PRONOUNCING MEDICAL ENGLISH: AN INTRODUCTION

We are very pleased to offer a highly specialised course which focuses on the pronunciation of contemporary medical English.
The course Pronouncing Medical English: An Introduction is designed for experienced interpreters and translators already working in the medical sector and for interpreting and translation students wishing to perfect their skills in this field.
The course will be taught by Alessandro Rotatori, pronunciation lexicographer and specialist in English phonetics.

INTRODUCTION AND COURSE OVERVIEW

Having a good pronunciation helps us not only to be better understood, but also to understand natives more easily. It is important to know that even if our audience understands what we are saying, an incorrect pronunciation may be perceived as funny, irritating, or may cause our listeners to become distracted or even stop paying attention to what we are saying. Moreover, views and opinions about our ability to speak English depend very much on the impression our pronunciation makes on the people we are talking to: if our pronunciation is poor, our English will be judged as poor, even if we are proficient in grammar, vocabulary, reading and writing.

For the many interpreters and translators working in the medical sector, it is crucial to communicate clearly and effectively, otherwise their reputation and credibility could be undermined. For this reason, they have to master the language not only from a syntactic and lexical point of view, but also from a phonetic one.

During the lessons the following topics will be covered:

COURSE OBJECTIVES

Thanks to this course, participants will:
• learn the symbols of the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) and the pronunciation of contemporary British and American English
• learn the contemporary pronunciations of a wide range of terms and expressions related to the medical language
• express themselves more clearly and effectively.

COURSE ORGANISATION

• The lessons will be organised in small groups to allow participants to receive personalised feedback from the course tutor. There will be group practice during the lessons and students can propose terms and expressions to the course tutor to be analysed and discussed together
• The course will consist of 12 hours of teaching (3 lessons of 4 hours each)
• The course will take place on three consecutive Saturdays, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• The lessons will take place online in synchronous mode
• The course will be delivered in English
• Absences will be made up
• A certificate of attendance will be issued upon completion of the course.

REQUIREMENTS

• The course is mainly aimed at interpreters and translators working to and from English. However, it is also open to anyone interested in learning more about medical and scientific English pronunciation and who has a good command of the English language
• Participants are not required to have extensive knowledge of the medical field
• Participants do not need to have any prior knowledge of phonetics or linguistics
• A stable Internet connection is required and the use of a headset and microphone is recommended

SPONSORSHIPS AND DISCOUNTS

The course is sponsored by the following professional associations whose members receive discounted rates

PRICE

The cost of the course includes: 12 hours of training (3 lessons of 4 hours each), the course material and the final certificate.

Full rate
€ 225.00 (divided as follows: € 60.00 registration fee and € 165.00 course fee)

Special offer for members of the following associations of interpreters and translators: AITI, TradinFo, Assointerpreti (15% discount, until the closing date for enrolments)
€ 190.00 (divided as follows: € 50.00 registration fee and € 140.00 course fee)

Early bird (15% discount)
€ 190.00 (divided as follows: € 50.00 registration fee and € 140.00 course fee)

Not subject to VAT - transaction carried out under the flat-rate tax regime Italian Law 190/2014

Alessandro Rotatori

Course Tutor

With a first-class MA in Applied Linguistics and ELT from St. Mary’s University College, Twickenham, London, Alessandro Rotatori is a pronunciation lexicographer and specialist in English phonetics.
He has taught on the prestigious Summer Course in English Phonetics (SCEP) at University College London (UCL) and has lectured at several universities, including 'Tor Vergata' University of Rome, the Amedeo Avogadro University of Eastern Piedmont and the Saint Camillus International University of Health and Medical Sciences.
He was a Scientific Committee member for the Phonetics Teaching and Learning Conference (PTLC) and a reviewer for the 22nd National Conference of the English Phonetic Society of Japan and the 3rd International Congress of English Phoneticians, and he has taught both English Phonetics and Medical English at the Nursing Board of Rome (OPI) for 10 years.
He has authored books on medical English pronunciation including L’inglese medico-scientifico: pronuncia e comprensione all’ascolto (2014), Health Care Professionals Speaking: Conversazioni in ambito sanitario per i professionisti della salute (2015), and Parlare e comprendere l’inglese contemporaneo della medicina e infermieristica (2020).
He is now writing a pronouncing dictionary of contemporary British and American English for medicine and nursing.
His website is www.foneticainglese.it

DOWNLOAD THE PDF FILE ABOUT THIS COURSE