CORE SKILLS IN COMMUNICATION_IT'S "LIKE" THIS!

Recently, whilst stuck in traffic, I observed two individuals having a conversation. I didn't hear anything but I'm certain that I captured the essence of the story. I could tell from the protagonist's indignant expression and intermittent clutching at her bosom that someone had done her wrong. I watched with fascination how hands and facial contortions could illustrate a plethora of emotions, from incensed, to irate, to shock, to disappointment. The victim then sealed the fate of her offender as she swore with a kiss of crossed fingers. I suspected that it wasn't going to be anytime soon as she slowly counted all ten fingers but still, judgement was certain. Her listener was also pained, possibly from being persistently poked. Eventually she stealthily evaded further abuse by offering seats for two on a nearby bench, she then placed some parcels in free space between them so that inadvertently, those parcels became a shield from any further attacks. What theatre! Trinidadians are born raconteurs.


We are sensual and visual people. Observe during any exchange, how we gesticulate to give directions and to punctuate our sentences, how we grasp each other to engage the necessary attention - and that grasp could vary in force, it depends on how juicy the story is or how important the point. We demand attention with phrases like, "you see me!" "hear this", "you listening?" "you follow?" Ent? There is a tendency to switch to colloquial phrases and gesticulate when we become exasperated. These idiosyncrasies make us "Trinis" and  proud of who we are but there is a time a place for everything. In the classroom and the boardroom, on the podium and on stage we need to be articulate and express ourselves more fluently.
 

Given the permutations of language, brought on by online social media, quality academic discourse requires increased effort and constant vigilance. Mobile communication is all about instant messaging, sentences are blunt and brief with words being spelt numerically. The challenges of fluent thought and expression are manifested when the audience goes beyond the "facebook friend" or "twitter" follower to an interview panel or a lecturer during mid-terms or finals. Even more critical is the lack of quality in print and broadcast media; just listen to the banal commentary and reporting that have become the norm, interviewing skills are deficient and insightful discussion is now an endangered specie.

Don't get me wrong, I love our dialect and pattern of speech, I love drama, in the true sense of the word. I am simply pointing to a need to improve on our oral and written skills so that we can present ourselves professionally when required. To use the tag line "I's a Trini" in order to justify slip-shod performance is suggestive of the fact that it is all we are capable of, "no way, Jose, I ain't taking dat!"