In this course you will learn about the benefits and challenges of meeting people from different cultures and the ways in which language and human communities shape each other. You will look at the role of intercultural competence at the workplace, reflect on the use of English as lingua franca in international contexts, and get a flavour of the skills involved in language-related professions such as translation and interpreting.

Course learning outcomes

After studying this course, you should be able to:

• Explain what intercultural encounters are and how people can learn from them
• discuss how the use of English as a lingua franca is perceived by native and non-native English speakers
• Illustrate how different groups of people (e.g. professions) develop their own languages and cultures
• Describe the role of intercultural competence in a business environment
• Outline the skills and contexts involved in translating and interpreting professions.