01
Do you think talking on a telephone embarrassing? Well, I always feel awkward when I have to give a phone call to somebody, I feel nervous and worried, and I don’t know why; especially, if it is a message recorder on the other end, I just put it down quickly and run away. I still don’t get used to that gadget yet.
Honestly, I am not the only one in the world who don’t like telephone. In Britain, many people share the same feelings as I do. Can you imagine that sarcastic Englishmen are afraid to speak on telephone? That’s true, because telephone can reveal too many things about the speaker.
02
Have you ever thought that what clues about your background and your social position are you giving away once on a telephone? English people are extremely sensitive to one’s words and phrases they use and the pronunciation they speak. All these things can convey a lot of information about a person, his level of education, social status and classes.
There are three classes in Brain which are dictated by birth, upper class, middle class and working class. People are judgemental based on vocabularies they use and the way they speak, and there are also stereotypes attached to different classes, always negative feelings and opinions involved.
03
Nowadays, the classes are less important than in the past in the UK, but there are still prejudices and negative connections existing. When you are on a phone, all the things come into play, it’s real time, and you have no time to really think about it.
So a celebrity, who is supposed to very knowledgeable and intelligent, said on the BBC program that he hated telephone, though he is a technofile to some extent. He mentioned a quote from an English writer, Bernard Shaw, when an Englishman opens his mouth, another Englishman despises them, as the clues attached with their words giving them away.
04
Although some people don’t like telephone, they are convenient and easy to communication with others, we should all pay attention to our telephone etiquettes, be politely, and mindful of the words and tones we select.
Be careful, and remember that telephone is real time, unable to change and edit. Once out of mouth, your speeches are there. Most important, you don’t know the effects they have made.
All in all, speak to somebody on telephone just act as you speak to someone face to face, sit straight and smile kindly, speak in soft and polite voice. That is the way to stay away from offense, while you can’t change your intonation in a minute.
