About Communication

From this pod-casting project I expect to learn various skills such as:

1. Speaking Japanese with better pronunciation

2. Speaking with more fluidity and less hesitation

3. Being more expressive in speaking Japanese in order to better convey certain feelings (i.e. frustration, excitement, enthusiasm)

4. Speaking Japanese to address an audience and speaking more in the plain style.

5. Speaking Japanese with appropriate hand gestures and body language.

In my opinion, communication means not only being able to pronounce words well and using correct grammar but also knowing about the more subtle aspects of speaking such as the adjust the tone of your voice, the emphasis you place on particular words and syllables, and certain inflections. When speaking English I find that there is a lot more to communicating effectively than can be taught in a textbook because learning a new language involves immersing yourself in the culture to see how the language is spoken on a daily basis and in certain settings (formal vs. informal, written vs. spoken). 

I believe that communication also involves a combination of body language and the actual language. For example, certain hand gestures can add a lot to the spoken word in order to convey one's personality such as shyness or friendliness. Eye contact also has a big impact on how effectively one can communicate. Good eye contact combined with a polite use of the language for example, can be a way for one to express confidence when meeting someone for the first time.