Transcript Document

Unit 3: Language and
Verbal Communication.”
We may often think that, having good
communication skills is all about the ability
to speak well…..
Or all about “SPEAKING.”
We are right……
But only 50% right.
Because….
Verbal Communication has another
very important part……
“LISTENING”.
“Speaking” + “Listening” =
“Verbal Communication.”
Unit 3 Reading:
 Understand the power of language
 Identify the ways in which
communication functions for people
 Recognize and address
communication problems
 Understand that language reflects,
builds on, and determines context
 We must understand the power of
language, the system of symbols we
use to think about and communicate
experiences and feelings.
For discussion
 The text discusses five problems with
language starting on page 78.
1. Briefly explain the five problems
and how to avoid each.
2. Which language problem do you
use most in your verbal
communication?
3. How will you use these solutions
in your daily life?
Five functional communication
competencies explain how
language works for people.
 Language, unfortunately, can cause
problems in communication and
relationships.
 Situation and meaning: Language is
affected by semantics (the
relationship among symbols, objects,
people, and concepts and the
meanings that words have for people)
and pragmatics (the ability to use the
symbol systems of a culture
appropriately).
1. Placing gender, ethnic, class,
occupation, and role labels on others often
ignores individual differences.
 2. Biased language employs labels infused
with subtle meanings that influence our
perceptions about the subject and can
create positive or negative images in our
mind.
 3. Politically correct language attempts to
replace biased language with more neutral
labels, though critics argue that it can
sometimes compromise clarity.

 We sometimes confuse facts,
opinions, and inferences, resulting in
miscommunication.
For discussion
 Do you think men and women
communicate differently?
 Language reflects, builds on, and
determines context.
 The Sapir-Whorf hypothesis suggests
that words influence thinking.
“Speaking.”
‘To speak’ and ‘to speak well’ are two things. A
fool may talk, but a wise man speaks. ~Ben
Johnson
It is better to keep one's mouth shut, and be thought a
fool, than to open it and resolve all
doubt. ~Abraham Lincoln
The words you choose to say something are just as
important as the decision to speak. ~Author
Unknown
Speaking consists of two
parts…
1) “What to Speak.”
and
2) “How to Speak.”
 Speakers of the same language who
hail from different geographical areas
find that the culture of their
environment affects their language
and their understanding of the world.
Why do we get Nervous?
Nervousness does not cause as much
Forgetting as…..
Forgetting causes Nervousness.
*One of the main causes of Nervousness is
“Forgetting”, or rather, “The Fear of
Forgetting”.
*In other words, we would not get nervous
if we knew for certain that we would
not forget…our lines.
 Parameters of Evaluation
Speed….number of words per
minute.
Clarity…if audible & free of
distortion.
Pronunciation…utterance of speech.
Familiarity...acquaintance with
words used.
Punctuation…use of various kinds of
pauses.
Fluency…Able to express easily.
Expression…transforming of ideas
into words.
Content… meaning or substance of
speech.
Speed
Speed….number of words per
minute.
 While Most Indians speak at 170 to
180 wpm,
their foreign counterparts speak at
110 to 120 wpm.
 Slowing down on rate of speech is
the first step towards better speech.
Clarity
Clarity…if audible & free of
distortion.
 Speech should be loud enough to
carry to all the listeners. Judge the
acoustics of the room.
 Voice Clarity can be mastered with
regular practice.
Pronunciation
Pronunciation…utterance of speech.
 Always remember that English is not
"phonetic". That means that we do
not always say a word the same way
that we spell it.
 Use a Good Dictionary or work with
your Trainer to Correct
pronunciation.
Punctuation
Punctuation…use of various kinds
of pauses.
 Pause at Full Stops.
 Pause at Commas.
 Pause at Semi colons.
 Pause at Interjection marks.
 Pause at Question marks.
Familiarity
Familiarity...acquaintance with
words used.
 Learning new words…
 Using known words in new contexts…
 Understanding contexts and
situations before reading again..
Fluency
Fluency…Able to express easily.
 Developing Fluency is a matter of
having all the other parameters in
place.
 Fluency indicates that a comfortable
working ability with the language has
been established.