Introduction to Public Speaking

1
Introduction to Public Speaking

• Chapters 11 and 12

2
Why is Language Important?

• The English language is the accretion and growth
  of every dialect, race and range of time Walt
  Whitman
• What are examples of words whose meanings have
  changed over time?

3
Meanings of Words

• Denotative meaning the literal or dictionary
  meaning of a word or phrase
• Connotative Meaning the meaning suggested by
  the associations or emotions triggered by a word
  or phrase
• Pro-life and Pro-choice vs. anti-abortion and
  pro-abortion

4
Using Language Accurately

• Make sure that the word you say has the meaning
  you want it to have
• Persecution vs. Prosecution
• Examples of times that you have used words
  improperly?

5
Use Language Clearly

• Be sure that your words are clear to the people
  who are hearing them.
• Remember, people cant go back and look at your
  words once they are spoken (as you can with a
  book)
• If unsure, use a dictionary!

6
Use Familiar Words

• In the eventuality of a fire, it is imperative
  that all persons evacuate the building without
  undue delay

7
Concrete vs. Abstract Words

• Concrete Words Words that refer to tangible
  objects
• Carrot, Pencil, Door
• Abstract Words Words that refer to ideas or
  concepts
• Humility, progress, philosophy

8
Clutter

• Clutter Discourse that takes many more words
  than are necessary to express an idea

9
Imagine the thought of burning up a priceless
painting by Rembrandt just in order to stay warm
for ten minutes. Sounds really crazy, doesnt it?
But that is comparable to just what is happening
right now in the Amazon rain forest of Brazil.
The president of Brazil authorized a 14,000-mile
network of highways to open up the vast area of
the rain forest to settlement. Unfortunately, the
project has been nothing but a disaster from the
very beginning. Working in the hot, torrid,
steamy jungle caused many fatal deaths among the
workers. Soon a whole lot of foreign businesses
began to get themselves involved in the project.
Now the whole thing is utterly out of hand. Today
there is a very real danger that the whole
ecological balance of the rain forest will be
irrevocably destroyed completely and altogether.
This will have important and serious future
implications in terms of what it means not only
for Brazil, but for all of the rest of South
America.
10
Imagine the thought of burning up a priceless
painting by Rembrandt just in order to stay warm
for ten minutes. Sounds really crazy, doesnt it?
But that is comparable to just what is happening
right now in the Amazon rain forest of Brazil.
The president of Brazil authorized a 14,000-mile
network of highways to open up the vast area of
the rain forest to settlement. Unfortunately, the
project has been nothing but a disaster from the
very beginning. Working in the hot, torrid,
steamy jungle caused many fatal deaths among the
workers. Soon a whole lot of foreign businesses
began to get themselves involved in the project.
Now the whole thing is utterly out of hand. Today
there is a very real danger that the whole
ecological balance of the rain forest will be
irrevocably destroyed completely and altogether.
This will have important and serious future
implications in terms of what it means not only
for Brazil, but for all of the rest of South
America.
11
Use Language Vividly

• Imagery The use of vivid language to create
  mental images of objects, actions, or ideas

12
Use Language Vividly
13
Use Language Vividly

• Simile an explicit comparison, introduced with
  the word, like or as, between things that are
  essentially different yet have something in
  common.
• Metaphor An implicit comparison, not introduced
  with like or as, between two things that are
  essentially different yet have something in
  common.

14
Rhythm

• The pattern of sound in a speech created by the
  choice and arrangement of words
• Pease porridge hot, Pease porridge cold. Pease
  porridge in the pot, nine days old.
• If you think youre beaten you are. If you think
  you dare not, you dont. If youd like to win,
  but think you cant, its almost a cinch you
  wont

15
Rhythm
16
Parallelism

• The similar arrangement of a pair or series of
  related words, phrases, or sentences
• Rich and poor, intelligent and ignorant, wise
  and foolish, virtuous and vicious, mand and woman
  it is ever the same, each sould must depend
  wholly on itself. Elizabeth Cady Stanton

17
Repetition

• Reiteration of the same word or set of words at
  the beginning or end of successive clauses or
  sentences.
• When you see your street, see my street. When
  you see your house, see my house. When you see
  your children, see my children. Whitney Young
  Jr.

18
Alliteration

• Repetition of the initial consonant sound of
  close or adjoining words.
• Peace is essential for progress, but progress is
  no less essential for peace. Liaquat Al Khan

19
Antithesis

• The juxtaposition of contrasting ideas, usually
  in parallel structure
• Ask not what your country can do for you ask
  what you can do for your country. John F.
  Kennedy

20
Methods of Delivery

• Manuscript Speech A speech that is written out
  word for word and read to the audience
• May seem easier, but can be much more difficult
• Reciting from Memory
• Today, only used for short speeches (toasts,
  acceptance speeches, etc)

21
Methods of Delivery
22
Methods of Delivery

• Impromptu Speeches A speech delivered with
  little or no immediate preparation
• State the points you are going to talk about
• Support your points with appropriate statistics,
  examples or testimony
• Summarize your points
• Sketch a quick outline
• Gather your thoughts before speaking
• Keep audience on track by signposting My first
  point is Second, we can see that In
  conclusion.

23
Methods of Delivery

• Extemporaneous speech A carefully prepared and
  rehearsed speech that is presented from a brief
  set of notes
• What youve been doing all semester!

24
Extemporaneous Speech
25
The Speakers Voice

• Volume
• Pitch
• Inflection affects meanings of words (Oooh)
• Monotone
• Rate
• Tendency to talk fastpractice slow!
• Pauses
• The right word may be effective, but no word was
  ever as effective as a rightly timed pause.
  Mark Twain

26
The Speakers Voice

• Vocal Variety Changes in the speakers rate,
  pitch, and volume that give the voice variety and
  expressiveness

27
The Speakers Voice

• Pronunciation The accepted standard of sound
  and rhythm for words in a given language
• Genuine, arctic, nuclear, February
• Articulation the physical production of
  particular speech sounds
• Ought to otta
• Have to hafta
• Want to wanna
• About to Fixin to
• Dialect A variety of a language distinguished
  by variations of accent, grammar, or vocabulary

28
The Speakers Body

• Personal Appearance
• Movement
• Before and After a speech
• Gestures
• What do you do with your hands???
• Eye Contact
• The Eye Contact Challenge
• Remember Cultural Differences

29
The Speakers Body
30
Speaking Assignments

• 17th Jason, Natasha, Ryan, Chet, Kevin
• 22nd Ben, Joe, Jen, Bhavin, Tenecia, Sarah,
  Justin, Katie, Courtney, Erin
• 24th Farah, Scott, Julien, Nila, Shanna,
• 29th Veda, Kim, Megen, Danielle, Kyle and
  Impromptu Speeches Begin
• Questions about persuasive speeches???