We learn to speak naturally in our mother tongue but linguists have contrasting theories about the process we learn to speak in our mother tongue. However, when it comes about learning a second or a foreign language, most of the linguists agree that it is a very difficult task and it’s a skill that cannot be acquired without effort. So, learning to speak in English for the non-natives of this language requires much effort and practice. Let’s have a brief discussion on speaking a second/foreign language.
What is Speaking?
Speaking is the skill that makes human beings different from and superior to the species of living beings. Speaking is a complex cognitive and linguistic skill. A child learns to speak through interaction with the people around him/her in their native language. Every normal adult can speak in his/her native language without effort and this skill is a natural one. But speaking in a foreign language is not natural and it requires conscious effort throughout the whole process.
Speaking is a verbal skill that involves words and sounds. It also involves:
- Meaning: connotation, denotation, grammar
- Sociability, Relationship, Affect: formal, informal, slang, turn-taking
- Cultural Issues: class, ethnicity, nationality, religion, gender, dialect
- Performance: articulation, projection, pronunciation
- Sound Elements: how volume, pitch, pace, and nature of sound complement/contradict/replace words
Speaking is a production skill that involves listening skill. Without listening, speaking is not possible and the relationship between these two skills is corresponding.