Oral communication

oral communication, characteristics, the intonation, the diction

1. Oral Communication Made by : Maria Fernanda Reyes I.D 24.590.642

2. What is oral communication? Oral communication implies communication through mouth. It includes individuals conversing with each other, be it direct conversation or telephonic conversation. Speeches, presentations, discussions are all forms of oral communication. Oral communication is generally recommended when the communication matter is of temporary kind or where a direct interaction is required. Face to face communication (meetings, lectures, conferences, interviews, etc.)

3. Characteristics of oral communication An oral communication to become successful requires some essential or good characteristics, those are highlighted as follows: Pre Planned Before transmitting any message, the speaker must have pre-plan to send the message properly to the audience or receiver. Pre-Planned communication is always fruitful. Certainty The speaker must speak properly while communication with the audience. The subject matter or speech must be certain in oral communication to avoid confusion. Conciseness Information should be /Enriched with concrete, logical and relevant data in case of oral communication. The subject matter should also be simple to catch the attention of the audience.

4. Characteristics of oral communication Attractive presentation The message in oral communication should be presented in a nice tone. The Speaking attitude should be catchy to hold the attention of the receiver. Consideration of the Receiver or Audience During oral communication, the qualification, knowledge, experience, and motive should be considered by the speaker. The language should be simple and understandable to the audience . Neutrality The audience or receiver should be silent while the speaker in delivering a speech. Realistic Unrealistic information or, a message can never hold the attention of the audience. So, a speaker should provide realistic speech to the audience.

5. Characteristics of oral communication Free from error If the information in oral communication contains any error then it makes the audience confused. Moreover, the audience will lose their confidence in the speaker. So, information must be free from errors in oral communication. Patience Patience is the key to success for effective communication. Both the speaker .and the audience must have proper patience while making oral communication. Free from emotion Oral communication should be free from emotion. Because emotion makes the subject matter to be complicated. Therefore, the audience will make a wrong interpretation of the message techniques or Way of Oral Communication.

6. Advantages of Oral Communication There is high level of understanding and transparency in oral communication as it is interpersonal. There is no element of rigidity in oral communication. There is flexibility for allowing changes in the decisions previously taken. The feedback is spontaneous in case of oral communication. Thus, decisions can be made quickly without any delay. Oral communication is not only time saving, but it also saves upon money and efforts.

7. Disadvantages / Limitations of Oral Communication Relying only on oral communication may not be sufficient as business communication is formal and very organized. Oral communication is less authentic than written communication as they are informal and not as organized as written communication. Oral communication is time-saving as far as daily interactions are concerned, but in case of meetings, long speeches consume lot of time and are unproductive at times. There may be misunderstandings as the information is not complete and may lack essentials. It requires attentiveness and great receptivity on part of the receivers/audience.

8. Breathing The importance of breathing in oral communication becomes obvious when you realize that the energy that powers your voice is exhaled breath. Air passing upwards in your trachea excites the vocal folds in your larynx. Those vocal folds (the thyroarytenoid muscles or “vocal cords”) then vibrate thousands of times per second to create the sound others hear when you speak.

9. 3 Ways to Use Breathing to Improve Your Public Speaking #1: Active vs. Passive Breathing. The type of breathing you use in daily living is called passive or vegetative breathing. As that label indicates, this type of breathing doesn’t take much effort. Sitting at your desk or using your voice to carry three inches from your mouth to your phone, aren’t activities that call on you to use the fullness of your breathing mechanism. #2: Where the Action Takes Place. To breathe beneficially for public speaking, you need to correctly use your breathing mechanism, i.e., the anatomical structures that exist to allow you to respirate. This is where you may have developed bad habits as a speaker (many people do), and so work against yourself in breathing effortlessly and efficiently.

10. 3 Ways to Use Breathing to Improve Your Public Speaking #3: Controlling the Respiration Cycle. Your level of control in the breathing cycle is where you can make it all come together to be in charge of your speaking performance. When you breathe passively, your inhalation and exhalation are about equal, i.e., they have the same duration. With speaking, however, the situation is entirely different. Remember that exhaled air is the source of the produced voice. So every time you express an idea, you’re likely doing in on one breath.

11. The intonation Intonation is about how we say things, rather than what we say. Without intonation, it's impossible to understand the expressions and thoughts that go with words. Listen to somebody speaking without paying attention to the words: the 'melody' you hear is the intonation. It has the following features: It's divided into phrases, also known as 'tone-units'. The pitch moves up and down, within a 'pitch range'. Everybody has their own pitch range. Languages, too, differ in pitch range. English has particularly wide pitch range. In each tone unit, the pitch movement (a rise or fall in tone, or a combination of the two) takes place on the most important syllable known as the 'tonic-syllable'. The tonic-syllable is usually a high-content word, near the end of the unit. These patterns of pitch variation are essential to a phrase's meaning. Changing the intonation can completely change the meaning.

12. The intonation Intonation exists in every language, so the concept we're introducing isn't new. However, learners are often so busy finding their words that intonation suffers. Yet intonation can be as important as word choice - we don't always realise how much difference intonation makes: Awareness of intonation aids communication. Incorrect intonation can result in misunderstandings, speakers losing interest or even taking offence! Though it's unlikely our learners will need native-speaker-level pronunciation, what they do need is greater awareness of intonation to facilitate their speaking and listening.

13. The Diction Diction can be defined as style of speaking or writing, determined by the choice of words by a speaker or a writer. Diction, or choice of words, often separates good writing from bad writing. It depends on a number of factors. Firstly, the word has to be right and accurate. Secondly, words should be appropriate to the context in which they are used. Lastly, the choice of words should be such that the listener or reader understands easily.

14. Types of Diction Individuals vary their diction depending on different contexts and settings. Therefore, we come across various types of diction. Formal diction: formal words are used in formal situations, such as press conferences and presentations. Informal diction: uses informal words and conversation, such as writing or talking to friends. Colloquial diction: uses words common in everyday speech, which may be different in different regions or communities. Slang diction is the use of words that are newly coined, or even impolite.