SEASPEAK: A project in applied linguistics, language engineering, and eventually ESP for sailors

Abstract

SEASPEAK is the International Maritime English, a restricted, regularised sublanguage for use in ship-to-ship and ship-to-shore communication. This paper describes the conditions which created the need for SEASPEAK and the project by which the sublanguage is being developed and tested. The result of the project will be a reference manual of recommended language and procedures of communication. Once the language engineering has been completed, ESP programmes for the teaching of seafaring English will be devised.