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ENGLISH FOR PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATION

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Vol. 7. Issue.1. 2020 (Jan-Mar)

ENGLISH FOR PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATION

RAJIVA RANJAN
Email: [email protected]

ABSTRACT
English as a lingua franca for professional communication has been accepted
worldwide but we have to understand the difference between English and
Professional Communication. General English may be helpful at basic or middle level
of communication but for business or technical purposes, we must make a
Article information distinction between Professional communications and English.
Received:22/12/2019
Revised & Accepted: Key Words: Professional Communication, English, General English
16/01/2020
Published online: 25/01/2020
doi: 10.33329/ijelr.7.1.6

Teaching General English for Professional Communication may be acceptable to some extent because it
teaches us day to day conversation, basic vocabulary and grammar skills. It helps us to analyze texts, entertain
and socialize. This also sharpens our ability to read, write, and persuade. It also amplifies creativity, helps us to
discover our hero, and helps us to empathize, to find ourselves, to approach new obstacles, to have superior
focus and to get inner peace. But the question is, `can it substitute professional communication’?

When we categorize English on ENL, ESL or EFL level or on the basis of `Inner Circle’ countries (ENL
countries), Outer Circle countries (ESL countries) or Expanding Circle countries (EFL countries) we understand
that the need for General English and Professional communication both are there but in different degrees. In
ESL countries both General English and Professional Communication are required at more intense level
because these countries (like Nigeria, India, Singapore etc.) are multilingual and English is their official
language, whereas in EFL countries General English is sufficient to learn and is required only for international
communication.

General English Professional Communication

ENL* ! 

ESL**  

EFL***  ?

6
Int.J.Eng.Lang.Lit & Trans.Studies (ISSN:2349-9451/2395-2628) Vol. 7. Issue.1. 2020 (Jan-Mar)

ENL*: ENL are native speakers of English language, so they need to learn it at primary level whereas
Professional communication, they need to learn at advanced level.

ESL**: ESL countries are multilingual and English is their official language so they need to learn both General
and Professional English.

EFL***: EFL countries understand the value of General English because it is used at several domains of
communication, even if it does not have official functions.

`The difference between General English and Professional Communication is the difference in the
purpose of learning. Professional Communication is founded on communicating clearly in a business
setting with coworkers, customers, boss of the organization or anyone related to the work’.

Professional Communication includes both Business English and Technical English and is learned and
used for definite purpose. It is an advanced form of language with additional consideration on terminologies
and investigations of different technical contents and topics. In fact, both General English and Professional
Communication are distinct. So, it must be learnt according to its use. However, Professional Communication
advances you further to obtain appropriate skills for cutting-edge techniques.

Learning General English may be helpful in communication at international level, whether it is business
or entertainment or access to internet, but it is always incomplete and at the fringe when the question of
substitution for professional communication arises.

Writing or understanding business or technical essays with a whole set of expressions like writing
agenda or abstracting or advertising, preparing reports or proposals or memos or circulars, notices or minutes
or summarizing or paraphrasing professional articles; or preparing for oral communication like public speech
or arranging meetings or interviewing or preparing for group discussion. Practicing voice modulation, body
language or delivering presentations or analyzing business and technical factual materials; interpreting visual
messages, emails, text messages, chat apps, project management apps, phone calls, video calls, in person calls
etc. to name a few need specialized professional communication training rather than General English.

Professional communication, in reality, denotes oral, written, visual and digital forms of transporting
info in the setting of a workstation. Studies show that most of the problems in an organization are a result of
poor communication. This may lead to the loss of time, money, opportunity, energy and even goodwill in any
enterprise. In fact, effective communication is critical in today’s world. Professional communication ensures
smooth flow of ideas, facts, decisions and advice to eliminate hindrances in achieving the organization’s
targets.

General Communication usually has short term plans in order to meet the immediate needs of the
associates whereas in business both short term and long-term goals are equally important. Channels of
communication in business circles keep on changing; they may be oral, written or technology mediated. To
sum up, General Communication and Professional Communication differ to a large extent. General
Communication is largely irregular whereas professional or business communication is regular and requires
sustained attention. In a corporate world, all kinds of communication should keep on happening otherwise the
company may come to a halt and block the growth of the organization.

To be precise, teaching English up to high school is evocative but to blur the distinction between English
and Professional Communication at professional courses is beyond comprehension; and its significance must
be accentuated by creating separate department of Professional Communication and awarding certificates,
diplomas and degrees for the specialized courses.

RAJIVA RANJAN 7
 Int.J.Eng.Lang.Lit & Trans.Studies (ISSN:2349-9451/2395-2628) Vol. 7. Issue.1. 2020 (Jan-Mar)

References

1. Kachru, B.B. (1985) Standards, codification and sociolinguistic realism: the English Language in the Outer
Circle. In R. Quirk & H. G. Widdowsons (ED) English in the world: Teaching and learning the language and
literature (pp11-30_. Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press.
2. Kachru, B.B. (1986) The alchemy of English: The spread functions and models of nonnative Englishes.
Chicago: University of Illinois Press.
3. Kachru, B.B. ( Ed. 1992) The other tongue: English across cultures, Chicago University of Illinois Press.
4. Verzella, Messimo: Connexions. International Professional Communication Journal; 2017 Review Article:
Verzella, 1-29.
5. www.collegeinfogeek.com

Biographical details of the author: Dr. Rajiva Ranjan was awarded a Ph.D. degree in Humanities from Magadh
University, India in 1998. Since post-graduation, he has been teaching English language and literature in
different institutions both at home and abroad.

RAJIVA RANJAN 8

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