understanding discourse ele

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UNDERSTANDING DISCOURSE


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Objectives: Recognizing and rectifying errors and mistakes

in oral production

Speaking with correct pronunciation

Initiating and managing discussions

Following principles of interaction in social andprofessional settings e.g.: turn-taking,interrupting, suggesting, agreeing/disagreeing,conforming, giving opinions, summarizing

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Some errors and mistakes in oral production

Some L2 speakers tend to make mistakes due to

mother tongue interference

Example???

Open (the radio / open the TV)

Close (the light / close the air-con)

Blend / blender? Wear..(shirts?, trousers?)..wear a car???

Taste (taste the food ) .. I taste its a good idea??

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I go to bedat 11 oclock (can you translate it as:

saya pergi ke katil pada pukul 11 malam? In the business world of Malaysia, you will find

people asking for a chop. Foreign business

people would be totally bewildered hearing this,

and would wonder what on earth these peopleare talking about.

They are referring to a stamp. The reason that

chop is used to mean stamp in Malaysia is thatit is a corrupted version of the Hindi word

(chhaap), which means seal or stamp.

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The word chop in English has the following meanings (from Wiktionary):

to chop (verb)

to chop (verb)

(transitive) To cut into pieces with short, vigorouscutting motions. chop woodchop an onion

(transitive) To sever with an axe or similar implement.Chop off his head.

chop (noun)

A cut of meat, often containing a section of a rib. I onlylike lambchopswith mint jelly.

A blow with an axe, cleaver, or similar utensil. It shouldtake just one goodchopto fell the sapling.

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Sonext time you need to asksomeone to stamp something, DO

NOT ask them for a chop as that

would mean that youre asking them

for a blow with an axe! Ask for astamp use the proper English word.

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Fill in.fill out fill up These expressions are very commonly confused by

Malaysians. Ive even seen a sign in a bank with thismistake.

Ill provide the definitions of each of these terms (fromWiktionary):

Fill in (transitive) to complete a form orquestionnaire with requested information.

Fill out

(transitive) to complete a form orquestionnaire with requested information.

Fill up- 1. (chiefly of a fuel tank) to make full. 2. tobecome full

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Contd

So we see that fill in and fill out mean to complete aquestionnaire, survey or form with the necessary information.Fill up means to make something full, generally with a liquid.As mentioned by the dictionary, it is often used to refer to acars fuel tank. For example I need to fill up my car.

Fill up CANNOT be used to mean complete a form. This iswrong. Can a form hold liquid? (Well, possibly if you rolled itinto a cone it could, but then it would be ruined). Since itcannot hold liquid, it is not appropriate to use fill up. Theappropriate expression to use with a form is fill in or fill out(even though in and out are opposites, fill in and fill out

both have the same meaning). So please dont ask anyone to fill up a form because they will

not be able to do it. Ask them to fill in a form or fill out aform.

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To stay or to live? Live (Malaytinggal, Chinese) make ones home

in a particular place or with a particular person.Example: I live in Kuala Lumpur orI live with mybrother.

Stay(Malayduduk, Chinese) live somewheretemporarily as a visitor or guest.Example: Im

stayingat the J.W. Marriot Hotel.

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Turn taking

When you are in a group discussion, you need to

take turn to speak. Here are some strategies youcan use:

strategy 1: be alert and focus on the discussion

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strategy 2: listen for discourse markers such as

finally, lastly, thats about all, thats what I want to

say, in conclusion, etc

At this point, the speaker is likely ending hissentence, thus you may join the conversation. For

example, you may use the following expressions:

May I add on to the point?

May I say something? Excuse me, I have something to say.

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strategy 3 : invite other members to say something if

they keep quiet

you could ask questions such as:

Would you like to say anything?

Would you like to begin now?

What is your opinion on this?

What do you think about.?

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strategy 4 : you may politely interrupt someone whodoesnt allow others a chance to talk.

You could use the following expressions:

I know you have many good ideas, but could

we listen to..

Excuse me, could we listen to

Excuse me, I believe it is .. turn now.

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Some examples of informal expressions by non-native

English speakers and corresponding formal expressions.Informal / non-standard Formal

What did you say ha?? Im sorry I dont quite catch what you

said.

What? What? (asking for repetition) Could you repeat that please?Wait! Wait! / Wait ha? I wonder if you would mind waiting

please? /

Could you wait please? /

Ill be with you shortly.

Sorry lah! / Sorry hah! I am sorry / Please accept my

apologies

Excuse! Excuse! Please excuse me.

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