Writing English: Some Useful Tips
We have been discussing online courses lately and from the way things are shaping up, we will continue to discuss it as its influence keeps growing. It’s always more fun listening to an audio clip or watching a video to learn. Online learning is taking things away from the realm of text books and combining learning with fun to make a deeper impression on the learners. With that being said, I am going to cut down on writing here and refer to a video for the points I am trying to make. It’s a video which gives you some useful tips on writing by pointing out common mistakes that are found in writing samples. Check it out here.
Use Words Carefully While Learning English
All of us get excited at the prospect of learning new words. In the process of learning a language we are asked to improve our vocabulary. The more words we know, the more our command over a language will increase. While learning new words can be fun, we also need to be cautious about their usage since many words have multiple meanings and connotations.
If you look closely at your mother tongue, you will identify several words which are used in various situations and which carry various meanings. Change of context often alters the meaning of words and depending upon culture, humour and other factors, words get associated with various things. Apart from its common meaning, the word “egg”, for example, is used to describe encouragement and support. Also a lot of words and expressions that we use in our respective languages have no English equivalent and vice-versa.
When you come across a new word, make sure you find out more about it before beginning to use it on a regular basis. Usage of certain words can hurt the sentiments of certain people and land you in trouble. It is also important to know whether a particular word has any special meaning in a cultural or religious context. Keep a good dictionary handy and look up references.
More on Careers with Foreign Languages
Continuing on my post on the advantages of learning foreign languages, i thought more details on career opportunities with foreign languages would be helpful. I came across a page providing a comprehensive and detailed list of opportunities and how you need to go about making yourself employable. Openings under the spotlight here are translation, interpretation, language teaching and training and linguistics. The page provides links to several other websites which you may find helpful. Check it out here.
More Langugaes=Greater Job Advantage
The growing interest in learning foreign languages might baffle some people but there’s no denying that foreign languages open up a lot of new opportunities and it’s heartening that more and more people are willing to explore these. You might be of the opinion that learning English presents enough employment opportunities and there is no need to make the extra effort to learn more but if only you explore what learning a foreign language can do for you professionally, you will be encouraged to re-think.
Data collection and documentation doesn’t always happen in English as companies are expanding into more and more countries around the world. Opportunities as translators and interpreters are up for grabs if you are proficient in a foreign language. BPOs often cater to clients in South America and other countries around the globe where English is not the main language. As there are high demands for people who can speak a foreign language, you can expect a lucrative position in several BPOs.
Commonly people go for French and Spanish. However courses in Russian and Japanese are also sought after.
Are You Listening?
Listening to conversations and commentaries can help you a lot in learning English. Not only do you learn a lot of new words and expressions, you also come to know how to respond appropriately under different circumstances. When you are asked a question, you usually have a choice of various replies but depending upon the situation and the people you are speaking to, you have to choose a reply that is apt.A lot of things are to be considered here- the choice of words, the tone, the body-language etc. Listening to conversations will help you to get an idea about the possible retorts or answers to a statement.
Many of us watch cricket and listen to commentators and just like cricketers, we have our favourite commentators too. What makes certain commentators more popular than others? Apart from a good knowledge of the game, it’s also the way they speak that decides their popularity. Someone speaking in a flat monotone and going on and on about drab technicalities will not impress many listeners, but someone bringing in the excitement of the game in his/her voice, choosing different words to describe similar happenings, cracking an occassional joke and so on will undoubtedly be keenly listened to. I am sure cricket wouldn’t be as much fun without good commentary.Listen carefully to the way such people speak, pay careful attention to their selection of words and changes in tone and you will learn a thing or two about attracting listeners to hear you speak.
Create A Zone of Your Own While Learning English
Very often people want to know how to go about improving communication skills in English. In reply, I always say that there is nothing better than regular practice. If one communicates in English regularly with another person or in a group every day, his/her communication skills will certainly improve. However, what keeps this from happening is apprehension. When someone who is not very proficient in English attempts to speak in it, the person is often afraid of being ridiculed and corrected at every step. Fearing this, people keep quiet or prefer to stay away from speaking English.
It is extremely important to have a circle where one can speak without any inhibition or fear. If you are learning English, you need to spend some time every day with a group of people or with an individual with whom you can communicate in English without having to worry about being slighted. Feel free to talk about anything that comes to your mind. Regular interaction will not only help you learn the language but will also make you confident enough to express yourself in English in social circles.