Language Directions Newsletter
May 2014
“You Want Fries With That?”
Language learning is so much more than just learning words. If you have ever listened to a robotic translation, or even to Siri on your iPhone, you can understand the role of tone, inflection and nuance.
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April 2014
The Importance of Punctuation
Who cares about punctuation, anyway? Is it really relevant? You decide. Read the two letters below. The words are the same. See what a difference punctuation makes?
Read more…March 2014
The Importance of Small Talk
Communicating in English in workplace-related subjects, while challenging, can be accomplished with practice and effort by immigrants working in a corporate or medical business environment. Carrying on “small talk” is something quite different. Casual and unscripted conversation with native English speakers is an essential component of language development and social integration.
Read more…December 2013
Communicating During Disasters or Other Unexpected Occurrences
Super Storm Sandy is now history. We move on, as after most disasters, to an analysis of how we might avoid miscommunication and the repetition of problems. After 9/11 and the destruction of the World Trade Center, a universal awareness was created regarding backups and storage of essential data in an off-site, secure location. Sandy and other similar weather or emergency events can cause us to look at our systems and processes for communicating with our employees. We are now into this year’s storm season and it is wise to think about it now and be prepared.
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