Lesson 8: Communicative Strategies | Oral Communication in Context

Summary

This video script delves into the realm of communicative strategies, essential for effective conversation. It defines these strategies and outlines various types, including nomination, restriction, turn-taking, topic control, topic shifting, repair, and termination. Each strategy is explained with examples to illustrate their use in maintaining and navigating conversations. The script emphasizes the importance of these techniques in sustaining meaningful dialogues and overcoming communication challenges.

Takeaways

• 🗣️ Communicative strategies are essential for effective communication and include nomination, restriction, turn taking, topic control, topic shifting, repair, and termination.
• 🔍 Nomination is the act of proposing or suggesting a topic for discussion, which is crucial for initiating conversations.
• ⏳ Restriction is used to keep the conversation focused by limiting the subject matter, often due to constraints like time.
• 🔄 Turn taking is the process of deciding who speaks when in a conversation, which is vital for allowing all participants to contribute.
• 🔄 Topic control involves regulating or manipulating the conversation's direction and the duration for which others speak.
• 🔀 Topic shifting is the act of changing the subject within a conversation, which helps to sustain and enliven discussions.
• 🛠️ Repair refers to the correction of misunderstandings or errors in speech, ensuring the conversation remains accurate and smooth.
• 🏁 Termination marks the end of a conversation, involving expressions that signal the closing of a discussion.
• 🤝 Effective turn taking prioritizes fluency over accuracy, focusing on the ability to convey intended meaning rather than strict grammatical correctness.
• 🔗 The use of fillers, conjunctions, and phrases for agreeing or disagreeing are all part of managing turn taking and maintaining the flow of conversation.

Q & A

What are communicative strategies?

Communicative strategies are techniques used to overcome communication problems and convey intended meaning. They are essential for sustaining conversation and keeping communication open.

What is the purpose of communicative strategies in language learning?

In language learning, communicative strategies help learners to start and keep conversations going, adapting to achieve social, political, psychological, or linguistic purposes.

What is nomination in the context of communicative strategies?

Nomination is the act of proposing or suggesting a topic for discussion, which is used to begin or open a conversation with others.

Can you explain the communicative strategy of restriction?

Restriction is when the speaker limits the topic or subject of conversation to keep it focused, often due to limiting conditions such as time constraints.

What does turn taking involve in communication?

Turn taking is the process by which communicators decide who will speak at any given moment, allowing for appropriate opportunities for all to participate in the conversation.

Why is turn taking important in communication?

Turn taking is important because it ensures that all participants have a chance to speak and be heard, contributing to a balanced and inclusive communication process.

How does topic control differ from topic shifting?

Topic control is when the speaker explicitly regulates or manipulates the conversation's topic and the duration of others' contributions, while topic shifting is a more subtle and natural change in the subject of conversation without explicit announcement.

What is repair in communicative strategies?

Repair refers to the correction of a misunderstood utterance by the speaker, addressing problems in speaking, listening, and comprehension during a conversation.

What are the four types of repair sequences mentioned in the script?

The four types of repair sequences are self-initiated self-repair, other-initiated self-repair, self-initiated other repair, and other-initiated other repair.

How does termination mark the end of a conversation?

Termination involves expressions used by conversation participants to close or end a discussion, including pre-closing, follow-up, and closing expressions.

Why is fluency often prioritized over accuracy in effective turn taking?

Fluency is prioritized over accuracy in turn taking to ensure the natural flow of conversation and to convey the intended meaning effectively, even if it's not grammatically perfect.