Teaching and Learning Invisible Culture in Language Classrooms
6.1 Introduction
6.1.1 Why Use Minimal Languages for Teaching Cultural and Pragmatic Competence?
6.1.2 The Plan for the Present Project: The Importance of Teacher Input
6.2 A Minimal English for Teachers
6.3 From Minimal English to Standard Translatable English
6.3.1 The Inclusion of Semantic Molecules (and Other Useful Words)
6.3.2 Grammatical Changes
6.3.3 Stylistic Changes
6.3.4 Changes Made to Presentation
6.3.5 Applying STE to Existing Cultural Scripts
6.4 Using STE in Classroom Practice
6.4.1 In Classroom Activities
6.4.2 Developing Skills in Students
6.4.3 As Teacher-Talk
6.4.4 As a Dictionary Resource
6.5 A Teacher’s Resource
6.5.1 The Modules
6.5.2 The Entries
6.5.3 The Indexes
6.5.4 Worksheets
6.6 Conclusion
References
7: From Cultural to Pedagogical Scripts: Speaking Out in English, French, and Russian
7.1 Introduction
7.2 The Unhindered Expression of Personal Opinions
7.3 From Cultural to Pedagogical Scripts
7.4 Anglo Epistemic Reserve and Openness
7.5 The French Propensity to Take a Stand
7.6 Expressiveness
7.7 Russian ‘sincerity’: iskrennost’
7.8 Conclusion
References
8: Using Minimal Language to Help Foreign Learners Understand Korean Honorifics
8.1 Introduction
8.2 Background to This Study
8.2.1 Complexity of the Honorific System and Difficulties in Explanation
8.2.2 Classification of Speech Levels: Difficulties and Problems
8.2.3 Difficulties with Terms for Social Factors
8.2.4 Direction of Discussion
8.3 Cultural Scripts for Understanding Korean Honorific Usage
8.3.1 Cultural Script for ‘chomyen’ Consciousness
8.3.2 Cultural Script for Consciousness of Vertical Rank
8.3.3 Cultural Script for ‘Intimacy’ in Korean
8.4 Forms of Folk Speech: Contaymal and Panmal
8.4.1 Explicating Contaymal
8.4.2 Explicating Panmal
8.4.3 Negotiations About Speech
8.5 Conclusion
References
Part III: Health
9: Adapting the Welch Emotional Connection Screen (WECS) into Minimal English and Seven Other Minimal Languages
9.1 Introduction
9.2 The WECS-CETL Development Process
9.3 The Positive Anchors in WECS-CETL
9.3.1 The Headings (Parameter Labels)
9.3.2 Mom and Child Both Want to Be Very Close (‘Attraction’)
9.3.3 Mom and Child Both Want to Say Something to the Other. They Both Want to Know What the Other Wants to Say (‘Communication’)
9.3.4 Mom and Child Both Look at the Other’s Face. They Want to Know What the Other Feels (‘Facial Communication’)
9.3.5 Mom and Child Both Know What the Other Feels All the Time (‘Sensitivity/Reciprocity’)
9.4 The Negative Anchor Texts and Overall Assessment (‘Emotionally Connected or Not Connected’)
9.5 Discussion
Appendix: WECS-CETL Negative
1. Mom and Child Don’t Want to Be Close
2. Mom and Child Don’t Often Say Something to the Other
3. Mom and Child Don’t Often Look at the Other’s Face
4. Mom and Child Don’t Know What the Other Feels
References
10: Ways of Thinking and Talking about Cancer
10.1 Introduction
10.2 The Importance of Using Minimal Language for Talking About Cancer
10.2.1 Minimal Languages in Health Communication
10.3 A First View of Cancer in Polish, French and Spanish Discourse
10.3.1 Brief Observations from Corpora
10.3.2 Different Cultural Orientations Towards Cancer in Poland, France and Spain
10.4 Analysis of the Ways of Thinking and Speaking About Cancer in the Three Countries
10.4.1 Cancer on Websites in Poland
10.4.2 Cancer on Websites in France
10.4.3 Cancer on Websites in Spain
10.5 Final Remarks
Appendix 1: Corpora Consulted
Poland
France
Spain
Appendix 2: The Websites Consulted (November 2019)
Poland
France
Spain
References
11: Minimal English for Health: Reader Accessibility in Public Health Communication About COVID-19 in Australia (with Contrastive Reference to Denmark)
11.1 Introduction
11.2 Case Study: COVID-19 Public Health Posters in Australia and Denmark
11.2.1 Australian Materials
11.2.2 Danish Material
11.2.3 Comparison of the Australian and Danish Material
11.3 Minimal English for Health: A Proposed Solution
11.4 Re-writing COVID-19 Prevention Messages in Minimal English
11.4.1 Staying at Home
11.4.2 Keeping a Distance from Others When Out
11.4.3 Covering Mouth and Nose When Coughing or Sneezing
11.4.4 Washing Hands
11.5 Re-writing COVID-19 Symptoms in Minimal English
11.5.1 Fever
11.5.2 Cough
11.5.3 Sore Throat
11.5.4 Shortness of Breath
11.6 Summing Up
11.7 Concluding Remarks
References
12: Seven Essential Messages for the Time of the Coronavirus
12.1 Introduction
12.2 Message 1
12.2.1 Line 1 of Message 1
12.2.2 Line 2 of Message 1
12.2.3 Line 4 of Message 1
12.2.4 Line 5 of Message 1
12.2.5 Lines 6 and 7 of Message 1
12.2.6 Lines 8 and 9 of Message 1
12.3 Message 2
12.4 Message 3
12.5 Message 4
12.6 Message 5
12.7 Message 6
12.8 Message 7
12.8.1 ‘Island’
12.8.2 ‘Earth’
12.9 Concluding Remarks
References
Index