Clean the Wax From Your Words

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Clean the Wax From Your Words!

• Using Effective Language for Public Speaking
• Mary Ellen Hunt
• E.J. Hayes Middle School
• Literacy Coach/Writing Cluster Leader
• October 2006

Adapted from Public Speaking as Listeners Like It
by Richard C. Borden, Harper Collins, 10 East
53rd Street, NY, NY 10022
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Whats the problem with wax?

• In ancient days, Roman sculptors tried to conceal
  cracks in a statue by covering the crack with
  melted beeswax. Someone buying the statue would
  think they bought a perfect, beautiful piece of
  marble, but a few weeks later, the beeswax would
  dry out and crumble away, exposing the flaws in
  the statue. So, many sculptors started
  certifying their work sine cera (without wax),
  which is where our word sincere comes from!

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Whats the problem with wax?

• Just as the ancient Roman buying a statue wanted
  a sincere statue, your audience members want a
  sincere speech free from deception, obfuscation
  (hiding the truth), and fraud.

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Beware of the use of word wax!

• You are not carving statues out of marblebut you
  are carving communication out of words. Beeswax
  may have tricked the ancient Romans, but word wax
  doesnt trick anyone. Word wax is any phrase or
  group of words that isnt really part of the
  thoughts you are expressing in your speech. When
  your audience hears word wax, they tune out your
  message.

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Superlatives are wax.

• This is true beyond any shadow of a doubt!
• Instead of pouring on the superlative word wax,
  pour on the examples and details to support your
  simple statement, This is true. Your message
  will be more forceful with fewer words.

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Trite expressions are wax.

• As you can see, if you will, in conclusion,
  I would like to take a few minutes, each and
  every one
• Any of these overused phrases are deadly to
  communicationthey are stale and your audience
  will give you a thumbs down.

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Groping expressions are wax.

• What Im trying to get at is. . ., What I want
  to say is . . .
• If you want to say something, then say it. Dont
  dance around the subjectcome straight out and
  say what you mean. If the concept is difficult,
  then use an example or a detail to help explain
  your message.

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Repetitious expressions are wax.

• As I said before, and so again I repeat
• If you want to emphasize with a restatement, go
  ahead and restate. But dont use waxy phrases
  like as I said before. The audience will
  understand you are emphasizing your message by
  restating it.

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And so forth expressions are wax.

• America has produced such inventors as Fulton,
  Edison, the Wright brothersand so forth and so
  on.
• When you list items in a series, stop cleanly
  with your last item. And so forth is wax
  because it makes your audience think you are
  trying to look like you know more than you do.

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Weasel words are wax.

• Of course, its only my opinion, but . . ., It
  seems to me . . .
• Since you are the one giving the speech, of
  course its your opinion! Dont fuzz up your
  message with these waxy phrases. The audience
  understands that if you say it, its your opinion.

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Avoiding word wax works!

• If you clean your speech of waxy substances, you
  can create a lasting impression of intelligence,
  directness, and professionalism. Be sincere.
  Carve your communications without wax you may
  rate a marble statue in the end.