HERMES - Journal of Language and Communication in Business https://tidsskrift.dk/her Aarhus University, Faculty of Arts, School of Communication and Culture en-US HERMES - Journal of Language and Communication in Business 0904-1699 <p>Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:</p> <p>a. Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"><span style="color: #4f372e;">Creative Commons Attribution License</span></a> that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.</p> <p>b. Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.</p> <p>c. Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See <a href="http://opcit.eprints.org/oacitation-biblio.html" target="_new"><span style="color: #4f372e;">The Effect of Open Access</span></a>).</p> Einleitung zur Themensektion: Rollen/Roles in der Schreibwissenschaft https://tidsskrift.dk/her/article/view/153158 <p>x</p> Dagmar Knorr Carmen Heine Copyright (c) 2024 Dagmar Knorr, Carmen Heine https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 2024-12-31 2024-12-31 64 195 196 10.7146/hjlcb.vi64.153158 Professionelle Kommunikation und ,intelligente‘ Werkzeuge – zur Neubestimmung eines Verhältnisses https://tidsskrift.dk/her/article/view/153159 <p class="Hermesabstracttekst"><span lang="DE">Inwiefern haben Berufsbilder der professionellen Kommunikation in Zukunft noch eine Daseinsberechtigung? Diese Frage wurde von der breiten Öffentlichkeit und auch von einigen Fachpersonen aufgeworfen, als im November 2022 die so genannte „Künstliche Intelligenz“ mit der Veröffentlichung von ChatGPT fast menschenähnliche Kommunikationsfähigkeiten zu zeigen schien. Dieser Artikel zeigt demgegenüber, dass die neuartigen Werkzeuge sich auch als Weiterentwicklung bekannter Software verstehen lassen. Zusätzlich erklärt er deren Funktionsweise und aktuelle Grenzen (Stand Februar 2024).</span></p> Christiane Zehrer Copyright (c) 2024 Christiane Zehrer https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 2024-12-31 2024-12-31 64 197 211 10.7146/hjlcb.vi64.153159 Kohärenzbildung in KI-generierten Texten. Implikationen für die Textproduktion von Schreibenden https://tidsskrift.dk/her/article/view/153160 <p>Einen kohärenten Text zu produzieren, stellt für Schreibende im Schreibprozess eine zentrale Aufgabe dar, bei der sie inzwischen durch KI-Systeme wie <em>ChatGPT</em> entlastet werden können. Der vorliegende Beitrag beschäftigt sich mit der Frage, worin diese Unterstützungsleistung besteht. Präsentiert werden die Ergebnisse einer Pilotstudie zur Frage nach der Kohärenzbildung in durch KI-Systeme generierten Texten am Beispiel der Textsorten Instruktion, Zusammenfassung, Rezension und Kommentar. Ausgehend von basalen Schreibaufträgen wurden generierte Texte im Hinblick darauf untersucht, inwiefern sie in der Lage sind, Textkohärenzpfade und textgrammatische Standardmuster anzulegen bzw. umzusetzen, und durch welche Kohäsionsmarker sie sprachlich ausgestaltet werden. Dabei wird reflektiert, worin die spezifische Unterstützungsleistung digitaler Werkzeuge in Planungs-, Formulierungs- und Überarbeitungsprozessen besteht und wie in diesem Zusammenhang auch die unterschiedlichen Rollen Schreibender im komplexen Schreibprozess diskutiert werden können.</p> Caroline Schuttkowski Ilka Lemke Copyright (c) 2024 Caroline Schuttkowski, Ilka Lemke https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 2024-12-31 2024-12-31 64 213 235 10.7146/hjlcb.vi64.153160 Rollenveränderungen bei der studentischen Textproduktion mit KI. Ergebnisse einer bundesweiten Studierendenbefragung https://tidsskrift.dk/her/article/view/153161 <p>Since the release of ChatGPT, generative AI has significantly changed student academic writing and students’ role in the writing process. This article presents the results of a survey conducted in August/September 2023, including 3,997 evaluated questionnaires. The survey aimed at recording students’ use of text-generating AI tools for academic writing, specifically frequency of use, reasons for and against AI use, purposes of use, and attitudes towards AI use, as well as their wants and needs for support provided by university stakeholders. Based on the hypothesis that students’ existing writing competence influences their AI use, they were also asked to self-assess their writing competence, which was then correlated to other questions.</p> <p>Key findings are that the majority of students tend to use AI writing tools on a rather regular and reflected basis, with a stronger awareness of weaknesses in content rather than regarding data protection, copyright, and ethical aspects. A minority of students do not use the tools at all or in an unreflected manner, such as generating complete texts. Students express a great need for clear regulations and information on how to use AI in academic writing. Correlations between writing competence and AI use and assessment can be observed consistently, but to a very limited extent, indicating that students with higher writing competence use AI in a slightly more reflected and targeted manner. The results can assist universities in developing support for students to learn a reflective approach to AI writing tools in academic writing.</p> Nora Hoffmann Helena Grünebaum Sarah Schmidt Copyright (c) 2024 Nora Hoffmann, Helena Grünebaum, Sarah Schmidt https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 2024-12-31 2024-12-31 64 237 252 10.7146/hjlcb.vi64.153161 Rollen und Einflussmöglichkeiten von Schreibzentren an deutschen Hochschulen. Ergebnisse einer deutschlandweiten Umfrage zu Rahmenbedingungen und Aktivitäten von Schreibzentren https://tidsskrift.dk/her/article/view/153162 <p>Although writing centers based on the US model are now widespread at German universities, they are still in the process of being established and institutionalized. This article (Roles and Possibilities of Influence of Writing Centers at German Universities. First Results of a Germany-wide Survey) explores the question of what role writing centers currently play at German universities after the expiry of the Quality Pact for Teaching, which facilitated their rise, and how they are institutionally positioned as actors. The article presents the initial results of a survey conducted in spring 2023 among writing centers at German universities, in which 77 of 146 existing centers participated. Data is presented on the institutional placement of the centers, the range of services offered, target groups, advice provided to university management, research activities, participation in internal decisions, and staffing. The aim of this article is to provide an empirically based stocktaking of the status of writing centers in Germany.</p> Nora Hoffmann Fridrun Freise Copyright (c) 2024 Nora Hoffmann, Fridrun Freise https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 2024-12-31 2024-12-31 64 253 270 10.7146/hjlcb.vi64.153162 Toward a Systematic Approach to Developing Professional Roles: What Writing Tutors Need to Know and Know How to Do https://tidsskrift.dk/her/article/view/153163 <p>The ability to write well in academic context is usually the result of a long and uneven learning process that requires commitment, persistence, and, ideally, formal training. Professionals tasked with supporting academic writers, for example writing center staff or peer writing tutors, not only are expected to write well but also need to learn how to facilitate the individual development of their clients. To prepare peer tutors for this role, many writing centers have developed training programs. Contributing to the literature on this specific dimension of writing center work, this article introduces a design of a training program that considers the different knowledges that writing tutors need to have so that they can support their clients. Based on the Systemization Writing Consultations, this program identifies key educational objectives for new tutors and prepares participants for further systematic individual development over the course of the training and beyond. Emphasizing the importance of reflection in this respect, this article discusses several approaches and strategies that allow participants to reflect on their writing and their future role as peer writing tutors. The training discussed here is not only of interest to writing center directors and staff but also to professionals in similar contexts tasked with designing and running programs and interventions geared toward the long-term development of professional skills and roles.</p> Dagmar Knorr Micha Gerrit Philipp Edlich Copyright (c) 2024 Dagmar Knorr, Micha Gerrit Philipp Edlich https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 2024-12-31 2024-12-31 64 271 285 10.7146/hjlcb.vi64.153163 Refining the Definition of Student Peer Feedback: The Role of Roles https://tidsskrift.dk/her/article/view/153164 <p>Refining the definition of student peer feedback in text production pedagogy and extending the definition to include the concept of peer-feedback roles, this article roots in higher education and explores definitions of peer feedback based on multiple characteristics. Its primary objective is to contribute to the landscape of student peer-feedback research in writing and translation studies. Its secondary objective is to provide a discourse-sensitive definition of student peer feedback at the crossroads of symbolic interactionism and social constructivism. This article reconceptualizes the role that peer-feedback roles play in student peer-feedback settings, drawing on peer-feedback research to cut across the disciplines. It broadens the perspective on the perceived dichotomy of the roles of feedback provider and receiver, based on role theory as a critical framework to synthesize theoretical approaches. This article suggests future conceptualization and theorization of roles as a framework for educators and researchers.</p> Carmen Heine Anja Vesterager Copyright (c) 2024 Carmen Heine, Anja Vesterager https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 2024-12-31 2024-12-31 64 287 300 10.7146/hjlcb.vi64.153164 Muttersprachlicher Transfer bei Autorenrollen in L2-Texten? Eine vergleichende Korpusanalyse am Beispiel der Selbstdarstellung https://tidsskrift.dk/her/article/view/153165 <p>Wissenschaftliches Schreiben ist ein hochgradig sozialer Akt. Dabei nutzen Autor*innen verschiedene diskursive Mittel der Selbstdarstellung, um ihre Autorenrollen zu konstruieren und Anerkennung in der akademischen Gemeinschaft zu erlangen. Die Studie analysiert korpusbasiert die Selbstdarstellung und Autorenrollen chinesischer Deutschstudierender in den Schlussteilen deutschsprachiger Masterarbeiten im Vergleich zu deutschen und chinesischen Autor*innen mit ihren jeweiligen muttersprachlichen Texten. Es wird festgestellt, dass chinesische Deutschstudierende und deutsche Muttersprachler*innen sowohl Gemeinsamkeiten als auch Unterschiede in Bezug auf die Autorenrolle aufweisen. Dabei spielt der muttersprachliche Transfer eine Rolle. Darüber hinaus können die Ergebnisse als Empfehlungsgrundlage für chinesische Deutschlernende beim wissenschaftlichen Schreiben dienen.</p> Zekun Wu Copyright (c) 2024 Zekun Wu https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 2024-12-31 2024-12-31 64 301 312 10.7146/hjlcb.vi64.153165 Schreibende Professionals – Typologie einer Zielgruppe für Weiterbildungen im beruflichen Schreiben https://tidsskrift.dk/her/article/view/153166 <p>Professional writing competence is considered a key prerequisite for professional and societal participation across industries. Unlike professional writers in fields such as journalism, technical writing, or public relations, the majority of the approximately 40 million employed individuals in Germany do not receive advanced professional writing training after completing their school and vocational education – yet they are writing professionals. In German writing studies and didactics, this group has been scarcely studied or described, despite an apparent need for training and research. This article presents qualitative and quantitative characteristics of this population group based on an analysis of linguistic literature and demographic statistics, to identify gaps in the existing research. The description of this group serves as a foundation for further research into writing at work and for the development of professional writing pedagogy</p> Stefanie Marek Copyright (c) 2024 Stefanie Marek https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 2024-12-31 2024-12-31 64 313 330 10.7146/hjlcb.vi64.153166 Good vs. Bad: An Empirical Analysis of the Brand Names of Coronavirus Vaccines https://tidsskrift.dk/her/article/view/135381 <p>Brand names are assets in marketing: a good name can help to sell products. Although research has made several recommendations on how “good” brand names should be created, the complex process is not easily adapted to every product category. Little research is done on a particular product category: the brand names of vaccines. This paper contributes to vaccine brand names in light of the coronavirus pandemic. The theoretical part of the paper first describes the characteristics of “good” and “bad” brand names, and then the focus is narrowed down to the characteristics of drug brand names and to the processes that influenced the naming of coronavirus vaccines. In the empirical part of the paper, Hungarian students perform brand recognition, recall, and association tasks connected to vaccine brand names. It will be shown that the vaccines are known by their public brand names (e.g., <em>Pfizer</em>) and not by their actual brand names (e.g., <em>Comirnaty</em>). The rating of the brand names shows that public brand names are considered to be better than the actual brand names, while brand associations collected for the actual brand names show mixed results. In the last part of the paper, theoretical implications are discussed, and recommendations for pharmaceutical companies are formulated to show what steps these companies could take to overcome the impasse between public and actual brand names.</p> László Kovács Copyright (c) 2024 László Kovács https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 2024-02-18 2024-02-18 64 1 21 10.7146/hjlcb.vi64.135381 Word-of-Mouth Escalation Levels https://tidsskrift.dk/her/article/view/137856 <p class="Hermesabstracttekst"><span lang="EN-US">A huge amount of marketing literature focuses on communication among customers about products, services, or providers, which is referred to as Word-of-mouth (WoM). However, only a small part of the literature discusses in which situations and between which individuals WoM occurs. This article derives theoretically that the tie strength and the contextual reference between individuals can be regarded as important predictors for the occurrence of WoM: More precisely, we suggest that a higher tie strength and a contextual reference has an association with the likelihood that WoM occurs. We apply several scenarios with different levels of disconfirmation of expectations – which are regarded as escalations levels. Afterwards, a quantitative empirical study proves that individuals are more likely to tell others about certain events if these people have a higher tie strength. Also, we provide evidence that the contextual reference has an impact. The article underlines the importance of WoM for businesses and contributes to the existing literature.</span></p> Janek Mücksch Markus Ziemann Florian U. Siems Copyright (c) 2024 Janek Mücksch, Markus Ziemann, Florian U. Siems https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 2024-03-13 2024-03-13 64 23 35 10.7146/hjlcb.vi64.137856 La posedición en el aula de traducción jurídica: un estudio exploratorio / Post-editing in the Legal Translation Classroom: an Exploratory Study https://tidsskrift.dk/her/article/view/140355 <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This article addresses the challenges and opportunities posed by the use of machine translation (MT) and post-editing (PE) in the training of legal translators in the Spanish-Italian combination. The aim is to find out whether students who do not have specific training in MT and PE, but a sufficiently developed translation competence, are able to successfully apply the MT and PE concepts learned during a short workshop in their Specialized Translation course and, as a result, produce a satisfactory post-edited translation of acceptable quality. The results show that students have an inward critical attitude towards the use of MT, so they are not influenced by the MT output. Moreover, they have adequate skills to immediately detect not only most of the errors related to concordance and lack of logic, but also the more hidden ones that require a subsequent revision.&nbsp;</span></p> Francesca Accogli Copyright (c) 2024 Francesca Accogli https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 2024-07-02 2024-07-02 64 37 59 10.7146/hjlcb.vi64.140355 Management de Projet en Linguistique Appliquée. https://tidsskrift.dk/her/article/view/132534 <p><em>This article examines the application of project management principles in the field of applied linguistics, using the author's doctoral research experience as a case study. It explores the challenges, strategies, and lessons learned in managing linguistic research projects. By highlighting best practices and encountered obstacles, the study aims to enhance understanding of project management within applied linguistics. The insights provided are valuable for researchers and practitioners navigating the complexities of linguistic research endeavors.</em></p> Matthieu Bach Copyright (c) 2024 Matthieu Bach https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 2024-07-11 2024-07-11 64 61 73 10.7146/hjlcb.vi64.132534 The Rise of Virtual Influencer Marketing https://tidsskrift.dk/her/article/view/143879 <p>Virtual influencer marketing is a global emerging phenomenon in social media research. Research on traditional influencer marketing and practices has been the locus of attention for years, but fairly scarce research deals with the rise and influence of virtual influencers, also known as artificial intelligence influencers (AIIs) or computer-generated influencers (CGIs). In this article, an explorative, qualitative single case analysis of the Japanese CGI influencer Imma is presented to identify how the CGI is visually constructed on Instagram in a marketing campaign. Two supplementary semiotic lenses are applied, i.e. a visual compositional analysis and a semiotic image analysis. The results indicate that the CGI influencer Imma is visually presented by and large with the same characteristics and attributes as found in similar studies of human influencers. Moreover, the findings indicate subtle yet essential differences in the visual framing of the CGI character to enhance a human-like appearance. Concludingly, this study has preliminary implications for research, practitioners, prospective marketers, and future innovation leaders in the virtual marketing industry, and it is proposed to consider reconceptualizing our understanding of virtual influencers and acknowledging the rise of Virtual Influencer Marketing as a field in its own right.</p> Jeanette Landgrebe Copyright (c) 2024 Jeanette Landgrebe https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 2024-09-09 2024-09-09 64 75 102 10.7146/hjlcb.vi64.143879 Le traitement de la terminologie pharmaceutique dans la version numérisée du Dictionnaire de l’Académie française https://tidsskrift.dk/her/article/view/148527 <p><strong>Treatment of pharmaceutical terminology in the digitized version of the <em>Dictionnaire de l’Académie française</em>. <br /></strong>This article aims to examine the treatment of pharmaceutical terms in the digitized version of the <em>Dictionnaire de l’Académie française</em> on the example of pharmacy terminology. After a brief presentation of the dictionary microstructure and its current edition, the authors describe the terms marked as belonging to the field of pharmacy, presenting the reasons of these changes, the appearance and disappearance of the terms, the migration of terms between several fields, the passage of words from the common language into terminology and vice versa. The article also shows certain inconsistencies in the treatment of terminology in the <em>Dictionnaire de l’Académie française</em>.</p> Jan Holeš Zuzana Honová Copyright (c) 2024 Jan Holeš, Zuzana Honová https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 2024-11-05 2024-11-05 64 165 177 10.7146/hjlcb.vi64.148527 “Dig Your Heels in the Ground and Get What You Deserve.” - An Exploratory Corpus-Assisted Study of Women Entrepreneurs’ Blogs. https://tidsskrift.dk/her/article/view/146624 <p>Throughout history, entrepreneurial contributions of women have been largely disregarded and undervalued in the business sector. However, recent decades have witnessed increased visibility of women entrepreneurs striving to challenge gender-based inequities and systemic biases in the workplace. Those who have achieved success are increasingly willing to share their experiences and insights, providing guidance to aspiring women seeking to establish, develop, or advance their enterprises and careers. One notable channel to convey their messages is through women entrepreneurs’ blogs. This paper explores how female entrepreneurs perceive themselves as businesswomen and examines how they construct the position of women in the current business realm. Using a Corpus-Assisted Discourse Analysis approach, a detailed examination of concordances related to selected keywords and key expressions associated with the perception of women entrepreneurs, along with business and societal challenges, unveils typical collocations and contextual usage. The analysis is based on the Women Entrepreneurs’ Blog Corpus, a dataset comprising 329,896 words from 318 unique blog entries in English published between 2019 and 2023. The findings reveal that blogs serve as empowering platforms where women challenge traditional narratives, reshape perceptions of entrepreneurship, and redefine their roles in the business world. The usage of frequently occurring keywords such as <em>female</em>, <em>women</em>, and <em>mompreneur(s)</em>, emphasises themes of resilience, motivation, and identity alongside issues like inferiority, lack of confidence, and systemic disadvantages, particularly for <em>women of color</em>. Moreover, keywords like <em>imposter syndrome</em>, <em>self-doubt</em>, <em>glass ceiling</em>, and <em>male-dominated</em> often appear in contexts that underscore overcoming obstacles and the benefits of female entrepreneurship.</p> Katarzyna Fronczak Copyright (c) 2024 Katarzyna Fronczak https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 2024-12-17 2024-12-17 64 179 194 10.7146/hjlcb.vi64.146624 Some Insights into Translating and Teaching English for Specific Purposes https://tidsskrift.dk/her/article/view/148947 <p>This short paper aims to highlight and concisely explore – but not &nbsp;address in depth -some aspects related to translating and teaching English for specific purposes (mainly English for Legal Purposes) The following questions will be briefly considered: What is the impact of comparative law on legal translation? How can tricky terms in legal translation be taught effectively? How can mediation activities and student self-reflection be utilised to train legal skills? How can teaching plain English to PhD students improve their writing in a scientific context? The paper starts with a brief introduction to the concept of language and communication for specific purposes, with a particular emphasis put on English for Legal Purposes. The second section of the essay refers to issues connected with legal translation; its specificity and the role of comparative law in the quality of translation and interpretation. The third and last part of the paper is dedicated to the issue of instructing languages for specific purposes. It mainly tackles the problem of equipping students with such linguistic competencies, skills, and knowledge which are most valuable for their study and work.</p> Halina Sierocka Copyright (c) 2024 Halina Sierocka https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 2024-10-10 2024-10-10 64 103 109 10.7146/hjlcb.vi64.148947 Comparative Law in the Eyes of Translation Scholars. Is Legal Translation Really an Exercise of Comparative Law? https://tidsskrift.dk/her/article/view/147304 <p>The confrontation of the laws and languages of different legal systems that occurs in the process of legal translation has naturally inspired interest in comparative law among translation scholars. However, while references to comparative law in legal translation literature are abundant, they tend to be somewhat superfluous and selective, focusing mainly on the traditional functional method and saying little about how exactly legal translators can use comparative law in their practice. Nor is there much in-depth theoretical discussion of how both fields relate. Hence, the present paper aims to discuss the various approaches to comparative law and its role in legal translation adopted by legal translation scholars and to juxtapose them with a comparative account of the goals and processes of legal translation and comparative law. Taking a closer look at the oft-repeated statement that legal translation is <em>an exercise in/of comparative law</em>, the author demonstrates that, despite its rhetorical value, it actually misrepresents both fields. The results of the present research lead to the conclusion that, while comparative law and legal translation are clearly related and potentially useful for each other, the mutual recognition of autonomy could improve understanding between comparatists and legal translation professionals and allow them to learn more from each other.</p> Przemysław Kusik Copyright (c) 2024 Przemysław Kusik https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 2024-10-10 2024-10-10 64 111 124 10.7146/hjlcb.vi64.147304 Tricky Terms In Legal Translation from and to English: Stepping up to the Classroom Challenge https://tidsskrift.dk/her/article/view/147310 <p>Legal translation competence includes a high number of sub-competences that legal translation trainees need to master. Therefore, trainers may have no time to tackle issues at the very micro level that are challenging not only for legal translation trainees, but sometimes even for professional translators. Although many such issues are identified in legal translation textbooks, the prevailing holistic approach to teaching legal translation may have led to such issues being sidelined in the legal translation classroom. Drawing on the author’s experience as a legal translation trainer, this paper attempts to fill this vacuum and offer a systematic approach to addressing at least some of these phenomena. A selection of tricky terms will be presented, together with practical activities designed to raise trainees’ awareness of such issues and teach them how to approach them confidently when translating from and to English. Four groups of terms are covered: false friends in general and legal language; vague terms such as <em>good </em>and<em> reasonable</em>; non-transparent terms where complex legal meaning is packed into a simple term (<em>constructive, in lieu of</em>), and enantiosemous terms (<em>apparent, qualified</em>). It is believed that when such phenomena are tackled in isolation, trainees may become better equipped to deal with them successfully the next time they encounter them in an English source text or to use them actively when translating into English. </p> Ondřej Klabal Copyright (c) 2024 Ondřej Klabal https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 2024-10-10 2024-10-10 64 125 136 10.7146/hjlcb.vi64.147310 Training Legal Skills in the ESP Classroom: Mediation Activities and Student Self-Reflection https://tidsskrift.dk/her/article/view/147478 <p>A general trend in adult education across the disciplines has been the gradual shift from teaching specialized knowledge to developing various skills. The inclusion of professional skills in the area of Languages for Specific Purposes (LSP) is often based on the results of complex needs analyses of the target situation that leads to effective course design both for in-service and pre-service learners. While major law schools have recently started putting a greater emphasis on the training of legal skills, the present article suggests that some of those legal skills can be effectively developed in the ELP (English for Legal Purposes) classroom as well, i.e. among L2 learners of specialist language. That holds particularly for the soft skill of linguistic mediation. Promoted by CEFR, mediation is characterized by the situation when an expert speaker needs to overcome a communicative gap arising from a difference in the technical or linguistic knowledge of the interlocutors.<br />The present article shows how a sample activity can be used for teaching linguistic mediation in the ELP classroom and how it can serve as an opportunity for enhancing students’ critical self-reflection. It describes a custom-made activity – a role-played lawyer-client interview – and analyses students’ subsequent comments on the activity. The paper suggests that self-reflection is deeper if the theory is supplied after the task and that such a practice enhances students’ learning process. It is suggested that the findings are applicable not only to teachers’ syllabus design and classroom activities design but also more generally to pedagogic theory, e.g. the field of LSP teacher training.</p> Barbora Chovancova Copyright (c) 2024 Barbora Chovancova https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 2024-10-10 2024-10-10 64 137 148 10.7146/hjlcb.vi64.147478 A Tentative Study on Integrating Plain English into the Doctoral Language Programme https://tidsskrift.dk/her/article/view/147980 <p>Numerous scientists disseminate their research results in English-medium journals because their careers are often tied to publishing in English. Journal gatekeepers expect them to use correct scientific English in their manuscripts to make them publishable. However, many non-native English-speaking junior researchers do not know how to meet these expectations. The tentative study described in this article investigated the relevance of teaching plain English to Polish research students and its impact on their writing in scientific contexts. To answer three research questions, the Author employed a case study design in which thirteen PhD students at Bialystok University of Technology (Poland) became the participants of the didactic intervention. The study found that teaching plain English should be integrated into the PhD language programme because it brings numerous linguistic and extra-linguistic benefits to research students. Given the scarcity of research on this topic in Polish educational settings, the study may attract interest from scholars researching writing science for publication purposes or from teachers of English in doctoral programmes.</p> Monika Śleszyńska Copyright (c) 2024 Monika Śleszyńska https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 2024-10-09 2024-10-09 64 149 163 10.7146/hjlcb.vi64.147980