1. By Mongzong Vang

2. The Syntactic Rule  “How words are sequenced together in accordance with grammatical practices of the linguistic community. The order of the words helps to establish the meaning of an utterance. It is also reflective of the cultural notions of causality and order.”  How words are ordered either in the beginning, middle or end of a sentence/phrase to create and convey a meaningful message. (Ting-Toomey & Chung, 2005)

3. The Syntactic Rule Continued…  Each culture/ethnicity follow their own unique syntactic rule  In English, generally the subject comes first and followed with the verb.  Example: Yesterday we went to the grocery store to buy a turkey. (Hill & Bradford, 2000)

4. How It Applies to Sentences/Phrases  Given these words, rearrange them to describe the picture. (very, am, hungry, I)  I hungry am very.  I am very hungry.

5. Syntactic Rule in Another Language  Example: I am very hungry.  Translated from English to Hmong: Kuv chaib plab hev. (I am) (hungry) (stomach) (very)  Rearranging Hmong words to maintain English Message: Kuv hev chaib plab. (I am) (very) (hungry)

6. Interpreters, Not Such An Easy Job  Word for word translations  Main Idea translations

7. Changing Syntax To Covey Same Message  Simplify sentences to short phrases  Example: Do you speak English? Simplified: Speak English?  Combining more than one language into a sentence due to lack of words in that particular language  Example: Koj (you) laib (have to) turn on qov (the) power ua ntej (first) ntes (for) lub (the) television mam (to) work.

8. Key Points To Keep in Mind When Communicating Effectively  Keep an open mind  Be patient  Listen carefully  If you don’t understand something, don’t act like you do, ask to repeat!

9. References  Hill, S. & Bradford, W. (2000). Bilingual Grammar of English-Spanish Syntax Revised Edition A Manual with Exercise and Key. Lanham, Maryland: University Press of America Inc. Retrieved November 5, 2009 from http://books.google.com/books?id=npQ0pteV88UC&pg=PA38&lpg=PA38&dq=bilingual+compoun d+syntax&source=bl&ots=5fjPRvo9jf&sig=2z93WujN80U0yg870SPCNtD4xy0&hl=en&ei=HBoDS4 n5D8_Engetr9Bi&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=7&ved=0CCUQ6AEwBg#v=onepage &q=&f=false  Ting-Toomey, S. & L. C. (2005). Understanding Intercultural Communications. Los Angelos, CA: Roxbury Publishing Company  http://www.basic-counseling-skills.com/images/foto-active-listening.jpg  http://www.kdec.school.nz/DataStore/Pages/PAGE_73/Docs/Documents/3%20interpreters.jpg  http://static- p3.fotolia.com/jpg/00/02/20/40/110_F_2204096_cF4jCn74KmkiWLap4XsdaBZgzJTR3D.jpg  Ginanjar, I. G. (2009). Syntactic Rules. Retrieved October 29, 2009 from http://www.scribd.com/doc/10960847/Syntactic-Rules