Can You Speak Over the Telephone. Как вести беседу по телефону - страница 3

The need for greater explicitness is further increased by the fact that sounds carried by telephone lines become diminished in their qualities of distinctiveness, and many of the small cues which help to maintain ready understanding may get distorted or lost. Thus there is more uncertainty in keeping up the give and take between participants which is so noticeable a part of face to face conversation. Utterances that are unduly long will be avoided and a speaker will tend to leave frequent pauses for his partner to say something and prove that he is still there.

Then, perhaps more often than in ordinary conversation, in telephone conversation there tends to be a set theme — people do not phone each other accidentally in the way that they may meet in the street and the information which is exchanged probably tends to be related more to a single identifiable purpose.

Finally, the highly formulaic nature of both the opening and closing of a telephone conversation may be noted — the range of accepted linguistic devices for carrying out these operations is relatively small as compared with conversation in general, the predictability of what is likely to be said at those points is probably considerably higher and the stylistic distinctiveness of what takes place is at times extremely marked.

I. When you make a call:

1. First check the code[1] (if any) and number.

2. Lift the receiver and listen for dialling tone (a continuous purring).

3. Dial carefully and allow the dial to return freely.

4. Then wait for another tone:

Ringing tone (burr-burr) the number is being called. The line is free.

Engaged tone (a repeated single note) try again a few minutes later.

Number unobtainable tone (steady note) replace the receiver, recheck the code and number, and then redial.

5. At the end of the call, replace the receiver securely.

II. When you answer the telephone:

1. Always give your name or the name of the office or your telephone number.

2. If you hear a series of rapid pips, the call is coming from a coin-box telephone. Wait until the pips stop and then give your name or telephone number.

III. When you make a call from a coin-box telephone:

1. First drop a coin piece (or pieces) into the slot.

2. Lift the receiver and listen for dialling tone.

3. Dial your number.

4. On hearing ringing tone, which means that the line is free, wait until your call is answered.

IV. When you make a call from an extension phone:

1. Wait for the switchboard operator to say: “Number, please”, or “Switchboard operator”.

2. Give the number of the person you are calling.

The operator will either repeat your number to make sure she got it right, or just say: “Thank you” and try to put you through.

3. Wait until your call is answered.

You may use a telephone operated by a system known as STD (Subscriber Trunk Dialling).

1. STD is quicker and cheaper, so dial as many of your calls as you can.

2. Maintain in your Personal Telephone Directory an up-to-date list of dialling codes and/or number of people you are likely to call. This will save you time in the future.

3. When you dial, don’t pause too long between digits.

4. If the number you want is engaged, wait a few minutes before dialling again.

5. Ask for the extension number on calls to a private exchange, this will save you time. If the extension you want is engaged it will usually pay, on an STD call, to clear and try again later.

6. If you hear a recorded announcement telling you that the trunk lines are engaged, replace the receiver and try again later.

7. Answer your telephone promptly, giving your name or the name of the office or telephone number. This saves the time and helps the caller.

You can dial for yourself calls to most places in Europe and North America.

1. First dial the code of the country or the code for the place concerned and then the subscriber’s number.

2. If you wish to know the code for a place which is not shown in the Telephone Directory, ask the exchange operator.