Assignment Eng For Workplace Communication
Assignment Eng For Workplace Communication
Malaysia nowadays, but also in other countries. According to the Oxford Dictionary of
Current English (Moore, 1997), communication can be defined as the activity or process of
expressing ideas and feelings or of giving people information. Effective communication skills
are fundamental to success in many aspects of life. Jobs requirement nowadays require strong
communication skills and socially people with high communication skills usually enjoy better
interpersonal relationship not only with their family and friends but also with the society.
Due to fact that English is the second most important language in Malaysia and
widely used in daily communication, therefore the ability to communicate in English is
needed as an essential skill especially when there is international exchange happens, thus the
use of spoken English entails. However, not all Malaysian were able to communicate in
English at their workplace, especially when it comes to business-related matters. It is not an
easy task for people who use English as second language to be able to speak to the level of a
native speaker. They need to perfectly understand the sound system of English, possess good
vocabulary and able to use words together intelligibly without hesitation. They also have to
perceive what is being said to them and need to be able to respond appropriately to
accomplish their communicative goals (Luoma, 2004). Therefore, Malaysian who is mostly
non-native English speakers encounters these language barriers as they tend to make mistakes
often not only in oral communication but also during writing.
In relation to this matter, there are two general factors that identified as factors that
affect Malaysian to communicate in English which are socio-cultural factors as well as
linguistic factors. The first factor is mostly about cultural aspects, which include history and
worldview (ideology), socialisation, non-verbal communication as well as social organisation
(Scollon, 1995). According to Barraja-Rohan (2003), socio-cultural elements such as
verbosity, approaches to interpersonal relationships (including proxemics, greetings,
compliments, self-deprecation and small talk) and politeness (including directness and
indirectness) may affect communication. The second type which is linguistic factors
commonly refers to the elements of English as a language itself. These include the grammar
part, vocabulary and sound systems (Robinett, 1978). To conclude, fluent English speaker is
when the speaker is completely aware of not only the linguistic aspect of the language, but
also the social and cultural context that used in the language itself. Due to this, mostly non-
native speaker who are not accustomed to English speaking environment are frequently
challenged with English communication.
On the use of English in government sector, several extracts of formal talk exchange
where instances of code-switching between Bahasa Malaysia and English language occur
between working adults in one of the government offices is investigated (Mohd Jan,2003).
The analysis of talk included examining the existence of linguistic power-wielding among
male and female members, and how they manipulated issues during interactions by using
code-switching to negotiate personal rights and obligations and to take control of situations.
However, not all of the staff will have the desire or the ability to learn as quickly as
the young graduate. Thus, to help them to face their difficulties in using English at their
workplace, several initiatives need to be carried out especially by the employer. First, all the
relevant document can be translate into the primary languages of the employees by using
several free websites that translate text from one language to another.
As with new concept, most people do not learn or receive something the first time
they hear it. Therefore, repetition is needed. Employees need to hear the same message over
and over before they fully grasp it. During communicate, employer should not raise their
voice or over enunciate their word. Not only that, employer need to be aware of the
complexities of their words. Common word need to be used to convey message in simpler
terms. Lastly, in order to communicate effectively and build rapport with the employees,
employer should consider learning a few words and phrases in their employee’s language.
Briguglio, C. (Ed.). (2003). Gathering linguistic data from two multinational companies:
Intercultural communication in the workplace. In Proceedings from the 5th ABC
European convention. Lugano, Switzerland.
Malaysian Employers Federation (2004). Facing the realities of the world of work
[PowerPoint slides]. Retrieved from: <http://www.epu.gov.my/seminars>.
Mohd Jan, J. (2003). Code-switching for power wielding: Inter-gender discourse at the
workplace. Multilingua, 22(1), 41–57.
Ting, S.-H. (2002). Is English needed in a Malay workplace? RELC Journal, 33, 137–153.