Speaking

Speaking

Speaking

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.

 

Lessons

  1. One of the most frustrating aspects to learning English – or any language, for that matter – is how you can tell the difference between two words that are spelled alike.
  2. Once you’ve learned the basics of English, it’s very important to keep practicing and looking for ways to improve your verbal skills. This includes your ability to comprehend verbal English – as well as speak it.
  3. There are many ways for students studying the English language to improve their language skills. One of the best ways is simply by speaking as much English as possible.
  4. When you ask a language student what their goals are, almost everyone says “improve my speaking”. When learning a foreign language, you’ll find yourself talking with all kinds of native speakers – your teacher...
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