Page 58 - DENG102_COMMUNICATION_SKILLS_II

Unit 3: Conversation Building

voice notes

The first signal we receive or use is our voice. Everybody knows how important voice is. It tells
us so much about the speaker’s sex, background, education, training and temperament. There are
all kinds of voices – clear, musical, raucous, cultivated, pleasant, unpleasant and so on. Unless
damaged by some injury to the vocal cords or some neurological problem, the human voice
normally does a satisfactory job. In other words it conveys the meaning of the message. In certain
jobs it is absolutely necessary for the applicant or employee to have a clear and pleasant voice.
For example, jobs involving the use of telephone, announcing, tape-recording etc. require very
clear voice.

Word stress

Word stress is of crucial importance in communication or transmission of the intended meaning.
By putting stress or emphasis on a word here or a word there in the same sentence or utterance
we can change the whole meaning.
mixed signals

Very often problems arise because of ‘mixed signals - saying one thing in one way and using
words that convey the opposite meaning. It should be our constant effort to make sure that the
‘what’ and the ‘how’ of our message are in harmony. As receivers, we should concentrate on
how the message is sent and the meaning of the words. All communication takes place within
a matrix of role-relationships, particular contexts, at particular times, in a particular language
or a dialect of that language, at regional, national or international levels, and so on. All these
factors influence the paralinguistic character of the communication. If the signals get mixed up,
the intended message will not be conveyed, or will be wrongly or inadequately interpreted.
Any properly educated person is careful about his voice quality, stress, production of vowel and
consonant sounds, consonant-clusters, sound in connected speech, suitably spaced pauses and so
on. There must be consistency between what is intended and what is conveyed.

self assessment

Fill in the blanks:
1. ………………… is the process through which people attempt to influence the beliefs or
actions of others.
2. The Group Discussion is a ………………… test.
3. Factual accuracy as well as some ………………… to audience are important elements of the
art of persuasion.
4. The conference is a tool of learning, ………………… and ………………… .
State whether the following statements are true or false:
5. Presentations have three major elements: speaker, specific content and visual aids.

6. Make audience analysis is one of the steps of presentation.
7. Word stress is not importance in transmission of the intended meaning.
8. Paralanguage is non-verbal.

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