Pronunciation ChallengeWhy Are Humans Awkward?

[Transcript]

Intro

Hello VoiceTubers! It’s Monday again and I hope your week is off to a good start! Today’s video is talking about awkwardness. I think most of us have experienced a few awkward moments before. From as small as feeling underdressed at a formal party, to forgetting the names of people to who you need to say hello . Have you got a story of an awkward moment to tell? Please share with us in the comments, ok? Alright, let’s get right into our sentence of the day.  

Sentence:
We can all recognize awkwardness when it happens, but some people seem more prone to awkward moments than others.

Pronunciation Tips:
1. recognize (three syllables)
2. when it (linking sound) 
3. but some (linking sound)

Vocabulary
1. recognize (v) KK [ˋrɛkəg͵naɪz] IPA  /ˈrek.əɡ.naɪz/
Def: to know someone or something because you have seen or heard him or her or experienced it before

Example sentence: 
The movie star wore sunglasses but was still recognized by her fans at the coffee shop. 


2. awkward (adj) KK [ˋɔkwɚd] IPA/ˈɑː.kwɚd/
Def: causing problems, worry, or embarrassment

Example sentence: 
I feel so awkward walking around in different coloured socks today. 


3. be prone to sth/do sth (phr) KK [pron] IPA /proʊn/
Def: likely to suffer from an illness or show a particular negative characteristic

Example sentence: 
My sister is prone to lose her temper whenever I don’t agree with her. 


Outro

Some of us are also socially awkward by nature. If you are socially awkward, you probably don’t manage social gatherings well and often say or do awkward things when you feel nervous, especially when making small talk with strangers. 

This reminds me of a popular Korean drama I watched recently called the “Extraordinary Attorney Woo”. The main character of the story is a trainee lawyer who is extremely smart but she has autism spectrum disorder. Often she doesn’t realize that the things she says or does are awkward. She experiences a lot of difficulty understanding and responding to social cues and body language. While working at a big law firm, she faces prejudice against her, but she solves cases with her own unique perspective and grows as a lawyer. 

However, being socially awkward doesn’t necessarily mean that we have Aspergers or autism. Sometimes we just feel uncomfortable being outside of our comfort zone. We feel more at ease talking about a topic which we’re familiar with, otherwise, it seems like an impossible task to keep the conversation flowing. S

It’d be a good idea to push ourselves out of our comfort zones sometimes. I’m not saying that we need to push ourselves to our limit, but instead, take small steps towards facing our fear. For example, if you’re afraid to talk to strangers, with more practice you will eventually start to feel more at ease. 

It is equally important to observe other people’s body language in a social setting, as it is to pay attention to your own body language. Don’t hide away in the corner with your eyes fixed on your mobile phone, instead, you should relax and smile more, look interested and then people will find it easier to approach you. 

Alright, guys, it’s time for me to wrap up this episode. Don’t forget to record your pronunciation challenge and I look forward to reading about your most awkward or embarrassing moments!

Day 338

Day 186.

We can all recognize awkwardness when it happens, but some people seem more prone to awkward moments than others.