2.1: Introduction

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Watch this chapter’s video. It takes place at Claire’s campground office. Roshan and Kerry show up and so does Ivan, one of Claire’s neighbours. Everybody is trying to get a lot done. Notice how they adjust the way they speak to different people when they suggest, request, or give instructions.

Focus Questions

In this chapter, Claire and Gilles have conversations with people in the community. There is a common reason for chatting with, or writing to, neighbours. Almost everyone wants to get things done. They need others to do their part.

Write your answers to the following questions.

What would you say to the following people to get them to move their vehicle, which is blocking your car?
1. To my brother or sister, I would say,
  
  “________________________________________________.”
2. To my teenage child, I would say,
  
  “________________________________________________.”
3. To my new neighbour, I would say,
  
  “________________________________________________.”
4. To a police officer, I would say,
  
  “________________________________________________.”

	Suggestion	Request	Instruction
Can you help me talk to Mr. Broz?
How about we let them know we’ll be late?
You’d better take the keys.
Don’t tell my wife.
Let’s keep the lines of communication open.

Decide if relationships change how you speak.
- Read the decriptions in the boxes on the left and on the right.
- Count how many points are most true for you.
  
  Place a on the dot closest to the way you communicate.
- Count how many points are true for other Canadians.
  
  Place a letter on the dot closest to the way you think other Canadians communicate.

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Learning Objectives

In this chapter, we will

recognize how people change their word choices to speak directly or indirectly
compare how close or distant relationships show up in talking and writing
identify reasons people close to or distant from each other talk or write to each other
look for patterns of directness or indirectness in suggestions, requests, and instructions
adjust how we speak and write.

You will build up your language skills in

vocabulary through synonyms, word families, homonyms, homophones, and idioms
accuracy through
- grammar practice with gerunds, infinitives, and modal verbs
- pronunciation of stressed words
fluency through writing and speaking tasks related to making and responding to requests
interpreting meaning through inferencing, summarizing or restating, and scanning word choices for indications of register and tone.