EL 1806 – SPEECH EVENT MANAGEMENT

Date & Time : 02-11-2006/1.00-3.00 Dept. No. Max. : 50 Marks

PART A

I Write short notes on any Five of the following (5×1=5 marks)

Define Personality
What is High and Low esteem?
What is a value?
Describe internal and external motivation.
Explain the two types of coping.
What is team learning?
Explain the process of communication.
Communication is a skilled behaviour. Explain

II Answer any Two of the following in about 100 word each (2×5=10 marks)

Explain the strategies of managing conflict.
Explain the different types of communication
What are the characteristics of a team?
What is demotivation and what are the what are the demotivating factors?

III Write on any one of the following in about 200 words (1×10=10 marks)

13.Write a profile of yourself highlighting all your dimensions.

Evaluate yourself as a communicator in terms of your strengths and weakness
Discuss different types of leadership.

PART-B

IV Write short notes on any five of the following in about 50 words. (5×1=5 marks)

Coherence
Schema
Aesthetic function of speech act
Cotext
deictic expressions
discreteness
Pidgins

V Answer any two of the following in about 200 words each give examples.

(2 x 5 = 10)

Ethnography of communication
Overt transactional skills in spoken discourse
Language as an interpersonal social Act.

Identify the discourse features in the following passage (10 marks)

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE MOTHER TONGUE

-Iqbalunnisa Hussain

John Spiers gives an introduction to Iqbalunnisa Hussain as “a Muslim lady whose own life is an epic symbol of changing India” in his foreword to the book Changing India: A Muslim Woman Speaks and that can hardly be bettered. He says: “Considering the vast size of India, writers are all too few; and still less is the proportion of women writers. But as for Mohammedan women writers, where are they? In this respect it is probable that Mrs. Iqbalunnisa Hussain holds a lonely and courageous place. Here, for the first time, is the voice of a hitherto silent section of Indian women …her convictions are always based on knowledge, a sound knowledge born out of her own rich experience.”

(Included in this volume: Inaugural address delivered at the UrduPersian Literary Association of the Maharaja’s College, Mysore)

To a person his mother tongue is a “blessing in disguise.” It is not merely a time-table subject in his education but is forced upon him from all sides. It is learnt by both the direct or conscious and the indirect or unconscious method. The direct method supplements and regulates the knowledge gained by hearing. The mother tongue is an indispensable instrument for the development of the intellectual, moral and physical aspects of education. It is a subject through and by which other subjects can be tackled, understood and communicated. Clarity of thought and expression is only possible when one has a certain command over the mother tongue. Weakness in any other subject means weakness in that particular subject only, but weakness in the mother tongue means the paralysis of all thought and the power of expression. Deep insight, fresh discoveries, appreciation and expansion of ideas are only possible when one understands the subject through being able to assimilate and be stimulated by the ideas of the subject.

The mother tongue is a factor for unification and sympathy. It unites people with a common culture, common traditions and ideals. The common bond becomes so strong that any division is almost impossible. The sufferings of some members of the same community who speak the same language make all the rest sad, while the success of some elates the whole. This attitude of mind towards the members of one’s own community is unconscious. Even the suppression of this feeling in the interests of all human beings is possible only by thinking beings. Unfortunately the number of such widely sympathetic human beings is all too few.

The influence of the home on one’s mother tongue begins during infancy. The home is the place where love and sympathy reign supreme and where they are the means of instruction. It is a place where freedom of thought and action are encouraged, and practised both by direct and indirect methods. Throughout the day instruction in speech is given. Indistinct, unconnected utterances are checked, corrected and transformed into clarity of expression. The child’s ability to talk or to make statements is developed by conversations with the parents, thus the child’s natural shyness and the fear of committing mistakes are overcome. The natural gift of expression is developed.

This home influence plays a very important part in inculcating and enlarging the ideas of the child. These ideas are gathered through pictures, photographs, from articles and by all things in the child’s home and surroundings. The child’s curiosity compels him to ask questions and gather information concerning everything. Enquiries about their names and uses follow. This unending stream of questions on a multitude of topics and the degree of sensible replies or explanations given to him by his parents increases his ideas and vocabulary, and likewise his thoughts begin to settle and his power of listening intelligently and understanding the spoken word develops.

Folk and fairy tales, and the adventures of heroes and heroines told by the mothers and grandmothers have a unique value. Related in a homely manner their chief ideas are easily understood. Such tales not only develop the character of the little one, but also improve his own power of recounting what is heard. Very often one finds little children acting such stories. Religious instruction given at home is another aid to progress in the mother tongue. Women are more religious minded usually than men. They remember the words and music of hymns and songs. At a very young age the child learns these by heart and later recites them before the members and friends of the family. And sometimes the child is bold enough to repeat them before strangers. Religious hymns and songs make an appeal to his religious instincts, which is sometimes expressed in another way through the medium of dolls which are made into idols. All this early learning lays a good foundation for the development of the mother tongue.

In illiterate families the influence of the mother tongue may not be so effective in the improvement of the vocabulary, pronunciation and the enlargement of ideas, but there is no lack of clear expression of some sort.

When the child enters school he is quite familiar with words, expressions and their uses in his daily life. Words and ideas do not seem dry and lifeless to him, as they are often used in his life. The teacher of the mother tongue is not vague in his expression and in the presentation of facts. The homely presentation of ideas with a definite purpose creates a spirit of reciprocity in children. There is often found a mutual understanding between the children and the teacher and an appreciation of the matter read is expressed. The instinct of curiosity to know about things is satisfied by reading books written in one’s mother tongue. The substance is re-stated in the children’s own words and is turned over in their minds till they understand its meaning well. The strong foundation laid at home and the familiarity of the ideas make the student better fitted to cope with the difficulties in the school. The school supplements and regulates the knowledge gained by indirect ways. No stage of expression remains unrealised and untranslated in the pupil’s life. In addition the lectures delivered by individual speakers, debates held and the writing of essays help to clarify the descriptions and explanations of any fresh knowledge gathered by them. The minds of children are thus prepared and ready to enter upon more advanced stages in their educational career.

The Urdu and Persian languages, after the downfall of the Moghal Empire did not receive due importance. They were made second languages in the syllabus of the schools and so their position was made secondary. Neither were they financially supported and hence people neglected them because they had no market value. The country now is on the threshold of building her educational structure on the recognition of the mother tongue. It is considered an indispensable instrument for preserving one’s national culture and traditions. The feeling of unrest due to the clash between the old and new culture is disappearing. The Great War opened the eyes of the people and made them realise the importance of their own culture in building their nation. They agitated and adopted a uniform scheme of education. The cry of the day is to serve the nation, to develop one’s own power of expression and to preserve one’s own culture and traditions. The social, political and economic conditions of the country also accelerated the demand for a democratic form of education as a preparation for life. Consequently the mother tongue became the rule for middle and high schools and there is an attempt to have the same in colleges and in higher educational organizations.

Literary associations were started all over India in high schools and colleges with a view to encourage students to actively take part in them and to create an interest in their mother tongue. Such associations have been serving a two-fold purpose. They develop the students’ intellect and character. They are also a means for students to do social and national service. The members solve many a modern problem of life. The Literary Association of the Maharaja’s College of Mysore is a wonderful living example. The activities of this Association are too many to describe in detail. The very fact of inviting me from Bangalore to deliver an inaugural address is a proof of the interest taken by its members in their Association. The moving spirit behind it is Mr. M.A. Shushtery, Prof. of Persian in the College. From the time he joined the Mysore Government service, a new life has entered into the students of Persian. The learning of Persian is no more a boring subject. His selfless work in the interest of his students and in making Persian an important subject in the State has endeared him to all those who know him and who have the good fortune of being his students. Now people have realized the fact that the flag of the Urdu and Persian languages need not be lowered before that of other languages. The Muslims of Mysore are highly grateful to him and will always remember and cherish his memory. It is my earnest wish that the high standard of Persian raised by him will be maintained even after his retirement from State service.

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