TALKING TO PEOPLE New Vocabularies: Appreciate, Elderly, Conversation, Direction, Later, Relationship, Acquaintance, Parking,Guard, Disability, Gardener, Recognize, Stranger, Compliment, Well-being, Avoid, Mistake, Indicate, Relation, Seem, Familiar, Signify, Forgetful, Nursery, Purchase, Guess, Indeed, Direction, Initiator, Shopping mall, Perceived, Impolite, Of course, Reserve, Queue.
Ask and answer the following questions with your friend:
• How many members do you have in your family?
• Describe your relationships with them.
• Do you talk to your parents in the same way as you talk to your grandparents?
Look at the picture below. Then, ask and answer the following questions in pairs:
নিচের ছবিটি দেখো। তারপর জোড়ায় নিচের প্রশ্নগুলো জিজ্ঞেস করো এবং উত্তর দাও।
TALKING TO PEOPLE
Can you guess who they are?
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What do you think is the relationship among them?
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What do you think they are talking about?
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Read the following list of formal and informal expressions and discuss their meanings in groups:
নিচের Formal এবং Informal প্রকাশভঙ্গি (expressions) গুলো পড়ো এবং দলে তাদের অর্থসমূহ আলোচনা করো।
| Formal expressions | Informal expressions |
|---|---|
| Hello! | Hi! /Hey! |
| It’s a pleasure to meet you | Nice to meet you |
| I apologize | I’m sorry |
| Much appreciated | Thanks |
| Could you please help me? | Can you help me? /Help me! |
| How are you doing? | What’s going on? /What’s up? |
| Do you want to share? | Want to share? |
| I’m not able to attend | I can’t make it |
Read and practise the following two conversations with your friends.
তোমার বন্ধুদের সাথে নিচের কথোপকথনগুলো (Conversations) পড়ো এবং অনুশীলন করো।
Do you see any difference between the features of formal and informal conversation (phrases/expressions)?
Situation 1:
Talking to an unknown elderly
person
Shimul is a student of class six. TALKING TO PEOPLE She meets an unknown elderly person standing just outside her house.
Shimul: Hello! Good afternoon aunty.
(No response from the lady)
Shimul: Excuse me! (Are you) looking for someone? May I help you?
Aunty: Oh, hello! Sorry, I didn’t get you?
Shimul: I saw you standing here for a long time. Can I help you?
Aunty: Thank you, dear. I am waiting here for my daughter. She should be here in no time.
Shimul: Okay. It may rain soon. Better you stand under that shade (pointing across the road).
Aunty: Oh sure! Thank
you.
Shimul: That’s okay. Have a good day.
Aunty: You too (have a good day).
Situation 2:
Helping a friend to find an address
Shreya and Raya are both students at the same School. Shreya meets Raya standing just outside her house. The conversation between them goes something like this: Taking to TALKING TO PEOPLE
Shreya: Hey! What’s up?
Raya: Not much.
Shreya: Why are you standing here? Come inside, will you?
Raya: (showing an address to Shreya) No. I need to be at this address, but I can’t find it.
Shreya: That’s easy. Go straight and then turn left. This house should be the third on your right side.
Raya: You don’t say! I just have come from that direction. I must have missed it.
Shreya: Yes, you are.
Raya: I am in a bit of a hurry. Some other time, perhaps.
Shreya: Alright. Don’t forget, I owe you one.
Raya: Yes, of course see you later.
Shreya: Okay, see you.
Guess and discuss with your peers the meanings of the following expressions in the conversation:
তোমার Peer (সাথী) এর সাথে কথোপকথনের মধ্যে ব্যবহৃত নিচের প্রকাশভঙ্গি/ বাচনভঙ্গিগুলোর (Expressions) অর্থ অনুমান করো এবং আলোচনা করো।
I didn’t get you.
I wondered if you might need any help.
What’s up?
You don’t say!
I owe you one.
Language Focus
Everyday we talk to many people. Some of them are very close like our friends & family. We have an informal relationship with them. Also, some of them are not so close to us (e.g., our Head Teacher) and some of them could be our new acquaintances. TALKING TO PEOPLE We have a formal relationship with them. While talking to the close ones we use informal language and while talking to unknown or elderly people we usually use formal language.
Read the expressions given in the box. Then, categorize them as formal or informal expressions in the table:
নিচের Box এ দেয়া প্রকাশভঙ্গিসমূহ (expressions) পড়ো। তারপর সারণিতে Formal এবং Informal Expression গুলো সাজাও ।
(a) Hello! Good afternoon. (b) Need any help? (c) You can wait inside if you want! (d) Hi, what’s up? (e) The pleasure is all mine, (f) Good day! (g) Say hello to … (h) May I help you?
| Formal Expressions | Informal Expressions |
In pairs write and act out short conversations on the given situation.
জোড়ায় জোড়ায় লেখ এবং নিচের অবস্থা অনুযায়ী ছোট কথোপকথনের মাধ্যমে অভিনয় করে দেখাও
Imagine that Silvia, one of your friends, had to go to the village home because her school was closed due to the Corona situation. Now the face-to-face classes have started, and Silvia needs help in English and Mathematics. Write a short conversation offering your help.
Read the conversations and identify the features of formal and informal conversation in pairs. TALKING TO PEOPLE
কথোপকথনটি পড়ো এবং জোড়ায় Formal এবং Informal কথোপকথনের বৈশিষ্ট্যগুলো লেখ।
Situation 3:
A conversation between a parking guard, Salam Miya, and a Kenyan student, Ali, who is studying at Dhaka University, about the parking of a bicycle and it this:
Salam Miya: Hey, you’re parking wrong!
Ali: Sorry?
Salam Miya: You shouldn’t park your bicycle here. This place is for people with disabilities (pointing to the sign)
Ali: Oh okay, didn’t notice that! I’ll place it somewhere else.
Salam Miya: That’s all right, just park it right next time.
Ali: I’ll keep that in mind. Have a good day.
Salam Miya: You too.
[N.B: This is an example of a casual conversation between Salam Miya and Ali. The guard is only doing his duty and Ali does what is right. And in the end, Ali thanks Salam Miya as he is just doing his duty.] TALKING TO PEOPLE
Situation 4:
Meeting the school gardener outside the school who does
not recognize Sifat
Sifat is a student at a high school. He meets the gardener of his school outside the school who does not recognize him, but Sifat does. The conversation between them goes something like this:
Sifat: Hi! Mali chacha, how are you? (Informal greeting)
Mali chacha: I am fine. Thank you. (Answering questions even to strangers is a nice thing. Make sure to thank them if they compliment you or ask about your well-being, but avoiding counter-questions is better)
Sifat: Where are you going?
Mali chacha: I’m sorry, I think you mistook me for someone else. Umm…Do I know you? (Politely stating that he does not recognize Sifat)
Sifat: Don’t say you didn’t recognize me!! (Indicates that these two know each other and they have informal relation)
Mali chacha: You seem familiar. Where do I know you from?
Sifat: Come on, Mali chacha! I am from your school. Remember how I asked you about gardening just the other week? (Again, signifies the informal relation)
Mali chacha: How forgetful of me! You are Sifat if I remember you correctly. Guess I am getting old! (Laughing)
Sifat: Yes, you are. (Laughing)
Mali chacha: I am just going to the nursery to purchase some flower plants.
Sifat: For the school, I guess.
Mali chacha: Yes, indeed.
Sifat: I mustn’t hold you back then. See you later.
Mali chacha: See you.
[N.B: Here Sifat is controlling the direction of the conversation. He is the conversation initiator. He is joking during the conversation which signifies an informal/friendly relation with a much older Mali chacha.]
Situation 5:
Meeting your class teacher in a shopping mall
Jahid meets his class teacher Ms. Shakina in a shopping mall. The conversation they have is somewhat like this:
Jahid: Hello, Ma’am! (Formal greeting)
Ms. Shakina: Hey, Jahid! How are you? (Informal greeting)
Jahid: I’m fine, Ma’am. I hope you are also fine. [NB: Avoidance of direct question, as asking direct questions can be perceived as impolite in some sit- uations]
Ms. Shakina: I’m fine too. Shopping for the winter, I guess? [NB: asking direct questions such as why are you here? is impolite in some situations]
Jahid: Yes, Ma’am.
Ms. Shakina: Me too. [NB: Teacher is giving the answers unasked] Are you with your parents?
Jahid: No, Ma’am. I’m with
my uncle.
Ms. Shakina: Give my regards to your parents, will you?
Jahid: Of course, Ma’am.
Ms. Shakina: Well, enjoy your shopping.
Jahid: Thank you, Ma’am. You too enjoy your shopping. [NB: Avoid saying only “you too” as it is not very formal]
Ms. Shakina: See you later.
Jahid: Yes, Ma’am. [NB: Avoid saying something like “see you” as it is not formal]
[N.B: Here Ms. Shakina is controlling the direction of the conversation. In a formal situation like this one, when one will talk to someone elderly, one should not speak until spoken to, and only answer what is asked and should not ask counter questions.]
Read the conversations and write appropriate responses in the blanks.
কথোপকথনগুলো পড়ো এবং সঠিক উত্তর খালি ঘরে লেখ।
a) Hey Delowar! don’t sit here. These seats are reserved for women.
…………………………………………………………………………………………….
b) Don’t break the line. Always stand in a queue.
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c) Your face tells you don’t remember me. We were classmates.
…………………………………………………………………………………………….
d) Hello son! How are you?
…………………………………………………………………………………………….
e) Sorry friend, I’m getting late. I need to go.
…………………………………………………………………………………………….
Read the conversations again and write ‘T’ for true sentences and ‘F’ for false sentences. One is done for you.
কথোপকথনগুলো পড়ো এবং সত্য হলে T এবং মিথ্যা হলে F লেখ।
a. You must greet and give thanks when you talk to seniors. T
b. “Hi! How are you?”- is an informal greeting.
c. You should not ask a personal question to elderly people.
d. “Come on, dear!”- is a formal expression.
e. You should always give thanks when someone does a favour to you.
Work in pairs/groups. Make short conversations on the situations 1.11 given in the illustrations.
জোড়ায়/দলে কাজ করো। নিচের ছবিগুলো অনুযায়ী ছোট/সংক্ষিপ্ত (Conversation) তৈরি করো।
