Some diplomatic language for maintaining a neutral style

In reading the notes on this website you should realize that they are based on my reading and summarizing of points made by a series of authors and sources. They are not a personal opinion unless a personal opinion is an attempt to summarize the points made by various sources. However, they are in note form and you need to qualify the comments and statements with the following kind of introductory phraseology in order to maintain a neutral tone and diplomatic style:
Some experts argue that….. / many experts suggest that …. /it is often argued that…. /it has been suggested that…../some political commentators argue that…. / many political commentators claim that…. / it is sometimes claimed that.… /some academics make the case that …… /it is often pointed out that..../ most experts agree that….. / most commentators seem to agree that… /there seems to be general agreement that…. / there seems little doubt that… / it is unclear whether… /generally speaking it seems that…. / one could argue that…./ on the whole…../ apparently…. /other experts have raised questions regarding…/ in social terms…/ in economic terms…/ in political terms… / theoretically… /in theory… / in practice…. / it has been alleged that…../
 You might want to use this kind of language when introducing a new opinion or interpretation of events, but you should not exaggerate. Don't put these expressions in front of every sentence, and don't use them inappropriately, that is to say, in front of factual information. As you read you should collect other common expressions like those above.
You can also use structures based on inversion like this:
What is needed is a new strategy…
What is needed is for the government to work out a new strategy…
What the government needs to do is…

e sopratutto, in quello che scrivi al concorso, cerca di essere:
 

informato, aggiornato e equilibrato.

Some language for essay writing

Useful expressions for writing an essay:

http://www.dcielts.com/ielts-vocabulary/making-your-writing-more-academic-by-being-impersonal/

http://fullspate.digitalcounterrevolution.co.uk/advanced-efl-essay-writing/advanced-essay-phrases.html

http://www.smart-words.org/linking-words/transition-words.html

http://martinpiecyk.com/site/improveyourwritingability/

http://www.luizotaviobarros.com/2013/04/academic-writing-useful-expressions.html

http://www.myenglishpages.com/site_php_files/writing-useful-espressions-essay.php#.U_sBbqNvBOY

terminology:

http://himalayancrossings.com/pdf/course/resource/penguin_dictionary.pdf    (good but takes a moment to download)

http://www.cram.com/flashcards/international-relations-glossary-terms-550037

http://www.peace.ca/glossaryoftermsforir.htm

http://www.irtheory.com/know.htm

http://www.unc.edu/depts/europe/teachingresources/intl-glossary.htm

and maybe:

http://www.businessballs.com/latin-terms-phrases.htm

structuring your essay:

http://www.reading.ac.uk/internal/studyadvice/studyresources/essays/sta-planningessay.aspx

http://www.monash.edu.au/lls/llonline/writing/medicine/psychology/essay-structure/3.xml

http://unilearning.uow.edu.au/essay/4bi.html

http://www.wikihow.com/Write-an-English-Essay

Essays on Diplomacy:

http://www.beyondintractability.org/essay/Diplomacy-Intro

http://www.ukessays.co.uk/essays/economics/economic-diplomacy.php

http://www.preservearticles.com/201105307227/diplomats-and-diplomacy.html

Some ideas about diplomacy and what makes a good diplomat

"Above all, not too much zeal!"
                                                             Talleyrand 
http://www.ediplomat.com/nd/essays/delaboulaye.htm
http://www.ediplomat.com/nd/functions.htm
http://www.ediplomat.com/nd/essays/maclehose.htm
http://www.ibde.org/component/content/article/83-what-a-good-commercial-diplomat-has-to-know-and-be-capable-of.html
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/jul/14/ambassadors-job-diplomat-training
http://www.diplomacy.edu/resources/general/knowledge-management-and-diplomatic-training-new-approaches-training-institutions
http://books.google.it/books?id=SXFePmd2uEIC&pg=PA120&lpg=PA120&dq=qualities+diplomat&source=bl&ots=SLd2eiwMdJ&sig=2Y6qHdQ5Z8tLTjVZmTq3L_2M6Lw&hl=it&sa=X&ei=_idoT_D7M_Da4QSX8ZmGCQ&ved=0CEMQ6AEwBDgK#v=onepage&q=qualities%20diplomat&f=false
http://www.oocities.org/metisfederation/dqs.html
http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/200601/12/eng20060112_234952.html
http://www.ediplomat.com/nd/essays/kitahara.htm
http://www.ediplomat.com/nd/essays/gruber.htm
http://www.seeiia.freeservers.com/Diplomacy%20And%20International%20Relations.htm
http://www.grassrootdiplomat.org/#/blog/4553593428/What-makes-a-good-diplomat/12677
http://www.jhubc.it/ecpr-porto/virtualpaperroom/047.pdf
very serious:
http://epublications.bond.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1057&context=theses&sei-redir=1&referer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.it%2Furl%3Fsa%3Dt%26rct%3Dj%26q%3Dcharacteristics%2520of%2520a%2520diplomat%26source%3Dweb%26cd%3D30%26ved%3D0CHgQFjAJOBQ%26url%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fepublications.bond.edu.au%252Fcgi%252Fviewcontent.cgi%253Farticle%253D1057%2526context%253Dtheses%26ei%3DzGxpT6LGAdP54QSTu9zECQ%26usg%3DAFQjCNHE_XlNvPoOtnFhe417rQkFoZUB-g#search=%22characteristics%20diplomat%22

The European Union website

For general information go to:

http://europa.eu/

Then click on the language box, e.g. 'italiano' to go to the opening page. Then choose a topic to read about and click on it. You can click on the language box at the top on the right to change the language. So now you can try to translate a paragraph from Italian to English. Make notes on any vocabulary, spelling or grammar mistakes that you make. The more you do, the better.

For specific EU documents go to:

http://europa.eu/publications/

Then choose the language, e.g. 'italiano'. Now choose a subject - e.g. 'immigrazione' and type it into 'ricerca nel sito' and click on the arrow. Then choose a document from the list,noting down its title and reference number before clicking on it (the title may sometimes be in English though the document will open in Italian.) For many documents (those published on paper) the translation box will still appear in the top right corner, so you can translate the document and check your translation immediately.

For other documents there will be no translation box and you will have to return to the opening page of

http://ec.europa.eu/publications/

 and choose 'English', type in the key word, e.g. 'immigration', or the exact title, and find the same document in English. So it may be easier to print both versions before you start translating rather than try to jump backwards and forwards from one to the other.

If you want to do lots of translation go to the General Report 2013 (236 pages!) in Italian on:

http://europa.eu/publications/reports-booklets/general-report/index_it.htm

and then by clicking on Relazione Generale go to:

http://bookshop.europa.eu/it/relazione-generale-sull-attivit-dell-unione-europea-2013-pbNAAD14001/?CatalogCategoryID=luYKABst3IwAAAEjxJEY4e5L

and then download it by clicking on DOWNLOAD.

Then go to the text in English on

http://europa.eu/publications/reports-booklets/general-report/index_en.htm

and then by clicking on General Report go to:

http://bookshop.europa.eu/en/general-report-on-the-activities-of-the-european-union-2013-pbNAAD14001/;pgid=y8dIS7GUWMdSR0EAlMEUUsWb0000n6_EGipd;sid=FdL3vhNDcBv3v0G-xnBpGXFmWLHpzF4gC6A=?CatalogCategoryID=luYKABst3IwAAAEjxJEY4e5L

and then download it by clicking on DOWNLOAD.

Start from Italian version, translate and then go to the English version to check. Or if you prefer, simply  read the English version and take notes on useful language.