Málfríður - 15.09.1995, Page 20

decently in English in order to
understand.
The other part of the pro-
nunciation problem is convinc-
ing business students that the
stress in English does not nec-
essarily fall on the first syllable
(advertisement, executive) and
that some syllables in English
just have a schwa vowel sound,
as if they were swallowed.
Spelling a word may be easier if
you sound it out as if it were
Icelandic (caution), but the pro-
nunciation may be vastly differ-
ent. Oh yes, I always assign a
good tape and explain carefully
why and how to listen to it, but
I keep getting back the
response, “I don't have time.“
Students get brainwashed in
school into thinking that listen-
ing is not part of learning.
Actually, it’s just as important
as writing. In fact, pick a good
television series where the
actors speak slowly enough and
encourage the students to listen
to the intonation patterns.
There are good tapes with
examples of various accents to
go with International Business
English (Cambridge University
Press), by the way, and various
books give examples of good
telephone language.
The written work can cover a
wide variety of topics (Where
do you want to take the visiting
businessperson) as well as busi-
ness letters or faxes. Another
technique is to have the stu-
dents answer questions in class
(what do you want to tell this
business person about Ice-
land?).
In sum, the language of busi-
ness is always useful and does
not have to be deadly dull. For
businessmen it is a necessary
key to success, but for younger
students it is equally practical
and can be a way for teachers
to vary instructional projects.
Terry G. Lacy
er stundakennari í
ensku við H.í.
Þýska bókasafnið
Goethe Institut
Tryggvagötu 26
101 Reykjavík
Sími 551 6061
Stærsta safn þýskra bóka á Islandi
Menningarmiðstöð Sambandslýðveldisins býskalands
Myndbönd, tónbönd, kennsluefni fyrir þýskukennslu
Dagblöð og tímarit
Safnið er öllum opið og útlán endurgjaldslaus
Opið mánudaga til fimmtudaga frá 14.00-18.00
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