Barries to oral communication.

Oral communication usually presents more problems than written communication. If you’ve ever studied another language, you know it’s easier to write than to conduct a conversation. Even if the other speaks your language, you may have a hard time understanding the pronunciation if the person isn’t proficient. For example, many non-native English speakers can’t distinguish between the English sounds (v) and (w), so they say “wery” for “very”. At the same time many people from the United States cannot pronounce the French® or the German (ch).

Also, people use their voices in different ways, which can lead listeners to misunderstand their intentions. Russian speakers, for instance, speak in flat, level tones in their native tongue. When they speak English, they maintain this pattern, and non-Russian listeners may assume that the speakers are bored or rude. Middle Easterners tend to speak more loudly than Westerners and may therefore mistakenly be considered more emotional. On the other hand, the Japanese are soft-spoken, a characteristic that implies politeness or humility to Western listeners.

Idiomatic expressions are another source of confusion. If a US executive tells an Egyptian executive that a certain product “doesn’t cut the mustard, ” chances are communication will fail. For example, suppose you are dining with a German woman who speaks English quite well. You inquire, “More bread? ” She says, “Thank you, ” so you pass the bread. She looks confused; then she takes the breadbasket and sets it down without taking any. In German ‘thank you’ (danke) can also be used as a polite refusal. If the woman had wanted more bread she would have used the word ‘please’ (“bitter” in German).

When speaking in English to people who speak English as a second language, you may find these guidelines helpful:

1. Try to eliminate noise. Pronounce words clearly, stop at distinct punctuation points, and make one point at a time.

2. Look for feedback. Be alert to signs of confusion in your listener. Realize that nods and smiles don’t necessarily mean understanding.

3. Rephrase your sentences when necessary. If someone doesn’t seem to understand you, choose simpler words; don’t just repeat the sentence in a louder voice.

Unit 5

4. Don’t talk down to the other person. Try not to overenunciate, and don’t

blame the listener for not understanding. Use phrases such as “Am I going too fast? ” rather than “Is this too difficult for you? ”

5. Use objective, accurate language. Avoid throwing around adjectives such as “fantastic”, and “fabulous” which people from other cultures might consider unreal and overly dramatic.

6. Let other people finish what they have to say. If you interrupt, you may

miss something important. You’ll also show a lack of respect.

Mark the sentences that follow as “True” (T) or “False” (F):

a) Speaking is more difficult than writing. ……..

b) Pronunciation doesn’t present special difficulties. ……...

c) English spoken in a flat, level tone sounds uninterested. ……..

d) Middle Easterners are more emotional than Westerners. ….….

e) The Japanese tend to speak softly. ……..

f) It’s good to use a lot of idiomatic and colloquial phrases. ……..

Task 2. Read the numbered points 1 – 6 in the text again. Match each of the phrases given below to one of the numbered point.

WRITING.

1. Write a report for the CEO of the company on: “What problems can a speaker have when speaking English on the phone? ”