Investigating Air Traffic Controllers’ language use in emergency situations: Roger, Wilco

Air traffic controllers receive regular emergency simulator training as part of their professional development and training. For staff teaching an ESP course in the UAE, it was unclear what language was used or needed for this training: standard aviation phraseology (e.g. hold short) or plain English or both? What language do controllers believe they need to use in emergency situations? This seminar reports on interviews with nine controllers in UAE. Findings suggest a major diverge in beliefs which reflect contradictions in definitions of standard phraseology and plain language in the literature. Implications for teaching and future research will be discussed.