How to Speak Articulately With Non Native English Speakers
Move your mouth and avoid eating your words., Do not say “Tuh” instead of “To” in between words., Do not run your words together., Avoid using contractions or short forms., Decrease the use of words that fill your sentences., Be explicit: Say “Yes”...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Move your mouth and avoid eating your words.
Remember those old Kung-Fu movies on American TV? Move your mouth as those actors did.
It is important to breathe and relax your facial muscles and chest.
Preferably, in private, I like to pinch my cheeks with my fingers and move them in, out, and around.
This exercise creates an "elastic" effect.
In fact, it relaxes your facial muscles! -
Step 2: Do not say “Tuh” instead of “To” in between words.
For example, I need “tuh” talk “tuh” the manager. , “Whadyado?”, “Gonna”, “Gimme”, “Lemme”, and “Wanna” are words that are run together.
Visualize your words as a punching ball and "target" it with your speech.
Imagine each individual word passing in your mind's eye like subtitles in a movie.
Articulate each word and “punch” it.
You punch, recover, and punch again. , Use long forms. “Can’t” is one word you must use the long form with.
It is difficult for a non-native speaker to understand the difference between “can” and “can’t” in a sentence.
For example, “I can’t take you on Friday” and “I can take you on Friday”.
Use the long form, “cannot”. “I cannot take you on Friday”. , The idea is to remove the “noise” from your speech.
Imagine trying to listen to the radio with two young children in the same room.
They are playing and screaming.
What is the result? "Family of...car...on vacation...in Arizona." If your oral communication is filled with "um"
"like"
"you know"
or other fillers, comprehension is more difficult. “Right” is a word that commonly fills conversations.
I prefer to use “Yes, that is correct”.
A non-native speaker may not understand “right” and confuse it with its opposite, “left”. , Do not say: “Uh-huh” or “Uh-uh”.
Those expressions are not in grammar books! , Many non-native speakers may have learned bad habits when acquiring English.
For example, many Indian speakers of English dispense almost entirely with prepositions.
To them, "I am going to house" is quite valid even though its meaning is not clarified by adding my, your, a, that or his/her.
Listen for such omissions and clarify them., The more relaxed you are, the more you are in control of your communication.
Do not give a busy lifestyle or a meeting agenda permission to control your speech.
Think as you speak and do not speak as you think. -
Step 3: Do not run your words together.
-
Step 4: Avoid using contractions or short forms.
-
Step 5: Decrease the use of words that fill your sentences.
-
Step 6: Be explicit: Say “Yes” or “No”.
-
Step 7: Stop bad habits.
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Step 8: Be patient and smile.
Detailed Guide
Remember those old Kung-Fu movies on American TV? Move your mouth as those actors did.
It is important to breathe and relax your facial muscles and chest.
Preferably, in private, I like to pinch my cheeks with my fingers and move them in, out, and around.
This exercise creates an "elastic" effect.
In fact, it relaxes your facial muscles!
For example, I need “tuh” talk “tuh” the manager. , “Whadyado?”, “Gonna”, “Gimme”, “Lemme”, and “Wanna” are words that are run together.
Visualize your words as a punching ball and "target" it with your speech.
Imagine each individual word passing in your mind's eye like subtitles in a movie.
Articulate each word and “punch” it.
You punch, recover, and punch again. , Use long forms. “Can’t” is one word you must use the long form with.
It is difficult for a non-native speaker to understand the difference between “can” and “can’t” in a sentence.
For example, “I can’t take you on Friday” and “I can take you on Friday”.
Use the long form, “cannot”. “I cannot take you on Friday”. , The idea is to remove the “noise” from your speech.
Imagine trying to listen to the radio with two young children in the same room.
They are playing and screaming.
What is the result? "Family of...car...on vacation...in Arizona." If your oral communication is filled with "um"
"like"
"you know"
or other fillers, comprehension is more difficult. “Right” is a word that commonly fills conversations.
I prefer to use “Yes, that is correct”.
A non-native speaker may not understand “right” and confuse it with its opposite, “left”. , Do not say: “Uh-huh” or “Uh-uh”.
Those expressions are not in grammar books! , Many non-native speakers may have learned bad habits when acquiring English.
For example, many Indian speakers of English dispense almost entirely with prepositions.
To them, "I am going to house" is quite valid even though its meaning is not clarified by adding my, your, a, that or his/her.
Listen for such omissions and clarify them., The more relaxed you are, the more you are in control of your communication.
Do not give a busy lifestyle or a meeting agenda permission to control your speech.
Think as you speak and do not speak as you think.
About the Author
Martha Gray
Experienced content creator specializing in cooking guides and tutorials.
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