Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie
Hi all,
Vanilla are planning an update to the site on April 24th (next Wednesday). It is a major PHP8 update which is expected to boost performance across the site. The site will be down from 7pm and it is expected to take about an hour to complete. We appreciate your patience during the update.
Thanks all.

Fluency in english for non-native speakers!

Options
  • 13-09-2008 5:05pm
    #1
    Eric_85
    Closed Accounts Posts: 30 ✭


    It is important for all those who are looking for a job in Ireland to be able to develop their vocal language as the basis for all other inter-personal skills to the level of fluency.

    It is especially of common practice that those who are far beyond the basics of english language study still are not able to go beyond the simple one line phrases where the total interactivity in speech would be much more beneficial.

    So far, I've found the self-study programm of the indian professor Kev Nair http://www.fluentenglish.com/kevnair.asp
    It's a pity though it is bonded to India and there is no option of getting it free as .pdf or at least from Eason.:(

    Can anybody who had to come across it help with any revelant information on English fluency techniques???:confused:
    Tagged:


Comments

  • Options
    #2
    Jumpy
    Registered Users Posts: 7,606 ✭✭✭Jumpy


    I assume it is not for you, as you dont seem to need any help whatsoever in english (writing at least).


  • Options
    #3
    Pythia
    Registered Users Posts: 7,469 ✭✭✭Pythia


    Jumpy wrote: »
    I assume it is not for you, as you dont seem to need any help whatsoever in english (writing at least).

    I wouldn't say that now...


  • Options
    #4
    Eric_85
    Closed Accounts Posts: 30 ✭Eric_85


    Jumpy wrote: »
    I assume it is not for you, as you dont seem to need any help whatsoever in english (writing at least).

    Thanks. Though I would consieder that if I did make a certain progress in the language study, some good part of it is due to the fact I didn't tend to exxagerate it's current level. Keeping things on the fair side I am in desperate need to enrich the practical use of English moving on and on dissolving the wacky and sloppy language habbits I will have. Currently I find myself in the lack of the proper formal constructs as well as doing a number of grammatical mistakes while printing. I do recognise all levels of English can be useful, so some work should be done on all of them. Don want to sound to heavy or poor. Not trying to be perfect but find some path to the excellence is right ahead.:rolleyes:


  • Options
    #5
    Eric_85
    Closed Accounts Posts: 30 ✭Eric_85


    Pythia wrote: »
    I wouldn't say that now...

    I agree to what is said in the description of that book that
    1. To be fluent you would want to work it out for yourself first rather than sticking to group studies. The fact is you always carry you with yourself on the contrary to having patterns speaking to exact people that you have got used to.
    2. We all have unconscious patterns speaking our mother tongue. English people who are fluent are using some unconscious techniques and therefore there is nothing wrong in bringing them up to the conscious level to have more handy control over your speech.
    3. Sometimes the only way to really improve something is to brake what you have already learned in your head. It is useful for exploring the whole thing rather than going at all times by the roads you've used once.

    It's suprises me that I can't really google any fluency techniques for example under nlp or anything else. As this is really broad thing which is useful for everybody.

    Help!!!:confused:


  • Options
    #6
    Jumpy
    Registered Users Posts: 7,606 ✭✭✭Jumpy


    Pythia wrote: »
    I wouldn't say that now...

    I had no trouble understanding what he was writing, the mistakes were mostly grammatical.
    He makes fewer errors than your average AH'er.


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #7
    Jumpy
    Registered Users Posts: 7,606 ✭✭✭Jumpy


    Eric_85 wrote: »
    I agree to what is said in the description of that book that
    1. To be fluent you would want to work it out for yourself first rather than sticking to group studies. The fact is you always carry you with yourself on the contrary to having patterns speaking to exact people that you have got used to.
    2. We all have unconscious patterns speaking our mother tongue. English people who are fluent are using some unconscious techniques and therefore there is nothing wrong in bringing them up to the conscious level to have more handy control over your speech.
    3. Sometimes the only way to really improve something is to brake what you have already learned in your head. It is useful for exploring the whole thing rather than going at all times by the roads you've used once.

    It's suprises me that I can't really google any fluency techniques for example under nlp or anything else. As this is really broad thing which is useful for everybody.

    Help!!!:confused:


    Do you have much contact with native english speakers?

    I am learning French at present, and I have asked that I be corrected when I make any mistakes. I want to prevent bad habits and to get the "unconcious" patterns you refer to in your post.

    You could simply ask them as a favour to correct you when they hear you make a mistake in sentence structure. After a few weeks of this you should probably see an improvement. Most people will never correct you unless you ask them to.


  • Options
    #8
    is_that_so
    Registered Users Posts: 32,136 ✭✭✭✭is_that_so


    I think you are confusing fluency with being a fluent speaker of a language. Fluency is not learnt. It comes with practice, lots and lots of it. Fluency is the use of language in uncontrolled environments i.e. it is not something like a grammar exercise and you are free to use the language as you choose.

    As commented above, if you are embarking on a course of study, of more importance to you is written work. The best source of language is in written materials e.g. books.

    Passive recognition and active production of language are very different. An "educated" native speaker should recognise up to 20,000 words, but will actively, in theory anyway, be able to use 6-8,000, although these days I suspect that is substantially less.

    To get to a point like that you need to expose yourself to as many sources as possible. This would include TV,DVD , radio, native speakers etc. but most importantly reading materials. Without a wide passive base of vocabulary you cannot hope to improve your active ability. I'd also steer clear of anyone claiming they have an easy way to do it . Good luck.


  • Options
    #9
    Eric_85
    Closed Accounts Posts: 30 ✭Eric_85


    Thanks for the advice now.


Advertisement