Direct and Indirect Speech

Direct and Indirect Speech

What is Direct and Indirect Speech?

Direct (or primary) and indirect (or secondary) speeches are two types of spoken language that differentiate one another in meaning. It is easy to confuse them, since they are not exactly synonymous. While directness refers to speaking directly and being informative or straight forward, indirectness means the speaker has changed subject, changed topic, or discussed something differently. For instance, if we say "She is talking" but don't mean to, we're describing someone talking, not her talking.

When you're learning an accent or using different methods of communication for everyday situations, it's helpful to know which method of speech you'll be using to convey your message. Most often, when people use the words direct or indirect speech in conversations with others their actual intent are clear. So whether you're communicating orally with friends or writing down notes on your phone, be sure to point out the difference so other native speakers understand, no matter how simple it might seem.

How Do You Say Words With No Meaning

Many students may come across some very confusing or difficult vocabulary words on the first day of school. How do you explain these words to someone who doesn't speak English as their native tongue? One way to avoid this confusion is to learn how to actually say those phrases without having any knowledge of the word or its connotations in common English.

The simplest way to use the term 'direct' instead of 'indirect' in general conversation is to replace the word with the phrase 'first, second, or third hand'. If it's still unclear what the answer is because the term itself doesn't offer much clarity, try asking yourself: 'Why am I saying this?' In some cases, students need help finding the right words or explaining the meaning of a sentence to a teacher, parent, classmate, or friend. Sometimes students will need clarification on a text they've used before (for example, homework), or have to express ideas quickly because some sentences or questions aren't complete yet. To get the most from a lesson, teachers can ask students about their own experiences and help them learn proper grammar, punctuation, and sentence structure.

In this type of situation, the best opportunity for students' success is during class discussions with classmates. Because most students know each other well, many will make suggestions about phrasing or vocabulary that make sense to them. This is also a good time for teachers to give feedback on appropriate ways to use certain words.

Another way to identify words is by looking up synonyms to the words themselves. Here are three examples:

'In your head' = 'in my mind' = 'in my head'

'I'm going to' ='so are you' = 'we will'

'I like how she talks' ='she likes me' = 'I like you talk'

When should Secondary Students Use Direct vs. Indirect Speech?

When students begin to learn the grammar and vocabulary of their native language, it usually becomes evident that there are differences between direct and indirect speech. The distinction can even become noticeable within a single sentence or piece of dialogue. If you want a clear understanding of why this is happening and have trouble pinpointing the difference between direct and indirect speech, ask students for assistance! There are many reasons why the term is used, and everyone has a unique set of skills. Some students may have trouble pronouncing the correct pronunciation, while others may find that reading aloud is easier than typing and rephrasing. Teachers often point out specific examples of both these uses to demonstrate the importance of knowing a student's strengths and weaknesses in order to provide direction. If a particular question comes up with direct versus indirect speech, let the student know, then encourage them to use their natural approach and help them practice. When teachers allow students to show off their abilities, it makes the process more enjoyable and reinforces confidence.

Here are two scenarios where listening is one of the better ways to determine between direct and indirect speech:

You're walking through town in a suburb. Someone says to you, "Hey Bob!" As you walk away, your thoughts go straight to "I see Bob!". Imagine it if he was in his element. Then imagine him shouting, "Hey Dan!" Now let's think about your response. Did you immediately respond with "Oh no" or "Oh yes"? Maybe you were debating over a parking space. At least your brain is thinking about all the possibilities. We all need to recognize our environment and the things we can do to overcome our circumstances - and learning how to say words with no meaning helps us stay calm in tense moments.

If you're shopping at home, someone asks if you'll take two dollars for food, or three dollars. On your journey home, you might answer, "Sure". A lot of the time, teachers teach children to respond correctly, regardless of the context. They make up vocabulary lists and flash cards with these answers, so kids can practice making accurate responses. However, sometimes parents, grandparents, nannies, and other adults suggest things like "No, no, no". Parents may have heard, or seen it happen, that the children are talking just about anything while they're eating. Even though you might agree with the choice of the person, you might want to use less strong language since they have a bad influence.

What about times when you're stuck on a road and there's nobody else around? Perhaps the driver doesn't make eye contact or isn't giving directions, despite your asking for an improvement. Or maybe that person needs to focus their attention elsewhere for safety reasons. Either way, as you try to communicate your information, do you pause to pay attention to detail? Is there a big picture theme you must consider? Are there any details that need to be clarified for efficiency? Often the best way to ensure the best quality of your communication is to listen for clues or changes in tone instead of interpreting what's being said. Remember, a lot of the time, what we hear (or hear?) isn't really necessary for comprehension. But if you notice that the recipient is trying to interpret something as a cue but not fully understanding, it may work best to change the subject or discuss what we discussed earlier.

Translating from Direct to Indirect Speech

To translate any kind of speech into other languages, it helps to remember the basics.

Indirect speech refers to the use of additional words in place of phrases so the recipient understands what the speaker wants to say. An indirect approach to speech includes paraphrasing from the original text so the recipient knows the meaning of the original statement. For instance, let's say the following:

"I like the way she behaves."

Instead of this direct speech:

"She always acts like a dog."

The direct translation "she always behaves like a dog" would be more understandable to the recipient because they would have a higher mental image of what the speaker meant.

As with direct speech, indirect speech is sometimes misunderstood. Sometimes people will misdescribe it as "paraphrasing", which is neither misleading nor disrespectful. Rather, paraphrasing indicates that a person has understood, or understands the intention of the text and offered their interpretation as a substitute. Paraphrasing allows individuals to understand the speaker as intended the original message.

Paraphrasing from a direct speech is commonly called "explicit" or "literal", but some people prefer the term "implicit". Implicit speech refers to the language that the listener understands. This could include slang, jokes, metaphors, etc. You might read something in another language and understand the exact meaning, but you would never call it explicit. Instead, when you read the literal translation, it's implicit.