18 Speaking

Intonation Scaffolding Activities

Recognizing Positive and Negative

Power to permit, prohibit, or obligate someone shows up in the tone of our voice and also in the words we choose to stress or emphasize by lengthening the vowel sounds.

Part A 

These pairs of sentences have several differences. The topics are not exactly the same. The first sentence is positive and the second is negative. The sound of the verbs is different.

Listen for differences in the length of the verbs:

1.

a) You can serve yourself.

b) You cannot serve the host.

2.

a) You may arrive up to 10 minutes later than the invitation says.

b) You may not arrive early.

3.

a) You should use your right hand.

b) You should not unwrap gifts immediately.

4.

a) You must refuse an offer three times before accepting.

b) You must not turn down an invitation face to face.

To help listeners notice the difference between positive permissions and negative prohibitions, we could write these sentences like this:

a) You can s-e-r-v-e yourself.

b) You cann-o-t serve the host.

Read the four pairs of sentences aloud. Stress either the positive actions or the word ”not.”

We emphasize positive actions by stretching out the vowels in those words. We lengthen negative words to make a clear difference between prohibitions and obligations. You may also hear people say the word “not” louder than other words.

Part B

In this exercise, you will hear sentences from our story. As you listen, decide whether the speaker is prohibiting an action or speaking about an obligation. Use a checkmark to show your choices.

Contracting Verbs

In addition to the tone of our voice and the length of words, we also communicate how strongly we feel by the grammatical form of the words we say.

Part A

Listen for differences in the verbs in these sets of sentences:

1.

a) Campground guests can make fires anytime except during a fire ban.

b) Campground guests can’t make fires during a fire ban.

c) Campground guests cannot make fires during a fire ban.

2.

a) Pets must be on a leash at all times.

b) Pets mustn’t be off leash at any time.

c) Pets must not be off leash at any time.

Listen again. In each set of sentences, underline the words that are stressed by being lengthened. The other words are not being lengthened, they are being spoken normally.

• Positive modal verbs are usually spoken faster than negative ones. Their sound may be shortened, or reduced, so much that it may be hard to hear them.
• Negative modal verbs don’t always sound the same.

INFORMAL contractions lengthen the combined modal verb and the ending N’T.

FORMAL full-form verbs stress NOT more than the verbs.

Read the two sets of sentences aloud.

Part B

Full-form verbs communicate more power than contractions. When we tell someone what is not permitted, we sound much more serious when we use full-form verbs. To sound less demanding, we often tell others what is not allowed by using contractions and weaker modal verbs.

In this exercise, you will hear prohibitions from our story. As you listen, decide whether the speaker is gently disallowing something, prohibiting something in a normal tone, or strongly communicating a serious prohibition.

Use a checkmark to show your choices.

Speaking Tasks

In some societies, it is always clear who has the power to inform other people and enforce social obligations or customs. This is not always
true in Canada. Here, the “rules” of one family may be quite different from the permissions and prohibitions of a family who lives next door. Outside the home, very few people want to appear inflexible with strangers. Many people hesitate to explain rules directly even to someone whose behaviour is breaking the rules.

As we have social interactions with our neighbours, we can learn from each other. How can we talk about the behaviour we expect without causing conflict? Is there a way to express what is unacceptable without being misunderstood?

Here are some pictures of situations that could cause conflict between strangers camping next to each other.

To prepare for the speaking activities, discuss these questions:

• Have you ever been bothered by the behaviour of a neighbour? Did you speak to that person? If so, describe the conversation.
• Have you ever been bothered by the behaviour of a stranger? Did you speak to that person? If so, describe the conversation.
• Has a neighbour or a stranger in Canada ever corrected your behaviour or told you that you made a mistake? If so, describe the conversation.

Speaking 1: Expressing Permission, Prohibition, or Obligation

It’s often easier to talk about “the right way” to do something before there is a conflict. Finding out that someone expected different behaviour after you did something can be very uncomfortable.

Imagine that you are in Claire’s shoes. Roshan’s parents have heard so much about Bear Bottom Campground that they decide to try camping there, although they have never gone camping before. When they arrive, you (Claire) meet them for the first time. You realize that the Mehtas are older than you. Use a gentle tone as you explain

• a couple of things campers are allowed to do
• a couple of things campers are not allowed to do
• a couple of things campers ought to do.

Do the following speaking practice as a short presentation to one or more listeners.

Requirements:

1. Welcome Dev and Leela Mehta to your campground.
2. Mention that there is a sign with a list of “camping courtesies.”
3. Explain at least six rules to them, including two permissions, two prohibitions, and two obligations.
4. Use modal verbs: MAY, CAN, MUST NOT, SHOULD NOT, HAVE TO, MUST, SHOULD, OUGHT TO.
5. Ask the Mehtas if they have any questions

Production Task Rubric

Here is rubric to measure how you do when explaining social rules to your listener(s):

Speaking 2

When a social rule has been broken, the person in charge has an obligation to correct the situation. Not everyone is flexible with rules. Not everyone with power speaks in the same way every time they give permission, announce a prohibition, or enforce an obligation.

Imagine that you are in Claire’s shoes. Your daughter, Arti, and some of her university friends have come out from the city to Bear Bottom Campground for a weekend. They say they have been camping before, so when they arrive, you don’t review the “camping courtesies.” However, these young campers get into trouble the first day and night they are at your campground. Use an inflexible tone as you firmly explain to them

• a couple of things campers are allowed to do
• a couple of things campers are not allowed to do
• a couple of things campers ought to do.

Do the following speaking practice as a short presentation to one or more listeners

Requirements:

1. Explain that you noticed some improper behaviour by these campers in the campground.
2. Mention that there is a sign with a list of “camping courtesies.”
3. Explain at least six rules to them, including two permissions, two prohibitions, and two obligations.
4. Use modal verbs: MAY, CAN, MUST NOT, SHOULD NOT, HAVE TO, MUST, SHOULD, or OUGHT TO.
5. Ask your listeners if they have any questions.

Production Task Rubric