Using Talanoa to develop bilingual word lists of technical vocabulary in the trades

ABSTRACT

It is important for anyone entering a profession to learn their profession’s specialised language. This is also true of those learning trades such as automotive technology or plumbing. Knowledge of specialised language allows trades professionals to speak to other professionals and read technical material. Although this technical language is new to all students, learning it is harder for students learning in a second language. In this article we provide support for this learning for students from the Pacific Island nation of Tonga, who are studying a trade in English either in Tonga or abroad. In prior work we developed technical word lists in four trades, identifying the technical vocabulary in a 1.6 million-word corpus of course material. In this article, we extend that research by developing bilingual English-Tongan word lists, using culturally appropriate Talanoa methodology to draw on the specialist knowledge of Tongan-speaking trades’ professionals. Translation revealed that numerous technical words do not have a direct translation in Tongan, particularly infrequent English words. It also revealed words with a clear Tongan equivalent, and Tonganised English words. The bilingual word lists will benefit Tongan trades’ trainees in Tonga and those who are migrants to English countries.

KEYWORDS:

• Technical vocabulary
• word lists
• Tongan
• Talanoa
• vocational education

Acknowledgements

We acknowledge the time and professional expertise of our expert informants in assisting our analysis.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Averil Coxhead is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Linguistics and Applied Language Studies, Victoria University of Wellington. Her research interests include vocabulary for specific and academic purposes in school, the trades, and university education; vocabulary size estimates for native and non-native speakers; and the vocabulary load of texts.

Jean Parkinson teaches Applied Linguistics and TESOL at Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. Her research interests are genre and academic writing, particularly of scientific and technical genres.

Falakiko Tu’amoheloa has taught for over 20 years in secondary education in Tonga, specialising in Geography, Tongan Studies, Music and ESOL. He was a summer scholar at Victoria University in 2016/2017 as part of the Language in Trades Education project.

Additional information

Funding

We acknowledge the generous funding support of Ako Aotearoa [grant number NPF14-010], and the Summer Scholarship award from Victoria University of Wellington.