Speak Well
In his play Pygmalion (1913), George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950), emphasizes the importance of correct speech and pronunciation. He shows how a common flower girl can pass off as a duchess by transforming her manner of speech. Although it takes much more than proper pronunciation and enunciation to pass off as a duchess, the message is very clear – Speech is a very important aspect of one’s personality – it makes or mars one’s chances in life.
Henry Higgins, the professor of phonetics in Shaw’s play gives rigorous training in English elocution to Eliza and at the end of the play we find her running a prosperous florist’s and greengrocer’s business with her husband Freddy Hill.
We have to keep this message in our mind in today’s highly competitive world. We should realize the importance of proper communication. Newspapers today are full of advertisements which demand candidates with good command over English. To gain proficiency in English, two things are very essential:
- What to say?
- How to say it?
The first deals with the content and the structure. This will come with exposure to the language and practice. The more you hear, listen to, read and speak, the more confidently you will use the language.
The second deals with proper pronunciation and enunciation i.e. proper refinement of speech sounds and manners. For this you should be:
- Aware of the sounds of English.
- You should use the right sound at the right place.
- You should have control over your rate of speech.
If you know all this , it is good, But if you don’t, then do not waste your time. These skills can be acquired with proper training and practice.