Annual reporting
&
Academic writing
Sergio Pizziconi
Plan of the day
The survey
https://it.surveymonkey.com/s/LSWABC14
- Review
- Annual reporting 1:the Italian system
- General issues
Plan
- Academic writing
EXTRA-CLASS work:
Read Chp 2 cases 8 (KELLOGG’s) and 9
(MCDONALD’s); Chp 4 reading 1 (Best places) and 4
(Kraft) [MARK relative clauses & aspect-tenses]
Keep on working on your CVs and cover letter [try to make the
sample letter in the text-book YOUR OWN letter]
Keep working on your project.
Review: Phonology 1/1
Vowels: exercises from /i/ to /a/ and from /u/ to /ɒ/ (lowering your jaw)
from /i/ to /u/ mind driven; puff of air (see IPA chart). // Where accent
falls is relevant: 1) OBject (n.) – obJECT (v.), 2) if lost, stress the first
syllable, you’re likely to sound right. // Stress movement
shortens/weakens previously stressed vowels (also in writing):
proNOUNce  pronunCIAtion // This Miss /s/ unvoiced These Ms. /z/
voiced// “gh” mute (though, thought) OR /f/ (rough, tough)
Review: Morphology 1
ADJ+lyADV; N+lyADJ // V+er N(s.o./s.t. does V) // To+N(and
most words)V (googleto google; wowto wow) // V + ance/ence
 N (differ+ence, perfom+ance) // Help+less
antonym help+ful //
Adj+ en  V (to make s.o./s.t Adj) //
Adj(max2syll.) + er  Adj (comparative: more Adj)
Adj(max2syll.) + est  Adj (superlative: most Adj)
BUT: good – better – best; bad – worse – worst //
Singular: Thesis, Analysis, Hypothesis, Axis /s/ unvoiced
Plural:
Theses, Analyses, Hypotheses Axes /z/ voiced //
Datum (sing.) Data (pl.)
Criterion, phenomenon (sing.) Criteria, phenomena (pl.)
Review: Morphology 2
Sets of personal pronouns and possessive
Personal Personal Reflexive
Possessive Possessive
Pr.
Pr.
Adjectives Pronouns
subject Non-subject
I
me
my
mine
myself
you
you
your
yours
yourself
he
him
his
his
himself
she
her
her
hers
herself
it
it
its
its
itself
we
us
our
ours
ourselves
you (all) you (all) yourselves your
yours
they
them
theirs
themselves their
who
whom
Review: Morphology 3
My
Your
His
Her
Its
Our
Your
Their
Luke’s
Possessive
mine
yours
his
hers
its
car is affordable
ours
yours
theirs
Tony’s
is expensive
Review: Morphology 4 Verb tenses 1
• Past (simple)
• Non-past: present (simple)
I go to school tomorrow
I go to school everyday
In 1776 the USA declare
their independence
NOW
Past
Non-Past
Review: Morphology 5 Verb tenses 2
Futurity:
• Past (simple)
• Non-past: present (simple)
I go to school tomorrow
I am going to school tomorrow
I’m going to go to school tomorrow
I will go to school tomorrow
NOW
Past
Non-Past
Review: Morphology 6 Tense-aspect 3
• Past (simple)
• Non-past: present (simple)
To remark habits in the past:
I used to go to school last year
I would go to school everyday
They usually refer to a
habitual action:
I go to school [as my main activity
today]
I went to school last year [as my
main activity then]
NOW
Past
Non-Past
Review: Morphology 7 Tense-aspect 4
• Simple
Habitual process
• Continuous/Progressive
On-going process:
To be + V-ing
Their price is decreasing
When I bought the shares,
their price was decreasing
NOW
Their price will be
decreasing
Review: Morphology 8 Tense-aspect 5
• Simple
Habitual process
• Continuous/Progressive
• Perfect
On-going: To be + V-ing
Some link with ensuing time: To have + V-ed
I have started this project two weeks ago
The deadline was yesterday
but I had started the project
two months ago
NOW
When you will be back,
they will have finished
the project
Review: Morphology 9 Tense-aspect 6
• Simple
Habitual process
• Continuous/Progressive
• Perfect
On-going: To be + V-ing
Some link with ensuing time: To have + V-ed
I have started this project two weeks ago
The deadline was yesterday
but I had started the project
two months ago
I started the project two
months ago because the
deadline was yesterday
NOW
When you will be back,
they will have finished
the project
Review: Morphology 10 Duration form 7
• Simple
Habitual process
• Continuous/Progressive
• Perfect
On-going: To be + V-ing
Some link with ensuing time: To have + V-ed
• Perfect continuous
Some link with present and on-going : To have + BEEN + V-ing
I have been working on this project for four weeks
I have been working on this project since last month (2013)
NOW
BUT: I have known you all since March 10th
Review: Syntax 1
Verbs: transitive Vs. intransitive (Direct object, Indirect object,
Oblique object)// passive Vs. active (mentioned)//
AUXILIARY verb for the perfect tenses (actually, aspect) ALWAYS
to have (e.g., Things have changed)
BUT: passive voice (e.g., Rules were changed by the CEO) or few
constructions (e.g., are you finished?) //
Phrasal verbs. Verb+ ADV or Prep. To bring about = to cause, to
engender (causare, determinare) //
Typical declarative sentence structure: Subj + Verb +…..
Typical negative: Subject + do/does/did + not+ V(base form)
Typical question: Do/Does/Did + Subject + V(base form)
N.B. When some sort of auxiliary is already in the sentence USE
IT instead of adding to do
Emphatic statement Subj +do/does/did +V(base form) //
What brings about unemployement? (what = SUBJECT)
What does unemployment bring about? (what = ????)
WRONG: I’m interesting in fashion
RIGHT: ????
Review: Syntax 2
Skoda is…, Italy/France/Japan is… [WITHOUT article] BUT The United
States of America, The United Kingdom, The Netherlands //
Once upon a time there was a small village in the country.
The village was… [see vignette below]
In light of (mainly US) In the light of (mainly UK) [see FOEs for
possessive case and article]//
TRANSITIVE: to raise (raised – raised); to lay (laid – laid)
INTRANSITIVE: to rise (rose – risen); to lie (lay – lain) (lying)
N.B.: to lie (to say something untrue) (lied – lied) (lying)
Review: Syntax 3
Syntax: Modal verbs: can, may, will, shall, must, could,
might, would, should + BARE INFINITIVE (without to)
Interrogative: MODAL + Subj + BARE INFINITIVE (must I go?)
Negative: Subj + MODAL + not + BARE INFINITE (I mustn’t
go, I cannot go OR I can’t go, I won’t go)
They do not take to before or after:
WRONG To may, to must, to could… WRONG
WRONG I can to go, you may to talk… WRONG
They do not take –s for 3° person singular
WRONG he cans do, she mays do… WRONG
They have no tense it’s a matter of distance from reality:
Next year, I am/will be/can be/ may be/could be/might be in the UK
I want TO focus/analyze
I would like TO focus/analyze
Review: syntax 4
Circumstances
Links within the text
Textual markers
On what condition?
(D.O.)
(I.O.) How?
S
(Att)
V
Why?
Where?
When?
About the relation between interlocutors
General structure of the sentence
Review: Syntax 5
• What sentence constituent is the underlined
subordinate clause replacing?
– I think (that) you can do excellent projects
– Io penso che …
D.O. replacing
subordinate
clause
– Can you replace “that” (“che”) with “which” (“il/la/i/le quale/i”)?
• What’s the difference between the two uses of
“honestly” below?
Discourse
– Honestly, I don’t think you can win the game
– I don’t think you can honestly win the game
Marker
(relation to
interlocutors)
Vs.
Circumstance
Review: Syntax 6
A Main Clause with
a Noun Phrase
A relative pronoun
A clause with a
missing element
A Main Clause with
a Noun Phrase
A relative pronoun
A clause with a
missing element
Basic relative clauses
We have already sold the books
that
we received XXXX yesterday
We have already sold the books
that
XXXX were delivered yesterday
Review: Syntax 7
• Omitted relative pronoun:
Other details about relative clauses
– From AMWAY: These distributors sell to people
[that/whom] they know or meet.
• Whiz (omitted which and auxiliary to be):
– From BIC: Most large companies produce a variety
of goods and services XXX XXX [which are]
designed to meet customers’ needs…
• Fused relative pronoun:
– From BIC: This case study shows how [the way in
which] BIC understands product life cycles
Review: Syntax 8
Restrictive Vs Non-restrictive
• Try to figure out what the pair below has to do with
relative clauses:
Restrictive Vs Non-restrictive
The car that is parked in front of the department is
mine
My car, which is parked in front of the department, is
a FIAT
Review:
Pragmatics
1/1
Pragmatics: Do not pick on students or class fellows. //“See you
later.”// Language varies across jobs. //Think it over before saying
“No, this is wrong” Recommended: “Very interesting point/question.
Let me point out though that…” or some sort of hedging (softening
expression).// FORMAL: Dr. Pizziconi, your course is interesting
[NOT: his/her]. INFORMAL: Sergio, your course is interesting. {“On a
first name basis” “May I call you Sergio?”}.// How is it going? How
(are) you doing? What’s up? Wassup? Sup?  It’s always Good.//
Expectation of truthful statement. // Lag time between turns: When
asking for questions, wait for a longer time.// Greetings (see next
slide)//
Review: Pragmatics (Appendix)
Pragmatics:
Informal
Greetings
Intro
Parting after
first meeting
Sup?
Wassup?
What’s up?
How you doing?
How is it going?
“
Formal
How
are
you
doing
?
Good
morning/afternoon/e
vening
(very)
nice/glad/pleased to
meet you!
How do you do?
(very)
nice/glad/pleased
meeting you!
Review: Tools 1/1
Tools: www.thefreedictionary.com Also, the financial and legal
dictionaries within and the Idioms section. // Check for the frequency
of sentences googling them in quotes “……..” // Semantics of
prototypes //
Google advanced search: with pdf and site: .edu (US universities) or
.ac.edu (UK universities)
SUNECO’s library’s link to “online sources” (Open access journals)
FOEs 1/4
- Information (uncountable: much information NOT many
informations , NOT an information)
- Economy Vs Economics
- Security (against criminal actions) Vs Safety (against
dangerous actions)
- Across (time, space whether real or abstract) Vs Through
(space; means/tool)
- Frequent (a bar, a restaurant) Vs attend (a
course/program/school)
- I study English Vs I study the English language
- Aim/Attempt at (+ N; V-ing) OR to (+ V-base form)
- A + consonant sound! OR pronounced h : a house, a university
An + vowel sound! OR mute h: an unpredictable even, an hour.
FOEs 2/4
- I’m graduated FROM Aversa high school
I graduated FROM/AT Aversa high school
- Such as (listing examples) as (in the function of)
- Comparison and manner: As (+entire clause) like
(+noun)
- Wal-Mart is one of the largest employers in the US. In
fact it’s the largest (A dire il vero)
- Industry usually means productive sector. Plant,
factory (are the words for the place where things are
manufactured)
- When a word is not used because of its meaning but
as a word to be dealt with, mark it somehow: The verb
can expresses…; The verb “can” expresses…; The
verb can expresses
FOEs 3/4
• What’s wrong in the sentence below?
– Is more correct to use “may” to mean permission.
• You need a subject!
• Io sono d’accordo  I agree with+N/ to +Vbase form
(clause)…. [NOT: I am agree]
• A Facebook page is/isn’t useful to keep in touch [NOT
for to keep in touch]
• Possessive case:
The doctor’s house
Vs X Dr. Smith’s house
The consumer’s choice Vs The consumers’ choice
BUT The child’s toy
Vs The children’s toy
BUT X Giordano’s book Vs The Giordano book
FOEs 4/4 (charts)
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Fall – fell – fallen
WRONG: his trend is regular
RIGHT: ????
ITA: media  ENG: mean (on average)
Price varies according to volume
WRONG: It is steadily for the first part
RIGHT: It is steady. It levels steadily. It is steadily high.
WRONG: After there is a slowly fall RIGHT: ????
WRONG: Before it varies
RIGHT: ????
PREPOSITIONS
IN June
ON May 23rd
April
May
DURING the month
June
AT the end
of June
Financial reporting 1
• Italian system (Italian civil law)
• International system (IFRS – International
Financial Reporting Standards
• Let’s look at the text-book (go to page 243)
Financial reporting 2
The reason why even small companies might be
interested in translating their financial reports into
English is connected to plans of internationalization. In
Giordano’s words: / Giordano explains:
Why do companies translate their Financial Statements
into English, even though they are not obliged to? The
reason lies in the need to inform foreign stakeholders
(customers, providers and other potential partners) of
their activities and business issues. (Giordano 2012: 246)
Suppose this is a chunk of your paper.
Giordano, W. (2012). English for Business
Communication. Milano: Egea
Crediti and debiti
• Credits and debts
OR
• Receivables and payables
Acconto: Down-payment or
Advance payment?
• I would like our extended community of
knowledge to solve the issue.
• Let’s state the issue by looking at the definitions
of the two English words in the financial
dictionary.
Acconto: Down-payment or
Advance payment?
• I would like our extended community of
knowledge to solve the issue.
• Let’s state the issue by looking at the definitions
of the two English words in the financial
dictionary.
• The conclusion might also be along the lines:
• From a logical/semantic point of view, we should
not use “advance payment”. However, language
use is different in this specific domain.
Terminology activity
Let’s assume this is your spread spilletta
Same structure/similar terms
Same structure/different terms
Different structure/Transparent terms
Different structure/Opaque terms
Terminology activity
Let’s assume this is your spread spilletta
Same structure/similar terms
Licenses, trademarks and
others Licenze, marchi ed altro
Different structure/Transparent terms
Property buildings
Terreni e fabbricati
Immobilizzazioni materiali
Fixed assets
Immobilizzazioni immateriali
Intangible assets
Same structure/different terms
Decimi non versati
Share capital receivables
Different structure/Opaque terms
MUSTs & MUST-NOTs
MINIMUM MUSTs
MINIMUM MUST-NOTs
• MUST rephrase
• MUST NOT copy and paste
• MUST cite sources
• MUST NOT hide sources
• MUST circumscribe
your scope
• MUST NOT write your
paper in the slides
MUSTs for
MUST-NOTs for
“GOOD/HARD WORK” “GOOD/HARD WORK”
assessment
assessment
• MUST carry out YOUR • MUST NOT just repeat
OWN analysis
what other scholars wrote