Think of communication as something that needs to be clear and unambiguous. Have some pride about the way you talk on the radio. Don't let the normal human reluctance to speak in public prevent you from honing your technique. Know your landmarks and be able to state your position accurately to controllers. Gain the trust and respect of controllers from your first callup by stating your call sign, accurate position, and brief intentions.
Locals know that means they have the traffic in sight.
But that is not the FAA's recommended phraseology. When you are a newcomer to an area, stick to the phraseology outlined in the FARs. To unambiguously state that you have the ATIS, state the letter of the ATIS you have. Finally, there is an excellent section on lost radios at the end of this video. By the time I'd diverted to a satellite airport, both the boys had lost their lunches and were scrambling for more zip lock bags.