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In the digital era, a new concept of teaching foreign languages using digital technologies has been developed. Today’s emphasis is on cultivating highly competitive specialists who not only possess fluency in their respective professions to meet global standards but are also prepared to actively leverage digital technologies. The purpose of the article is to reveal current trends in teaching a foreign language in the digital era and to assess the opportunities and main ways to improve foreign language training for future specialists in the field of intercultural contacts, since the digitalisation of education has brought foreign language teaching to a qualitatively new level. The article explores the methodological foundations underpinning the concept of foreign language training for a competitive specialist through the integration of digital technologies. Employing analytical-synthetic methods, the comparative approach, and contrastive analysis of national and foreign educational practices, the study looks into the aspects of language training in the contemporary context. The authors reveal the content of the concepts ‘digital educational environment’, ‘digital technologies’ and ‘digital educational resources’ and identify problematic aspects of modern professional training for a foreign language teacher in the context of digitalisation of education. The identification of the most prominent trends in modern foreign language education was a key focus. The imperative shift towards utilising digital tools in language instruction was underscored, affirming their role in attaining high-quality outcomes in the training of competitive specialists. The article’s scientific novelty and theoretical significance stem from the authors’ rationale for incorporating digital technologies and establishing a digital learning environment in foreign language instruction. This entails not only an optimal blend of promising technologies but also the utilisation of a comprehensive array of tools and software. These tools enable the development of more advanced educational materials and foster foreign language speech activity among students through immersion in a dynamic digital language environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Having error-free communication in air-to-ground communication is somewhat nonsensical in real-life conditions. Multiple factors, external or internal, inevitably cause miscommunication or misunderstanding. During unprecedented situations, the ability to adapt and language competency becomes a significant factor in ensuring that communication between pilots and air traffic controllers can succeed. Aviation English falls under English for Specific Purposes and acts as a lingua franca for aviation communication. Thus far, language training is still inadequate to prepare pilots and air traffic controllers during emergencies or non-routine situations. The open-ended survey was conducted before the first development phase of the aviation communication competence framework. The rationale of this survey is to understand the need and perception of aviation language among pilots and air traffic controllers. The findings suggest that although they feel confident using aviation English in radiotelephony, most agree that it is imperative to have language training to improve aviation communication safety and standardise aviation phraseology and language. The findings also suggest that fundamental English language proficiency and non-standard phraseology use reduce efficiency in aviation communication. Furthermore, cultural and linguistic diversity among pilots and air traffic controllers creates misunderstandings and non-understanding in interactions. These findings suggest that aviation language development and training can be improved by diligent monitoring and evaluating the current needs of pilots and air traffic controllers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Foreign languages have always occupied a prominent place in Russia and the Russian culture. The paper states that despite being seemingly isolated from the outside world, Russia has always been closely connected with it, and not only by trade and political relations, but also by spirit and culture. The research contributes to the discussion of the role of foreign languages in Russian culture and reviews the development of the foreign languages teaching system in Russia. Adoption of Christianity was the first significant reason for the spread of foreign languages in the society, and that brought not only a new religion, but also the Greek language along with the theological books. Over time, more and more foreign languages began to spread in the society, sometimes even entering into conflict with one another: Latin with Greek (in the theological field), German with French (in the sphere of politics), and French with English (in the literary field). In certain historical periods (for example, in the first half of the 19th century), foreign languages even displaced the Russian language in some social strata. The contribution underlines the importance of analysing such historical periods with special reference to the interconnection between language as a means of communication and national identity. The investigation also argues that at times, for example, like in Soviet times, foreign languages acquired the status of ‘dead’ languages and became an exclusive tribute to tradition and a means of reading. In conclusion, the paper declares that foreign languages have always retained their important role, opening up new horizons for the Russian people and connecting them with the outside world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The problem of interconnection between language and intercultural relations has been widely discussed by researchers worldwide. This article studies the relationships between culture and language, examining the reasons for English dominance in the world, defining the current status of its global spread, and highlighting its future perspectives as a global language in intercultural communication. The research is based on the analysis and generalisation of contemporary studies on the related topics and compares the most recent statistical data. Study results suggest that although English is not in first place, judged by the number of native speakers in the world, it is by far the most learnt foreign language in the world due to both linguistic and extralinguistic factors. As far as future global perspectives are concerned, English is likely to remain a global language in the near future, but it will probably acquire new forms and experience many changes in its syntactic, grammatical, and semantic structures. The study concludes that the use of English helps users achieve better intercultural understanding, making intercultural relations clear, productive, and timesaving. The study contributes to the development of the essence of the concept of an international language in its relation to culture, the formulation of factors for a particular language to acquire global status, the development of the notion of a lingua franca, and the promotion of intercultural understanding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reviews and discusses the neuroscience of a dynamic, contextual and polycultural self. Advances in neuroscience suggests that: (1) the brain can acquire contradictory cultural systems at the same time; (2) all three groups of bi/multi/ and mono-cultural individuals can activate corresponding cultural patterns of the self, based on the cultural cues given in a specific cultural context; (3) individuals may be born with some genetic predispositions and these interact with the cultural environment, such that the same genetic predisposition may have opposite expressions of the self in different cultural contexts. Based on these insights, future research could invest more in (1) understanding the neuroscience of polycultural and global citizens who may have a universal identity; (2) advancing new identity development models for monocultural individuals who have the potential of a dynamic, contextual and polycultural self, but don't benefit from living in a diverse cultural environment; and (3) because people can be both products and producers of culture, future research can focus on 'technologies of the self', in the sense that individuals, organisations and governments can promote human agency (i.e. people as producers/authors of culture), proactively raise awareness and support the cultivation of a dynamic, contextual and polycultural self. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses the need to develop new approaches to the problems of intercultural communication under modern conditions. The established theories were formulated in the mid-20th century in a specific historical context and for specific purposes; today they are outdated. The ongoing globalisation, changing global balance of power, increased mobility of the ever-growing masses of the world population, mainly in the spheres of tourism, education and labour migration, call for new concepts and theoretical frameworks. Cultural globalisation revived interest in national cultures, creating a desire to preserve national traditions, lifestyles, characteristic features of everyday life and even those of the worldview. This process is stimulated by the opposition between increasing globalisation and attempts to uphold national identity. Thus, most nations today find issues related to national identity increasingly important and sensitive. The clash between the two opposing vectors - cultural standardisation, on the one hand, and a kind of cultural nationalism, on the other - leads to a growing number of cross-cultural misunderstandings and conflicts. This study relies on a variety of sources, including the results of a survey of Russian and Chinese students studying at the Lomonosov Moscow State University. The discussion of the need to design new approaches to intercultural communication is illustrated by the experiences of Chinese students studying at Russian universities and Russian academics teaching Chinese students. The number of Chinese students is steadily growing, but Russian educational institutions are not prepared to handle this increased inflow. Students, in their turn, are not prepared to integrate into an alien culture. Apart from the need to develop new principles and techniques for cross-cultural studies, the paper also emphasises the importance of providing practical information and advice in various forms - the Internet, guidebooks, induction courses to help international students to adapt to the Russian education system and everyday life. Of great importance are professional advancement courses for the Russian faculty teaching students from China, which would offer them an introduction into Chinese education traditions, behaviour patterns and mentality. Some other ways of addressing the current issues in integrating Chinese students into the Russian world are suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article deals with the analysis of the English soubriquet nomination in terms of its linguo-cultural potential realisation in reference to cultural awareness and intercultural competence development in language education process. Soubriquets can be used to pass cultural information and knowledge represented in language and speech. On the basis of complex methodology that integrates linguistic and linguo-cultural approaches to soubriquets within the English-speaking communities, nicknames are considered as part of cultural historical continuum, including their variation properties. The analysis of media materials serves to penetrate into the sphere of linguo-cultural peculiarities of soubriquet nominations used in political discourse to persuade and manipulate target audience by means of memes encoded by the linguistic units in question, presented in discourse to pass evaluative and cultural information within new discursive formats, reflecting current trends in the communicative processes. The use of soubriquets in literary works implies the reader's cultural awareness that facilitates recognition and understanding of cultural contexts, which becomes important for intercultural competence development as it reflects typical characteristics of a given culture realised in language manifestations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Educational migration and academic mobility have turned national universities into multi-ethnic and multilingual educational institutions. With international students coming from abroad and a growing number of students from the various regions of Russia, intercultural communication has become a feature of academic practices for both students and teaching staff. The paper addresses culturally determined specifics of academic communication in the multicultural education space of Russian universities. The purpose of the paper is to present the results of research carried out with the aim of defining the types of cultural indices applying classifications suggested by Edward Hall, Geert Hofstede, Fons Trompenaars and Richard Lewis, and analyse the influence of cultural and ethnic specifics on intercultural communication in the university. Implementation of research on the basis of four Russian universities included surveying and interviewing students as well as analysing the results obtained and case analysis. The key findings made it possible to classify and give a detailed description of the cultures of the post-soviet states as well as several regional cultures of Russia with regard to behavioural patterns. The paper further discusses reasons for communicative failures in the classroom, including linguistic barriers, and ways of preventing and overcoming them. The paper argues that awareness of ethnic and cultural specifics helps to break barriers in intercultural communication in the university and streamline the teaching process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the economy globalises the concept of cultural training in business needs a rethink. As this paper explains, the key change is that every area of business increasingly involves multinationals, making the cultural analysis of countries as independent entities increasingly irrelevant. Cultural trainers are having to think in different terms in training businesses to improve performance in new markets, overseas branches, multinational teams, joint ventures and international mergers and acquisitions and above all to create trust. This change is presenting the models developed by thinkers like Hofstede, Trompenaars, Lewis and Meyer in a different light, placing emphasis on the concepts they have developed rather than the countries they apply them to. This paper explores how cultural concepts can be applied to business and suggests practical training activities to raise cultural awareness and improve business performance. The author concludes that cultural training is an aspect of management training, not an extension of language training, although understanding something about the language and even speaking it is important in avoiding misunderstandings and communication breakdown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study discusses the problem of competitive specialist training in the field of intercultural contacts and aims to assess the opportunities and main means to improve professional training for competitive specialists, which are considered quality indicators for university education. The authors analyse global educational practices, define the concept of 'profession-oriented training technology', identify relevant problematic affecting the efficiency of vocational training quality, consider general trends and principles for modelling profession-oriented technologies, and argue that applying profession-oriented training technology ensures high quality training results for a competitive specialist whose qualification complies with the world standards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the study of failures in intercultural communication due to misunderstandings in the linguistic field of pragmatics. It focuses on three areas of pragmatics; compliments, refusals and complaints and examines how cultural misunderstandings can arise in these areas with examples from different communities. The paper emphasises that the study of pragmatics needs a stronger focus in the teaching and learning of languages in teaching materials, in classroom practice and especially in computer-mediated communication, particularly through social media. The researcher stresses that more research needs to take place into not only what pragmatic failures in communication occur and why they happen across cultures and language but also into how they can be repaired and mutual understanding restored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents a genre-based approach to the study of negotiation within EAP classes and reports on results obtained using a negotiation model meant to increase students' awareness concerning the generic features of this communicative activity. The presented model is based on the Pragma-dialectical theory of argumentation, which offers a double perspective on the argumentation discourse analysed, namely a descriptive and normative perspective. The paper, based on desk and field research, aims to help business language students improve their abilities in argumentation and negotiation by developing discourse skills beyond a simple stage by stage negotiation strategy. In order to do so it examines the advantages and disadvantages of traditional teaching of negotiation skills and introduces the Pragma-dialectical theory of negotiation developed by van Eemeren and Grootendorst (1992) at the University of Amsterdam. The author demonstrates how the practical application of this approach has improved the performance of MA students in Romania. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines some topical issues associated with the quality improvement of vocational training of the future specialists in the field of language education. It highlights the role of new technologies in teaching foreign languages as an effective means of facilitating efficient communication of specialists of various spheres in a multicultural environment. The authors analyse the factors that contribute to the relevance and necessity of crosscultural ideas in the field of language education. Particular attention is given to the description of specific features of teaching foreign languages built on an intercultural basis. The article demonstrates the need for and the objective nature of transformation of the linguistic and educational paradigm - from communicative to intercultural. Considering the importance of professional and speech culture, special attention is also paid to professionalfocused technology in intercultural communication teaching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]