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In our experience learners respond more readily to tuition when it is presented in the context in which they will be working. This enables them to see that there is a direct relevance to their current jobs and to their long-term careers.
The English of diplomacy, like the language used for other special purposes, has much in common with general English. But the profession of diplomacy requires a language with characteristics which distinguish it from other varieties. There is, for example, a specialised vocabulary of both words and phrases that are not normally found elsewhere and words which are in common use but which are sometimes used in a special way in a diplomatic context.
More importantly, English is used in the conduct of international affairs to achieve particular diplomatic ends. Diplomats need a command of the subtleties of language close to that to be found in a native speaker. They need a large vocabulary to enable them to choose the right word among similar alternatives. And they will need to master constructions such as modal and phrasal verbs to express their precise meaning. Diplomats also need a command of intonation and of a wide range of registers and an understanding of the way in which English can communicate meanings beyond those of the words themselves. |
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