Abstract
This paper is based in part on an earlier publication on SMCP development, but includes new chapters on sociolinguistic and cultural issues arising during pilot’s taking the vessel into/out of harbour with tug assistance. In this case the multinational, multilingual and multicultural bridge team is further extended onto pilot's communicating with the tug master(s). A request has been made by the IFSMA2 to provide shipmasters with a set of phrases for pilots and tug masters in their working language - English - to be used during manoeuvring, since the existing Standard Marine Communication Phrases (SMCP) have not been considered elaborate enough for the operation. Maritime English lecturers twinned with maritime professionals have provided a set of appropriate phrases and exercises to help students/ trainees adopt them, as the conclusion of the 2014 seminar organized by G.A.M.E. - Gesellschaft für Ausbildung in Maritimem Englisch (German Association for Maritime English) with the seat at Bremen University of Applied Sciences, Nautical Department, in order to meet the requirements from the maritime industry. A sociolinguistic and cultural issue has arisen as a result of the IFSMA’s invitation to G.A.M.E for a further development of the SMCP Pilotage and Tug Assistance Phrases and for presentation of the newly developed phrases for assessment to the IMO as a most influential safety factor. It would be a great benefit for shipmasters worldwide who regularly find themselves in situations when they cannot follow the pilot’s communication with the tug master(s) because it is carried out in a local language and the pilot, due to being involved in communication with several external parties, is often not in the position to translate the communication for the ship’s master due to the shortage of time. This intention of the IFSMA has met an overt disagreement by the pilot representatives taking part in the activities of the 2014 G.A.M.E. seminar and previously by the EMPA as their association. Therefore, following the approach starting from Roger's Diffusion of innovations theory (1960), revised later byClarke (1999) and Orr (2003), is proposed here to present the stages through which a technological innovation, this extension of SMCP being rightfully considered one, passes on its way to successful adoption.
Highlights
The development of the set of Standard Marine Communication Phrases (SMCP) with particular emphasis on the operations of pilotage and tug assistance5 has already been reported as crucial for the circumstances in which the bridge team is extended to parties external to the ship’s crew and speaking a different common language
The most important element in the diffusion of English as occupational language in shipping, especially the current SMCP and their inevitable future extensions is decisiveness to diffuse them for the benefit of all the parties involved in the maritime venture or business involving speakers of different native languages as participants
If it is the only language left to be learned, it will have been the greatest intellectual disaster that the planet has ever known.”. Along this line of thought a conclusion can be reached that English as occupational language facilitating multiple operations in the shipping business is definitely the safest route to follow, as it has already been elaborated to high standards and maritime lecturers worldwide are continuing this work fully mindful of the underlying tradition
Summary
The development of the set of Standard Marine Communication Phrases (SMCP) with particular emphasis on the operations of pilotage and tug assistance has already been reported as crucial for the circumstances in which the bridge team is extended to parties external to the ship’s crew and speaking a different common language. This situation is for obvious reasons more intricate to deal with and calls for subtle methods after an initial analysis of the actual pros and cons This is the reason for attempting to see the issue in the light of Diffusion of Innovations theory applied to SMCP Pilotage and Tug Assistance phrases with a view to a future more consistent implementation of SMCP as working code. In the following centuries the original metaphorical meaning was disregarded, as well as the relation between culture and nature that was so important in the Roman
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