Pronunciation Exercises

Task 1 Why is pronunciation necessary?

Language is a means of communication. It has three components :
Language

grammar Vocabulary or lexis pronunciation

a) Structures (the patterns that can be seen in these are usually called grammar of the language.
b) Words that convey meaning (vocabulary or lexis).
c) Sound, stress, and intonation patterns, which combine to make "Pronunciation".
If you communicate only through the written word, you will need only the first two of these components. If, on the other hand, you want to be able to understand spoken
language, and to be understood, youll need all three components.
Communication is a two-way process:
a) Understanding other people when they speak.
b) Conveying what you want to say so that other people can understand you.

TASK: Practice saying the following lines perfectly for the speaking test next Meeting.
I take it you already know
Of tough and bough and cough and dough?
Others may stumble but not you
Or hiccough, thorough laugh and through?
Well done: And now you wish perhaps
To learn of these familiar traps:
Beware of heard a dreadful word
That looks like beard and sounds like bird.
And dead: It's said like bed, not bead,
For goodness' sake, don't call it deed!
Watch out for meat and great and threat,
They rhyme with suite and straight and debt.
A moth is not a moth in mother
Nor both in bother, broth in brother.
And here is not a match for there
Nor dear and fear for bear and pear
And then there's does and rose and lose,
Just look them up; and goose and choose.
 And cork and work and hard and ward
And font and front and word and sword.
And do and go and thwart and part
Come, come, I've hardly made a start!
A dreadful language?
Man alive, I'd mastered it when I was five!
(Anon)

Speech Choir and Proper Hand Gestures

1. Speech Choirs are performance group that recite speeches in unison, often with elements of choreography and costuming
to help bring the speech to life. A speech choir is a powerful art that is experiencing a revival. There is tremendous satisfaction
that comes from learning to speak well, and even a greater enjoyment that comes from speaking elegantly and powerfully as a
group. There are two types of Speech Choir: Conventional or Traditional Speech Choir and Dynamic or Theatrical Speech Choir
2. But how to control stage fright?
3. Controlling Stage Fright....
Stage fright is an emotion- oftentimes fear of the audience- arising from the difficulty in coping with a situation.
In its severe form, stage fright can make your mind go blank. This is the first problem that besets a speaker or a performer
. Stage fright comes from feeling inadequate to meet a situation; from fear of not living up to the expectation of the
audience; fear of forgetting and fear of failure.
4. According to Psychologists: Physiological changes can increase our adequacy as a speaker if they are controlled and directed.
Therefore, a reasonable amount of stage fright can make us better speakers or performers. The problem is not how to overcome
stage fright but how to reduce and control it.
5. a. POINTING. This is done by pointing your index finger to locate or identify a thing or an idea.
b. DIVIDING. Extend the hand with the fingers close together and make a chopping motion or move the hand from side to
side.
c. DESCRIBING OR IMITATING. Both hands or sometimes one hand is used to describe or imitate certain size, shape or
movement of things.
d. APPROVAL OR DISAPPROVAL. Nodding or shaking the head suggest certain connotations.
. e. GIVING AND RECEIVING. This gesture is made by extending either or both hands with fingers not too close together nor too
spread out, palm(s) upward or toward the audience.
f. REJECTING OR RESTRAINING. The hand(s) are extended in front at about shoulder height, sometimes with a sweeping
motion, palms turned down facing the audience and away from the speaker.
g. EMPHASIZING. The fist is clenched with the row of knuckles parallel with the speakers shoulder and the wrist is slightly
bent.
h. FACIAL EXPRESSIONS. An action of the face or the facial expression is an effective instrument if gesture
i. VOICE QUALITY, PITCH, VOLUME AND RATE. Speak in a pleasant tone and with adequate loudness. Do not shout. Raise or
lower your voice to achieve variation but make it spontaneous and natural, not mechanical.
j. ARTICULATION. Pronunciation of words should be accurate and should meet accepted standards.