NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION

NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION

You will be surprised to know that the first four minutes of interaction with others creates our first impression in their mind .And it may be possible that in these four minutes we do not utter a single word
According to Professor Albert Mehrabian, body language accounts for 55% of the first impression; 38% comes from tone of voice; 7% comes from our actual words. Thus it is very important that we should learn about that communication which is not verbal rather Non –Verbal.

Nonverbal communication is the act of giving or exchanging information without using any spoken words. If we are not using word than what will we use? You will know this when you study different types of non-verbal communication. It is also called sign language. For example the nodding of the head from side to side to say ‘no’ or up and down to convey ‘yes’.

Non-verbal communication is very important because not only it adds meaning to our verbal communication but also:

1. Non-verbal signals are powerful: non-verbal cues primarily express inner feelings (verbal messages deal basically with outside world).
2. Words have limitations: there are numerous areas where nonverbal communication is more effective than verbal.
3. Non-verbal message are likely to be more genuine: because nonverbal behaviours cannot be controlled as easily as spoken words.
4. When your verbal and non-verbal communications are incongruent, people will believe the non-verbal more than the verbal.
The non-verbal communication has changed the way we look at the subject of communication. We seem to be communicating all the time non- verbally through our gestures, expressions, sounds, signs and signals.

Verbal communication

Verbal communication

In Verbal communication the communicator uses words as the medium of communication. Communicator uses language that has been designed, developed and propagated by humans. An effective verbal communication is a two way process that means speaking and listening both are done at the same time. Further verbal communication can be divided into two groups:

(i) Oral Communication

Oral communications are the messages that come through words from the mouth of the speaker. It is a very convenient form of expression and presentation. It is almost instantaneous, quick and least expensive. Example of oral communication is – face to face communication, speech, meeting, telephonic conversation etc.

(ii) Written Communication

The communication which we do by means of written symbols or words is called written communication. This requires preparation and one has to plan it properly before writing for technical, legal and most diplomatic communications.
In tourism industry communicating in writing is also popular form of communication .It can take various forms such as letters, circulars, office memorandums, fax messages, newsletter, brochures, bulletins, reports, manuals, reports, house journals, magazines, etc. Also in this age of technology new types of written messages like emails, short messaging service (SMS) on mobile phones, instant messaging etc. have become very common and popular.

Elements of Verbal Communication:

When we communicate verbally not only the words which we used are listened but also vocal elements of speech play very important role. These vocal elements are voice inflections, rate of speech, volume, and tone. These add interest and meaning to our messages. For example the line “See you later” said respectfully has a different meaning and same line said in anger has totally different meaning. We can use these vocal elements to make our verbal communication more effective. These are:
1. Change the speed of your voice: A consistent pace of voice can make your speech dull and ineffective. Thus we should vary our speed of voice depending upon the audience and purpose of our communication. When you have to gain attention and excite your audience speak quickly and enthusiastically. When you want that audience pay attention to your words speak slowly.
2. Shift the pitch of your voice: Frequency of speech is called pitch of voice. Again depending upon the aim of the speech you can use high and low pitches at times .Using extremes can tarnish the success of your verbal communication.
3. Control the volume of your voice: Volume of voice creates a direct impact on the audience .One should use an average volume in general .But again depending upon the aim of your communication you can be loud or soft. When you use a combination of loudness and softness in your communication it adds special effect to your communication.
4. Punctuate with pauses: It is important in your communication to break the flow of information so that listeners can comprehend what they have listened .Generally pause in communication is taken when you have conveyed an important point or you want that now listeners should anticipate.
5. Articulate clearly: It is very important that what you communicate is clear to the audience. For this you should have expertise in pronunciation and articulate each word clearly .When you speak in such a manner you gain more confidence and clarity.

COMMUNICATION SKILLS – A KEY TO SOFT SKILLS

COMMUNICATION SKILLS – A KEY TO SOFT SKILLS

Adequate communication skills are a prerequisite for a range of other soft skills. Communication is a basic activity of human beings which is undertaken by us every moment apart from the time when we are sleeping. Even now while reading these lines you are indulged in communication. It is so important that we can say that the foundation of our society, family, relationships and organisation is communication. Do you think we should study, learn and be trained in an activity which is so natural and obvious to us. The answer of this question is yes. In support of this answer let’s discuss the story of Robinson Crusoe – a traveller who got trapped in a lonely island for 30 years. There was not a single human being with whom he could talk and when he came back to his country he was not able to speak as he forgot how to speak.
Thus, in order to become masters in soft skills first we have to get expertise in communication skills. Especially in tourism and travel industry where you have to continuously communicate effectively with different type of people viz. tourist, airlines people, hotel staff, guide, visa officer, taxi drivers ,transporters etc.

The best way to understand any concept is to refer to dictionary for its meaning. The English word ‘communication’ is derived from the Latin noun ‘Communis’ and the Latin verb ‘Communicare’ that means ‘to make common, to transmit, or to impart’.
In simple words, communication is the activity in which we share any idea, feeling, opinion and information between two or more persons in a way that both parties have common ground of understanding. Thus in communication three aspects are of utmost importance – transmission of message, listening/receiving of message and common understanding of message among parties involved. The transmission can be done in many manners like by words -spoken or written, by body language or signs. And understanding means that both parties receive same meaning of the desired message in their mind and that can be confirmed with the help of feedback. When understanding is achieved only then communication is complete.
Communication has been defined by many theorists:
W.H.Newman defined, “Communication is an exchange of facts, ideas, opinions or emotions by two or more persons.”
Allen Louis defined "Communication is the sum of all the things one person does when he wants to create an understanding in the mind of another it involves a systematic and continuous process.”

Pronunciation Differences between British English and American English

Pronunciation Differences between British English
and American English

One of the main difficulties a foreigner student may face when learning English pronunciation
is the remarkable variety of accents. Like many other languages spoken in such a vast
territory and by so many people, spoken English presents wide variation in pronunciation.
In spite of that wide variation, three standard pronunciations are distinguished:

(1) The Received Pronunciation, also called Oxford English or BBC English, is the standard pronunciation
of British English;
 (2) The General American is the accent considered as standard in North America, and as such it is the pronunciation heard in most of American films, TV
series, and national news;
(3) The General Australian is the English spoken in Australia. However, this three main accents should be interpreted as broad categories, for the English language has a great and rich diversity of varieties.

Many students are confused as to appreciate the difference between accents, and they
often speak with a mixed of accents perplexing somewhat a native speaker. The purpose
of this article is to study the main differences between British English, as represented by
Received Pronunciation (RP), and American English, as represented by General American
(GA). This study should help students to correct their pronunciation, be consistent with
their accent, and acquire a new pronunciation with fewer traces of their native language.
Although our standpoint here is primarily phonetic, British and American English have
also been studied from a social and historical standpoint.

 We chose the IPA symbols because they are a standard in sound description and ensure accuracy. If the reader is not familiar with the IPA symbols and their meaning, consult or the article English
Phonetics . Phonetic transcriptions will be enclosed in square brackets and letter names will be in Roman typeface.

Returning to the main differences between British English and American English, they
can be summarized as follows.
1. The presence of rhotic accent.
2. Differences in vowel pronunciation. The most relevant ones are change of diphthong
 change of [æ], and change of [ju:].
3. Differences in consonant pronunciation. This mainly involves the different pronunciations
of letter t.
4. Change of stress. This comprises the change of stress in French loanwords, and certain
suffixes such as -ate and -atory.
5. Differences in articulation. American English has a clear tendency to pronounce unstressed
syllables where British English does not show such a disposition.

COMMUNICATION SKILLS- general thinking overview

COMMUNICATION SKILLS-  general thinking overview

As we progress through our careers in the health or social care environment, the sorts of skills that are critical to our success can change and evolve. Many of us are first responsible for performing specific practical tasks, linked to our developing knowledge base. Our effectiveness centres upon our actions and our growing expertise at performing these. Proficiency at such tasks is often the initial focus.
However, as we continue to progress, it is likely that success will depend more and more upon our interpersonal skills and our ability to develop effective working relationships with key others. Jobs that include a managerial, supervisory or a mentoring role can involve complex relationships with people. Demands can be made that are sometimes conflicting and ambiguous.

A practice educator’s job can involve reconciling and managing these demands. Not surprisingly, interpersonal and communication skills often rank among the most critical for work related success.
In its most straightforward sense, effective communication may be understood as occurring when the intended meaning of the sender and perceived meaning of the receiver are the same. Yet the level of skill required for effective communication to occur, belies the simplicity of this definition. After examining studies involving hundreds of large organisations,  a high level of individual success at work was characterised by ‘emotional intelligence’, or skills of social awareness and communication. Typically, these included the ability to motivate and influence others, to give honest feedback sensitively, to empathise and develop relationships, to monitor ones own behaviour, to handle emotions both of self and others and to read interpersonal situations and organisational politics.

However it is important to note that emotional intelligence, or the skills of social awareness and communication, can be developed and honed.

CONVERSATIONAL STYLE

CONVERSATIONAL STYLE

It is the most commonly used type of intonational style and consequently a
variety, which will be more familiar to the vast majority of English-speaking
people than any other. That is why it is called familiar. This kind of English is also a
means for everyday communication, heard in natural conversational interaction
between speakers. So phonetic stylists call it conversational. Some scholars also call
it informal, because this style occurs mainly in informal external and internal
relationships in the speech of relatives, friends, well-acquainted people and so on.
In informal situations,'where speakers are more relaxed, less attention is given
by them to the effect they produce on the listeners, because in formal situations they
monitor their linguistic behavior, perhaps sometimes unconsciously. But
in everyday life a more natural and spontaneous style will be used.
We would also point out here that in conversational style the emotional
reaction to the stimulating speech signals is very important so the attitudinal
function of intonation here comes to the fore. Therefore one is liable to find here a
wider range of contrasts at any level than could be expected elsewhere.
Clearly, a conversation consists of more than verbal language.
Communication, to be effective, relies on other features than language and a great
deal on that is not said. A measure of common understanding has to exist between
speakers. Where this common understanding is lacking, failures in communication
are apt to occur.
In a conversation we do not just listen to words, we derive the meaning
consciously or unconsciously from a number of other communicative systems and
it could be that a lift of an eyebrow, a twitch at the side of the mouth, or a silence
tell us more than a dozen sentences.
But undoubtedly the verbal part of the communication plays a very
important role and has its own systems too a very important role and has its
own systems. The full effect is achieved and meanings are exchanged even with
strangers and about unfamiliar topics.
Spontaneous, colloquial, informal conversations display certain common linguistic
characteristics.
1. Firstly, talks of this kind are characterized by the in explicitness of the language
as the speakers rely very much upon the extra linguistic factors — context, kinetics,
etc. This manifests itself in "incompleteness" of many utterances as the context
makes it clear what was meant by the speaker.
Sometimes the speakers even abrupt the speech suddenly and tail off into
silence but the listeners understand them, catch the meaning, because the
participants have a common personal background and the explicitness is
tolerated or even taken for granted and is diagnostic of conversation.
2. Secondly, conversations are characterized by the lack of planning and the
randomness of subject matter. They are very often unpredictable.
3. The third general feature of the conversational style talks is "non-fluency".
Informal spontaneous conversation is characterized by a high proportion of "errors"
involving hesitation phenomena, slips of the tongue and all sorts of overlapping and
simultaneous speech.
In every society there are specific rules governing the conduct of
conversation. Some of these tactics are verbal, others non-verbal, most are
culturally determined, some make individual use of cultural habits and
expectations. Together with the “silent language” (posture, gesture, facial
expression and manners) the space between the speakers also plays an important
part in communication. It is a measure of how intimate or otherwise the speakers
feel, how formal or informal their relationship is.
A “nose-to-nose” distance of 1,5-2 meters is considered to be most
comfortable for talks and anything nearer than this may be unwelcome if the other
is not regarded as an intimate. There are more message systems but they are not
fully investigated yet.
On the grammatical level informal conversation provides delimitation of
utterances and sentences. The length of utterances is much more variable here than
in any other variety of English.

Telephone conversations. This sphere of communication is limited in
certain important respects by the special situation, which imposes a number of
restrictions.
The conversationalists who can see each other are able to place a great amount of
reliance on the facilities offered by such things as gesture and the presence of a
common extra linguistic context.
Telephone conversations lack these facilities to a large extent and so have a
tendency to become more explicit than ordinary conversations with a different use
of "indicator" words such as pronouns which may be vague in their reference if it
cannot be seen who or what is referred to.
The telephone situation is quite unique being the only frequently occurring
case of a conversation in which the participants are not visible to each other, so
there is some uncertainty in keeping up the give-and-take between the
participants.

The "talkers" avoid long utterances without introducing pauses. Pauses cannot
be long, because anything approaching a silence may be interpreted by the listener
either as a breakdown of communication or as an opportunity for interruption
which may not have been desired.
Vocabulary is characterized by the use of colloquialisms, idioms and
vocalization. The opening and closing of a telephone conversation are marked by
the use of the same formulas, the linguistic devices carrying out these operations
are not numerous and always predicted.

"Language" and "People" are both familiar terms and represent familiar
things. But the "and" between them represents an enormously complex
relationship. This relationship involves cultures and civilizations, individual human
beings, their interaction and their forms of organization, it involves values.

REGIONAL VARIANTS OF ENGLISH

REGIONAL VARIANTS OF ENGLISH

It is common knowledge that any national language has two material forms:
written and spoken. The written form of a national language is usually a generally
accepted standard and is uniform throughout the country. Spoken language on the
contrary is not so uniform because it varies from locality to locality. Such distinct
spoken forms of a language are called local dialects. Dialects may be defined as
language varieties that are spoken by a socially limited number of people. In the
course of time the pronunciation of the dialects can become generally accepted or
standard. So we may say that the two polar varieties of the national language in its
spoken form are the standard literary pronunciation and dialects.
Standard pronunciation may be defined as the elaborated variety of the
national language which obeys definite norms, recognized as standard and
acceptable in all kinds and types of oral communication. Standard pronunciation
in other words is governed by the orthoepical norms (Greek orthos – straight,
correct; epic –> epos – speech). So the standard pronunciation includes the
pronunciation norms which reflect the main tendencies in the pronunciation which
exist in the language. It is the pronunciation used by educated people typified by
radio and TV announcers and recorded in pronunciation dictionaries as the proper
and correct pronunciation. The factual material testifies to the fact that each
national language may fall into several regional standards in terms of
pronunciation. These regional standards are considered equally correct and
acceptable and they can be described as varieties of national standard
pronunciation. Each regional standard of pronunciation is characterized by features
that are common to all the dialects used in that region.

SPEECH MELODY

SPEECH MELODY

One of the most important components of intonation is speech melody which
is characterized by changes in the voice pitch. Speech melody performs the above
mentioned speech functions of intonation due to the fact that each syllable in a
sentence has a certain pitch and cannot exist without it. Simultaneously speech
melody together with pausation performs the delimitative function which consists
in delimiting portions of a sentence variously known as sense-groups, intonation
groups or breath-groups. It is not quite precise because one breath effort can be spread over two or more sensegroups.
 A change of the pitch within the last stressed word of
an intonation group is called a nuclear tone. In English there are 6 basic tones. In
the case f these tones their delimitative function is determined by the change of
pitch direction. These tones are called kinetic by R. Kingdon. There is also an even
or level tone which called static. It is neutral (when the pitch of the tone remains on
the same level) in its communicative function and is used mainly in poetry
Nuclear tones express different attitudes of the speaker towards he says.
E.g. the low-falling tone (…) expresses definiteness, finality. It is matter-offact,
calm and unemotional: I hear you’ve passed the exam.
The high falling tone expresses interest, personal concern, warmth: I hear
you’ve passed your exam.
The rising falling tone implies that the speaker is greatly impressed:
Splendid.
The low-rising tone expresses lack of interest: Mr. Jones? – Yes.
The high-rising tone expresses active searching for information. It is
essentially an interrogative tone: You like it?
The falling-rising tone creates the impression of implication as if “the
speaker expects the listener to imagine the extra-meaning.” The implication is
deduced from the concrete situation: The shop is closed.
Besides it is important to stress that different communicative types of
sentences are distinguished by intonation. E.g. categoric statements, orders and
commands, exclamations and special questions require the use of the falling tone.
The rising tone is used with statements containing an implication, request
and general questions.
The main six tones form significative oppositions in accordance with:
a) the direction of the pitch movement: the falling tone versus the
rising tone. The falling tone creates the impression of finality,
completeness, definiteness, resoluteness. That’s why declarative
sentences are pronounced with the falling tone. The rising tone
expresses non-finality and incompleteness. General questions are
pronounced with rising tone;
b) the range of the pitch movement: low fall/high fall; low rise/high
rise. Low fall creates the impression of calmness and indifference
and high fall expresses personal concern, warmth and interest;
c) the simplicity – complexity of the voice pitch movement: falling
tone/fall-rise; rising tone/rise-fall.
E.g. I have nothing against it (l.f.) – definiteness, categorical
I have nothing against it (f.r.) – implication
The main tones together with other elements of intonation such as the
prehead, head and tail form differentiate intonation contours. The shape of the
contour depends on the type of the element of intonation.
According to L. Armstrong and Ida Ward in English unemphatic speech the
following types of the prehead may be distinguished:
1. gradually rising
2. on the mid level
3. on the low level
R. Kingdon considers the last type to be the commonest and it is called by
him the normal prehead. The latter marks the comparative unimportance of the
initial unstressed syllable.
In emphatic speech a high prehead is used before a rise. It gives a bright
lively encouraging character to the utterance.
E.g. So long.
According to Russian and Ukrainian phoneticians the following main types
in the scale are typical for the RP:
1. The stepping head which is characteristic of the unemphatic
speech and is widely used in combination with any of the six main
nuclear tones creates the impression of the normal, balanced mood
of the speaker.
E.g. I think you ought to apologize.
2. The low head is typical of English emphatic speech. The
impression created by this head ranges from indifference to
hostility.
E.g. I think you ought to apologize.
The low head is usually combined with low fall, low rise and high
fall.
3. The sliding head creates the impression of the excitement or a
highly emotional attitude to the situation. It is typical for emphatic
speech and is mostly used with the fall rise as a nuclear.
E.g. I think you ought to apologize.

Presenting new language

Presenting new language

When planning to present a new language item the presenter needs to be sure of the following points:
• How the language item is made - what the grammatical structure of the form is, how it is pronounced and
written, how negatives and questions are formed if appropriate.
• Concept - what the form actually means.
• Context - when the form is actually used.
Once those points are clear for the planner, a way has to be thought of to pass on that knowledge to students. Only telling
a class what something means and how it is used is not usually a good way for the students to learn. Thankfully there is a wide range of interesting activities, techniques and materials for presenting new language. Most involve exposing the students to the language through written texts and dialogues. Most course books have these but here are a few more of the materials that are commonly used to introduce new language:

• Video tapes
• Audio tapes
• Newspapers
• Songs
• Pictures
• Realia
• Stories and anecdotes

Using different approaches to presentation in your teaching helps to create the variety that is so important to effective class management. 

Pronunciation Differences between British English and American English

Pronunciation Differences between British English
and American English

One of the main difficulties a foreigner student may face when learning English pronunciation
is the remarkable variety of accents. Like many other languages spoken in such a vast
territory and by so many people, spoken English presents wide variation in pronunciation.
In spite of that wide variation, three standard pronunciations are distinguished:
(1) The Received Pronunciation, also called Oxford English or BBC English, is the standard pronunciation of British English;
(2) The General American is the accent considered as standard in North America, and as such it is the pronunciation heard in most of American films, TV series, and national news;
(3) The General Australian is the English spoken in Australia.

However, this three main accents should be interpreted as broad categories, for the English
language has a great and rich diversity of varieties .
Many students are confused as to appreciate the difference between accents, and they
often speak with a mixed of accents perplexing somewhat a native speaker. The purpose
of this article is to study the main differences between British English, as represented by
Received Pronunciation (RP), and American English, as represented by General American
(GA). This study should help students to correct their pronunciation, be consistent with
their accent, and acquire a new pronunciation with fewer traces of their native language.
Although our standpoint here is primarily phonetic, British and American English have
also been studied from a social and historical standpoint ,
 We chose the IPA symbols because they are a standard in sound description and ensure accuracy. If the reader is not familiar with the IPA symbols and their meaning,
Returning to the main differences between British English and American English, they
can be summarized as follows.
1. The presence of rhotic accent.
2. Differences in vowel pronunciation. The most relevant ones are change of diphthong
[@U], change of [6], change of [æ], and change of [ju:].
3. Differences in consonant pronunciation. This mainly involves the different pronunciations
of letter t.
4. Change of stress. This comprises the change of stress in French loanwords, and certain
suffixes such as -ate and -atory.
5. Differences in articulation. American English has a clear tendency to pronounce unstressed
syllables where British English does not show such a disposition.

HARD SKILLS & SOFT SKILLS-an introduction

HARD SKILLS & SOFT SKILLS-an introduction

In today’s competitive environment in order to become successful
a student needs to learn a right balance of two set of skills. These
two skills are – Hard skills and Soft skills.

Hard Skills: 

"Hard" skills are also called Technical skills .These skills help us to perform well in the job. Schools do a good job of teaching, reading, writing subjects like science, math and other

"hard" skills.
In the world of work, “hard skills” are that basic technical or
administrative procedures which are prerequisite to perform a job. We can learn these from books or from hands-on experience.For example hard skill for a teacher is comprehensive
knowledge of his/her subject. These skills are typically easy to observe, quantify and
measure. They are also easy to learn, because most of the time the skill sets are brand new
to the learner and no unlearning is involved.

Soft Skills:

Soft skills are also called People Skills. These are desirable qualities for certain forms of
employment that do not depend on acquired knowledge, rather they include common
sense, the ability to deal with people, and a positive flexible attitude .
According to Wikipedia “Soft skills refer to the cluster of personality traits, social graces, and
facility with language, personal habits, friendliness, and optimism that mark people to varying degrees. Soft skills complement hard skills, which are the technical requirements of a j ob.”
Soft skills differ from context to context and vary from individual to individual perception. Also the problem with soft skills is that there is a basic assumption that they are inborn skills. But a closer examination of these skills would suggest otherwise. While some individuals exhibit these skills naturally, some learn these skills on their own through experience but for a majority of individuals these can also be acquired and nurtured over time. That's why it's so important to focus as much on soft skills training and development as you do on traditional hard skills. Soft skills help you to gain an edge in your personal life, social life as well as in your job. Many researches have proved that individuals with good soft skills are preferred more for a job than the one who lacks in soft skills.

WRITING AN ABSTRACT

WRITING AN ABSTRACT

Abstracts need to be written for theses, dissertations, research and conference papers. They are written after the original manuscript was composed and should be brief, one paragraph (150-200 words), single-spaced, using size 12 Times New Roman font. An abstract should include a valid thesis, followed by clear argumentation, and be based on primary and secondary materials. It should be self-contained, so that the proposed topic can be understood independently from the project.
for instance;
Title: Erich Fromm revisited: The tension between religious humanism and religious pathology
[Purpose of the work]
With the increasing association between religion and violence, this paper reexamines the works of social psychologist Eric Fromm: his theory of the psychology of religion, the tension between a productive, humanistic and healthy orientation and a destructive and pathological orientation.
[Methods used]
The research approach adopted includes summarizing and assessing Fromm's view within the context of advances in research on 1) authoritarianism, 2) neuroscience, 3) cognitive theory, and 4) other theories of religious violence. Second, this paper underscores the strengths and weaknesses of Fromm's view. It identifies those aspects of his theory supported by recent research and those parts that require revision.
[Results and conclusions that can be drawn]

Useful phrases
The focus of this research is in the area of ...
This paper will look at...
Such a study is important in order to…
The research approach adopted in this dissertation includes...
The findings from this research provide evidence that ...
The main conclusions drawn from this study are ...
This dissertation recommends that ...
Underline the purpose, method and results.
The Stereotype Threat Theory
The stereotype threat theory (Steele 1992, 1997) examines the under performance of women in mathematical domains and minorities in academic domains and attempts to explain these trends as being due to situational anxiety. Research indicates that the performance differential between genders and ethnicities can be best understood in terms of stereotype threat activation rather than biological determinants. The anxiety a stereotyped individual feels when confronted with an academic task is compounded by a societal expectation of failure. However, not much research currently exists on the mediating effects of personal belief in the stereotype. The goal of this study was to examine whether anxiety was correlated with a stronger belief in the stereotype among college-aged participants. Individuals from stigmatized groups were taken into consideration. They demonstrated a significantly greater likelihood to experience higher anxiety levels if they believed the negative stereotype and that higher anxiety level correlated with lower test scores. These results provide general support for Steele‟s stereotype threat hypothesis.

Communicating across cultures

Communicating across cultures

Nowadays, there are more people who speak English as a second or third language than there are native speakers of
English. In business, English is being used as the main medium of communication across many cultures. However,
knowing the English language doesn’t necessarily mean that people will be able to communicate effectively.As well as
looking at language improvement, Power Speaking discusses what you need to consider when you are communicating across cultures.
Think about a film you have seen recently.This needs to be a film from a different country. How did the people in the film greet each other? How did they talk to each other? Can you see any differences between the way they behaved with each other and the ways people in your country behave in the same situation?
When you are meeting with people from different countries, it’s very important to be aware that communication might not go smoothly just because you both speak English.This is because lots of our communication is non-verbal – this means we communicate a lot through gestures, and facial expressions – and a lot of it depends on a shared cultural understanding. One example is when you shake hands. In the UK, it is quite complicated: depending on your generation, you may or may not automatically shake hands with someone you meet at work.The rules for this are generally
unspoken but understood – and if you come from a different culture, they may be impossible to understand.There are other things too. Eye contact is a key one. In some cultures, you are expected to make eye contact with the people you are talking to, in others it can be seen as offensive.That’s why knowing something about different cultures, and being open minded about the differences between cultures is so important. It’s not just language that makes us effective communicators.

Tips for communicating effectively across cultures

1. If you are working with colleagues from different cultures, try to find out something about those cultures. Being informed about different cultures can help you to identify where misunderstandings have occurred.
2. Be observant. If you are watching foreign films or TV programmes, watch how people communicate with each other. Can you identify any differences from the ways people communicate in your country?
3. Be open-minded. Problems can arise when people don’t respond or act in the way we expect them to, but this might be a result of cross-cultural interference.Try to be aware of those differences, and help others to be aware too.
4. Choose your language carefully.Try to avoid very informal or slang expressions, or too many idioms. Using simple, clear language will help you convey your message clearly.
5. Share information about your own culture with visitors from other countries. It is often small things which can be confusing: for example, in your country, do you take your shoes off before you enter the house? Try to be aware of the little things which make your culture special.

negotiation

negotiation

When we hear the word ‘negotiation’ we often think of politicians or high-powered business people trying to work
out the details of treaties or important business deals. However, the ability to negotiate – in other words, to find a
solution which is acceptable to both sides in a discussion or an argument – is important in all areas of life.
1. Listen carefully to what is being said then repeat it in your own words.This shows that you are listening and gives
you the chance to take control of the conversation.
2. Be careful not to become angry if the person who is speaking to you becomes annoyed. Buy time by saying that
you need to find out what you can do to help and you will phone back immediately. If you are in the same room
as the person, ask to take a short break to allow things to calm down.
3. Think carefully about what you can compromise on. Don’t offer to do things which you cannot do, but identify
where you can make small changes which will make the other person happier.
4.Tell the person what you can do. If you can only make small compromises, start by saying ‘Unfortunately, we can’t give
you everything you have asked for, but we can…’.This lets them focus on the positive things which you are offering.
5. Don’t be tempted to give in to impossible demands. Be very clear and calm when telling people that you cannot
do what they ask, and explain why this isn’t possible. It is important to help the other person to understand your point of view.

Sentence Rhythm

Sentence Rhythm

 Sentence rhythm refers to the phonological structure of the language. English is a rhythmic language. Rhythm refers to the timing pattern. There are two factors that influence the rhythm of English: sentence stress and connected speech. Maintaining a rhythm in a speech makes the speech sound natural and fluent.
Sentences contain both content and function words. The rhythm produced by the stressed and unstressed words in a sentence is a major characteristic of spoken English. Using only the strong forms (i.e. stressing all the words) in sentences may make a speech sound dull and artificial. The listener also may not understand the intended emphasis or meaning in the speech. Speed is another important factor for fluency in English. When we speak, we do not speak words in isolations but group them and speak without any pauses between them. Unstressed words always sound different when used in a sentence as against when used in isolation. The most common feature of connected speech is the weak forms of function words such as of, have, was, to, has, etc., and contractions such as can’t, haven’t, shouldn’t, won’t, didn’t, they’ve, etc. However, we ignore other features, namely elision (losing sounds as in the word listen), linking (adding or joining sounds between words as in ‘far away’), and assimilation (changing sounds when two words are combined s in ‘good girl’), that help preserve rhythm in our utterances. In addition to these features, there is schwa--- the most common vowel sound spoken in unstressed words in English. Stressed and Unstressed syllables are helpful in creating characteristics rhythm in a sentence. Unstressed syllables are clouded together and pronounced rapidly whereas stressed syllables are pronounced more clearly. Thus, accented/stressed syllables with no stressed syllables in between them are prolonged. The speed of delivery, therefore, depends on the number of unstressed syllables between the two stressed ones.

PERSONAL ESSAY

PERSONAL ESSAY

When applying for jobs, internships and graduate programs, you are often required to present the following documents:
a) application form
b) CV (resume)
c) official university transcript
d) letters of recommendation
e) a personal essay (500-1,000 words)
The personal essay is a personal statement (also known as a “statement of purpose” or a “letter of intent”). It should describe your goals, experiences and qualifications, highlighting your strengths. The personal essay differs from an application letter as it is not addressed to a specific person and does not conclude with a request for an interview. Unlike an application letter, it does not refer to your CV but stands on its own as a declaration. As this document is an important first introduction to a potential employer or program director, it requires considerable care and planning. Some important points:

Answer the question

If a specific question is being asked, read it very carefully and make sure your answer focuses on it. If you are asked to explain why you have chosen this particular course or internship, do not spend too much time listing your qualifications but concentrate on your motives for applying.

Use the personal pronoun “I”

This document is a personal statement and so using “I” is recommended. Be careful, however, to get the right balance of personal and academic characteristics.

Make your essay distinctive

You may want to make your essay memorable in some way. For example, you might like to include an anecdote that illustrates an important moment in your life: the inspiring influence of a family member or teacher, or a personal experience that influenced your decision to pursue a particular career or field of study.

Keep it short

Most personal essays are limited to about 500 words or one A4 page, so make sure you do not duplicate information that is included elsewhere in your application. Structure the essay carefully and focus on one idea in each paragraph.

Revise the final draft

Make sure you leave enough time for a careful revision of this document, which may be vital to get an interview or a place on a program. When writing it, always use a spell-check and a grammar-check, if possible, and re-read it carefully yourself.

Structuring the essay

Memorable opening, gain reader‟s attention, 

“The knowledge of the world is only to be acquired in the world, and not in a closet”. 

Say, “Yes!” to subtitles to improve fluency

Say, “Yes!” to subtitles to improve fluency

Television services offer subtitle options as well as programming in various languages. Watching programs in English and referring to subtitles in your first language to maintain the show’s context or clarify a new word can improve your listening skills and show you how English speakers use gestures to construct meaning.
Watching a program in your native language and then watching it in English will also promote greater fluency. Since you will already have knowledge about the subject, you can compare the different ways speakers of English and speakers of your first language present the same content. Awareness of the differences can reduce the tendency to translate what you hear into your native language to understand. Instead, you will begin thinking in English to understand, and that is a true sign of fluency development.
Whenever you engage in a conversation, watch TV, participate in class, or attend a meeting at work, you are listening. But are you also understanding? In order to make sense of the spoken word, you must develop strong listening skills, and this takes practice and patience.When you first heard English, it probably sounded like a long strand of sounds with some pauses and pitch changes. Learning to recognize the different sounds of the language will help you identify syllables, words, and sentences, and finally general content and ideas.

Style: formal v. informal

Style: formal v. informal

It is important to distinguish between an informal and formal style when writing , for example.
Formal written texts feature:
- more complex sentences:
William Shakespeare was born on 26 April, 1564. William Shakespeare was an English poet. Shakespeare was a playwright.
→ Born on 26 April, 1564, William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright.
- more frequent use of the passive:
I think this is correct. → It is thought to be correct.
- an absence of contractions:
I’ve travelled a lot and it’s been exciting. → I have travelled a lot and it has been exciting.
- variation in the syntax, such as in the position of prepositions with relative pronouns:
Who are you speaking to? → To whom are you speaking?
- reported questions:
What is the time? → He asked me what the time was.
- emphatic forms:
These jobs not only gave me valuable experience, but they also helped me fund my travelling.→
Not only did these jobs give me valuable experience, but they also helped me fund my travelling.
Paul wrote the thesis. → It was Paul who wrote the thesis.
I was surprised by the result. → What surprised me was the result.
- formal negation:
I don’t know anybody. → I know nobody.
There weren’t many students in the class. → There were few students in the class.