English 1- Purposive Communication
Prefinal Coverage
English as Global Lingua Franca- A language that is widely used as a means of
communication among speakers of other languages.
It has become a widespread notion that the use of different languages results in
intercultural miscommunication and misunderstanding.
When we are communicating with people who are very different from us, it is very
difficult to know how to draw inferences about what they mean, and so it is
impossible to depend on shared knowledge and background for confidence in our
interpretations
Note that misunderstanding in intercultural communication may not always be
caused by verbal utterances. Misunderstandings may also occur due to wrong
interpretation of the non-verbal code. For instance, the handshake which is
commonly done by people introduce to each other by a third party should be done
and interpreted correctly as the type of handshake varies from culture to culture.
Study the
table below
and find out
how
handshakes differ from country to country.
Sources of Misunderstanding
Kaur (2016) cites the following as the sources of misunderstanding:
1. Ambiguity- lack of explicitness on the part of the speaker in the form of
problematic reference and ambiguous semantics in which an utterance is open
to different interpretations.
2. Performance-related misunderstanding- slips of the tongue and mishearing
which may be due to utterances spoken quickly and unclearly.
3. Language-related-misunderstanding- ungrammaticality of sentences.
4. Gaps in world knowledge- gaps in content rather than language.
5. Local context- turns and the turns within sequences produced by the
participants themselves, and the orientation of the participants as well as the repair
moves that follow the displayed understanding.
TYPES OF SPEECHES ACCORDING TO PURPOSE
1. Expository or Informative- meant to explain or describe facts, truths and
principals to educate audiences.
2. Persuasive- designed to convince and encourage listeners to reinforce,
change, or adopt attitudes, beliefs, perceptions, convictions, or values based
on propositions presented.
3. Entertainment- delivered to provide fun, laughter or invite listeners to join
in any celebration.
TYPES OF SPEECHES ACCORDING TO DELIVERY
1. Reading from a manuscript- This is the most formal type of delivery and
most effective to have the greatest control on how the speech is worded.
Strengths
Guarantees refined, polished and stylized language done with preparation
Facilitates word-for-word reading for phrases embellished with stylistic elements
Limitations
Takes time to prepare
Delimits the spontaneity and conversational dynamics that effective speaker
want to achieve
Creates artificiality of getting to the point if not read well
2. Memorized Speech- This is the most challenging to bet through. It is best
used accepting words, introducing speakers or making announcement; for
speakers trained and practiced to memorize long passages of text; for
presenting the same ideas a number of times (e.g., preachers and teachers.)
Strengths
Guarantees refined, polished and stylized language done with preparation
Facilitates word-for-word reading for phrases embellished with stylistic elements
Limitations
Takes time to prepare
Delimits the spontaneity and conversational dynamics that effective speaker
want to achieve
Creates artificiality of getting to the point if not read well
3. Impromptu Speech- This is delivered with little or no preparation usually
about a topic that the speaker knows well. It is “thinking on one’s feet” or
“speaking off the cuff” for it is usually presented with no guide notes or
outline and with only a little time of advance notice for preparation.
Strengths
Allows maintained direct eye contact with the audience
Sounds genuine for its formality
Limitations
May likely leave out important information if preparation is hasty
Might lack logical organization due to minimal preparation
4. Extemporaneous Speech- This is researched and planned ahead of time
but exact wording is not scripted. It may make use of notes or an outline for
guidance on key ideas, structure and delivery cues.
Strengths
Easiest to prepare with notes as prompter
Does not require lengthy preparation unlike having a memorized speech, or
reading directly from a manuscript.
Does not need much practice to be effective; sounds interactive giving the
impression that the shared ideas of the speaker are created as he or she
structures the speech from his or her notes.
Limitations
a. Takes time for preparation
b. Takes skill to deliver it well
Principles of Effective Speech Delivery
1. Articulation- producing clear and distinct sounds
2. Modulation- adequate volume of the voice accompanied by the appropriate
pitch level; and good voice quality
3. Facial Expressions, gestures, and movements- appropriateness and
proper timing
4. Stage presence- naturalness, composure and confidence before the
listeners
5. Rapport with the audience- attentiveness to reactions or shifts in listening
patterns; openness to questions raised
6. Silence- room for pauses and silence
Ten Commandments of Oral Communication
1. Believe in what you say.
2. Believe in the people to whom you speak.
3. Live what you say.
4. Know when you say it.
5. Know why you say it.
6. Know how to say it.
7. Have fun saying it.
8. Show it as you say it.
9. Say it so people can own it.
10. Say it so people will do it
(Adopted from Mrs. Flora Reyes)
Communication in Workplace
Technical Writing- a form of written communication used mainly as
correspondence and in production of written outputs valuable to an organization.
Genres/Forms of Technical Writing
1. Memos /Memorandum- a written message which serves as a reminder for a
particular matter.
2. Minutes of Meeting- A meeting is a gathering of people to discuss, plan, make
decisions and resolve issues together. For documentation purposes, a detailed and
descriptive report is prepared.
- are a written record of the conversation and decisions that are made over the
course of a conference
3. Business Proposal- to attract clients or secure support for possible investors or
organizations.
4. Business Letters- old form of correspondence, written for various purposes and
contents vary depends on the intention of the writer.
- a professional, formal letter that is sent by one company to another. These letters
can be used for professional correspondence between business clients, employees,
stakeholders as well as individuals.
Formats of Business Letters
1. Full Block
2. Modified Block
3. Semi/indented Block
Parts of
Business
Letters
Heading/Letterhead: Your name and address, including business name if it is
appropriate. In a company setting, the letterhead consists of company name,
address, contact # and a logo.
Date: Skip a line and then type the date the letter was written.
Inside Address: Name and address of the person to whom you are sending the
letter.
Salutation: This was called the greeting in the friendly letter. In a business letter it
is more formal. You may still use Dear and the person's name, but things such as
"To Whom It May Concern" or "Dear Sir"can be used if you do not know the persons
name.
Body: This is where you state the content. Remember, this is formal writing. No
slang or texting abbreviation. The lengthy part of your letter containing the
intention or message.
Closing: Called a complimentary closing, again this is more formal than a friendly
letter. Sincerely and Thank you for your consideration are both good,
complimentary salutations
Signature: Your name written in cursive. When typing a business letter you would
hit the enter key 4 times and then type your name. The 4 line space is to give you
room to sign in cursive. The name is typed so if someone has a hard time reading
your signature they will still know who the letter is form.
Optional/Additional Parts of Letter
Subject Line: Contains exactly what the email is about so that the recipient can
prioritize the email's importance without having to open it, the experts said.
Enclosure: It is a part of a formal letter that may or may not exist for all business
letters. It is a process of enclosing the required documents. In the case of
applications, invoices, registrations, offer letters, etc., the sender needs to attach
the documents to the business letter. It is applicable for both soft copy and hard
copy.
Copy Circulation: It is an option used to send to one or more recipients. It is
mentioned in the letter with notation C.C. It helps to convey the same message to
multiple receivers.
PostScript: It is an additional part of a business letter. It is used to add extra
information along with the body of the letter. It is denoted as P.S.
Identification initials: This part contains the initials of whoever typed the
business letter. For example, the initials, /SSA identifies that Salirick S. Andres typed
the letter.
Types of Business Letters
1. Letter of Application - Also referred to as a cover letter, this kind of letter
usually comes with a resume or the comprehensive curriculum vitae. The
simplest definition of an application letters is that they are used by job
seekers to persuade companies to hire them. With that said, business letters
of this kind should highlight a person’s good qualities and achievements
while concealing certain weak spots that might hurt the chances of landing
the job.
2. Letter of Inquiry- An inquiry letter is a kind of business letter requesting
specific information or details on perhaps a product, a promo or something
significant and useful to the sender. More so, the letter of inquiry needs to be
somehow courteous and polite. Thus, it’s also important that the inquiries
and request should be made clear so that it could be answered promptly.
3. Sales Letter - Sales letters from the name itself are letters that are used by
companies to generate sales, introduce a particular product or to entice
customers to buy from the company. The conflict in a sales letter is to blend
the criterion of professionalism and personal appeal. Thus, in order to do so,
sales letters must be written in a friendly way without sacrificing the
guidelines of formality. It should suggest positive results and convey facts
and figures for it to be effective.
4. Acknowledgement Letter- This type of letter is written when you want to
acknowledge some one for his help or support when you were in trouble. The
letter can be used to just say thanks for something you have received from
some one, which is of great help to you.
5. Apology Letter - An apology letter is written for a failure in delivering the
desired results. If the person has taken up a task and he fails to meet the
target then he apologizes and asks for an opportunity to improve in this type
of letter.
6. Appreciation Letter - An appreciation letter is written to appreciate some
one's work in the organization. This type of letter is written by a superior to
his junior. An organization can also write an appreciation letter to other
organization, thanking the client for doing business with them.
7. Complaint Letter- A complaint letter is written to show one that an error
has occurred and that needs to be corrected as soon as possible. The letter
can be used as a document that was used for warning the reader.
8. Adjustment Letters- An adjustment letter is normally sent in response to a
claim or complaint. If the adjustment is in the customer’s favor, begin the
letter with that news. If not, keep your tone factual and let the customer
know that you understand the complaint.
9. Letter of Recommendation - This type of letter is written to recommend a
person for a job position. The letter states the positive aspects of the
applicant's personality and how he/she would be an asset for the
organization. Letter of recommendation is even used for promoting a person
in the organization.
[Link] Letter - This letter is as the name suggests is used for ordering
products. This letter can be used as a legal document to show the transaction
between the customer and vendor.
Resume- a formal document that a job applicant creates to itemize their
qualifications for a position. A resume is usually accompanied by a customized
cover letter in which the applicant expresses an interest in a specific job or
company and draws attention to the most relevant specifics on the resume.
Is Curriculum Vitae/ CV and resume the same?
The CV presents a full history of your academic credentials, so the length of the
document is variable. In contrast, a resume presents a concise picture of your skills
and qualifications for a specific position, so length tends to be shorter and dictated
by years of experience (generally 1-2 pages).
Components of Resume
1. Contact Information –Personal Information
2. Resume Introduction - Objective. In one short sentence summarize your goal for
your job search
3. Educational Attainment- Educational History
4. Experience – Work Related Experience/ Professional History
5. Skills –
Soft skills: (being responsible, loyal, hardworking, energetic, outgoing.)
Hard skills: (research and writing, Microsoft word 98, Microsoft Publisher 2000,
Public speaking.)