Communication and Languages

Communication and Languages

- What is communication?
Comm. is the act of exchanging thoughts, ideas, messages or information through speaking, writing, signals, sounds and behaviour.
 

- Forms of communication...
We are able to understand non-verbal performers like mime artists or dancers who “speak“ body language fluently. Is different in different countries. It includes mimes, gestures, sounds, facial expresions. We have to be careful in foreign countries with using gestures.
Verbal communication is spoken language. The spoken word is usually face to face which may allow the speaker to ask questions. In verbal communication we can use stress, tone and the modulation of the voice to express different meanings.
Spoken is lead  face to face. We can use gestures or mimes. Speech often contains many pauses, fullers...The tone of voice is important. It doesn’t require as much concentration as written form. A listener can ask immediately if he doesn’t understand. When something has been said it cannot be taken back.
Written communication requires more thought and planning, and is often expressed in rather more formal terms, the ideas are more structured and better organised with suitable examples included. We have to use right words and correct grammar. We have to express our ideas clearly cause there’s no possibility of re-expanation. We have to speak to the point.

- Communication in past and in present...
In past -> People used non-verbal communication and later the infos was past through picts, science and finally letters.  When Johan Guttenberg invented printing a written text was easily spread among people. The new inventions in the 20centruy enabled mass communication.
In present -> Nowadays, we can’t imagine our life without computers. There are excellent source of storing searching for information. Computers have became modern communication partners for many people. However, there is a threat that people will spend more and more time at the pc., which weakens their socializing and oral form of communication.
 
- Modern forms of communication...
Communication is an important part of people´s lives. We can communicate with other people in many ways. We can talk and write. We can send messages. We have got the phone – the mobile, the fax and e-mail. Then we´ve got TV, film, photo. The radio, film and TV have a huge influence on us. And now we have also Internet. We can give and get much information very promptly. The average child today text messages his friends using his mobile phone, surfs the net to find information for school and emails foreign friends half a world away. Some people spend a lot of time surfing on the net and looking for new partners or just chatting. Modern ways of communication have stopped face-to-face contact.People meet less often, they phone, get e-mails, watch TV, read newspapers.

- differences between BE and AE...

- in vocabulary: taxi (BE) – cab (AE), lif (BE) – elevator (AE), chips (BE) – french fries (AE), crisps (BE) – chips (AE), children (BE) – kids (AE), sweets (BE) – candies (AE), trainers (BE) – sneakers (AE),  flat (BE) – apartment (AE), petrol (BE) – gas (AE), shop (BE) – store (AE), film (BE) – movie (AE), torch (BE) – flashlight (AE), off licence (BE) – liquor store (AE), mobile phone (BE) – cell phone (AE), trousers (BE)- pants (AE), post code (BE)- zip code (AE)
- in spelling;

 Most words ending in an unstressed -our in British English (e.g. colour, flavour,  neighbour) end in -or in American English (cf. color…)
In British usage, some words of French, Latin or Greek origin ending in –re (calibre, centre, fibre, litre, metre, theatre) have –er in American spelling.
American and Canadian spelling accepts only -ize endings in most cases, such as organize, realize, and recognize. British usage is split between both -ize and -ise (organize / organise, realize / realise,recognize / recognise)

- in pronuncation: stop (BE)- stap (AE), kan (BE) – ken (AE)

- Why do we learn foreign language?
Learning of FL makes our lives easier. It helps us to communicate with people abroad, to make new friends, to meet business partners. When we speak FL it’s easier to get to know other countries, customs, new cultures. We can read books in original language, watch films and listen to songs. We can find more atractive job, study abroad. It’s more lightly to be succesful if you know FL.

- Which jobs require good communication skills?
Marketing Expert. A marketing expert does the marketing strategy of the product. Waitress must be able to communicate in a gentle matter and have patience. Even when people are truly rude. Others: Teacher, psychologist...