Form Five English: Speaking Skills (Topic)

Speaking Skills

What is Speaking?

Speaking is simply the act of talking, whether in a formal or informal situation. The type of speech one decides to use depends on the relationship with the audience. The way you speak tells people a lot about you. Communication is initiated to convey something specific, so there must be an intention behind it. To make your speaking more effective and successful, several factors should be observed, with the most important being pronunciation, stress, and intonation.

Pronunciation

Every language has its sound system and its way of pronouncing words. Linguists use a special alphabet called phonetic symbols to represent sounds or phonemes, which are enclosed in slanted lines [//]. Some of these symbols are regular alphabet letters like /S/, /Z/, /t/, /d/, /k/, /g/, /f/, /v/, while others differ from the normal alphabet letters, such as /æ/, /ʃ/, /ð/, /ŋ/, /tʃ/, /ʒ/, /θ/.

Correct pronunciation is crucial. Let’s look at some examples:

• cat: /kæt/
• cut: /kʌt/
• shoot: /ʃu

  /

• shut: /ʃʌt/
• see: /si:/
• sea: /si:/
• heart: /hɑ

  /

• hurt: /hɜ

  /

Vowels and Consonants

In British Standard English, there are two main types of phonemes: vowels and consonants.

I. Vowels

Vowels can be categorized into monophthongs, diphthongs, and triphthongs.

1. Monophthongs (pure vowels): These can be long or short. Examples include:
   • /æ/ as in “cat”
   • /ɑ:/ as in “father”
2. Diphthongs: These are two short vowel sounds combined and pronounced as one. Examples include:
   • /eɪ/ as in “late”
   • /aɪ/ as in “light”

   Task: Read the following pronunciations and write them in normal letters:

   • /meɪn/ -> main
   • /laɪt/ -> light
   • /heɪt/ -> hate
3. Triphthongs: These combine three sounds into one. Examples include:
   • /eɪə/ as in “player”
   • /aɪə/ as in “fire”

II. Consonants

There are 24 consonant sounds in British Standard English. Examples include:

• /p/ as in “pat”
• /b/ as in “bat”
• /t/ as in “tap”
• /d/ as in “dad”

Stress and Intonation

Stress and intonation are concerned with the perception of relative prominence in speech.

Stress

A word is made up of individual sounds which combine to form syllables. A word can have one or more syllables, and within these, one syllable receives more energy and is heard more prominently. This is known as the stressed syllable, marked by (‘).

Examples:

• Phonemic: pho’NE.mic
• Movement: ‘MOVE.ment
• Tremendous: tre’MEN.dous

Stress within a word can also distinguish meaning, such as ‘record (noun) vs. re’cord (verb).

Intonation

Intonation refers to the distinctive pitch of the voice (high or low) during utterance. It affects the meaning and grammatical categories of sentences.

Types of Tone:

1. Falling Tone (\): Pitch changes from high to low.
   • Used in complete statements and commands.
   • Example: “They arrived today.”
2. Rising Tone (/): Pitch changes from low to high.
   • Used in yes/no questions and incomplete statements.
   • Example: “Do you know what happened?”

Importance of Pronunciation, Stress, and Intonation

Correct pronunciation, stress, and intonation are crucial for effective communication. They help in:

• Making words understandable.
• Differentiating words that are similar.
• Focusing the listener’s attention on the important parts of the message.
• Distinguishing between statements and questions.

For example, consider the sentence “Your name is Asha” (statement) versus “Your name is Asha?” (question). The intonation changes the meaning entirely.

In conclusion, speaking skills encompass more than just the act of talking. Pronunciation, stress, and intonation play vital roles in making communication clear and effective. Mastering these elements will greatly enhance your ability to convey messages accurately and convincingly.