The first part of the course deals with
meaning in language ranging from words to texts. The second part gives insights
into theories of language use, particularly the part of pragmatics. It is
explored to what degree meaning of a word depends on linguistic, conceptual, or
contextual knowledge. The course will cover: (1) various approaches to the
interpretation of various theories in the fields of semantics and pragmatics,
(2) the principles of pragmatic and semantic analyses of selected scientific
technical texts. The course content is based on appropriate examples from the
translations of professional literature. Throughout the course, students are
encouraged to broaden their individual knowledge and understanding of the
subject as well as to undertake independent reading both to supplement and
consolidate what is being taught.