5.1 The challenges of language production Flashcards
in your first language, is it easier to understand than expressing yourself
In any language, people tend to understand more, either when reading or listening, than they are able to express themselves. This is true when learning a foreign language, but also in your own first language. For example, English
speakers may well be able to read specialist magazines or poetry in English, and still not be able to produce this kind of language themselves
Why is it generally easier to understand than to expressing yourself?
If you are learning a foreign language you may be able to understand because the context helps or because some words look similar to ones you know. However, to speak and write requires more knowledge
Buying stamps at the post office thoughts:
–this kind of conversation is relatively easy because the range of vocabulary required is limited, as is the number of predictable exchanges.
–If all else fails it is always possible to use gestures.
***Making small talk at a party, thoughts:
–Difficulty will depend on the level of ambient noise, your interlocutor’s accent and delivery, whether they are cooperative or not, and so on. —–Although the range of topics may be predictable (weather,
hometown, family, occupation, leisure activities, etc.), there may also be some surprises and sudden changes of subject. If you are confident enough you may be able to initiate topics in which you feel competent.
–Interaction allows you to ask for clarification and check your
understanding of what was said. ——-Speakers also tend to adjust the way they speak to the people they are talking to (their interlocutors). This behaviour, which is often unconscious, is known in linguistics as ‘accommodation’.
–However, finding the right moment to speak during a conversation can be difficult in a foreign language as the rules of turn taking vary from one culture to another and you may miss your turn as you try to work out what to say and how to say it.
Leaving a message on an answerphone, thoughts
–the lack of interaction can be
intimidating, but your message can be written out in advance.
–Certain types of messages will be more linguistically challenging than others, depending on their content and purpose.
explaining a problem at the doctor’s, thoughts
–some medical issues may be
explained by gestures (locating the problem, expressing visible symptoms such as pain, cough, etc.), others are more difficult (e.g. time references such ‘as every morning’, ‘two days ago’, etc.).
–As with small talk, interaction can help to clarify meanings. For example, if you do not understand a particular word, you may show this by giving the speaker a puzzled look, which will prompt them to rephrase the sentence.
Giving a presentation, thoughts:
–it could be assumed that presentations require a
high level of linguistic proficiency because there is generally a point to
make and specific information to pass on. However, the task is
significantly easier if you prepare your presentation in advance and use notes and visual aids.
–Often, the most challenging moment is when you finish presenting and invite questions from the audience, because
answering these requires listening comprehension skills and speaking
without a prepared script.
answering a question at a job interview, thoughts
–no matter how much you
prepare for this, an interview will be a challenging experience at first.
Questions can be unpredictable, fine nuances of language do matter and
any errors are open to scrutiny. The more a job matters to you, the more
acutely aware you will be of all this. However, if you have prepared well
you may find that some of the questions are not as difficult as you
anticipated. Provided that it is kept under control, the right amount of
anxiety can drive people to perform well
Interlocutor
refers to the person or persons being spoken to in a conversation.
Accommodation
people’s tendency to adapt their speech to the speech of their interlocutor, for example, by changing their accent or avoiding
words that might be misunderstood.
–Do we need different skill sets to be able to speak and listen in different situations?
–what do different situations have in common?
–speaking involves a complex range of skills, and that different situations call for different skill sets. Telephone conversations may be particularly challenging because of the
lack of eye contact and body language, while the main challenge of making face-to-face small talk in a noisy café could be that you struggle to hear what is being said
–Despite these differences, comprehension entails certain
fundamental processes
Words, language and Minecraft
Words are the building blocks of language. When they begin to talk, the first language items that children learn are individual words. Only later do they gradually acquire some rules for putting words together into sentences. Words also play a central role when you learn a foreign language as an adult. You may be able to get your meaning across even with very poor grammar, but
without the necessary words, verbal communication is impossible.
How long will you be learning vocabulary
Learning vocabulary is an ongoing task that continues as long as you go on using a language, whether you are a beginner, an advanced learner or even a native speaker.
