Artist Encounters

Soft Skills

In English, we use the term ‘soft skills’ to describe the personal attributes that enable someone to interact effectively and harmoniously with other people.

The good news is such skills generally transcend language differences! Your rapport with others goes way beyond words and language.

You don’t need perfect English to communicate attractively, and with warmth and friendship. 

Only it’s not always easy to believe statements like this.

Speaking English makes you feel vulnerable. Imperfection can stop your flow.

It’s more often insecurity over speaking English that hampers professional social English skills than the English skills themselves.

Practicing builds experience and confidence, as well as any technical language skills you need.

In English, the greatest technical skill you need for professional social English skills is awareness of tone.

The Right Tone

One of the trickiest parts of socialising professionally in English is knowing the right tone of language to use.

Many languages have clear differences between formal and informal language set within their structure.

English is trickier.

For example, in more formal situations we use different language to ask for something. Compare, ‘I wonder if you could possibly pass me the salt‘, and ‘hand me that salt, please’.

The first example is formal English. The second is informal.

The professional social English skills you need walk the line between both these two extremes.

Too formal and you appear unfriendly. Too informal and you risk sounding rude.

 ‘Excuse me, could you pass me that salt please.’

The best way to learn social English skills is to practice them within a similarly formal context.

Attention: that’s not a family homestay setting. That is a relaxed but professional space.

Why Meet Artists on your Immersion English Holiday?

At Blue Noun Language Hub, we have a network of artists who would love to show you their artwork and studios.

We work with local artists for several reasons:

• Whether you are creative or not, almost everyone can enjoy a studio visit.
• Artists’ studio talks are the perfect context for professional, semi-formal English practice in ‘tone’.
• Artists are quite familiar with having to present their work to strangers. Generally, they are good at making conversations on a range of topics and have a curiosity about all kinds of specialisations.
• Artists have private, quiet workplaces
• In Perthshire, many artist studios are surrounded by gorgeous countryside.
• Artists are vulnerable. Artists are sharing ideas and creations which are very dear and personal. Your speaking English with them matches that vulnerability level, and creates strong bonds. 
• We love to support local artists by bringing them financial opportunities and audience.

Can you think of a more pleasurable English experience than meeting different artists in their studio, learning about them, and their work – immersed in Scottish creative culture?

More than anything, we love bringing creatives together.

You can get talking with our artist network.