Language functions
Chapter 4 LANGUAGE FUNCTIONS

4.1 Agreeing and Disagreeing

Agreeing and disagreeing are typical elements of spoken English but may also appear in
scientific writing. When writers want to compare their findings with those of other scientists,
they may have to express their agreement or disagreement. For example:

* These results agree with the findings of X's research …

Other contexts in which phrases expressing agreement appear in scientific literature include
making assumptions or conclusions.:

Assumption It is generally agreed that …
Conclusion In the previous chapter, we agreed to …

What language can I use to express agreement?

The following verbs and phrases express varying degrees of agreement. Verbs such as
agree
are normally used in the active form with a personal subject (except in the examples given
above).
* We entirely agree with his views on …
* We are in complete agreement with …
* We would (strongly) endorse X's opinion on …
* Our findings support those of …
* We would agree with X in principle, but …
* By and large, we accept what X says, but …

How can I express disagreement

already been established. The items to be classified are first considered with respect to an
essential feature, then compared, and finally grouped in a class according to their respective
similarities and differences.

What are the elements in a classification model?
The classification model consists of these elements. Note that the feature used for
classification may, or may not, be actually named in the final description.

Elements in the model Example
1 the superordinate term
(the overall word that
includes all the others)
low-carbon sheets and strip
2 the feature used for
classification
(size)
3 the items grouped together
in a class
The light gages of low-carbon flat-rolled steel products are
classified as hot-rolled sheets, cold-rolled sheets, hot-rolled strip,
and the still lighter gages as tin mill black plate.

What language can be used in classifications?

 The following prepositional phrases are very useful when talking about the feature used
for classification (item 2 above):

by
size
according to

…
(nouns indicating the
subordinated
categories)

A …
(superordinate
term)
is
can be
may be
classified
grouped
electrically
technically
…
as
…, …, …,
(nouns
indicating the
subordinated
categories)
according to
on the basis of
…
(feature used
for
classification)

For example:

equal to
is
are
should be
no different from
A
can be compared directly to
B
identical in every respect
the same
alike
A and B are
similar
in most respects
in that …

Some example sentences
* The characteristic feature of the totality of natural numbers, …, is logically equivalent to the
principle of mathematical induction.
* A point set in S in the plane is called bounded if …. For a point set in space the definition is
similar; we ….
* By way of analogy, the ALU may be thought of as a super adding-machine.
* We define an accumulation point of S in exactly the same way as we did for point set on the line.
* Sweden, like Finland, has very large resources of timber.

The following linking words and phrases may also be used to express similarity: like …; as well as …; both … and …; just as …;
In the same way, …

Example sentence:

So even though it's non-porous, much thicker and far more reliable than gold plating, we can almost
always offer our glad connectors for less than you would pay for an ordinary connector. In general,
the dependence of the open-loop gain on temperature is of less importance than the thermal
behaviour of the amplifier frequency response.


Superiority and inferiorityThis means saying how something is better or worse than something else, with regard to
particular features. Phrases you can use include:

in a certain way
from a certain point of view
with regard to …
as regards …
in being
in that it is
inasmuch as it is
more + adjective
less + adjective
A is superior to
inferior to
B
in giving
showing
exhibiting
more + noun

so does
As changes,
varies,
so
The (better)

a feature of X
the (better)
a feature of Y
+ verb

Example sentences:

* The higher the velocity of steam, the greater the turbine speed.
* Data input rise and fall times reduce as driver output impedance increases.
* The critical twist value, after which strength decreases, is lower for the former, but increases with
increasing yarn linear density, which is the reverse of the effect found for conventional yarns.
* During expansion, the pressure varies inversely to the volume.
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Language functions

 Contrasting

Contrasting is a specific kind of comparison. Whereas in comparing you normally look for at
least one feature that the two or more objects have in common, in contrasting you aim to
identify the differences between them.

Here are some useful sentence structures:

It is common


Example sentences:

* The RAM differs from the ROM in that it can be written into as well as read from.
* It is useful to differentiate between a blower and a liquid.
* The engine, as distinct from the earlier one, has six cylinders.
* Unlike discrete-component designs, however, the microprocessor is not programmed using …
* These differences are ascribed to the fact … most fibres have both ends spun in, whereas in the
case of ring-spun yarns one fibre end frequently protrudes from the yarn.
* A hot engine will run on a weak mixture. On the other hand, a cold engine requires a richer
mixture.
4.4 Defining

In science and technology, there are generally two kinds of definitions:

 the real definition, that is a definition that explains precisely the essential, intrinsic
characteristics of an object.

 the nominal definition, that is one that helps to determine the meaning of a term, such as
a word, sentence or symbol, e.g. in a mathematical language.

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Language functions
What language can I use for real definitions?

Real definitions include these functions:


termed
thought of as
referred to as
defined as
By A is meant
we mean
B + specification:
(relative clause)
(prepositional phrase)
(to + infinitive)
participle clause (-ing / -ed)
participle clause + to infinitive / for + gerund

Example sentences:

* A pyrometer is an instrument for measuring high temperatures.
* Milling is a machining process in which a rotary cutter equipped with a number of teeth is rotated
rapidly while the work is fed under it.
* Roughly speaking, a surface is a configuration of points having a two-dimensional character.
* Brittleness may be defined as the absence of the ability to deform plastically.
* A key is the information required to locate a record within a DASD file declared with the attribute
DIRECT. What language can I use for nominal definitions?

Here are some of the sentence patterns you can use:

then it is
then it can be