The above video from www.ted.com is one of thousands of inspiring talks given by expert speakers that anyone can view on the internet (Youtube as well). This particular video has transcripts in 39 other languages, provides a reading list and footnotes (references and notes) for interested listeners who want to explore further into the subject.
TED talks not only inform but I also find them thought-provoking. The above talk by M. Pascal touches on an issue that many non-native English learners face – fear of using wrong vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation. Pascal’s advice is to focus on communicating well rather than on speaking English like a native speaker.
TED talks are short and to the point, characteristics that are welcome to listeners on the internet. Speaking for myself, I find myself fast-forwarding a video if I get bored. Unlike live talks, we have control over time not the speaker. In some ways, this is similar to reading a book – skip when the content does not keep one’s attention. I prefer to have this freedom whenever little new information is provided above my previous experience and training. Of course, if I think I have missed something important I can return to the skipped sections. Probably my behavior is not uncommon among people who have a digital (instead of analog) style towards receiving information.
I will end here.
