Impp
Impp
Easy to learn
The first and the most important English language characteristics is that English is easy to
learn. Considering the alphabet, English consists of 26 letters. Having few letters in the
alphabet makes it easier for the non-natives to make words and check them in the
dictionary. Therefore, speaking English would be easier compared to other languages.
Many people desire to become bilingual in order to benefit from its advantages, which are
more job opportunities, higher salary, better communication and easier traveling.
Therefore, they seek to learn a language easily and quickly. In addition, many parents
desire to raise their children as bilingual kids to help them take their first steps to become
successful.
Relatively uninflected
The second English language characteristics is that English is relatively uninflected, whereas
most languages are inflected. During thousand years English words has been slowly simplified
which is another one of the characteristics for learners to learn this language.
Flexible
Adopted vocabulary
The last characteristic is the openness of vocabulary which means this language (English)
can easily adopt words from other languages. Words are adopted sometimes without
change or sometimes with slight change in pronunciation. In fact, up to now word from 350
languages have entered English. This has an effect on the pronunciation. One might notice
that there are some times two or three different forms of pronunciations for a word. All of
this shows that speaking English compare to other languages will be easier because of
different forms of pronunciations.
Receptiveness
When talking about the characteristics of the English language, receptiveness is the most
outstanding characteristic. Receptiveness is the amazing feature of the English language.
The English language has adapted and accepted words from many languages. Most of the
English words have been adapted with Asian, European, African, Indian, Chinese and
many other languages. In addition, the roots of many words in English are formed by
classic languages such as Latin, Greek and Sanskrit.
All in all, the fact that many words in English are adopted from other languages in the
world, makes it easier for language learners to connect with this language and therefore,
learn it much easier.
Simplicity of Inflexion
Another one of characteristics of the English language, which has made it a worldwide
language, is the simplicity of inflection. Inflexion means the extra letters that are added to
the root form of a word in order to create new words. They are usually added to words in
order to create different tenses of verbs, adjectives or adverbs.
In comparison with other languages, there are two simple types of inflexion in the English
language. Its nouns and verbs only have traces of inflexion, which are fairly easy to learn
and remember. This fact may be seen in many languages, but it is one of the strong
characteristics of the English language.
Furthermore, among the characteristics of the English language, its fixed word order in
sentences is quite significant. This means that the word order, in most of the English
sentences, remains the same. The word order SVO (Subject/Verb/Object) is always the
same in English sentences (clauses). The subject is always before the verb, and the object is
always after the verb.
This is one of the characteristics that exist in other languages as well, however, the English
language is known for this feature. This feature is one of the items that is included in the
first characteristic mentioned in this article. A stable word order definitely makes it easier
for the language learners to form comprehensive sentences.
Articles (a/an/the)
Moreover, many English language learners face difficulties when occurring this
characteristic of the English language. Articles are not used in many languages and
therefore, students who are not familiar with the use of articles may have some troubles
using it. Among the characteristics of the English language, which make learning English
easier for foreign learners, English articles may be a trouble for them.
Articles are used to describe whether a noun is specific or general. This indicates the fact
that there are two kinds of articles in the English language. The definite and indefinite
articles are the two types of articles in English. The definite article is the word “the”. “The”
is used to declare that a noun is specific. By using “the” before a noun we declare that the
noun is particular.
(This sentence declares the ball is particular and not a random, unknown and general ball)
Moreover, the indefinite articles in English are “a/an”. These articles are used to define a
noun which is general and unspecific, unlike “the”. The indefinite articles are two kinds.
“a” is used before a noun that begins with a consonant and “an” is used before a noun that
begins with a vowel. Overall, the indefinite kind of articles in English are used to refer to a
general, vague and uncertain noun.
(As it is clear, the man mentioned in this sentence is unknown and unspecific.)
As the last most important characteristics of the English language, the contrast between
spellings and their sounds is noticeable. Most of the characteristics that were mentioned
above were fairly easy. These mentioned characteristics refer to the first feature mentioned
in this article, “easy to learn”. But the fact that the sounds and spellings differ from each
other in English is one of the characteristics of the English language that makes it quite
difficult for learners. There are certain spellings in English which sound different than they
are spelled. These particular spellings are:
Different spellings but same sound: ate, eight; hear, here; their, there
Silent letters: know, could, hour
Same spelling but pronounced differently: read (present tense), read (past tense)
Conclusion
In short, learning a foreign language depends on different things. All languages have some
characteristics. Being easy, uninflected, flexibility, and openness of vocabulary are the
main characteristics of English language which makes this language easy to learn.
In the recent time in most countries around the world there are different classes for
languages, but the most populated classes are the English classes. Most books whether
academic or non- academic are written in English. All of these are the answer to the
question why people prefer to learn English.
To conclude this article, the English language characteristics are very fascinating and
appealing for language learners. The characteristics of this language have made this
language one of the most wide-spread languages in the world. Therefore, acknowledging
the mentioned characteristics of the English language can make it easier for the learners to
connect with this beneficial language.
Poor communications in the workplace can result in friction, frustration, confusion and an
extremely tense environment wherein people are not motivated to be productive and are not
inspired to collaborate. This lack of motivation can then spill over to how staff members
relate to clients and potential customers.
When poor communication occurs, it is not enough to simply point out particular issues and
challenges. In order to truly be able to counter the effects of poor communication, it is
important to look into its causes. By realizing and learning these cases, companies may be
able to solve issues at the root so as to stifle the further progression of the disintegration of
communication lines in the workplace.
Here are some of the common causes of poor communications in the workplace:
While a well-worded job description given along with a job offer is certainly welcomed, it
is not enough. Make sure to have a face-to-face discussion with an employee in order to go
through his or her responsibilities and the expectations that go along with his or her job. If
an organization fails to do this, not only could this lead to confusion and frustration, a staff
member may end up underperforming without meaning to.
Along with the expectations that go hand in hand with their positions, employees also need
to be made aware of the purpose and goals of the whole company itself. By doing this, not
only will communications in the workplace improve, staff members are able to align
themselves with the objectives of the company so they can be contributors to its progress
and success.
2. Poor leadership
Staff members look to business owners and their managers for direction. However, if
people given managerial roles are poor leaders, it is highly likely that communication in the
workplace will deteriorate. While good leaders are able to be good examples and are able to
motivate staff members, poor and incompetent leaders are indecisive and are unable to
inspire their team. They may also be so bad at communication that they are unable to
answer questions and clarify points so much so that their subordinates are left even more
confused and frustrated than when they started.
Different people from different backgrounds will relay messages in different ways, with
varied nonverbal cues. Interpretations of messages will be different as well. For example,
“crossing your fingers” may mean “hoping for good luck” in America; however, it is an
obscene gesture in Vietnam.
4. Demoralized employees
When staff members lose interest in their work and the organization, they are considered to
be demoralized. An employee who is demoralized feels unvalued, unappreciated, and even
disrespected and disregarded despite their capacities and talents. He or she tends to be
unproductive and irritable, and are more likely to look for opportunities elsewhere instead
of helping the company move forward.
While employees should only be concentrating on work while at the workplace, some may
be distracted by their own personal issues and challenges, such as a death in the family or
divorce. Due to distractions and personal issues, a staff member may communicate the
wrong way, and react in a negative fashion. When you notice this occurrence, make sure to
give your employees time off so they can deal with their personal issues.
Communication is the process of transmitting the messages and receiving the response of
that message. The person who sends the messages is known as sender and the person who
receives the message is known as receiver and the response to the message is known as feed
back. Since the feedback requires another message to be communicated by the sender to the
receiver. So communication process becomes a circular process.
1. Principle of clarity: the beginning of all communication is some message. The message
must be as clear as possible. No ambiguity should creep into it. The message can be
conveyed properly only if it has been clearly formulated in the mind of the communicator.
2. Principle of objective: the communicator must know clearly the purpose of
communication before actually transmitting the message. The objective may be to obtain
information, give information, initiate action, and change another person’s attitude and
so on. If the purpose of communication is clear it will help in the choice of mode of
communication.
3. Principle of understanding the receiver: understanding is the main aim of any
communication. The communication must crate proper understanding in the mind of the
receiver. Thus according to Killian, “communication with an awareness of the total
physical and human setting in which the information will be received. Picture the place of
work; determine the receptivity and understanding levels of the receivers; be aware of
social climate and customs; question the information’s timeliness. Ask what, when and in
what manner you would like to be communicated with if you were in the similar
environment and position.
4. Principle of consistency: the message to be communicated should be consistent with
plans, policies, programmes and goals of the enterprise. The message should not be
conflicting with previous communications. It should not crate confusion and chaos in the
organisation.
5. Principle of completeness: the message to be communicated must be adequate and
complete, otherwise it will be misunderstood by the receiver. Inadequate communication
delayed action, poor public relations affects the efficiency of the parties to
communication.
6. Principle of feedback: this principle calls for communication a two-way process and
providing opportunity for suggestion and criticism. Since the receiver is to accept and
carry out the instructions, his reactions must be known to the sender of message. The
latter must consider the suggestion and criticism of the receiver of information. But
feedback principle is often given a back seat by most managers, which defeats the very
purpose of communication.
7. Principle of time: information should be communicated at the right time. The
communicator must consider the timing of communication so that the desired response is
created in the minds of the receivers.
As now you know the importance of listening skills, let’s know how the different styles of
listening work. We use informational, critical and empathic styles when we listen to people.
Those who use informational listening are usually in school or work in an office setting. They
are also likely to take physical notes and pay attention to body language. Developing
informational listening skills is ideal for beginning a new job or self-development study. We
can use all eight styles. But which one is best for you?
1. Empathetic Listening
As the name implies, empathic listening is based on understanding beyond the facts and
providing support and empathy to the speaker. Using this type of listening style builds trust
and positive interactions. The benefits of empathic listening extend beyond interpersonal
relationships.
Empathetic listening is the most common type of listening. It involves identifying with the
other person's feelings and experiences. The listener is not necessarily required to experience
the same thing as the speaker, but he or she should try to imagine the other person's
experience. For example, if your coworker is facing an increase in workload, you will
understand his or her struggle. By understanding the other person's feelings, you will be able
to make a better decision.
Developing empathetic listening skills requires practice and understanding of the person
talking to you. Learning about their lives and picking up on nonverbal cues will help you
become a better listener. But remember that it takes time to develop your listening skills.
The more you practice, the more effective you'll become. So start practising today to become
a better listener. After all, you won't get anywhere without practice.
2. Active Listening
If we talk about how to improve listening skills, active listening is among the most important
ones. When you are communicating with someone, active listening is crucial. The active
listener will pay attention to every word of what is being said and will often show their own
response by verbally giving feedback.
Active listeners are the holy grail of audiences. While active listening can be tricky to master,
it's vitally important to know how to effectively communicate with an active listener.
The most effective way to listen is to engage in active listening. People who practice this
style are generous and considerate listeners who place the needs of others above their own.
They prioritise the point of view of others, even if this requires filtering out other points of
view.
They also value facts and consider their own feelings before answering. Active listeners may
even ask questions on behalf of other people, which shows that they are attentive and care
about other people's opinions.
The main difference between active listening and forced listening is that active listeners focus
their attention on the speaker rather than on other distractions. In addition, they avoid
interrupting the speaker and are more likely to remember important information.
Active listeners can also be more attentive to nonverbal cues like body language and eye
contact when they are active listeners. The key to active listening is paying attention. This
style is important for communication because it improves the quality of information that is
communicated.
3. Time-oriented Listening
Time-oriented listeners are concerned with timeliness and time limits. This type of listener is
similar to an "executive" in that they will verbally express time constraints. These listeners
have short attention spans and will prefer to hear the message quickly without unnecessary
details. As a result, time-oriented listeners may be impatient and rude if they don't get their
point across quickly.
There are many different types of listening styles. One type of listening style is referred to as
"time-oriented," which refers to a person's interest in time and deadlines. Time-oriented
listeners also tend to verbalise these constraints. These individuals typically listen with their
minds focused on what they will get from the message.
Time-oriented listeners pay attention to time. They don't want to waste time. They want to
make the most of their time and are critical of mistakes. When listening, they will often tell
the speaker how long they will be listening to their message. When the information is clear
and easy to follow, they will be more receptive. Time-oriented listeners may be impatient
with rambling or long-winded people.
4. Action-oriented Listening
Action-oriented listeners value concise, error-free messages. They enjoy lists and are quick to
spot inconsistencies. They are also likely to notice mistakes and inconsistencies in a speaker's
message.
Action-oriented listeners are also more likely to ask for clarifications. They also tend to focus
on the emotional aspects and try to understand the message as clearly as possible. Ultimately,
this approach can lead to miscommunication and misunderstandings.
5. People-oriented Listening
People-oriented listeners are interested in the speaker's background and beliefs. They often
ask questions about what motivates the speaker and their goals or desires. They are also
concerned with the facts and figures. Also, they may quickly cut people off, whereas action-
oriented listeners may take more time to conclude if the information is complex.
6. Informational Listening
Learning informational listening skills is particularly useful for new workers and people in
business settings. In addition, it can make us more fulfilled at home, too. This chapter will
explain the different types of listening styles.
This style requires listening to take into account the thoughts of others while forming a
shared understanding. People who use this style are good at taking input from speakers and
developing ideas based on those ideas.
7. Biased Listening
Biased listening involves minimal participation from the listener. They listen to important
information without asking questions or offering their opinions. People who practice this
style often think they are not listening well and aren't empathetic. This style can also hurt
relationships because it can reinforce one's bias for future communications. This type of
listening is most effective when paired with other listening styles.
8. Critical Listening
The term "critical" has multiple meanings; however, in this instance, it's simply saying that
you're evaluating data but not necessarily judging. Critical listening refers to the method of
listening that listeners use when trying to evaluate and analyse the complexity of the
information being conveyed to them.It is possible to use critical listening when you're
working on a problem-solving job and need to determine whether you appreciate the idea
being presented by one of your colleagues or not.
Conclusion
Knowing your listener's listening style will help you adjust to situations that require the
opposite type of listening. Women and men have different attention styles. Men are known
for separating bits of information and directing their energy to a goal. On the other hand,
women are reported to be more empathic and emotional.
Women tend to focus on details and patterns. Both genders may hear the same message
despite the differences, but their attention styles are different. Therefore, it is important to
identify the type of listening style that best suits you.
5.managerial rolls:- Managerial Roles
For better understanding, Mintzberg categorized all activities into ten managerial roles performed over the
course of a day. These are as follows:
Interpersonal Roles
Leader – includes all aspects of being a good leader. This involves building a
team, coaching the members, motivating them, and developing strong
relationships.
Decisional Roles
It refers to all external stimuli other than the spoken or written words and that
includes body motion, characteristics of voice,
appearance, and space distancing.
Facial expressions
Body movements and posture
Gestures
Eye contact
Touch
Space
Voice
Facial expressions
The human face is extremely expressive, able to express countless emotions without saying a
word. And unlike some forms of non-verbal communication, facial expressions are
universal. The facial expressions for happiness, sadness, anger, surprise, fear, and disgust are
the same across cultures.
Gestures
Gestures are woven into the fabric of our daily lives. We wave, point, beckon, and use our
hands when we’re arguing or speaking animatedly – expressing ourselves with gestures often
without thinking. Nevertheless, the meaning of gestures can be very different across cultures
and regions, so it’s important to be careful to avoid misinterpretation.
Eye contact
Because the visual sense is dominant for most people, eye contact is a particularly important
type of non-verbal communication. The way you look at someone can communicate many
things, including interest, affection, hostility, or attraction. Eye contact is also crucial in
maintaining the flow of conversation and for gauging the other person’s response.
Touch
We communicate a great deal through touch. Think about the messages given by the
following: a firm handshake, a timid tap on the shoulder, a warm bear hug, an assuring pat
on the back, a patronizing pat on the head, or a controlling grip on your arm.
Space
Have you ever felt uneasy during a conversation because the other person was standing too
close and invading your space? We all have a need for physical space, although that need
differs depending upon the culture, the situation, and the closeness of the relationship. You
can use physical space to communicate many different non-verbal messages, including
signals of intimacy, aggression, dominance, or affection.
Voice
It’s not just what you say, it’s how you say it. When we speak, other people “read” our
voices in addition to heeding to our words. Things they pay attention to include your timing
and pace, how loud you speak, your tone and inflection, and sounds that convey
understanding, such as “ahh” and “uh-huh.”
Example: Think about how tone of voice, can show sarcasm, anger, affection, or confidence.
8. Importance of cross cultural communication