by Heather Chetwynd | Jun 28, 2022 | Culture and Values
We understand best those who communicate as we do. What does “communicating like me” mean? What are the variables in communication? Consider these factors: language, accent, volume, vocabulary and expressions, grammar, body language, level of formality, cultural...
by Heather Chetwynd | Jun 1, 2021 | Language Training
Many of us have our pet peeves – minor annoyances that particularly irritate us, more so than would be normally expected. Well, one of my pet peeves is messing up an expression. Sometimes referred to as an “eggcorn,” the more technical word for this error is...
by Heather Chetwynd | Jan 29, 2021 | Culture and Values
I am often asked, “Is that ‘correct’ English?” It is not a simple question to answer. I have thought about this often but recently I was reminded of it again as I listened to the audio version of Between the World and Me. Written and read by Ta-Nehisi Coates, the book...
by Heather Chetwynd | Sep 10, 2020 | Language Training
In my 20s, I learned to speak Spanish with a wave of refugees from South America. I just “hung out” and took a few lessons, sang in a small Latin folk band and eventually married a Chilean refugee. Because I had never properly studied Spanish or lived in a...
by Heather Chetwynd | Jul 7, 2020 | Accent Modification, Business Communications
Do people seem to find it difficult to understand you when you speak? Do they often ask you to repeat yourself? Do they look like they are really concentrating to understand you? Whether your perception is true or not, being able to participate comfortably in a...
