rgmttc essentials of language and communicationrgmttc.bsnl.co.in/uom/uom1_vetted.pdf · given the...

RGMTTC

Essentials of Language and Communication UOM-S001 for the Students of University of Madras

BHARAT SANCHAR NIGAM LIMITED (A Government of India Enterprise)

RAJIV GANDHI MEMORIAL TELECOM TRAINING CENTRE (ISO 9001:2008 Certified)

MEENAMBAKKAM, CHENNAI - 16

INDEX

Contents Unit I - Recap of language skills...................................................................................................... 3

Unit II - Fluency Building.............................................................................................................. 14

Unit III - Principles of Communication .......................................................................................... 32

Uniy IV - Types of communication................................................................................................ 44

Unit V - LSRW in communication ................................................................................................. 56

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RGM TTC,BSNL Essentials of Language and Communication / 63

Unit I - Recap of language skills

Introduction

In today‘s world of cut throat competition everywhere everybody wants to have the

cutting edge over others. Every institution wants to make its products useful to

the society. Thousands of graduates are churned out every year by so many

colleges around. Yet when it comes to landing a career, not all are picked by

recruiters. The recruiters pick, say, a hundred from one thousand. Given the

talents, skills and attainments are of the same level what makes them select

these few disregarding the rest. What sets these hundred apart in a crowd of

thousand! The reason is not far to seek. These hundred are able to communicate

to the recruiters that they have in them what the recruiters expect. The others

also possess the same skills but they were not able to communicate. We are

living in an age where the vital lifeline to success is undoubtedly

communication.

Once an Englishman travelling in Australia met with a road accident (not

fatal!) and got admitted to a nearby hospital as in patient. The day passed on and

the evening duty nurse turned up for duty. When she came by the bed of this

man she looked up the case history sheet and asked him,

―Have you come here to die?‖

This man promptly replied ―I came here not to die!‖

She continued ―But it is clearly written here that you came here to die only!”

The man jumped out of his bed and ran away!

What went wrong in this conversation! The nurse, of course, did not mean

any harm. Only thing is she pronounced today as to die.

Communication is effective when the listener understands what the

speaker means to say and not what he says. This compels us to know the

essentials of communication and since mostly language is the medium of

communication it is worthwhile to study the inputs that go into the making of a

language. This takes us to the grammar of the language. Grammar is the set of

rules devised by language experts by closely observing the way the language is

used by people in so many different situations.

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CAUTION:

Given the limitations of human observation and the vast sea of situations

in which language is used, no rule of grammar can be either definitive or

exhaustive! Grammar just outlines the way language is used. By studying

grammar one can understand the nuances of the usage of language. Language

cannot be mastered by studying grammar. Language is the spring board that

leads you to the pool. It is up to you to dive and swim. For safe diving the

grammar will guide you if you use it properly. Grammar is the recipe for making

cake. And the real cake is the language.

When we learn a language, there are four skills that we need for complete

communication. When we learn our native language, we usually learn to listen

first, then to speak, then to read, and finally to write. These are called the four

"language skills". Language is primarily speech. The written language is the result

of human attempt to represent speech graphically. There are really two main

functions of language - listening and speaking. Reading and writing are modified

activities of listening and speaking (think!).When we speak, what the listener

hears is a continuous string of words and pauses. The listener reconstructs the

message conveyed by the speaker by decoding these words (and sometimes

pauses too!).The entire range of words used by a person is called one‘s

vocabulary.

1.1 Vocabulary

Vocabulary may be defined as "all the words known and used by a

particular person". Vocabulary is a set of words. Word is the smallest element of

language that may be uttered in isolation with meaning. A word may be either

simple (root alone e.g. book) or compound (consisting of root and affix e.g. book-

ing or two roots combined (e.g.tele-phone). Words can be broadly classified into

nouns, pronouns, adjectives, verbs, adverbs, prepositions, conjunctions and

interjections.

1. Noun –concrete or abstract entity

Concrete – person (learner, teacher, examiner etc.), place (school, office, Chennai

etc.) or thing (book, modem, laptop etc.)

Abstract – idea (happiness, greatness, capitalism etc.) or quality (honesty,

bravery, treachery etc.)

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2. Pronoun – substitute for a noun (this, that, those etc.)

3. Adjective – qualifier of a noun (beautiful, great, strong etc.)

4. Verb – action (write, listen, see etc.) occurrence (sleep, slip, wake, etc.) or state

of being (is, was, be etc.)

5. Adverb – qualifier of a verb (He ran fast.) adjective (He did the job excellently

well.) or other adverb (He ran too fast.)

6. Preposition – establisher of relation (up, above, below etc.)

7. Conjunction – syntactic connector (and, or, but etc.)

8. Interjection – emotional greeting (ah! oh! Wow! etc. )

Words can be put together to build larger elements of language, such as

phrases (the most powerful), clauses (used by mankind), and sentences (Words are

the most powerful drug used by mankind).

Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind.

- Rudyard Kipling

1.2 Phrase

A phrase is a group of words acting as a single part of speech and not

containing both a subject and a verb. Words combine to make phrases, and

phrases are one of the basic patterns out of which we build sentences. A phrase

is a group of words which acts as a single unit in meaning and in grammar, and

is not built round a verb.

e.g One great use of words is to hide our thoughts.

Phrases can have many different functions in a sentence. They are used as

subjects , objects, complements, modifiers, or adverbials.

Better than a thousand hollow words, is one word that brings peace.(subject)

Words can sometimes, in moments of grace, attain the quality of

deeds.(object)

We are masters of the unsaid words, but slaves of those we let slip out.

(complement)

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The right word may be effective, but no word was ever as effective as a rightly

timed pause.(modifier)

The best way to preserve the flavor and texture of fresh vegetables is to cook

them as quickly as possible.(adverb)

Phrases are called noun phrases, adjectival phrases, adverbial phrases or

prepositional phrases (at lunch time) according to the function they perform in a

sentence.

Noun phrases

A noun phrase does the work of a noun in a sentence

It can be:

the subject: The red balloon soared upwards.

the object: I read that book about dinosaurs

the complement: She wants to be a doctor.

possessive my best friend‘s father

the object of a preposition looked over the fence

. Most sentences contain several noun phrases, which often determine the overall

length and complexity of the whole sentence. This is why it‘s important to be able

to focus attention on the noun phrases in a text, in order to discuss their

structures and how they are used.

Adjectival and adverbial phrases

Adjectival phrases have an adjective as their head.

o e.g. good at ..., very tall

Adverbial phrases have an adverb as their head.

o e.g. very quickly

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Adjectival phrases

Adjectival phrases either

expand noun phrases or

complete the verb (act as the complement)

For example:

They are really

enthusiastic.

The adjective enthusiastic is modified by the adverb

really to form the adjectival phrase. It is the

complement of the verb are.

They are keen on

football.

The adjective keen combines with the prepositional

phrase, on football. The head of the phrase is keen,

and the phrase describes the keen-ness, so it‘s an

adjectival phrase.

the unusually tall boy The adjective tall is modified by the adverb unusually

to form the adjectival phrase. It expands the noun

phrase the boy.

Adverbial phrases

Like single adverbs, they modify verbs, adjectives or adverbs. For example:

He opened it extremely

easily. extremely easily modifies opened

I'll do it quite soon. quite soon modifies do

I ran so fast. so fast modifies ran

He was quite unexpectedly

kind.

quite

unexpectedly modifies kind

He came very surprisingly

quickly. very surprisingly modifies quickly

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Prepositional phrases

Prepositional phrases have a preposition as their head:

at lunchtime

behind the fridge

for an interview

from eating too much

in the drawer

1.3 Clause

A CLAUSE is a string of words that contains a subject and a verb. It is the

smallest grammatical unit that can express a complete proposition (group of

words that consists of a subject and a predicate). Every sentence contains at least

one clause.

e.g All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.

Clauses can be classified into independent and dependent clauses. An

independent clause can stand alone as a sentence, beginning with a capital letter

and ending with terminal punctuation such as a period. A dependent clause

cannot stand alone as a sentence; instead it must be attached to an independent

clause.

Independent Clause

A simple sentence is a clause that can stand alone --- an INDEPENDENT

CLAUSE.

e.g All is well.

Some sentences contain two or more independent clauses.

e.g All is well that ends well.

More examples.

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"When liberty is taken away by force, it can be restored by force. When it is

relinquished voluntarily by default, it can never be recovered."

(Dorothy Thompson)

"The average man does not want to be free. He simply wants to be safe.

(H.L. Mencken)

When people talk, listen completely. Most people never listen.

(Ernest Hemingway)

"I was born when you kissed me. I died when you left me. I lived a few weeks

while you loved me."

(Humphrey Bogart in the movie In a Lonely Place)

"Advertising is the rattling of a stick inside a swill bucket."

(George Orwell)

"Age is strictly a case of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter.

(Jack Benny)

"Her hat is a creation that will never go out of style; it will just look ridiculous

year after year."

(Fred Allen)

"Comedy has to be based on truth. You take the truth and you put a little

curlicue at the end. (Sid Caesar)

"If opportunity doesn't knock, build a door."

(Milton Berle)

"What's another word for 'thesaurus'?"

(Steven Wright)

"You have a responsibility to the public discourse, and you fail miserably."

(Jon Stewart to Tucker Carlson on CNN's Crossfire, Oct. 2004)

"A schedule defends from chaos and whim." (Annie Dillard) Also Known As: main clause

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1 DEPENDENT CLAUSE

A group of words that has both a subject and a verb but (unlike an independent clause)

cannot stand alone as a sentence. Also known as a subordinate clause.

Dependent clauses include adverb clauses, adjective clauses, and noun clauses.

"A dependent clause (also called a subordinate clause) is a clause that cannot

stand alone, because something about it implies that there is more to come. On

its own, a dependent clause is left hanging, its meaning incomplete. It must be

combined with an independent clause in order to form a complete sentence

"One type of dependent clause is essentially an independent clause with a

subordinating word tacked on. Specifically, it opens with a conjunction that

indicates a dependent relationship with information elsewhere in the sentence."

A DEPENDENT CLAUSE functions not as a sentence but as a part of speech (a

noun or an adjective or an adverb). Therefore, it cannot stand alone as a

sentence. It is attached to some part of an INDEPENDENT clause. Dependent

clauses can be classified into adverb clauses, adjective clauses and noun

clauses.

e.g When I came out of the dog-show I walked into a crowd of street

dogs.(adverb clause)

Although the world is full of suffering, it is full also of the overcoming of it."

(Helen Keller, "Optimism: An Essay," 1903)

Adjective Clauses give information about nouns (people, things, places, etc.).

They appear after the noun they describe. Adjective Clauses are also called

RELATIVE CLAUSES

e.g A politician’s words reveal less about what he thinks about his

subject than what he thinks about his audience.(adjective clause)

NOUN CLAUSES act as simple nouns and identify persons, places, things, etc.

e.g The Tajmahal which is in Agra was built by Shah Jahan.

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More examples

"We learn what we have said from those who listen to our speaking."

(Kenneth Patchen)

"I still need the camera because it is the only reason anyone is talking to

me."

(Annie Leibovitz)

"It doesn't matter who my father was; it matters who I remember he was."

(Anne Sexton)

"When I was young, I used to admire intelligent people; as I grow older, I

admire kind people."

(Abraham Joshua Heschel)

Also Known As: subordinate clause

1.4 Sentence

A sentence, also called an independent clause, contains a subject and a

verb, and it expresses a complete thought.

A simple sentence, also called an independent clause, contains a subject and

a verb, and it expresses a complete thought.

A vocabulary of truth and simplicity will be of service throughout your

life.(Simple)

A compound sentence contains two independent clauses joined by a

coordinator. The coordinators are as follows: for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so.

We are masters of the unsaid words, but slaves of those we let slip out.

(Compound)

A complex sentence has an independent clause joined by one or more

dependent clauses. A complex sentence always has a subordinator such as

because, since, after, although, or when or a relative pronoun such as that, who,

or which.

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A synonym is a word you use when you can’t spell the other one.

(Complex)

Conclusion:

If one‘s language is likened to a building then words can be compared to

bricks; phrases and clauses can be compared to the walls; sentences can be

compared to different rooms. In speech sentences are separated by long pauses

and clauses and phrases by short pauses. In writing sentences are separated by

full stops. Phrases and clauses are sometimes separated by commas, semicolons

etc.

----------------------x-----------------------------

Exercise 1

Read the following passage:

On the seventh or eighth day after my arrival, I left Durban. A first

class seat was booked for me. It was usual there to pay five shillings extra, if one

needed a bedding. Abdulla Sheth insisted that I should book one bedding but, out

of obstinacy and pride and with a view to saving five shillings, I declined. Abdulla

Sheth warned me. 'Look, now,' said he, 'this is a different country from India.

Thank God, we have enough and to spare. Please do not stint yourself in anything

that you may need.' I thanked him and asked him not to be anxious. The train

reached Maritzburg, the capital of Natal, at about 9 p.m. Beddings used to be

provided at this station. A railway servant came and asked me if I wanted one. 'No,'

said I, 'I have one with me.' He went away. But a passenger came next, and looked

me up and down. He saw that I was a 'coloured' man. This disturbed him. Out he

went and came in again with one or two officials. They all kept quiet, when another

official came to me and said, 'Come along, you must go to the van compartment.'

'But I have a first class ticket,' said I. 'That doesn't matter,' rejoined the other. 'I tell

you, you must go to the van compartment.' 'I tell you, I was permitted to travel in

this compartment at Durban, and I insist on going on in it.' 'No, you won't,' said the

official. 'You must leave this compartment, or else I shall have to call a police

constable to push you out.' 'Yes, you may. I refuse to get out voluntarily.' The

constable came. He took me by the hand and pushed me out. My luggage was also

taken out. I refused to go to the other compartment and the train steamed away. I

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went and sat in the waiting room, keeping my hand-bag with me, and leaving the

other luggage where it was. The railway authorities had taken charge of it. It was

winter, and winter in the higher regions of South Africa is severely cold. Maritzburg

being at a high altitude, the cold was extremely bitter. My over-coat was in my

luggage, but I did not dare to ask for it lest I should be insulted again, so I sat and

shivered. There was no light in the room. A passenger came in at about midnight

and possibly wanted to talk to me. But I was in no mood to talk.

1. Pick out at least 5 nouns.

2. Pick out at least 5 pronouns.

3. Pick out at least 5 adjectives.

4. Pick out at least 5 verbs.

5. Pick out at least 5 adverbs.

6. Pick out at least 5 prepositions.

7. Pick out at least 5 conjuctions.

8. Pick out at least 5 phrases

9. Pick out at least 5 clauses.

10. Pick out 5 simple sentences.

11. Pick out 5 compound sentences.

12. Pick out 5 complex sentences

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Unit II - Fluency Building Introduction

A person‘s potential is judged by others by his behavior in a given

situation. Behaviour is manifest in so many different aspects like the way

one greets others, sits, stands etc. In short one is judged by the way he

expresses himself. One‘s language forms major part of one‘s expression. It is

nice to be silent and observing always but when one has to speak the

language should bring oneself out in the open.

We need a vocabulary to express ourselves. We have to gather words

that enrich our repertoire. Words can not be gathered from dictionaries. You

must always get a new word along with its meaning. To do this you must

encounter new words in contexts. The only way to do this is to listen to

people who speak reasonably good language. Alternately one can read good

books to build up one‘s vocabulary. Never look up for the meaning of a new

word when you read a book. Always try to guess the meaning from the

context. Even if you don‘t get it continue reading. The subsequent contexts

may sometimes make the meaning clear. If the meaning is still not clear look

up for the meaning in a dictionary when you have finished reading.

More than the meaning of a word what matters most is the use of it in

actual situations. This one can know only by examples. Listen to great

speakers or read great books if you want to build a really worthwhile

vocabulary of your own. There is no substitute for hard work.

Word match

Words often confused

Say Or Tell?

Do Or Make?

See, Look Or Watch?

Hear Or Listen? |

Unlike Or Dislike? |

Lie Or Lay? |

Raise Or Rise? |

http://www.englishclub.com/vocabulary/cw-lie-lay.htm

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Say or Tell?

Say and tell have similar meanings. They both mean to communicate

verbally with someone. But we often use them differently.

The simple way to think of say and tell is:

You say something

You tell someone something

You say something You tell someone something

Ram said that he was tired. Ram told Jane that he was tired.

Anthony says you have a new job.

Anthony tells me you have a new job.

Tara said: "I love you." Tara told John that she loved him.

But, of course, it is not always so easy. Here are a few rules to help you.

Personal object

We usually follow tell with a personal object (the person that we are speaking

to). We usually use say without a personal object:

She told me that she loved John.

She said that she loved John.

He told everybody that he had to leave.

He said that he had to leave.

Do or Make?

It is not always easy to choose between "do" and "make".

Do can be an auxiliary verb (Do you like coffee?) or a main verb (I did my

homework yesterday.). As an auxiliary verb, it has no meaning. It is necessary

only for the grammatical structure. As a main verb it has a meaning, but the

meaning is rather general. It often expresses a general activity.

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Make is not an auxiliary verb. It is always a main verb (I made a cake

yesterday.). Its meaning is also rather general, but it often expresses the idea of

construction or creation.

In this lesson we look at some guidelines that may help you, followed by a quiz

to check your understanding:

Do

Do for general activity

When we talk about a general activity but do not say what it is, we can use do:

I want to do something.

What are you doing this evening?

What can we do?

Do it now!

Do for work

We usually use do to talk about work:

What do you do? (= What is your job?)

Who does your shopping?

I don't want to do any work today.

I hate doing the washing up.

Have you done your homework?

Note that we sometimes use do to replace another more exact verb (but only

when the meaning is clear from the situation). This is very informal.

do the lawn (cut/mow? sow? the lawn)

do my room (tidy? paint? my room)

do the car (wash? paint? repair? the car)

Make

Make for construction

Make often expresses the idea of construction or creation:

I'll make a cake for Anthony's birthday.

This car was made in France.

Did you make this table yourself?

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Remember that we usually use make for products or goods that are manufactured.

That's why you see labels like "Made in Hong Kong" or "Made in the USA" on

products that you buy.

Now compare:

Do the shopping. (We don't really create anything. We just "do" an activity.)

Make a cake. (We really create something.)

In the next example, notice how we use make for creation (the cake) and then use

do (for the general activity) even though we're really talking about the same thing:

I must make Anthony's cake. I'll do it now.

See, Look Or Watch?

See, look and watch are verbs that we use to talk about our sense of sight - using

our eyes. But they have important differences in meaning.

See

We use see to mean simply that an image comes into our eyes. It may not be

deliberate. As soon as we open our eyes, we see things.

I can see a cloud in the sky.

I suddenly saw a bird fly in front of me.

Didn't you see Ram? He was waving at you.

Look (at)

When we look, we try to see. We make a special effort. We concentrate our eyes on

something.

Look! It's snowing!

Look at this photo! Isn't it beautiful?

I'm looking but I don't see it.

When we use look with an object, we say look + at + object, for example:

John looked at Mary.

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Watch

With the verb watch, we are much more active. Watch is like look, but requires

more effort from us. We watch things that are going to move, or change in some

way. And we watch the movements and changes.

The police decided to watch the suspected murderer rather than arrest him

immediately. They hoped he would lead them to the body.

I like watching motor racing on TV.

If you watch that egg for long enough you'll see it hatch.

Watch or See for movies, concerts, TV etc?

In general, we use see for public performances and watch for television at home.

We're going to see George Clooney's latest movie at the cinema tonight.

We saw the All Blacks beat Wales in Cardiff last year.

Did you ever see Michael Jackson live on stage?

Have you seen that Gaddafi video on YouTube?

Last night we stayed home and watched some films on TV.

When I'm bored I play a few DVDs and watch them on my computer.

Synonyms

Synonyms are words with identical or similar meanings. Words that are synonyms

are said to be synonymous.verb

o "buy" and "purchase"

adjective

o "sick" and "ill"

adverb

o "quickly" and "speedily"

preposition

o "on" and "upon"

o taxi, cab

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Reading aloud

Anyone who‘s ever read a story aloud appreciates the joy in a child‘s face as

the plot and characters come to life. Admit it, grown-ups—even we love to be read

to; that‘s why audio books are so popular. Fact is, everyone, especially children,

can feel the excitement of the story as it is narrated by their parents and teachers.

You know why? Because reading aloud is an expression of love, an act of giving

that means you care enough to share your time.

Whether in English, Spanish, or any other language, reading aloud to

children provides them with life-changing benefits.

Then and Now

Before television came into the home, children grew up listening to rhymes,

poems, songs, and stories. They were very fortunate to receive such a rich heritage

through oral storytelling. Today's world has changed greatly. Young couples often

set up their households far from family and friends. Starting their family so far

from their extended families, parents lose access to a wonderful treasure: the

stories and values their family members could teach their children. The children

lose the pleasure of listening to the interesting stories from the repertoire of their

grandma.

Reading aloud to children is vital because it helps them acquire the

information and skills they need in life:

Knowledge of printed letters and words, and the relationship between sound

and print.

The meaning of words.

How books work and a variety of writing styles.

The world in which they live.

The difference between written language and everyday conversation.

The pleasure of reading.

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Exercise

Read the following passage aloud:

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this

continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the

proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation,

or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met

on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that

field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that

nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate -- we can not consecrate --

we can not hallow -- this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who

struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or

detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but

it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be

dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus

far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great

task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased

devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -

- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain --

that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that

government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from

the earth.

More for practice:

1) Sisters and Brothers of America

It fills my heart with joy unspeakable to rise in response to the warm

and cordial welcome which you have given us. l thank you in the name of

the most ancient order of monks in the world; I thank you in the name of the

mother of religions; and I thank you in the name of the millions and millions

of Hindu people of all classes and sects. My thanks, also, to some of the

speakers on this platform who, referring to the delegates from the Orient,

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have told you that these men from far-off nations may well claim the honor

of bearing to different lands the idea of toleration. I am proud to belong to a

religion which has taught the world both tolerance and universal

acceptance. We believe not only in universal toleration, but we accept all

religions as true. I am proud to belong to a nation which has sheltered the

persecuted and the refugees of all religions and all nations of the earth. I am

proud to tell you that we have gathered in our bosom the purest remnant of

the Israelites, who came to the southern India and took refuge with us in the

very year in which their holy temple was shattered to pieces by Roman

tyranny. I am proud to belong to the religion which has sheltered and is still

fostering the remnant of the grand Zoroastrian nation. I will quote to you,

brethren, a few lines from a hymn which I remember to have repeated from

my earliest boyhood, which is every day repeated by millions of human

beings:

As the different streams having their sources in different places all mingle

their water in the sea, so, O Lord, the different paths which men take through

different tendencies, various though they appear, crooked or straight, all lead

to thee.

2) Long years ago we made a tryst with destiny, and now the time

comes when we shall redeem our pledge, not wholly or in full measure, but

very substantially. At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world

sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom. A moment comes, which comes

but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new, when an age

ends, and when the soul of a nation, long suppressed, finds utterance.

It is fitting that at this solemn moment we take the pledge of dedication to

the service of India and her people and to the still larger cause of humanity.

At the dawn of history India started on her unending quest, and trackless

centuries are filled with her striving and the grandeur of her success and her

failures. Through good and ill fortune alike she has never lost sight of that

quest or forgotten the ideals which gave her strength. We end today a period

of ill fortune and India discovers herself again.

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he achievement we celebrate today is but a step, an opening of opportunity,

to the greater triumphs and achievements that await us. Are we brave

enough and wise enough to grasp this opportunity and accept the challenge

of the future?

Freedom and power bring responsibility. The responsibility rests upon this

assembly, a sovereign body representing the sovereign people of India.

Before the birth of freedom we have endured all the pains of labour and our

hearts are heavy with the memory of this sorrow. Some of those pains

continue even now. Nevertheless, the past is over and it is the future that

beckons to us now.

Recognition of attributes

Language is a highly complex cognitive activity. The language we

encounter in day to day life is manifest in two different forms namely speech

and writing. If we want to refine our own speech and writing it is worthwhile

to observe the attribute s of good speech and writing. When we speak the

listener should clearly hear the word we utter. For example fourteen should

be heard and understood as 14 and not as 40. To achieve this end the word

should be pronounced with clarity. Similarly in writing each word should be

separated by space, each unit of thought separated by comma and complete

capsules of thought by full stops.

All the sounds we make when we speak are the result of muscles

contracting. The muscles in the chest that we use for breathing produce the

flow of air that is needed for almost all speech sounds; muscles in the larynx

produce many different modifications in the flow of air from the chest to the

mouth. After passing through the larynx, the air goes through what we call

the vocal tract, which ends at the mouth and nostrils. Here the air from the

lungs escapes into the atmosphere. We have a large and complex set of

muscles that can produce changes in the shape of the vocal tract, and in

order to learn how the sounds of speech are produced it is necessary to

become familiar with the different parts of the vocal tract. These different

parts are called articulators, and the study of them is called articulatory

phonetics.

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When we make speech sounds, one thing that is happening is that we are

varying the shape of the vocal tract, making the sound different. For example, say

the sound [t]. To make this sound, you are raising the tip of your tongue behind

your teeth and then lowering your tongue. When you do this, the air builds up

behind the closure made by your tongue and teeth and is then released. When the

air is released by the tongue, the air travels outward through a small area, just

from the teeth to outside the mouth.

Depending on the place and manner of articulation sounds in English are

classified into vowels and consonants. The letters of the alphabet are close

approximation to these sounds. While pronouncing a new word if we go by the

letters of the alphabet we can not always be right. Standard dictionaries like the

Advanced Learners Dictionary use a different set of notations to have a closer

approximation of the word to speech. This set of notations is referred to as the

IPA.(International Phonetic Alphabet). Representing the word by this notation is

called phonetic transcription os the word. When want to be accurate about the

pronunciation of a word we must refer to the transcription of the word given in

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brackets alongside the word. It is very easy to learn and use the IPA. All standard

dictionaries contain a write up on this in the introductory pages.

The best way to refine our pronunciation is to listen to people who use the

language naturally. Tune in to news broadcasts of AIR ,BBC , Voice of America etc.

Practice makes man perfect.

In the corporate set up more often one has to prepare reports and present

them in meetings. To get the good qualities of writing we can refer to good books

and reports nicely prepared imitate them in the first instance and develop our own

style as days pass on.

Exercise : 1. Read the following passage

Sir,

I agree with *2the Honourable Gentleman who spoke last, that *3this

subject is not new in this House. Very disagreeably to this House, very

unfortunately to this Nation, and to the peace and prosperity of this whole

Empire, no topic has been more familiar to us. For nine long years, session after

session, we have been lashed round and round this miserable circle of

*4occasional arguments and temporary expedients. I am sure our heads must

turn, and our stomachs nauseate with them. We have had them in every shape;

we have looked at them in every point of view. Invention is exhausted; reason is

fatigued; experience has given judgement; but obstinacy is not yet conquered.

The Honourable Gentleman has made one endeavour more to diversify the

form of *5this disgusting argument. He has thrown out a speech composed

almost entirely of challenges. Challenges are serious things; and as he is a man of

prudence as well as resolution, I dare say he has very well weighed those

challenges before he delivered them. *6I had long the happiness to sit at the same

side of the House, and to agree with the Honourable Gentleman on all the

American questions. My sentiments, I am sure, are well known to him; and I

thought I had been perfectly acquainted with his. Though I find myself mistaken,

he will still permit me to use the privilege of an old friendship; he will permit me

to apply myself to the House under the sanction of his authority; and, on the

various grounds he has measured out, to submit to you the poor opinions which I

http://www.econlib.org/library/LFBooks/Burke/brkSWv1c2.html#a2





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have formed upon a matter of importance enough to demand the fullest

consideration I could bestow upon it.

He has stated to the House two grounds of deliberation; one narrow and

simple, and merely confined to the question on your paper: the other more large

and more complicated; comprehending the whole series of the Parliamentary

proceedings with regard to America, their causes, and their consequences. With

regard to the latter ground, he states it as useless, and thinks it may be even

dangerous, to enter into so extensive a field of enquiry. Yet, to my surprise, he

had hardly laid down this restrictive proposition, to which his authority would

have given so much weight, when directly, and with the same authority, he

condemns it; and declares it absolutely necessary to enter into *7the most ample

historical detail. His zeal has thrown him a little out of his usual accuracy. In this

perplexity what shall we do, Sir, who are willing to submit to the law he gives us?

He has reprobated in one part of his Speech the rule he had laid down for debate

in the other; and, after narrowing the ground for all those who are to speak after

him, he takes an excursion himself, as unbounded as the subject and the extent

of his great abilities.

Answer the following questions.

1. Which country the subject under discussion pertains to?

2. How many grounds of deliberations have been stated by the member

being referred to here?

3. What is the meaning of the word nauseate as used in this speech?

4. Experince leads to _________________ .

5. What according to the author is difficult to conquer?

Read the following passage

I began to think of my duty. Should I fight for my rights or go back to India,

or should I go on to Pretoria without minding the insults, and return to India after

finishing the case? It would be cowardice to run back to India without fulfilling my

obligation. The hardship to which I was subjected was superficial only a symptom


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of the deep disease of colour prejudice. I should try, if possible, to root out the

disease and suffer hardships in the process. Redress for wrongs I should seek only

to the extent that would be necessary for the removal of the colour prejudice. So I

decided to take the next available train to Pretoria. The following morning I sent a

long telegram to the General manager of the Railway and also informed Abdulla

Sheth, who immediately met the General Manager. The Manager justified the

conduct of the railway authorities, but informed him that he had already instructed

the Station Master to see that I reached my destination safely. Abdulla Sheth wired

to the Indian merchants in Maritzburg and to friends in other places to meet me

and look after me. The merchants came to see me at the station and tried to

comfort me by narrating their own hardships and explaining that what had

happened to me was nothing unusual. They also said that Indians travelling first or

second class had to expect trouble from railway officials and white passengers. The

day was thus spent in listening to these tales of woe. The evening train arrived.

There was a reserved berth for me. I now purchased at Maritzburg the bedding

ticket I had refused to book at Durban. The train took me to Charlestown.

1. What is the prejudice the author is talking about?

2. Where was the author proceeding to?

3. How did the General Manager react to the conduct of the railway

authorities?

4. How did the merchants try to comfort the author?

5. What is the dilemma faced by the author?

Parts of speech in listening and reading

A phoneme is the basic element of a spoken language or dialect, from

which words in that language or dialect are analyzed as being built up. The

phoneme is defined by the International Phonetic Association as "the smallest

segmental unit of sound employed to form meaningful contrasts between

utterances. The letters of the alphabet do not correspond to the phonemes. The

symbols used for particular phonemes are often taken from the International

Phonetic Alphabet (IPA),

A syllable is a unit of organization for a sequence of speech sounds. For

example, the word water is composed of two syllables: wa and ter. A syllable is

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typically made up of a syllable nucleus (most often a vowel) with optional initial

and final margins (typically, consonants).

Syllables are often considered the phonological "building blocks" of words.

They can influence the rhythm of a language.

A word that consists of a single syllable (like English dog) is called a

monosyllable (and is said to be monosyllabic). Similar terms include disyllable

(and disyllabic) for a word of two syllables; trisyllable (and trisyllabic) for a word

of three syllables; and polysyllable (and polysyllabic), which may refer either to a

word of more than three syllables or to any word of more than one syllable.

the, of, and, to, a, in, is (monosyllabic)

tiger, monkey. cupboard, matchstick London (disyllabic)

student, cluster (trisyllabic)

Conventional, trigonometry (polysyllabic)

In writing we recognize commas, semicolons, full stops, arrangement

of paragraphs etc.

Exercise

Read the following passage

If this dignity, which is to stand in the place of just policy and

common sense, had been consulted, there was a time for preserving it, and for

reconciling it with any concession. If in the *51Session of 1768, that Session of

idle terror and empty menaces, you had, as you were often pressed to do,

repealed these taxes; then your strong operations would have come justified and

enforced, in case your concessions had been returned by outrages. But,

preposterously, you began with violence; and before terrors could have any effect,

either good or bad, your Ministers immediately begged pardon, and promised that

repeal to the obstinate Americans, which they had refused in an easy, good-

natured, complying British Parliament. The assemblies which had been publicly

and avowedly dissolved for their contumacy, are called together to receive your

submission. Your ministerial directors blustered like tragic tyrants here; and then


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went *52mumping with [112] a sore leg in America, canting and whining, and

complaining of faction, which represented them as friends to a revenue from the

Colonies. I hope nobody in this House will hereafter have the impudence to

defend American taxes in the name of Ministry. The moment they do, with this

letter of attorney in my hand, I will tell them, in the authorized terms, they are

wretches, "with factious and seditious views; enemies to the peace and prosperity

of the Mother Country and the Colonies," and subverters "of the mutual affection

and confidence on which the glory and safety of the British Empire depend."

Pick out as many as 10 monosyllabic, disyllabic, trisyllabic and polysyllabic

words each

Listening - Reading comprehension

1. Listen to the passage being read:

Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears;

I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him.

The evil that men do lives after them;

The good is oft interred with their bones;

So let it be with Caesar. The noble Brutus

Hath told you Caesar was ambitious:

If it were so, it was a grievous fault,

And grievously hath Caesar answer'd it.

Here, under leave of Brutus and the rest--

For Brutus is an honourable man;

So are they all, all honourable men--

Come I to speak in Caesar's funeral.

He was my friend, faithful and just to me:

But Brutus says he was ambitious;


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And Brutus is an honourable man.

He hath brought many captives home to Rome

Whose ransoms did the general coffers fill:

Did this in Caesar seem ambitious?

When that the poor have cried, Caesar hath wept:

Ambition should be made of sterner stuff:

Yet Brutus says he was ambitious;

And Brutus is an honourable man.

You all did see that on the Lupercal

I thrice presented him a kingly crown,

Which he did thrice refuse: was this ambition?

Yet Brutus says he was ambitious;

And, sure, he is an honourable man.

I speak not to disprove what Brutus spoke,

But here I am to speak what I do know.

You all did love him once, not without cause:

What cause withholds you then, to mourn for him?

O judgment! thou art fled to brutish beasts,

And men have lost their reason. Bear with me;

My heart is in the coffin there with Caesar,

And I must pause till it come back to me.

Answer the following questions.

1. Who are being addressed by the speaker?

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2. Does the speaker say Caesar was ambitious?

3. Who had said that Caesar was ambitious?

4. According to the speaker was Caesar really ambitious?

5. Does the speaker really praise or curse Brutus?

2.Read the following passage

I read a number of such books in 1893. I do not remember the names of

them all, but they included the Commentary of Dr. Parker of the City Temple,

Pearson"s Many Infallible Proofs and Butler"s Analogy. Parts of these were

unintelligible to me. I liked some things in them, while I did not like others. Many

Infallible Proofs were proofs in support of the religion of the Bible, as the author

understood it. The book had no effect on me. Parker"s Commentary was morally

stimulating, but it could not be of any help to one who had no faith in the prevalent

Christian beliefs. Butler"s Analogy struck me to be a very profound and difficult

book, which should be read four or five times to be understood properly. It seemed

to me to be written with a view to converting atheists to theism. The arguments

advanced in it regarding the existence of God were unnecessary for me, as I had

then passed the stage of unbelief but the arguments in proof of Jesus being the

only incarnation of God and the Mediator between God and man left me unmoved.

But Mr. Coates was not the man easily to accept defeat. He had great affection for

me. He saw, round my neck, the Vaishnava necklace of Tulasi-beads. He thought it

to be superstition and was pained by it. "This superstition does not become you.

Come, let me break the necklace." "No, you will not. It is a sacred gift from my

mother." "But do you believe in it?" "I do not know its myterious signifi cance. I do

not think I should come to harm if I did not wear it. But I cannot, without sufficient

reason, give up a necklace that she put round my neck out of love and in the

conviction that it would be conducive to my welfare. When, with the passage of

time, it wears away and breaks on its own accord, I shall have no desire to get a

new one. But this necklace cannot be broken." Mr. Coates could not appreciate my

argument, as he had no regard for my religion. He was looking forward to delivering

me from the abyss of ignorance. He wanted to convince me that, no matter whether

there was some truth in other religions, salvation was impossible for me unless I

accepted Christianity which represented the truth, and that my sins would not be

washed away except by the intercession of Jesus, and that all good works were

useless. Just as he introduced me to several books, he introduced me to several

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friends whom he regarded as staunch Christians. One of these introductions was to

a family which belonged to the Plymouth Brethren, a Christian sect.

1. What does the author mean by unintelligible?

2. Which book was written written with a view to converting atheists

to theism?

3. Did the author believe in the mystery of the necklace of Tulsi

beads?

4. Was the author a beliver at that point of time?

5. Suggest a suitable title for this page.

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Unit III - Principles of Communication

Communication is the act of transmitting and receiving information. The purpose of

communication, therefore, is to express thoughts, ideas and feelings with others in

a way they will understand. Good communication has little to do with a large

vocabulary. It has everything to do with making your self understood.

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Whether one is speaking informally to a colleague, addressing a conference or

meeting, writing a newsletter article or formal report, the following basic principles

apply

Know your audience.

Know your purpose.

Know your topic.

Anticipate objections.

Achieve credibility with your audience.

Follow through on what you say.

Communicate a little at a time.

Present information in several ways.

Develop a practical, useful way to get feedback.

Use multiple communication techniques.

Environmental factors

Communication can be influenced by environmental factors that have nothing to do

with the content of the message. Some of these factors are:

The nature of the room, how warm it is, smoke, comfort of the chair, etc

Outside distractions, what is going on in the area.

The reputation/credibility of the speaker/writer.

The appearance, style or authority of the speaker.

Listener's education, knowledge of the topic, etc.

The language, page layout, design of the message.

People remember:

10% of what they read

20% of what they hear

30% of what they see

40% of what they hear and see

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Feedback (Listening)

Getting and giving feedback is one of the most crucial parts of good

communication. Like any other activity, there are specific skills that can enhance

feedback. Listening is a key part of getting feedback:

Listen to the Complete Message.

Be patient. This is especially important when listening to a topic that provokes

strong opinions or radically different points-of-view. In these situations, it's

important not to prejudge the incoming message. Learn not to get too excited about

a communication until you are certain of the message.

Work at Listening Skills.

Listening is hard work. Good listeners demonstrate interest and alertness. They

indicate through their eye contact, posture and facial expression that the occasion

and the speaker's efforts are a matter of concern to them. Most good listeners

provide speakers with clear and unambiguous feedback.

Judge the Content, Not the Form of the Message.

Such things as the speaker's mode of dress, quality of voice, delivery mannerisms

and physical characteristics are often used as excuses for not listening. Direct

your attention to the message--what is being said--and away from the distracting

elements.

Weigh Emotionally Charged Language.

Emotionally charged language often stands in the way of effective listening. Filter

out "red flag" words (like "liberal" and "conservative," for instance) and the emotions

they call up. Specific suggestions for dealing with emotionally charged words

include

Take time to identify those words that affect you emotionally.

Attempt to analyze why the words affect you the way they do.

Work at trying to reduce the impact of these words on you.

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Eliminate Distractions.

Physical distractions and complications seriously impair listening. These

distractions may take many forms: loud noises, stuffy rooms, overcrowded

conditions, uncomfortable temperature, bad lighting, etc. Good listeners speak up

if the room is too warm, too noisy, or too dark. There are also internal

distractions: worries about deadlines or problems of any type may make listening

difficult. If you're distracted, make an effort to clear your head. If you can't

manage it, arrange to communicate at some other time.

Think Efficiently and Critically.

On the average, we speak at a rate of 100 to 200 words per minute. However, we

think at a much faster rate, anywhere from 400 to 600 words per minute. What do

we do with this excess thinking time while listening to someone speak? One

technique is to apply this spare time to analyzing what is being said. They critically

review the material by asking the following kinds of questions:

What is being said to support the speaker's point of view? (Evidence)

What assumptions are being made by the speaker and the listener?

(Assumptions)

How does this information affect me? (Effect)

Can this material be organized more efficiently? (Structure)

Are there examples that would better illustrate what is being said? (Example)

What are the main points of the message? (Summary)

Communication as coding and decoding

The encode-decode model of communication implies that if a speaker and listener

both share the same code – a common language – then communication is possible.

Language allows humans to translate thoughts into strings of sounds, syllables

and words and to translate strings of sounds, syllables and words into thoughts.

There are, though, a number of difficulties with this model as applied to human

communication.

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a person (source) formulates an idea – a concept – and encodes this concept

linguistically, i.e. into strings of sounds, syllables and words, then transmits this

encoded thought as a sound wave, whereupon another person (receiver) decodes

the sound wave back into the original concept. The speaker, therefore, encodes his

or her intended message into a signal that is decoded by the listener who uses an

identical copy of the code. According to such encode-decode models, then, all that

is required is an appropriate encoding and decoding algorithm, i.e. a set of precise,

unambiguous instructions for transforming a set of initial conditions (thoughts)

into a set of final conditions (sound waves), and vice versa. The implication is, once

again, that if the speaker and listener both share the same code – a common

language – then communication is possible. Language allows humans to translate

thoughts into strings of sounds, syllables and words, and to translate strings of

sounds, syllables and words into thoughts:

Humans, therefore, can function both as encoders of linguistic meaning and

decoders of linguistic sound. Suppose, for example, that I wish to communicate

some meaning to you, perhaps the thought that I can see a small furry animal with

a leg in each corner, whiskers at one end, a tail at the other, sharp retractable

claws, it drinks milk and says, ―Meow!‖ First, I need to look up in my mental

http://www.speech-therapy-information-and-resources.com/phonemes.html

http://www.speech-therapy-information-and-resources.com/words.html

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lexicon the word that is used in English to encode this meaning. Within a matter of

moments I readily settle on the word cat. I then produce the word/sound cat,

pronounced c-a-t, so that the person to whom I wish to communicate this thought

might hear it. On hearing this word/sound, the listener then looks up in his or her

mental lexicon the meaning associated with it and readily decodes the meaning as

referring to a small furry animal with a leg in each corner, whiskers at one end, a

tail at the other, sharp retractable claws, it drinks milk and says, ―Meow!‖

Inasmuch as the listener is successfully able to decode my meaning then one may

claim that a thought has been shared and, therefore, that communication has

taken place. This appears to be a fitting explanation of human communication, as

all that is required is that the people communicating with each other share the

same code, in this case the language known as English. In this way, they are able

to encode meanings into sounds and decode the sounds into their meanings.

Signs and symbols

Signs and symbols rapidly communicate meaning. They are visual

shorthand for communicating universal concepts with much more richness than

words alone. Research has demonstrated that pictures and words, when tightly

linked, result in more knowledge transfer than traditional page layouts. Signs,

symbols and icons are ways to represent a complete thought in a simple way.

Communication symbols are used in almost every aspect of our lives. Much of this

communication is based on the use of symbols. Symbols are images or patterns

that are used to convey a certain idea. Road signs, mathematical signs, and flags

are all examples of symbols; they all stand for something else. When you see a

yellow sign with a curved arrow along the road, you know that there is a curve

ahead. Also, when you see a plus sign, you know that you are to add things

together.

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verbal and non –verbal symbols

Verbal symbols are words, sentences, sounds, or other utterances that are said

aloud in order to convey some meaning. Non-verbal symbols are signs or gestures

that are not spoken but still try to convey meaning. For instance, both the shouted

word "Tiger!" and a terrified scream are verbal symbols that one is about to be

attacked by a tiger; the written word 'Tiger!', or the same word spelled out in sign

language, or even just grabbing someone by the shoulder and pointing at the tiger

in the corner are all non-verbal symbols

The act of communicating involves verbal, nonverbal, and para verbal components.

The verbal component refers to the content of our message‚ the choice and

arrangement of our words. The nonverbal component refers to the message we send

through our body language. The paraverbal component refers to how we say what

we say - the tone, pacing and volume of our voices.

In order to communicate effectively, we must use all three components to do two

things:

1. Send clear, concise messages.

2. Hear and correctly understand messages someone is sending to us.

Communication Involves Three Components:

1. Verbal Messages - the words we choose

2. Paraverbal Messages - how we say the words

3. Nonverbal Messages - our body language

Effective Verbal Messages:

1. Are brief, succinct, and organized

2. Are free of jargon

3. Do not create resistance in the listener

Nonverbal Messages

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The power of nonverbal communication cannot be underestimated. In his book,

Silent Messages, Professor Albert Mehrabian says the messages we send through

our posture, gestures, facial expression, and spatial distance account for 55% of

what is perceived and understood by others. In fact, through our body language we

are always communicating, whether we want to or not!

Facial Expression:

The face is perhaps the most important conveyor of emotional information. A face

can light up with enthusiasm, energy, and approval, express confusion or boredom,

and scowl with displeasure. The eyes are particularly expressive in telegraphing joy,

sadness, anger, or confusion.

Postures and Gestures:

Our body postures can create a feeling of warm openness or cold rejection.

For example, when someone faces us, sitting quietly with hands loosely folded in

the lap, a feeling of anticipation and interest is created. A posture of arms crossed

on the chest portrays a feeling of inflexibility. The action of gathering up one's

materials and reaching for a purse signals a desire to end the conversation

Language and Communication

By age four, most humans have developed an ability to communicate

through oral language. By age six or seven, most humans can comprehend, as well

as express, written thoughts. These unique abilities of communicating through a

native language clearly separate humans from all animals. The obvious question

then arises, where did we obtain this distinctive trait? Organic evolution has

proven unable to elucidate the origin of language and communication. Knowing

how beneficial this ability is to humans, one would wonder why this skill has not

evolved in other species. Materialistic science is insufficient at explaining not only

how speech came about, but also why we have so many different languages.

Linguistic research, combined with neurological studies, has determined that

human speech is highly dependent on a neuronal network located in specific sites

within the brain. In fact, the origin of speech and language remains one of the

most significant hurdles in evolutionary theory, even in the twenty-first century.

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Evolutionary Theories on the Origin of Speech

Many animals are capable of using sounds to communicate. However, there is a

colossal difference between the hoot of an owl or the grunt of a pig, and a human

standing before an audience reciting Robert Frost‘s ‘The Road Not Taken.’ This

enormous chasm between humans and animals has led to a multiplicity of theories

on exactly how man came upon this unequaled capability. Many researchers have

focused on the capabilities of animals—sounds and gestures—in an effort to

understand the physiological mechanism underlying communication. But there is

a single, common theme that stands out amidst all the theories: ‘The world’s

languages evolved spontaneously. They were not designed’

Language vs Communication

Language and Communication are two words that are often confused when it

comes to their meanings and connotations. Language represents words whether it

is writing or speaking. On the other hand, communication is all about message.

This is the main difference between the two words.

Language is literary in character. On the other hand, communication is verbal or

written in character. This is one of the main differences between the two words.

Observe the two sentences

1. His language is good.

2. He was offered French as his second language.

In both the sentences, mentioned above you can find that the word ‗language‘ is

used to represent the words involved and hence, you should understand the first

sentence as ‗the words he uses are good‘, and the second sentence as ‗he was

offered French as his second language of learning the words used in writing and

speaking‘.

Observe the two sentences

1. His communication was excellent.

2. He lacked proper communication.

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In both the sentences mentioned above you can find that the word ‗communication‘

is used in the sense of ‗message‘ and hence, the first sentence can be taken to

mean ‗his message was excellent‘, and the second sentence can be taken to mean

‗he lacked proper message‘.

It is interesting to note that the adjectival forms of language and communication

are the words ‗linguistic‘ and ‗communicative‘ respectively, as in the expressions

‗linguistic ability‘ and ‗communicative skills‘. On the other hand, the word

‗communication‘ is used in figurative expressions such a ‗communication gap‘,

‗mass communication‘, and the like.

It is important to note that both the words are used as nouns. On the other hand,

the word ‗communication‘ has a verbal form in the word ‗communicating‘. These

are the differences between the two words, namely, language and communication.

Communication Channels

The channel, or medium, used to communicate a message affects how accurately

the message will be received. Channels vary in their ―information-richness.‖

Information-rich channels convey more nonverbal information. Research shows

that effective managers tend to use more information-rich communication channels

than less effective managers

The figure below illustrates the information richness of different channels.

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The key to effective communication is to match the communication channel with

the goal of the message For example, written media may be a better choice when

the sender wants a record of the content, has less urgency for a response, is

physically separated from the receiver, and doesn‘t require a lot of feedback from

the receiver, or when the message is complicated and may take some time to

understand.Oral communication, on the other hand, makes more sense when the

sender is conveying a sensitive or emotional message, needs feedback immediately,

and does not need a permanent record of the conversation.

External Communications

External communications deliver specific businesses messages to individuals

outside an organization. They may announce changes in staff or strategy, earnings,

and more. The goal of an external communication is to create a specific message

that the receiver will understand and share with others. Examples of external

communications include the following.

Press Releases

Professionals create external communications about a client‘s product, services, or

practices for specific receivers. These receivers, it is hoped, will share the message

with others. In time, as the message is passed along, it should appear to be

independent of the sender, creating the illusion of an independently generated

consumer trend, public opinion, and so on.

The message of a public relations effort may be b2b (business to business), b2c

(business to consumer), or media related. The message can take different forms.

Press releases try to convey a newsworthy message, real or manufactured. It may

be constructed like a news item, inviting editors or reporters to reprint the message

in part or as a whole, with or without acknowledgement of the sender‘s identity.

Public relations campaigns create messages over time through contests, special

events, trade shows, and media interviews in addition to press releases.

Ads

Advertising places external business messages before target receivers through

media buys. A media buy is a fee that is paid to a television network, Web site,

magazine, and so on by an advertiser to insert an advertisement. The fee is based

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on the perceived value of the audience who watches, reads, listens to, or frequents

the space where the ad will appear.

In recent years, receivers have begun to filter advertiser‘s messages. This

phenomenon is perceived to be a result of the large amount of ads the average

person sees each day and a growing level of consumer wariness of paid messaging.

Advertisers, in turn, are trying to create alternative forms of advertising that

receivers won‘t filter. The advertorial is one example of an external communication

that combines the look of an article with the focused message of an ad. Product

placements in videos, movies, and games are other ways that advertisers strive to

reach receivers with commercial messages.

Web Pages

A Web page‘s external communication can combine elements of public relations,

advertising, and editorial content, reaching receivers on multiple levels and in

multiple ways. Banner ads, blogs, and advertiser-driven ―click-through‖ areas are

just a few of the elements that allow a business to deliver a message to a receiver

online. The perceived flexibility of online communications can impart a less formal

(and therefore, more believable) quality to an external communication. A message

relayed in a daily blog post, for example, will reach a receiver differently than if it is

delivered in an annual report. The popularity and power of blogs is growing, with

11% of Fortune 500 companies having official blogs (up from 4% in 2005).

The ―real-time‖ quality of Web communications may appeal to receivers who might

filter out traditional ads and public relations messages because of their ―prefab‖

quality. Despite a ―spontaneous‖ feel, many online pages can be revisited many

times in a single day. For this reason, clear and accurate external communications

are as vital for online use as they are in traditional media.

Customer Communications

Customer communications can include letters, catalogs, direct mail, e-mails, text

messages, and telemarketing messages. Some receivers automatically filter these

types of bulk messages. Others will be receptive. The key to a successful external

communication to customers is to convey a business message in a personally

compelling way—dramatic news, a money-saving coupon, and so forth

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Uniy IV - Types of communication

The word communication is used in common talk, usually, to mean speaking or

writing or sending a message to another person. Communication is really much

more than that. It involves ensuring that your message has reached the target

audience, (that is, the persons to whom it is sent) and that the receiver

understands and responds as you want them to. It also involves ensuring that you

yourself are able to understand, interpret, and respond to messages that you

receive.

Communication is an important aspect of behavior. Human communication is

affected by all factors that influence human behaviour. In the last sixty to seventy

years, the study of human communication has been strengthened by contribution

from many disciplines. Definitions, descriptions of the process, and analyses of the

elements of communication have been developed by many scholars.

Functional communication

Functional communication is a method used with individuals with behavioral

problems in order to prevent mild behavior from escalating into worse behavior

such as aggression or self injury. It is often used as an intervention for

developmentally disabled individuals and teachers, parents or anyone involved with

the individual might be trained in using the method. It is highly supported by

researchers and practitioners in its success.

Situational Communication

Communication that occurs between two people in a specific context is known as

situational communication

Verbal Communication

The term 'verbal' is colloquially used to mean oral but in communication studies,

'verbal' means by using words and language. It includes both written and oral.

Most of our communication is done by using language; we speak and write

whenever we have to convey information and ideas, to discuss, to motivate, to

appreciate, or to warn, reprimand, complain, and so on. We may do any of these

things orally or in writing. There are formats and structures for verbal

communication in different types of situations. For example, documents used in

business have names and formats; letters, reports, memos, minutes have their

own· formats and layout. For oral communication we have the formats of

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presentations (or speeches), interviews, meeting-s of various types, negotiations

and so on.

The effectiveness of verbal communication depends on a person's skill in the use of

language. A rich vocabulary, command of a variety of sentence structures, clarity in

thinking, and focus· on the audience are necessary for effective verbal

communication.

Verbal Communication Skills

The skills of verbal communication are Writing and Speaking, Reading and

Listening. Most of our formal education focuses on .writing and reading. However, a

good manager needs the skill of speaking and even more, the skill oflistening. It

has been found by research studies that an executive's communication time is

spent roughly in the following proportion:

Writing 9% Reading 16%

Speaking 30% Listening 45%

Although listening is so important, it is hardly taught and studied as a part of any

course in schools or colleges; the other three basic communication skills, reading,

writing and speaking get all the attention. Most people are not good listeners; but

fortunately, listening skill can be improved by . understanding the process and

making a conscious effort,

Speaking skills

Speaking requires practice. It is easier to deliver a prepared speech than to

participate in a group discussion. It takes time to build up confidence to speak

spontaneously and in response to another speaker in a dialogue. Persons who can

write quite well are sometimes unable to speak well because of nervousness.

Practice and feedback from a friendly audience are necessary for the development

of speaking skills.

Reading skills can also be developed by practice. A large amount of reading

material demands our attention everyday. There is a flood of trade journals, house

magazines, reports, minutes, memoranda on all kinds of topics, besides

newspapers, books and magazines. People at work need a technique to cope 'with

the task of reading quickly and understanding the important parts of the contents.

Everything need not be read with the same attention. Difficult subjects need careful

study reading. But most business papers need routine reading to collect

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information. Some things, like a newspaper story or a light magazine, need only

skimming, that is, going over it rapidly to see what it is about and whether it needs

attention.

Reading skills

Reading skills can also be developed by practice. A large amount of reading

material demands our attention everyday. There is a flood of trade journals, house

magazines, reports, minutes, memoranda on all kinds of topics, besides

newspapers, books and magazines. People at work need a technique to cope 'with

the task of reading quickly and understanding the important parts of the contents.

Everything need not be read with the same attention. Difficult subjects need careful

study reading. But most business papers need routine reading to collect

information. Some things, like a newspaper story or a light magazine, need only

skimming, that is, going over it rapidly to see what it is about and whether it needs

attention.

Before beginning to read any material-

Look at the heading, the sub-headings, any synopsis/summary, table of

contents, which give the general sense of the content and the train of

thought.

Be clear about your purpose in reading the material. Do you intend to follow

any instructions given in it? take a decision or an action based on the

information collected from it? Remember it for an examination? summarise

it? report what is in it?

―Take in" familiar words at a glance. This will improve as you become

familiar with more words, especially those which occur frequently in your

work. Practice will also improve your eye span and enable you to take in

more characters at a time.

Make careful effort not to let the eyes regress, that is, go back a few words

instead of moving forward.

Overcome the compulsion to read every word. Use your knowledge of

sentence patterns and information already gathered, to anticipate the next

few words.

Use your knowledge of sentence patterns and information already gathered

to anticipate the next few words

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Non-Verbal Communication

Non-verbal methods of communication include all things, other than words and

language that can convey meaning. For example, graphics like pictures, maps,

charts, graphs and diagrams in a written document, and body language and voice

qualities in speech, are non-verbal communication.

Non-verbal communication can be independent of verbal communication; but

verbal communication is always accompanied by non-verbal communication.

Nonverbal methods can be used as a substitute for words like the red colour to

mean danger, or nodding the head to mean "yes." Or both may be used together as

when we shake the head and also say "no." Sometimes, a gesture like slapping the

hand on the table may be used with words like, "We must do it," to emphasize the

point.

Sometimes, our body language or voice, or untidy typing may convey something

opposite of what we want to convey. This discordant or inconsistent relation

between verbal and non-verbal communication occurs when the person is not

comfortable or is trying to say something different from what he or she really feels.

Non-verbal communication is mostly involuntary and unconscious and difficult to

control; it may sometimes reveal the truth which the speaker/writer is hiding

behind the words. It is said, "non-verbal communication speaks louder than

words." Thus, there can be unintended and unconscious non-verbal

communication. On the other hand, nonverbal methods can be consciously

created and used with both written and oral communication.

Methods of Non-verbal Communication

Non-verbal communication occurs mainly through visual symbols and auditory

symbols. Visual symbols are those which are seen and auditory symbols are those

which are heard. Our other senses like smell, taste and touch also take in

meanings and can be used for non-verbal communication. For example, the

fragrance in a room, the feel of the plush covering on furniture, the taste and

aroma of the coffee served in the visitors' room of an office, make significant

impressions.

Non-verbal aspects of written communication

A document has an appearance which is the consequence of font size and style,

margins, spacing, quality of the paper. Written communication can be enhanced by

using various symbols and graphics. Written communication implies a document,

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and the paper (or synthetic plastic paper, or cloth or other material as for invitation

cards) on which it is printed has characteristics like size, thickness, quality, and

colour. The print also has characteristics like colour, font type and size, spacing,

margins and general layout. The appearance and feel of a document convey

impressions about the status of the sender and also make it more readable and

attractive to the receiver. A company's letter is carefully designed with attention to

its visual aspects and the impression it conveys. Besides, other visual symbols can

be created and used to enhance the quality of written communication.

Colour

Colour is an important and powerful means of communication. Matters of life and

death, as in traffic signals, are conveyed by colours. It is also used for classification

and identification of different products and materials in industries; the cosmetics

industry uses colour to make products attractive as well as to classify and

differentiate types. Carbon copies of documents are on different coloured paper to

distinguish copies meant for different departments. Teams have colour in their

uniform to identify their members; countries have their colours on their flag.

Colour gives an added dimension to maps, chart and graphs, and makes it possible

to convey a greater amount of information within the same visual/graphic

representation

Pictures

Pictures, from simple drawings to coloured photographs, are used in brochures,

posters and advertisements. Pictures can be combined with a very few words for

persons who cannot read well as in posters. Besides, pictures are universally

understood, more easily remembered and make an immediate impact because they

are easier to "take in". Reading requires practised eye movement, while a picture

may be tackled in any order. Pictures are used extensively in advertising because

they attract the eye and convey instantly even when the reader just glances at

them.

Diagrams, Graphs and Charts

A diagram is a figure consisting of simple line drawing made to accompany and

illustrate the parts and the operation of something. Graphs and charts of

different kinds represent statistical information. Special skills are needed to

prepare and to understand a chart or a graph. Information presented in a chart or

a graph allows the overall situation to be seen at a glance; the relationships

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between the figures are also seen easily. Every charts or graph must be properly

titled to show what information it represents; it must have labels and a scale/ key

to explain the symbols used and to indicate what the different bars or parts stand

for. Flow charts are used for indicating procedures in which alternative actions

have to be taken depending on the result of the previous step

Maps

Maps are representations of territory and are used for conveying the space

relationships between places. They can convey geographical information like

transport routes, climatic conditions, distribution of population, crops, animal life

and vegetation; sociological factors like religion, literacy, health and nutrition.

Maps of small areas are used to give information about routes and to locate places.

A map has labels to show the four directions; it must have a key to explain the

meaning of the symbols used, and a scale to show how many kilometres are

represented by one centimetre.

Signs and Signals

A sign is a mark used to represent something; for example, + for "plus", skull and

cross bones for "danger." It has a fixed meaning. A signal is a previously agreed

movement which serves to warn, direct, or command; for example, the coming on of

a green light is a signal to go ahead; the firing of a gun salute signals the arrival of

a VIP. A signal may be visual or auditory. Signs and signals used by members of a

group may be made with hands, lights, cloth, smoke, drums, whistles or anything

that can be seen or heard at a distance.

Auditory symbols

Sounds have very limited use as symbols; they can convey only for very simple

information. Sounds are used mainly for warning, like sirens to warn about enemy

air raids in war-time or in factories to warn of fire or accident, and by police

vehicles. Whistles are used by sport directors, the police/army to call members to

assemble. Trains and ships use it as signal for departure and for warning. Bells

and buzzers are used to indicate the starting and ending of work periods; bells and

beepers are also used by special vehicles like the fire engine and the ambulance, to

warn other road users to give way. A bell with a pleasant sound is used to call the

faithful to prayer in many religions. Beeps are used by most electronic gadgets.

Tunes are often used as an identification mark. Programs on the radio/ TV have

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a signature tune; advertisements on these media have their tunes. Secret

organizations whistle/ hum tunes to identify and recognise members.

Inter Personal Communication

When you come face to face with someone and communicate with that person

it is called interpersonal communication. This happens in our daily life. In the

morning you get up and meet your parents, brothers or sisters. You wish them

or speak to them. When you go outside you meet your friends and talk to them.

You go to a doctor and discuss your problems. If you want to book a railway

ticket, you go to the booking counter and speak to the person sitting there. All

these are examples of interpersonal communication

INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION -FORMAL

Taking part in meetings or conferences

Sales counters

Job interviews

INFORMAL

Private discussions with friends or family members

Corridor discussions

Conversation in canteens or restaurants

Group Communication

Group is defined as a number of persons engaged in interaction with one another.

The interaction may be during a single meeting or a series of meetings which may

be formal or informal. In the course of the meetings, each member receives some

impression of every other member and develops acquaintance. A group has a

common purpose and develops norms for interpersonal relations; it also

develops leaders and followers. Group communication takes place in a meeting. A

meeting may be formal or informal, and it may be conducted in different ways

depending upon its purpose and the size of the group. Statutory and conventional

meetings like Annual General meetings or Board of Directors' meetings etc, which

are held at fixed intervals, usually have a fixed agenda and business to be

conducted; such meetings are very formal. Meetings of committees which are

assigned specific tasks are held as frequently as required for their work, and may

be informal. Groups of persons connected with different aspects of a job, or having

similar responsibilities may be called for a conference meeting to discuss common

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problems or plans. Trainees and learners meet to discuss topics and learn from one

another.

A group discussion can be a very stimulating communication activity for those who

have the skill. It is a very useful activity in organisations. It helps in understanding

a situation, in exploring possibilities and in solving problems because it allows a

multiple point of view. It also gives a sense of participation to all those who

participate in it. A meeting is an education for all persons who take part in it,

including the leader/chairman. Participants get an overview of the organisation

and the different aspects of its activities. The discussion enables the participants to

see and appreciate other people's point of view. The business meeting has been

described as continuing education in business management. Participating in group

communication requires skill and training; multiple

barriers can come in the way of useful discussion and spoil the meeting. But a

meeting costs money and time; an organisation needs people who have the skill to

make the best use of meetings. Ability to participate effectively in a group

discussion is an important asset for anyone; many companies select candidates for

personal interviews after testing their ability to participate in a group discussion.

Problems of Group Communication

There can be problems in communication even when only two persons are involved.

Various barriers operate and are multiplied when more persons are involved. The

participants as well as the leader need to have meeting skills, otherwise, a meeting

can be very frustrating and a waste of time.

Problems are created by various personalities among members of the group. Some

persons are shy or nervous of addressing a group; even if they have good ideas or

good analytical ability, they may not speak up. Some are aggressive and prevent

others from speaking; they take up all the time and insist on following their own

agenda. Some do not participate at all because they have not applied their mind to

the agenda or discussion topics. Members may get excited and turn hostile to one

another. Even a cohesive group may have problems occasionally. If the leader

cannot control the meeting, or guide the discussion, the group's communication

may go off the track or become diffuse and not arrive at a proper conclusion.

One of the worst problems in group communication is not being able to come to a

conclusion within reasonable time. Meetings that go on for too long do not produce

good decisions and are very frustrating to members of the group. In order to

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overcome problems and to ensure success of group communication, the leader

must have the required skills to conduct a meeting and lead a discussion;

the other members must have the commitment and the skills to take part in the

discussion.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Group Discussion

Group work has many advantages. Some of them are given here.

(a) There is an enormous amount of information and knowledge in every field.

Activities have become complex and it is difficult for one person to handle tasks

which have several aspects. Discussion permits a multiple point of view; it enables

an organisation to benefit from the expertise of specialists in technology, law,

taxation, personnel and so on.

(b) Being involved in group activity and discussion provides social and emotional

support to the participants. Employees who have a chance to contribute and take

part in decisions are known to be more loyal.

(c) Discussing ideas and problems in a meeting is a democratic way of functioning.

It shows respect for individuals and their opinions and views.

(d) As technology develops there will be easier access to information in

organisations. It will be advantageous for managers to keep in touch with members

of the organisation and to have open discussions of various concerns and issues.

On the other hand, meetings have disadvantages like these:

(a) Both, formal and informal meetings can be time-consuming and expensive. A

great deal of money and time has to be spent on making preparations and on the

actual conduct of a meeting.

(b) A meeting may end without any useful conclusion if there is much disagreement

among the participants.

(c) There may not be any useful outcome. Several persons take meetings lightly and

attend without preparation, just for the sake of spending some time away from

their work place.

(d) If the chairperson is not skilled in conducting a meeting, there may be a great

deal of useless talk from the Chair, causing others to feel frustrated if they do not

get an opportunity to respond or to express their views.

Recent research in group activity has shown that leaders and participants can be

trained in group activity and discussion. The disadvantages can be overcome with

training of organisation members.

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Group Discussion Skills and Techniques

Group discussions are used as a selection tool for admission to professional

courses and for some jobs. In this situation, it looks like a competitive activity, but

in fact it is a method to test the candidates' ability to work together with others, in

a team. The ability to draw out the ideas of others, to develop solutions and

innovations through pooling ideas and contributions from other group members, is

an important leadership quality. Hence, a skilful group member is one who listens

attentively to others, respects others' views and guides the discussion towards a

solution and a good conclusion.

Some common mistakes in a group discussion are:

• Competing to be the first to talk

• Trying to talk the most

• Putting down others' ideas

• Trying to dominate

• Talking loudly and trying to drown the voices of others

None of these actions contribute to the team, and they demonstrate lack of team

skills. If you cannot think of something to say immediately at the beginning, it is

better to listen first and then make a sensible point in response to an idea that has

been presented.

There are many roles you can play in a group discussion. You do not have to be the

Initiator; in the initial stages you can contribute by being the Information Seeker;

ask for specific detail on the isst:.3 or Information Giver and give specific

information which expands the idea

Public Communication

Public communication may be defined as a situation where many people receive

messages from one person. The skills of the person are very important here in this

situation. We can think of a number of political and spiritual leaders as excellent

communicators.

Mass communication

It is a more public form of communication between an entity and a large and

diverse audience, mediated by some form of technology. This may be either real

time or on a tapeddelay basis, or it may be rooted in the usually recent past.

Examples: Radio and television, newspapers and magazines.

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Interactive communication

It is an exchange of ideas where both participants, whether human, machine or art

form, are active and can have an effect on one another. It is a dynamic, two-way

flow of information.

Many forms of communication previously thought one-way, like books and

television, have become interactive with the rise of computers, the Internet, and

digital and mobile devices. These developing collaborative technologies, or new

media, have rapidly increased the opportunities for interactive communication

across mediums, disciplines, cultures, social classes, locations, and even time.

Interactive communication is a modern term that encompasses these evolving

forms of conversation. It is a primary characteristic of the present Information Age.

Interactive communication forms include basic dialogue and nonverbal

communication, game books, interactive fiction and storytelling, hypertext,

interactive television and movies, photo and video manipulation, video sharing,

video games, social media, user-generated content, interactive marketing and

public relations, augmented reality, ambient intelligence, and virtual reality.

Dyadic Communication

Dyad means two things of similar kind or nature or group and dyadic

communication means the inter-relationship between the two; but in practice, this

relationship refers to dialogic relations or face to face verbal communication

between two persons involving their mutual ideas, thought, behaviour, ideals,

liking and disliking and above all the queries and answers concering life and living

in nature. A sudden communication between two persons in the street and not

continued afterwards or not having lasting after-affect on each other can not be

termed as dyadic communication. Thus dyadic communication is rather dyadic

inter-communication. As for example we can cite the case of the dyadic

communication between Jesus and Peter or between Socrates and Plato..

A lasting communication of ideas between two persons for long duration of time or

of any intensive duration of deeper impact may be called dyadic communication

The pair of individuals in a dyad can be linked via romantic interest, family

relation, interests, work, partners in crime and so on. The relation can be based on

equality, but may be based on an asymmetrical or hierarchical relationship

(master-servant).

The strength of the relationship is evaluated on the basis of time the individuals

spend together, as well as on the emotional intensity of their relationship.

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A dyad can be unstable because both persons must cooperate to make it work. If

one of the two fails to complete their duties, the group would fall apart. Because of

the significance of marriagesin society, their stability is very important. For this

reason marital dyads are often enforced through legal, economic, and religious laws

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marriage

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Unit V - LSRW in communication

LSRW stands for listening speaking reading and writing. These skills are important

for better communication. Despite the ongoing explosion in communication

technology, we often still miss the mark when it comes to communicating face-to-

face or in writing. The main reason for this is that we confuse information and

communication, which are not the same thing at all. While information can be a

one-way flow, there is no such thing as one-way communication. For every message

sent out, whether spoken or written, someone somewhere must receive and

understand it – or there is no communication.

Listening

Expressing our wants, feelings, thoughts and opinions clearly and effectively is only

half of the communication process needed for interpersonal effectiveness. The other

half is listening and understanding what others communicate to us

Active Listening

Active listening is a communication technique that requires the listener to feed

back what they hear to the speaker, by way of re-stating or paraphrasing what they

have heard in their own words, to confirm what they have heard and moreover, to

confirm the understanding of both parties.

The ability to listen actively demonstrates sincerity, and that nothing is being

assumed or taken for granted. Active listening is most often used to improve

personal relationships, reduce misunderstanding and conflicts, strengthen

cooperation, and foster understanding. It is proactive, accountable and

professional.

When interacting, people often "wait to speak" rather than listening attentively.

They might also be distracted. Active listening is a structured way of listening and

responding to others, focusing attention on the "function" of communicating

objectively

Thus the essence of active listening is as simple as it is effective: paraphrasing the

speakers words back to them as a question. There is little room for assumption or

interpretation. It is functional, mechanical and leaves little doubt as to what is

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meant by what is said. "The process is successful if the person receiving the

information gives feedback which shows understanding for meaning Suspending

one's own frame of reference, suspending judgment and avoiding other internal

mental activities are important to fully attend to the speaker

Passive Listening

Passive listening behaviour is that in which there is little or no self perception or

personal involvement on the part of the listener. It is also described as the type of

listening in which many people engage simply because they happen to be present

when someone else is talking. For example, an apprentice technician who joins the

audience in an inaugural lecture will listen passively. He just will manage to listen

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to the sounds, he will not be able to identify meaningfully the spoken signals, not

to talk of correctly interpreting what is being said.

Passive listening, it must be emphasised, is a negative listening behaviour. It is,

however, useful when a student engaged in serious private study has to contend

with music playing nearby which he listens to passively.

Speaking

Speaking is the productive skill in the oral mode. It, like the other skills, is more

complicated than it seems at first and involves more than just pronouncing words.

There are three kinds of speaking situations in which we find ourselves:

Interactive,

Partially interactive, and

Non-interactive.

Interactive speaking situations include face-to-face conversations and

telephone calls, in which we are alternately listening and speaking, and in

which we have a chance to ask for clarification, repetition, or slower speech

from our conversation partner. Some speaking situations are partially

interactive, such as when giving a speech to a live audience, where the

convention is that the audience does not interrupt the speech. The speaker

nevertheless can see the audience and judge from the expressions on their

faces and body language whether or not he or she is being understood.

Some few speaking situations may be totally non-interactive, such as when

recording a speech for a radio broadcast .

Micro-skills

Here are some of the micro-skills involved in speaking. The speaker has to:

Pronounce the distinctive sounds of a language clearly enough so that

people can distinguish them. This includes making tonal distinctions.

Use stress and rhythmic patterns, and intonation patterns of the

language clearly enough so that people can understand what is said.

Use the correct forms of words. This may mean, for example, changes in

the tense, case, or gender.

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Put words together in correct word order.

Use vocabulary appropriately.

Use the register or language variety that is appropriate to the situation

and the relationship to the conversation partner.

Make clear to the listener the main sentence constituents, such as

subject, verb, object, by whatever means the language uses.

Make the main ideas stand out from supporting ideas or information.

Make the discourse hang together so that people can follow what you are

saying.

Enunciation

Enunciation is The clearness or crispness of a person's voice. "Enunciation"

is an old fashioned term. When it was in vogue, is referred to saying sounds

correctly. Mumbling, slurring, and lisping were examples of poor enunciation.

"Pronunciation" refers to which sounds one says and what stress patterns

one uses. For example, does the pronunciation of data resemble "d-at-uh" or

"day-tuh"?

Thus, one could enunciate a word poorly but pronounce it accurately, or

enunciate it well but pronounce it inaccurately. Distinct enunciation and

correct pronunciation are valuable aids to the enhancing of the

communication of the speaker and to the creation of impression, Interest and

attention on the audience. Hence careful attention is to be given for

enunciation and pronunciation.

Enunciation is the distinctness with which words are uttered. If words are

clearly formed, they are easily recognized; if they are muffled and indistinct,

they create a confusion of sounds. Poor clarity makes it almost impossible to

understand a speaker and denotes mental slovenliness which decreases the

speaker's prestige. Distinct enunciation helps the audience to understand the

speaker better and tends to approve his statements when they are clearly

enunciated.

Obviously, communication is strengthened by distinct enunciation and by

attention to pronunciation. Distorted, inaccurate enunciation acts as a

barrier to communication while mispronunciations cause words to be

confused and can lead to costly errors in comprehension.

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Reading

Reading skills enable readers to turn writing into meaning and achieve the

goals of independence, comprehension, and fluency.

Definition

Reading skills are specific abilities which enable a reader

To read the written form as meaningful language

To read anything written with independence, comprehension and

fluency, and

To mentally interact with the message.

Writing To write effectively, you must be proficient in the use of the three building blocks of

writing: words, sentences and paragraphs

Use the right words in the right place English is a rich language, which is usually a good thing. However, there is one

nasty little trick lying in wait for the unwary writer:

Pairs of words that look similar and appear to have the same meanings – but they

don‘t.

Sometimes there are just shades of difference, but at other times they mean totally

different things. Business writers often confuse these words, playing havoc with

meaning. Test yourself on the following commonly confused pairs:

1 eminent/imminent

2. complement/compliment

3. apprised/appraised

4. stationery/stationary

Here are the meanings, and some sentences to illustrate how the words are used.

1. A number of eminent persons attended the gala (eminent means prominent

or powerful).

The Prime Minister‘s speech suggests that an election call is imminent

(imminent means about to happen).

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2. These new curtains complement the furnishings of the room (complement

means go together with).

Thank you for your gracious compliment (a compliment is a positive

comment).

3. As a technology consultant, you should keep your clients apprised of the

latest equipment (apprised means informed).

I must have my jewellery appraised for insurance purposes (appraised

means valued).

4. We must order more stationery (stationery means paper, envelopes, etc.).

The child ran out from behind a stationary vehicle (stationary means not

moving).

Simple words highlight your message Professionals, in particular, seem to have a problem with the idea of using simple

words, because they‘re afraid people will think they are not well-educated. But they

won‘t. If you use simple words, people won‘t notice them at all because they will be

too busy getting the message.

The sentence is the driver of the message At the very least, your sentences should be grammatically correct. As drivers of

effective business writing, however, your sentences must be more than just

grammatically correct – they must be powerful. They must express your message

clearly, concisely and with no room for misunderstanding.

Make your verbs the powerful tools they should be. For example, ‗I have written

three books‘ carries more power than ‗I am the writer of three books

The paragraph: a unit of thought People often ask how many sentences are in a paragraph. Well, it‘s not as simple as

that. There is no set number of sentences in a paragraph, and that‘s not the

important thing anyway. What counts is the way you put your sentences together.

Think of a paragraph as a unit of thought: one thought, one paragraph.

Here‘s a good way to build a powerful paragraph. The key sentence sets the scene,

telling the reader what the paragraph is about. The next two or three sentences

provide support for the key sentence statement. Finally, the concluding sentence

brings the meaning full circle and emphasises the key. the paragraph break comes

at a point where another aspect is brought in

UOM-S001


Summary:

If you are not sure which of a pair of words to use, check your dictionary.

� Don‘t burden the reader with complicated words and expressions when simple

words would convey your message more clearly. Write to express, not to impress.

� Streamline your sentences by removing extra words and phrases that say the

same thing twice. When you can reduce your word count without taking away any

of the meaning, do so.

� Study grammar until it becomes second nature. Then craft your sentences in the

active voice, using specific words and action verbs. Don‘t ramble.

� When you introduce a new topic, or a new aspect of the same topic, take a new

paragraph. Set the scene, give details and reiterate your key statement.

UOM-S001


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