Spoken English Preliminaries

Summary

This module from the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, focuses on learning spoken English, emphasizing the importance of speaking in global standard English. It highlights the need for clear communication, politeness, slow tempo, and understanding accents. The session stresses the significance of having interesting content, good listening habits, and regular practice. Real-life examples like Mother Teresa and Indira Nooyi are used to illustrate effective communication. The module also covers practical tips for pronunciation, intonation, and the use of dictionaries, encouraging learners to cultivate these skills for better global comprehension.

Takeaways

• 🌏 English is a global language, and proficiency in it requires understanding and adapting to various accents and dialects from around the world.
• 🗣️ Speaking English with a global standard involves not only mastering the accent but also ensuring that what you say is relevant, interesting, and delivered in a polite manner.
• 📚 To improve English skills, it's crucial to listen to and read content of global reach and impact, such as speeches by influential figures like Mother Teresa.
• 👂 Developing good listening habits is essential for learning spoken English, as it helps in understanding different accents and improving pronunciation.
• 🎓 Politeness in English is conveyed through the use of certain words and phrases like 'please', 'thank you', and the use of interrogative sentences for making requests or commands.
• 📈 The importance of having something meaningful to say cannot be overstated; it is more impactful than just having a good accent.
• 📑 English pronunciation can be challenging due to variable word stress and differences in vowel length, which require practice and attention to master.
• 🤔 English does not have grammatical gender or complex pronoun rules, which simplifies learning but also necessitates careful attention to word stress and pronunciation.
• 📚 Utilizing resources such as advanced learner's dictionaries and books specifically designed for spoken English can greatly aid in improving one's language skills.
• ⏳ Speaking at a slower tempo allows for better comprehension and is perceived as more polite, despite initial potential for sounding unnatural.
• 🔄 Learning English is not confined to the classroom; it requires personal responsibility and consistent practice, including daily drills in pronunciation.

Q & A

What is the primary focus of the module on spoken English at the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras?

The primary focus of the module is to teach and improve spoken English skills, emphasizing the importance of speaking in global standard English and setting priorities on what aspects of spoken English are more important than others.

Why is it important to learn and speak global standard English according to the script?

Learning and speaking global standard English is important because English is now a world language used in various domains globally. It helps in effective communication with people from different cultures, disciplines, and countries, ensuring mutual understanding.

What does the script suggest about the variety of accents in English spoken around the world?

The script suggests that there is a mind-boggling variety of accents in English spoken around the world, from Argentina to Zaire, Australia to New Zealand, and New England, emphasizing the need to adapt to the global standard to ensure clear communication.

Who are some of the individuals mentioned in the script as examples of effective global English speakers?

Mother Teresa and Indira Nooyi are mentioned as examples of effective global English speakers. Mother Teresa, though born in Albania, spoke in a manner that was globally understandable, and Indira Nooyi, who was born and brought up in India, became the head of a global company like PepsiCo.

What is the significance of having 'something to say' when speaking English, as mentioned in the script?

Having 'something to say' is significant because it captures the listeners' interest and ensures that the communication is relevant and helpful. It is more important than just having a good accent, as it is the content of the message that resonates with the audience.

How does the script define politeness in English communication?

The script defines politeness in English communication as the use of words like 'please', 'thanks', 'excuse me', 'sorry', and 'pardon me'. It also mentions the importance of intonation and the use of interrogative sentences for commands to express politeness.

What is the role of listening in learning to speak English effectively, as per the script?

Listening plays a crucial role in learning to speak English effectively. It helps in developing good speaking habits by paying attention to the manner of speech, pronunciation, and the use of words in different contexts, which can be learned from various sources like songs, movies, and documentaries.

Why is a slow tempo considered a marker of politeness when speaking English, according to the script?

A slow tempo is considered a marker of politeness because it allows the listeners to understand and appreciate what is being said. It also gives them time to process the information, reducing the chances of misunderstandings and requests for repetition.

What are some of the peculiarities of English pronunciation mentioned in the script?

The script mentions the peculiarities of English pronunciation such as variant word stress, where the stress can fall on different syllables in different words, and the varying lengths of vowels, which can be longer or shorter than in many other languages.

How does the script suggest one should practice and improve their English pronunciation?

The script suggests practicing and improving English pronunciation by doing drills for correct pronunciation, listening to a variety of accents, and using resources like advanced learner's dictionaries. It also emphasizes the importance of giving the mind exposure and time to learn and adapt.

What resources does the script recommend for improving spoken English?

The script recommends resources such as advanced learner's dictionaries, both in print and electronic versions, for checking pronunciation and usage. It also suggests books specifically aimed at improving spoken English, like 'Better Spoken English', and the practice of listening to various accents and speech patterns.

Outlines

00:00

🌏 Embracing Global English

This paragraph introduces the concept of English as a global language, emphasizing its widespread use since World War II across various domains and regions. The speaker highlights the importance of learning and speaking in a global standard to ensure mutual understanding among diverse speakers. The paragraph also underscores the need to accommodate different accents and the significance of listening to and understanding influential figures like Mother Teresa, who, despite her Indian connection, spoke with a global impact.

05:03

🎓 Prioritizing English Learning

The speaker discusses the importance of setting priorities in learning English, focusing on what aspects of spoken English are more important than others. The paragraph emphasizes the necessity of listening to and reading materials of global reach to develop a global standard of English. Examples such as Mother Teresa and Indira Nooyi illustrate the impact of English in personal and professional success, suggesting that a good grasp of English can lead to broader opportunities and understanding.

10:05

🗣️ The Art of Speaking English

This paragraph delves into the essentials of speaking English effectively. It stresses the importance of having meaningful content to communicate, the use of polite language, and the significance of intonation and phrasing. The speaker explains that politeness in English is conveyed through certain expressions and sentence structures rather than through verb forms or pronouns, as in some other languages. Additionally, the paragraph touches on the importance of a slow speaking tempo for clarity and politeness.

15:08

📚 The Nuances of English Pronunciation

The speaker addresses the complexities of English pronunciation, such as varying word stress and the length of vowels. They point out that English lacks grammatical gender and the need for different articles or pronouns based on formality, which simplifies the language to some extent. However, the paragraph also notes the challenges of mastering correct pronunciation, such as the need for drills and practice to adjust to the unique phonetic patterns of English.

20:10

👂 Cultivating Good Listening Habits

This paragraph emphasizes the importance of good listening habits for improving spoken English. The speaker suggests that listening to a variety of accents and tones can help in understanding and adapting to different pronunciation styles. They recommend paying attention to how words are pronounced and used in various contexts, such as in songs, movies, and documentaries, to naturally absorb the language's nuances.

25:12

📘 Resources for English Mastery

The speaker discusses the abundance of English language resources available for learning, including books, newspapers, and electronic versions of dictionaries. They recommend having an advanced learner's dictionary for reference and practicing pronunciation with a focus on commonly mispronounced words. The paragraph also mentions a specific book, 'Better Spoken English,' which was created based on common mistakes made by students, suggesting it as a useful tool for improving pronunciation.

30:12

🌟 Achieving Fluent English Through Practice

The final paragraph concludes the session by encouraging consistent practice for mastering English pronunciation. The speaker suggests daily drills for a short duration to train the mind to adapt to correct pronunciation patterns. They highlight the brain's ability to learn and reprogram itself with exposure and practice, leaving the audience with a message of hope and encouragement to enjoy the learning process.

Keywords

💡Global Standard English

Global Standard English refers to a version of the English language that is widely understood and used across the world, regardless of regional accents or dialects. It is the focus of the video's theme, emphasizing the importance of speaking English in a manner that can be universally understood. An example from the script is the mention of Mother Teresa, who, despite being Indian by choice, was able to communicate effectively in English to a global audience.

💡Accents

Accents are the distinct ways of pronunciation associated with different regions or social groups. The script discusses the variety of English accents worldwide, from Argentina to Zaire, and the necessity to adapt to a global standard to ensure clear communication. The video underscores the challenge of understanding diverse accents while maintaining one's own.

💡Politeness

In the context of the video, politeness is portrayed as a crucial aspect of English communication. It is defined by the use of certain words and intonations that convey respect and consideration. The script illustrates this with examples such as using 'please' and 'thank you' in requests and the importance of not being rude, which is more forgivable than grammatical errors.

💡Intonation

Intonation refers to the rise and fall of pitch in speech, which can affect the meaning of what is being said. The script explains that English uses intonation to express politeness, such as making requests sound more like questions. An example given is the difference in politeness between saying 'come sit down' versus 'will you please sit down?'

💡Tempo

Tempo, in the context of speech, is the speed at which one speaks. The video emphasizes the importance of a slow tempo in English to ensure clarity and comprehension. It is mentioned that speaking too rapidly can lead to misunderstandings and is perceived as impolite, contrasting with the slower, more deliberate pace that facilitates understanding.

💡Word Stress

Word stress is the emphasis placed on a particular syllable in a word. English is unique in that stress varies from word to word and can change the meaning of a word. The script points out the difficulty this can present for non-native speakers and gives examples like 'London' and 'Germany' to illustrate the concept.

💡Vowel Length

Vowel length refers to the duration for which a vowel sound is held. English has a variety of long and short vowels, which can be challenging for learners. The script mentions that some English vowels are particularly long, as in 'car' and 'boat', while others are very short, as in 'amis' and 'arise', affecting the pronunciation and rhythm of speech.

💡Listening Habits

Listening habits are the practices one adopts when engaging with spoken language. The video stresses the importance of cultivating good listening habits to improve English pronunciation and comprehension. It suggests that listening to a variety of accents and speech patterns, as in the examples of 'New York' and 'Manhattan', can help in tuning one's ear to different English sounds.

💡Pronunciation Drill

Pronunciation drill involves practicing the sounds of a language to improve accuracy and fluency. The script recommends daily practice sessions for correct pronunciation, suggesting that consistent drilling can lead to significant improvements in speaking English, as it helps the mind to reprogram itself to produce the correct sounds.

💡Advanced Learner's Dictionary

An Advanced Learner's Dictionary is a comprehensive language resource that provides detailed information on word usage, pronunciation, and meaning. The video encourages the use of such dictionaries to aid in learning correct English, with examples given from various publishers like Oxford, Collins, Cambridge, and Longman.

💡Source Books

Source books are materials that provide extensive information or examples on a particular subject. In the context of the video, source books are recommended as rich resources for learning English, with the mention of a specific book 'Better Spoken English' that was created based on the common mistakes of students at IIT Madras, illustrating the practical application of such resources.

Highlights

English is no longer confined to a single region but has become the global language since World War II.

The importance of learning and speaking in Global Standard English to ensure mutual understanding across cultures and disciplines.

The necessity to accommodate a variety of accents in spoken English due to its global use.

The significance of listening to and reading materials of global reach to improve English proficiency.

Mother Teresa's speech as an example of effective global English communication.

Indira Nooyi's story as an inspiration for achieving global success while maintaining personal and professional commitments.

The importance of having something meaningful to say as a foundation for effective communication.

The role of politeness in spoken English and how it is conveyed through language structure and expressions.

The unique challenges of English pronunciation, including word stress and vowel length variations.

The lack of grammatical gender in English, simplifying the learning process compared to other languages.

The importance of listening to improve spoken English, including paying attention to pronunciation and word usage.

The value of practicing pronunciation drills for correct enunciation of English words.

The role of an advanced learner's dictionary in aiding the learning of pronunciation, usage, and meaning.

The book 'Better Spoken English' as a resource for improving pronunciation based on common mistakes among students.

The mind's ability to adapt and learn new pronunciation patterns with consistent practice and exposure.

The wealth of English language resources available for learning, including books, newspapers, and electronic media.

The necessity of cultivating good listening habits to improve spoken English naturally and effectively.

The transcript's conclusion emphasizing the importance of self-study and practice for mastering spoken English.

Transcripts

[Music]

welcome

to this module

on spoken english as part of your course

in english for this program at the

indian institute of technology

madras

today we are going to begin

the module on spoken english

and in this first session

we will talk about some preliminaries

what is it we must

remember while learning english while

learning

speaking in english while learning

speaking in global english

in global standard english and

we'll also set our priorities

is everything

in spoken english

all parts of all aspects of the language

called spoken english

equally important or there are things

that are more important than some others

some other things so we will also set

our priorities

here we go

the first thing that we must remember is

that

english is no longer and

not only the language of a small

island between atlantic

and mediterranean

it's now it has been so

ever since perhaps the second world war

ever since

1945 the language of the world

it's used in all domains in india

and in pakistan in many other countries

of

south asia eastern africa

west indies and elsewhere it is used in

many domains

from home to office

a more important fact here is that

english today is

spoken in all sorts of accents

only because all sorts of people speak

it from argentina to zaire from

australia to zaire

from new zealand to new england

it only means that we should expect

to speak to a variety of people

who may have difficulty understanding us

unless

we speak in the global standard language

it also means that unless we speak the

global standard language

we will not understand we will not

understand

many as many speakers who come from

different

cultures different disciplines

and different countries there is a very

important fact to remember

that here is a language which has

mind-boggling

variety of accents

of vocabulary of grammar and in the

middle of all this

we have to find and stick to that

standard

which can take us to everyone even if

they sound to us slightly different from

us

and we sound to them slightly different

from

them let's go point i'm making is

if you want to speak good english you

must

take care of all sorts of accents

and yet to speak in a manner like mother

teresa does

you know so that you and i are

understood by

all of us number one number two

if you really want english studies of

global standards

it is also important that you

listened to you read

you know things that are of global reach

that are of global impact we hope

that at least some of you will find time

to listen to the entire speech

by mother teresa you know she was an

indian by choice

she lived and worked here for over 50

years

and when she died she had only

a bucket and a couple of sarees and a

soap or something

in a room all the money that she got

by the nobel prize was as she says in

this

speech since he had accepted it for poor

you are there for the poor please

discover

you know other aspects of her

personality

okay a great communicator to give you a

flavor of the kind of global english you

know the kinds of people that

speak not just in india not just in

america

we saw mother teresa born and brought up

in albania in

eastern europe and she

took of how became a nun at the age of

16

and came to work in india first as an

english teacher

and later as a social worker at a school

in

darjeeling then calcutta but you know

there are

the traffic is also the other way there

are children from

chennai calcutta small and big towns in

asia and africa who made it big

at the global level one person of that

kind

is somebody called miss indira nui

born and brought up in india educated in

india she joined pepsico

looked after her large family her uncles

and aunts

her husband's relatives her own

relatives bringing up two wonderful

children

and she became the head of a global

company like pepsico

listen to her you know one of the many

reasons you would like to hear

this speech is how did this lady you

know

how how this lady made it to the top

answering all her obligations to family

to friends to community

and to her company you know as she says

it's not impossible so long as you know

what you want to achieve and you are

willing to work for that

it is listening to people like them that

not only your personality

not only your values and priorities

but also your english you know

will become of a global standard

so that's why you know we have selected

it and we are going to talk further

about why you should listen to a variety

of things

you know to have wonderful

globally intelligible english next

okay so how do we

what what what we must have what must we

have

what must we have such that

our english is of a global standard

above and before anything else

we must have something to say

after you've said good evening good

afternoon good morning

after you have said namaskara namaste

wanna come satsriyakaal assalamualaikum

after you've said all this what next

do you have something to say

is is that something interesting to your

listeners

is that something relevant for them is

that something that is going to help

them

and are you going to say it in an

interesting manner

such that they would sit down and listen

if you have these things

you all else can follow accent

grammar vocabulary all else can follow

if you have something to say if you look

at great prophets

jesus christ prophet muhammed

before before these two people gautam

buddha

whether our people knew their language

or they didn't

we don't even know what you know many of

us don't know what language jesus christ

spoke or what dialect of arabic prophet

muhammad spoke

or what language or dialect

gautam buddha spoke but they are all

popular

around the world because they had

something to

say so with great business leaders

indira

nui or

anyone else you know anyone else

they are there not only because of the

accent of igloos that is also an asset

of course

you should have that but also because of

something else

so you know i'm saying this up front

that

only good accent in english will not

take you

far that will be a great help but a

greater help will be

to cultivate the habit of learning

to acquire knowledge with which you

manage your business

next important thing in learning to

speak in english is

politeness you know you people will your

listeners will your friends your

colleagues your family

will pardon you for mistakes of grammar

for mistakes of vocabulary

for a variety of other things they will

pardon you very easily

with a smile you just say sorry and you

get across

but they won't pardon you for being rude

you know now what is that how do you

sound polite how does

a language like english which unlike

many indian languages

does not have you know two kinds of

verbs okarango ukara

which does not have two kinds of

verbatiy battle

cochandi kocho okay how do they

say how do they express politeness in

english you do not say

uh city cito sitting

you know you don't have things like that

so is does that mean

english is a rude language no it is not

english makes up for

these two paradigms these two kinds of

expressions for the same

word same verb

even if they used to have two nouns dao

was for more intimate informal

you was for for more formal

more respectable respectful

but you know it's nearly 100 years ago

that

you know english language moved with

democracy

it moved to one pronoun for all

so now king or king's driver

the queen or her helper

they are all you you know so

it goes like that and they have only one

sort of verb now

okay so how do they express politeness

you know they use words like please

any request is either preceded or

followed by

any request even to friends even to

family

even to business partners even to you

know

colleagues you joke with

are preceded and followed by please

or thanks or excuse me

or sorry or pardon me you know

so thinks of this you know idiomatic

expressions of this kind

help you sound polite okay

then also intonation you know there is a

difference between

come sit down and saying

come on please will you mind taking a

chair

will you please sit down so you know

intonation

and then all requests in english all

commands in english actually

except those by the army commanders

are given through a question sentence

interrogative sentence

you do not say tell me time please you

say

will you tell me the time please you

don't say tell me time please

you say will you tell me time please you

don't say stop

now you say will you please stop now

okay that is english that is politeness

we'll have a session on that

and you should on your own when when you

watch

english documentaries feature films

video

audio anything listen for these things

you know and you will learn in no time

these things are

so easy to learn and so easy to

use that you know it will change your

class it will

get you more friends more business

partners

more clients more happy customers

than you may have just now next

slow tempo is also a marker of

politeness

if you speak very rapidly then you know

a lot of people don't understand you and

you have difficulty and

then they are difficult to understanding

you moreover people think you are not

very polite

should you speak that way or should you

speak

come on please let's talk in a manner

that i am understood by my listeners

my listeners get time to understand and

appreciate

what i might say in the beginning

you might think it's a bit too slow it

may also sound artificial unnatural

to some people but please believe me

this is natural this is good

it's possible that in the beginning

people may laugh at you

but soon they will imitate you and soon

they will also learn to speak this way

because this is your best guarantee

to be understood worldwide nobody will

ask you to pardon me

what did you say please repeat you know

we'll look at some of these things

as well so slow tempo you know as we

have said

helps both speakers and listeners and

english particularly is a slow tempo

language

in english you have a pause not only at

the end of the sentence

but you have a post also in the middle

of a sentence

unlike many asian languages

which pause only at the end of the

sentence

in in hindi or tamil you might say

you know only at the end of the sentence

you might pause you'll say

there was a king who had three daughters

but not in english in english you see

there was a king

and he had three daughters

they were all highly accomplished

but the king had not yet found

suitable matches for them

so english is a slow term for language

you know here

it is obligatory for you you don't have

a choice

if you want to speak global english then

you better pause after phrase after

clause

and after sentences brief pause

maybe a couple of seconds seconds or

even less

but you know an audible pause you know

i'm saying an audible silence

which is a contradiction in terms but

you know when you speak continuously and

you go

silent suddenly for a couple of seconds

like i did now then people notice it

you need that kind of pause and this

also does not take

a long time to learn you learn it in no

time okay

provided you have a mind to provided you

pay attention to

go next

english has a peculiar problem no other

language has that

you know that the question of variant

word stress

you know you you pronounce one word one

way

where is the capital of the united

kingdom

and you say london mainstress or the

initial syllable

london where is the mainstream

london not on the second syllable you

don't say london

not towards the second world you don't

say landan

you say london but where is the capital

of germany

it is berlin you don't say berlin

you say berlin is on the second syllable

you know which country has the city

called bolijari's you know what we in

india generally call buenos aires

so you know

is argentina india is india but nepal

second syllable japan end of the word

nepal

end of the word brazil end of the word

but pakistan end of the word but not

india

we don't say india in english we say

india

okay we don't say united we see united

so you know somewhere it is on the first

part union

we don't see union okay so in english

word stress varies from word to word

and that makes it a slightly difficult

language a little more difficult

language

to learn for pronunciation especially

for those of us

who have not been born talking this

language okay

but if we pay attention we can learn

similarly there is just another you know

not too many

only one or two you know english does

not have problem of

you know um hindi you know

it does not have grammatical gender you

know you don't have to learn whether

table is a

masculine and chair is a feminine

and tease masculine

sugar sorry tea is feminine in hindi

sugar is feminine in hindi salt is

masculine in hindi

you know in english you don't have to

learn these things even in french in

many other european languages you

you have to learn even articles can be

feminine and masculine

in french you have one kind of article

for boy

and another kind of article for a girl

la

la okay in english you don't have the

problem the girl the boy the boss the

aunt

you go on okay but this is the problem

in english

that is its word stress varies from word

to word

then some of its vowels are very long

almost twice as long

as vowels as some sounds in many indian

languages

they do not say car you know i come to

office daily in a car no that's not

english

english is i come to office daily

in a car okay they open their

jaws white i come to

office daily

in a car that is english they don't go

to market

they go to market very long

sometimes so long that it becomes two

vowels

you know how do you cross the river

and the english man would answer you in

a boat

not in a boat in a boat

okay so you know that kind of maybe we

don't have to make it as

long but definitely longer than it is

generally in our accents

on the other hand some vowels in their

accent are

very short hardly heard you know it's

about

where you hardly hear a go

away okay arise

a four okay amis

is hardly heard before is hardly heard

before behind below beneath hardly heard

but four is long low is long and below

okay between tween is long but b

is hardly anything these things are

learned with drill

in no time we'll have some session there

next

good english will not come to you only

from the classroom

classroom and your teacher including me

and my colleagues

are like coaches to you we can tell you

what you should learn

first and how you should learn but

you have to do the learning it is your

responsibility just as i cannot walk for

you

no matter how much i respect you how

much i love you like you

no matter how much your mother likes or

loves you

she cannot walk for you she cannot speak

for you you have to do that

similarly here you have to cultivate

certain habits

okay and one of these is habits of good

listening

okay don't be happy only listening to

what entertains you

go beyond look at variety

look at thong of course listen to songs

of course watch

movies of course watch documentaries

of course you know watch football and

cricket matches and any other

game that you like but sometimes

while watching part of the time pay

attention

also to the manner of speech not just to

the matter of

speech not just to the meaning

but also the language see how they

pronounce

how they use which word okay and in no

time you will learn that

and soon you may also be speaking that

way i like you to pay attention only to

two words

you know and both the names of a place a

big city

called new york no it is not new york

it is new york and a part of that city

called manhattan

but you will hear these two words

manhattan

and new york in a variety of accents

listen to it pause after one first play

and make a note in how many different

tones how many different accents you

heard the same words

and then play it again to check if you

heard them right

that's the practice you need to do

yourself need to give yourself

first time listen it for the song enjoy

this song

okay this is all right for young people

not for the likes of me

but then i thought i might entertain you

give you a break from the likes of me

okay i can recommend you know

this movie to you uh this film to you

you know it shows how

a determined housewife who spoke no

english

until about she went to new york

and one evening decides to learn and

within a few weeks

she starts speaking of course initially

she makes mistakes she's hesitant

but she overcomes her hesitation

overcomes her

you know shyness and becomes a very

effective and

fluent speaker of english all we need to

do is to decide

that we want to have it and we have it

okay so coming back

you know learn to listen

listen for tone various kinds of

voices in which the same thing

is spoken and said and once you have

your

ears are tuned to them once your ears

start getting various tunes your mind

will immediately

catch the tune you should use in a

particular situation

you don't require a special training

that way

therefore we have said you know

learn to listen good spoken english is a

product of good listening habits

it goes with the rest of the nature you

know you and i

know no language which we have either

not heard first or not read first

is not that speaking precedes listening

listening precedes speaking in some

cases

the reading precedes writing is just

like that

okay next finally

you know

there are source books english that way

is a very rich language

of all languages in the world today

english can

very easily claim the largest number of

publications of

books papers newspapers news articles

millions of mails millions and billions

of messages

crossing the world from one phone to

another

books newspapers with standard book

numbers

feature film documentaries there's so

much

to read so much to learn that one

lifetime does not seem

enough no other language that way

can come even remotely close to the

number of publications

that english language gets every year

worldwide in india alone produces

more than 50 000 books of standard book

number

in english every year then think of

countries like

the united kingdom the united states of

america

they also produce books for learning

languages

you have a variety of dictionaries you

know

different kinds of deals one company

alone has 28 different kinds

going in markets in india which

dictionary would you buy

there are of course advice if you like

search

net and see which dictionary you would

like to buy

but some of these dictionaries advanced

learners dictionary

not necessarily oxford you know i i

mentioned it i i show you the cover page

of this

because i happen to have a copy of it

but any advanced learner's dictionary

from any company

collins cambridge longman they all have

advanced learners dictionary

which gives you pronunciation usage

meaning

nearly everything other than etymology

nearly everything other than the origin

of the word okay

so have an advanced learner's dictionary

these days you know you have

you know e-versions electronic versions

of these dictionaries you can have them

on your phone

so that you know you can check

pronunciation and usage

anytime you are in doubt like i do you

know

whenever i am in doubt i check my phone

so have a dictionary

handy and then some of these books you

know

like this book better spoken english

unfortunately it has my name i feel

embarrassed

but then you know it has a claim upon

you the claim is

this book was prepared after listening

to

a set of undergraduate students at the

indian institute of technology madras

over a few years the presentations they

made

their teachers their colleagues their

friends

so we recorded those things we listened

to them

and we found that there were about

six to seven hundred words in you know

long words by long words i mean more

than one syllable

not cat not rat but words like monkey

you know we'll have a session on

syllable long words

monkey elephant university you know long

words

so nearly six to seven hundred long

words which are frequently used

and wrongly pronounced

so we collected those words together in

this book

and we taught

i taught courses with these they you

know with this book

for almost 30 years at iit madras

and all my students were very happy with

this book with the course they came back

and said

thank you sir i it has changed my

it has helped me change my accent of

course the book cannot change your

accent

the book can help you change your accent

so you know that's how i recommend this

book but you need not buy this book you

can have your own list

think of the words you frequently use

check with the dictionary see where you

go wrong

and make a list of those words where you

go wrong get correct pronunciation from

dictionary

but the important thing is do some drill

in correct pronunciation

not for too long for 10 minutes

maybe every day in the morning another

10 minutes in the evening

before you go to bed after you get up

you know

when you are fresh when you are really

give your mind to it and you will find

that within a few weeks

you are getting all your words right not

only

those with which you practiced but also

those

others which follow the pattern of this

word just as you know

if you get the vowel in cat all right

you will get vowel in rat sat

matte that hat all right

as well mind is a wonderful machine

you give it a chance and it programs

and reprograms and re-reprograms itself

the important thing is give it exposure

give it a chance

give it time thank you very much

i hope you will enjoy other sessions

also just as this in the coming days

thank you very much for your attention