Diplomatic discourse in the modern paradigm of approaches to foreign language teaching

https://doi.org/10.26907/2658-3321.2023.6.2.257-270

Abstract

The necessity of implementing changes to methods of teaching diplomatic discourse in a foreign language has become apparent against the background of recent social and economic changes, digital technology development and transformation of the system of international relations. The article analyses the reasons for and the essence of changes which have occurred in the content of diplomatic discourse over the last decade and relate to its linguistic characteristics and competencies required, and whose development should become part of foreign language educational curricula for future diplomats. Analysis involves genre characteristics of diplomatic discourse, its lexical and grammatical features, as well as its place in the paradigm of foreign language teaching methods with regard to its inclusion in the category of language learning for general or specific purposes. According to the findings, diplomatic discourse develops in the direction of increased interdisciplinarity of its nature, both from the perspective of constituent elements of diplomatic terminology and that of skills required. Analysing the record of teaching English to future diplomats at English Department №1 of MGIMO University, the authors outline the principal competences fundamental to modern educational curricular in the sphere of language teaching and come to the conclusion that methodology pertinent to the field belongs to the spectrum of methods of teaching languages for specific purposes and, as such, requires a special approach.