LESSON 2:

I. Self-Introduction
II. Describing People and Things
III. Being Clear and Polite: Backchanneling

LESSON INTRODUCTION
Human communication serves both a social and cognitive function. People constantly
relearn and redefine their means of communication to adapt to their changing circumstances.
Educational institutions and Professional establishments employ the use of the English language
in both verbal and written communications.

However, it can be really unnerving when you engage in a social situation and meet people for
the first time, no matter what the context may be. The tendency is we put too much pressure on
ourselves whether it is meeting new friends or strangers, your significant other’s parents, or be
part of a job interview. We all want to make a good impression on the people we encounter
because we don’t want to come across as awkward or lacking in social skills.

Engaging in conversations, particularly when using the English language, promotes language
competence. A good grasp of conversational English not only develops confidence but language
proficiency as well. This lesson will guide you on how to introduce yourself in a formal or
informal context. An effective opening can make your conversation more engaging, whether your goal
is to gain employment, make a sale, acquire a mentor or simply make a new professional connection.
Establishing yourself as an open, friendly and professional individual can create opportunities for you
throughout your career.

LESSON OBJECTIVES:
At the end of the lesson, you are expected to:

1. Demonstrate an understanding of the nature of greetings and their function in socio-

cultural contexts
2. Be able to introduce yourself confidently in a given context
3. Share basic personal information in a fun and engaging manner
 I. SELF-INTRODUCTION

A self-introduction basically refers to the act of introducing yourself to a new person

or someone you have never met before, or even introducing yourself to a group or groups of
people when you make presentations. It is typically brief as it is a synopsis of your background
and experience.

An effective self-introduction is characterized by being clear, confident, and concise. It should

also be conversational and natural in tone. A personal introduction doesn’t necessarily follow a
specific format however you should keep a few things in mind to guide you in presenting your
speech whether it be in a casual social or professional context. These are:

A. Understanding the context or situation a self-introduction is done.

B. Share a few facts about yourself relevant to the given circumstance
C. Engage the other party by asking about them as well

A. Understanding the context

Making a good impression is the foremost concern that crops up when making self-introductions.
You should share enough personal information to give the other party a brief and concise
knowledge about you but avoid oversharing particularly about people and details that are not
necessary to the agenda at hand. It should be short enough to reflect your persona but short
enough to hold the other person’s attention.

B. Share a few facts about yourself

Following proper etiquette, the first thing that you provide in your introduction would be the
obvious – your name. Then a short recap of who you are and what you do. Keep in mind that
your speech ought to capture your listener’s interest so they pay attention to what it is you have
to say so try to deliver it in 60 seconds or less.

For professional introductions such as in job interviews, you should focus on key elements in
your background that will enable you to excel in the job you are applying for. You can point out
interests, skills, experiences, and personal qualities that will enable you to meet and/or exceed
the work requirements or expectations. In other words, communicate what you can and will be
able to contribute.

C. Engage the other party by asking about them as well

Ask a question to keep the conversation going. Part of a personal introduction is actually letting
the person or persons you’re talking to have the opportunity to introduce and share about
themselves. The questions you can ask can be general and simple in nature allowing the
conversation to flow and also gives you time to come up with new things to say.
II. BACKCHANNELING

In Linguistics, the term backchannel refers to the verbal and/or non-verbal responses or feedback
made by a listener to signify that he/she is following, paying attention, understanding, or in
agreement with what the speaker is saying.

The term backchannel implies that there are two (2) channels of communication simultaneously
operating during a conversation. The term was coined by Victor Yngve in 1970 to pertain to the
idea that “both the person who has the turn and his partner are simultaneously engaged in both
speaking and listening” process of communication.

In English, backchannelling are often vocalized sounds such as uh-huh, hmmm, mmm, mmm-
hmm, or umm-hmmm. In addition, phrases and utterances like yeah, okay, right, wow!, and
really?.

Backchannelling functions to manage communication as well as express the attitude and

intention of the speaker. This manner of interaction helps make conversations and dialogs more
interactive, enjoyable and efficient.

III. DESCRIBING PEOPLE AND THINGS

Descriptions are often used in articles and literature to help create a mental picture for readers. In
the same vein that reading or hearing a description of someone can give you a better idea of what
they look or act like, giving clear descriptions help provide more information about an object
being signified.

When providing descriptions, there are various ways to go about it such as:

1. Describing someone’s appearance

2. Their mannerisms
3. Their character and personality
4. As well as their feelings and emotions

But how do you go about arranging your ideas into sentences and your sentences into a cohesive
paragraph? You should start by arranging our descriptors according to where they are located. In
other words, it is based on spatial organization. It should be noted, however, that the description
given must not only be vivid but also coherent (logically arranged). Spatial descriptions can start
from top to bottom or from the bottom to the top. Essentially, the description provided ought to
theoretically follow the natural direction of the eyes.
In addition, adjectives that denote attributes usually occur in a specific order. In general, the
order is as follows:

a. Quantity or number (one, group, flock)

b. Opinion (unusual, lovely, beautiful)
c. Size (big, small tall)
d. Shape or Physical quality (round or rotund, lean)
e. Condition (dirty, used)
f. Age (old)
g. Color (reddish, coral)
h. Origin (foreign, japanese, local)