Accent Honing and Neutralisation: Language learners often neglect honing a good accent in favor of focusing on grammar and vocabulary — but it’s important to practice your accent too. The demand for a neutral global accent in the call centre industry is seeing Indian workers stripped of their mother tongue.
Accent is the part of dialect concerning local pronunciation. Vocabulary and grammar are described elsewhere; see List of dialects of the English language.
Secondary English speakers tend to carry over the intonation and phonetics of their mother tongue in English speech
For example English language in England:
Northern (In the northeast, local speech is akin to Scots) Cheshire. Cumbrian (Cumbria including Barrovian in Barrow-in-Furness) …
East Midlands.
West Midlands. Black Country. Brummie (Birmingham) …
Accents arise because people that speak the same language separate geographically or socially and the versions of the shared language they speak being to differentiate from each other.
This could be because the two groups are geographically closer to different languages.
What do you mean by neutral accent?
It means an accent that is easy on all ears across the globe, an accent that is understood by all in the international community, no matter who the listener is an American, British, Australian or a Canadian or people from any other country.
Intonation: Intonation is variation of spoken pitch that is not used to distinguish words; instead it is used for a range of functions such as indicating the attitudes and emotions of the speaker, signalling the difference between statements and questions, and between different types of questions, focusing .
The definition of intonation is the way the pitch of your voice goes up and down as you talk or reciting something by singing it.
An example of intonation is the way your voice raises in pitch at the end of a question. An example of intonation is given below..
Thus intonation can be done.
Two people just walked by you, speaking in a foreign language.
You didn’t understand a word, but you still somehow know what language they were speaking.
How can that be?
All languages have their own distinct melody, or music. To know what I mean, take a look at this video.
The girl in the video is not actually speaking any of the languages, she’s just using sounds with the right speed, tone and stresses.
This music of languages is called intonation, and it’s something you probably don’t even think about when speaking your native language.
Intonation is the rise and fall of your voice when you speak. Many times, it’s just as important as your words in expressing what you want to say.
That’s why when you’re learning English, you shouldn’t just learn what to say, you should also learn how to say it.
So to help, I’m going to show you seven situations where intonation matters in English, with examples of each type.
How Intonation Changes Meaning
Using the right intonation can actually change the meaning of your words.
Think of your voice as a musical instrument. As you speak, your voice gets louder and softer, places emphasis on certain parts, and goes up and down the notes.
The notes of your voice are called its pitch, and the change in pitch is what we call intonation.
For example, say this sentence out loud:
“How you doin’?”
This looks like a simple, very informal way to ask someone how they’re doing. It’s not grammatically correct (it should say “How are you doing?”), but it’s easy to understand.
When you said it out loud, you probably started on a low note and rose up to a higher note on the “doin’.”
Now listen to Joey from the TV show “Friends” say it in this video. He stresses the word “you” instead, which gives the phrase a completely different meaning.
His version of this simple greeting is suggestive(hinting at something sexual) and a bit flirtatious (he’s flirting). (Of course, his facial expression doesn’t help!).
And it doesn’t stop there! Something as simple as the word “really” can have many different meanings depending on your pitch.
A rising pitch shows surprise, a falling pitch shows disbelief.
Not changing your pitch at all can sound sarcastic (when you say one thing but mean the opposite).
So imagine that your friend just told you he won the lottery. How you say the word “really” will influence how he thinks you feel about this (and might influence whether he shares his prize money!).
It can also explain why sometimes people don’t seem to understand you even when you use the right words and grammar.
The Main English Intonation Patterns
There are two main American English intonation patterns:
Falling:This is when your voice lowers its pitch at the end of the sentence, and it’s the most common pattern in American English. Use this for most regular statements and questions that are not yes or no questions.
Rising:This is when your voice raises its pitch at the end of the sentence. Use this when you’re asking a yes or no question or to show disbelief or anger. This is a simplified explanation, and there are a number of other different ways you can change your pitch to change your meaning. But if you can learn these two main patterns well, the rest will follow! You’ll find out more about them in a bit, but first it’s important to learn how to study intonation.
To improve your intonation, you will first need to become aware of it.
So before you do anything, record yourself speaking. Choose a paragraph that has different kinds of sentences, like the first few sentences in a book you’re reading (here’s one you can see online, just click on the book cover on the left to “look inside”).
Now that you have a recording of yourself speaking, you can listen to it and hear what needs work. Does your voice sound flat? Does it rise and fall in a way that sounds natural? Do you “sound” like a native speaker?
Overcome Mother Tongue Influence: Mother tongue influence, the habit of native speakers of one language to modify non-native languages with phonetics and vocabulary of their native tongue. Movie tie-in (book) edition of a book is often indicated by “(MTI)” after its title.
The evidence of mother tongue influence on English is very obvious.
This manifests in the form of incorrect pronunciation. Pronunciation error may be due to many issues.
Guesswork or vagueness of the correct form of a word or sentence, or a general ineptness of the language could be the reason of mispronunciation.
Mother–tongue refers to one’s native language or parent language. (“mother tongue,” 2015).
Mother–tongue interference refers to the influence of the native language of the learner on her/his acquisition of the target language.
Articulation (phonetics), the movement of the tongue, lips, jaw, and other speech organs to make speech sounds. Manner of articulation, how speech organs involved in making a sound make contact. Place of articulation, positions of speech organs to create distinctive speech sounds.
Students will continue to fear an audience that they don’t know.
They can tackle unknown audiences as they get better at public speaking.
A few suggestions for activities that start small are: Ask students to think of a topic they are knowledgeable about.
Mastering
The art of speaking is the single most important aspect of learning a second or foreign language and success can be seen in terms of the ability to carry out a conversation in the language.
In relation to speaking and oral interaction, learners need the ability to articulate the sounds comprehensibly, mastery of stress, rhythm, intonation patterns, an acceptable degree of fluency, transactional and interpersonal skills, skills in the management of interaction, skills in negotiating meaning, conversational listening skills, using appropriate conversational fillers, etc.
Learning to speak in a second or foreign language will be easier when learners are actively engaged in attempting to communicate.
Learners learn to speak by speaking. It is, then, our role to give our students opportunities to speak English more spontaneously and creatively.
It is not unusual for people who study another language not to have a desire to speak it Most students are eager to converse in the new language, and conversation practice therefore assumes primary importance in their learning experience.
Improve your Pronunciation and Diction: First, it’s important to concentrate on speaking your words. If you are nervous try a few different techniques to calm your nerves before speaking. When you are calm, you speak more slowly, and this improves your diction and clarity of your voice.
Steps to improve your Pronunciation and Diction:
Learn to listen.
Before you learn how to speak, you’ll need to learn how to listen.
Notice how your mouth and lips move.
Pay attention to your tongue.
Break words down into sounds.
Add stress to sounds and words.
Use pronunciation podcasts and videos.
Record yourself.
Practice with a buddy.
Useful activities to develop the students’ oral expression. Suggested procedures.
DEBATE
Select the debate Ask which students would like to be “pro” and which “con”.
Select the two teams. Each team will have a “captain.”
Allow the students enough time to prepare their arguments. They can speak from their notes, but they cannot read them.
Have the two teams sit in front of the class.
The “captain” will give his presentation and summarize the team’s view points at the end.
After each presentation, the rest of the group can ask questions on either team.
The teacher may also want to ask questions to the students.
The different parts of the debate are: introduction, development, and conclusion.
Read the poem two or three times to your students before they see it in the written form. They should listen for meaning, rhythm, intonation patterns and pronunciation.
Give each student a copy of the poem.
Explain the meaning of words the students do not know. Use the strategy for conveying meaning you consider: contextual procedures- definition, synonym, opposition, multiple context- realia, cognate words, and pictures.
Read the poem again while the students follow the written form.
Discuss the message in the poem. Ask the students why they agree or disagree with the poet’s viewpoints.
Have the students restate the message in prose.
Discuss the poet’s life, his works, other poems he has written, and any other important information that would interest your students.
Analyze the cultural elements appearing in the poem. Have the students compare these elements in their own culture.
PLAYS
Select a short play according to the students’ needs.
Give each a student a copy of the play.
Have the students read the play and look up any unfamiliar
Discuss the play in class. Be sure each student understands the structure and vocabulary.
Analyze the setting of the play, the characters, the plot, and the author’s message.
Analyze the students’ viewpoints and experiences about the play.
Creative Speaking : Creative Speaking is a Strategy for the Preparation and Delivery of Oral Presentations
SPEECH
Allow the student sufficient time to prepare his speech beforehand.
Have the student select the topic of his speech.
Limit time for the speech.
The student can write out his speech in advance and show it to the teacher to correct any mistake.
Have the student practice the speech several times before presenting it in class.
The student can stand in front of the group, or you can permit him to sit down.
After the student has finished his speech, ask questions to the rest of the group about the speech.
The rest of the group can ask questions to the student who delivered the speech.
Conventional requirements as to social behavior proprieties of conduct as established in any class or community or for any occasion or a prescribed or accepted code of usage in matters of ceremony, as data court or in official or other formal observances.
Fine dining etiquette is typically designed for a formal setting and the rules do not apply during casual meetings or social gatherings. A specific seat is allocated to every individual and food is served very precisely by waiters or servers. Fine dining etiquette can also be referred to as table manners.
Corporate etiquette can be termed as a way of exhibiting socially acceptable behavior in business relationships.
It can be defined as the way of behaving in a business environment.
The importance of corporate etiquette is growing day by day.
People are coming closer together due to the impact of advanced technology, which in turn increases the need for people relationship skills or good social manners.
According to research conducted by the American Society of Quality Control, 68% of business is lost by corporates due to the indifferent attitude of employees while dealing with prospective clients.
So, one can be assured of the significance of people skills in capturing the market share rather than the goods and services delivered.
Corporate Etiquette
This proves the great need for employees to Invest or be train in etiquette to refine and sharpen the blunt edges of their people skills.
Here are some essential tips that employees must follow to improve their corporate etiquette skills and make the corporate environment pleasant, more positive and productive:
Follow Common Courtesy:
Check your attitude for simple and common courtesies. Be sure you avoid annoying people around you by gossiping, raising your pitch, intruding on two people’s conversation, exhibiting fancy mobile ring tones loudly, etc, during a client meet or at your workstation.
Give and take Respect:
Treat others the way you wish to be treated. Be courteous and respectful towards your clients, boss, seniors, co-workers and subordinates.
Never forget to thank or appreciate the person who helped you out. Make sure, while being respectful and cordial towards your co-workers and clients, to draw a distinctive line between your professional and personal life to avoid unnecessary complications.
Dress Code:
Your attire plays a significant role in enhancing your positive image. It adds spice to the talent, qualification and experience you possess and helps to gain self-confidence and success.
So try to reflect your professionalism in your dress.
Exhibit Rational Personality:
At times in the work environment, you may come across some adverse situations. Be mature in dealing with unexpected situations as, sometimes, the way you react to a given problem will be more stressful than the problem itself.
Research:
In today’s global business, one has to deal with multi-cultural people. So, before dealing with a prospective client or interacting with a co-worker, do a little bit of homework by researching the location they belong to or their preferences. This can help you respect their sensitive areas.
Thus, in this fast paced world and highly competitive business environment, enhancing your corporate etiquette skills helps build long-term relationships with your clients as well as co-workers and thereby ensures business as well as personal success
Proper telephone etiquette is very important in that you are representing your department and the University.
Remembering to use proper telephone etiquette, whether answering the phone or making phone calls, leaves callers with a favorable impression of you, your department, and Lehigh in general Use basic good manners. Be courteous. Be helpful. Treat callers with respect. Recognize the caller. Be an active listener.
Telephone Etiquette
Step 1:
Speak clearly
A picture paints a thousand words but the caller on the other end of the phone can only hear you. They cannot see your face or body language. Therefore, taking the time to speak clearly, slowly and in a cheerful, professional voice is very important.
Step 2:
Use your normal tone
Use normal tone of voice when answering a call. If you have a tendency to speak loud or shout, avoid doing so on the telephone.
Step 3:
Do not eat or drink
Do not eat or drink while you are on telephone duty. Only eat or drink during your coffee break or lunch break.
Step 4:
Do not use slang words or Poor Language
Respond clearly with “yes” or “no” when speaking. Never use swear words.
Step 5:
Address the Caller Properly
Address the Caller Properly by his or her title. (i.e. Good morning Mr. Brown, Good afternoon Ms. Sanders). Never address an unfamiliar caller by his or her first name.
Step 6:
Listen to the Caller
Listen to the Caller and what they have to say. The ability to listen is a problem in general but it is very important to listen to what the caller has to say. It is always a good habit to repeat the information back to the client when you are taking a message. Verify that you have heard and transcribed the message accurately.
Step 7:
Be patient and helpful
Be patient and helpful. If a caller is irate or upset, listen to what they have to say and then refer them to the appropriate resource. Never snap back or act rude to the caller
Step 8:
Speak Politely
Always ask if you can put the caller on hold. If you are responsible for answering multiple calls at once, always ask the caller politely if you may put them on hold. Remember that the caller could have already waited several minutes before getting connected to you and may not take lightly to being put on hold. Never leave the person on hold for more than a few seconds or they may become upset and hang up.
Step 9:
Focus on call
Always focus on the call. Try not to get distracted by people around you. If someone tries to interrupt you while you are on a call, politely remind them that you are on a customer call and that you will be with them as soon as you are finished.
Hope, Etiquette classified dining etiquette, corporate etiquette, telephone etiquette will be helpful
Resume preparation is a self-advertisement that, when done properly, shows how your skills, experience, and achievements match the requirements of the job you want. This guide provides three free samples on which you can base your resume. It will also walk you through setting up and laying out the content to highlight your skills and grab the reader’s attention.
Tips on Creating a Professional Resume
Resume Preparation
Select the best resume type:
There are several basic types of resumes used to apply for job openings.
Depending on your personal circumstances, choose a chronological, functional, combination, or targeted Taking the time to choose the best type of resume for your situation is well worth the effort.
Make it legible:
Your resume should be easy to read. You want the hiring manager to easily read and absorb your work history and accomplishments.
Therefore, use a legible font(such as Times New Roman, Arial, or Calibri). Make sure the font is not too big or too small (choose a size between 10 and 12).
Also be sure that there is enough white space on the page to make it easy to scan. Avoid dense blocks of text, and use standard margins. Use white- or cream-colored paper if you are sending a physical resume – colored paper can be very distracting.
Be consistent:
Professional resumes need to have consistent formatting.
For instance, if you use bullet points to describe your responsibilities and achievements at one position, be sure to use bullet points on all other positions as well.
Also, make certain that the bullet points are formatted the same way throughout. For example, don’t use circle bullet points in one section, and diamond bullet points in another section.
Be consistent with font, font size, and style (such as use of bold and italics).
Keep it focused:
It’s important not to include extraneous information. Your resume should focus on the skills and attributes that qualify you for the job. Here are the top 15 things not to include on your resume.
Use resume examples and templates:
Use a resume example or template to help you write your resume.
An example can help you decide what information to include. Templates can help you format your resume.
However, whenever you use a resume example or template, be sure to customize your resume, so it reflects your skills and abilities, and the jobs you are applying for.
Get creative:
If you are in a creative field, you might use a free resume website to build a creative resume that includes all the facets of a traditional resume, with add-ons like video, infographics, and links to your accomplishments.
However, only do this if you are in a creative industry. Otherwise, stick to a traditional resume.
Carefully edit your resume:
Spelling and grammar errors can make an applicant seem inattentive to details. Review these proofing guidelines to ensure that your resume is consistent and error free.
Get resume help:
Writing a resume is hard work and it’s important to get help, or at least have your resume reviewed, before you send it to employers.
Consider using a career counselor or other professional resume service to help you make sure your resume is professional and polished.
Check your resume:
This resume checklist includes the information you need to include in your resume. Use the checklist to make sure you have included all relevant information in your resume.