The Art of Public Speaking —第十一单元

11.Delivering the Speech

What is Good Delivery?

Methods of Delivery

Reading from a Manuscript

Reaing from Memory

Speaking Impromptu

Speaking Extemporaneously

The Speaker’s Voice

Volume

Pitch

Rate

Pauses

Vocal Variety

Pronunciation

Articulation

The Speaker’s Body

Personal Appearance

Eye Contact

Gestures

Movement

Practicing Delivery

If you were to record one of Dashan's comedy routines, memorize it word for word,and stand up before your friends to recite ti, would you get the same response Dashan does? Not very likely. And why not? Because you would bot deliver the jokes as Dashan does. Of course, the jokes are basically funny. But Dashan brings something extra to the jokes--his manner of presentation,his vocal inflections, his perfectly timed pauses his facial expressions, his gestures. All these are part of an expert delivery. It would take you years of practice--as it took Dashan--to duplicate his results.

This example demonstrates how important delivery can be to any public

speaking situation.Even a mediocre speech can be ruined by poor delivery. You cannot make a good speech without having something to say. But having something to say is bot enough. You must also know how to say it.

What Is Good Deliver Good delivery does not call attention to itself. It conveys the speaker's ideas clearly, interestingly, and without distracting the audience. Most audiences prefer delivery that combines a certain degree of formality with the best attributes of good conversation--directness, spontaneity, animation, vocal and facial expressiveness, and a lively sense of communication.

Speech delivery is an art, not a science.What works for one speaker may not work for another. And what succeeds with today's audience may fail with tomorrow's. You cannot become a skilled speaker just by following a set of rules in a textbook. In the long run, there is no substitute for experience. But take heart! A textbook can give you basic pointers to get you started in the right direction.

When you plan your first speech, you should concentrate on such basics as speaking intelligibly, avoiding distracting mannerisms, and feel fairly comfortable in front of an audience, you may find yourself able to control the timing and rhythm of a speech as skillfully as a conductor controls an orchestra.

Methods of Deliver

There are four basic methods of delivering a speech:(1) reading verbatim from a manuscript;(2) reciting a memorized text; (3) speaking impromptu; and (4) speaking extemporaneously. Let us look at each.

REDING FROM A MANUSCRIPT

Certain speeches must be delivered word for word, according to a meticulously prepared manuscript. Examples include an engineer's report to a professional meeting or a prime minister's speech at the United Nations. In such situations, absolute accuracy is essential. Every word of the speech will be analyzed by the press, by colleagues,Perhaps by enemies. In the case of the prime minister, a misstated phrase could cause an international incident.

Although it looks easy, delivering a speech from manuscript requires great skill. Some people do it well. Others ruin it every time. Instead of sounding vibrant and conversational, they march through the speech without even glancing at their audience. In short, they come across as reading to their listeners, rather than as talking with them.

If you are in a situation where you must speak from a manuscript, practice aloud to make sure the speech sounds natural. Work on establishing eye contact with your listeners. Be certain the final manuscript is sincerity that you would if you were speaking extemporaneously.

RECITING FROM MEMORY

Presenting a speech entirely from memory is often required of speakers when they make brief presentations such as toasts, congratulatory remarks, acceptance speeches, introductions, and the like.Speaking from memory is also required for prepared speeches in competitions such as the CCTV Cup and the 21st Century Cup. If you are giving a speech of this kind, be sure to memorize it so thoroughly that you will be able to concentrate on communicating with the audience, rather than on trying to remember the words.

SPEAKING IMPROMPTU

An impromptu speech is delivered with little or no immediate preparation.Few people choose to speak impromptu, but sometimes it cannot be avoided.In face, many of the speeches you give in life will be impromptu. You might be called on suddenly to\" say a few words, \" or, in the course of a class discussion, business meeting, or committee report, you might want to respond to a previous speaker.

When such situations arise, don't panic.If you are in a meeting or discussion, pay close attention to what the other speakers say.Take notes of major points with which you agree or disagree. In the process, you will automatically begin to formulate what you will say when it is your turn to speak.

Whenever you are responding to a previous speaker, try to present your speech in four simple steps:First, state the point you are answering.Second, state the point you wish to make. Third, support your point with evidence and reasoning. Fourth, summarize your point. This four-step method will help you organize your

thoughts quickly and clearly.

Once you begin speaking, maintain strong eye contact with the audience. Help the audience keep track of your ideas with signposts such as \"My first point si...;second, we can see that...; in conclusion, I would like to say...\"If you have had time to prepare, you will come across as organized and confident.

As with other kinds of public speaking, the best way to become a better impromptu speaker is to practice. You can do this on your own. Simply choose a topic on which you are already well informed, and gibe a one-or two-minute impromptu talk on some aspect of that topic. Any topic will do, no matter how serious or frivolous it may be.You don't even need an audience --you can speak to an empty room. Better yer, speak to a digital recorder and play it back to hear how you sound. The purpose is to gain experience in pulling your ideas together quickly and starting them succinctly.

SPEAKING EXTEMPORANEOUSLY

In popular usage,\" extemporaneous\" means the same as \"impromptu.\" But technically the two are different. Unlike an impromptu speech, which is delivered off-the-cuff,an extemporaneous speech is carefully prepared and practiced in advance.In presenting the speech, the extemporaneous speech is carefully prepared and practiced in advance. In presenting the speech, the extemporaneous speaker uses only a set of brief notes or a speaking outline to jog the memory. The exact wording is chosen at the moment of delivery.

The extemporaneous method has several advantages.It gives more precise control over thought and language than impromptu speaking; it offers greater spontaneity and directness than speaking from memory or from a full manuscript; and it is adaptable to a wide range of situations.It also encourages the conversational quality audiences look for in speech delivery.\"Conversational quality\" means that no matter how many times a speech has been rehearsed, it still sounds spontaneous.

Later in this chapter, we'll look at a step- by- step program for practicing your extemporaneous delivery.

The Speaker's Voice

A golden voice is an asset for any public speaker, but it is not a necessity.Some of the most famous speakers in history have had undistinguished voices.Abraham Lincoln had a harsh and penetrating voice ; Winston Churchill suffered from a slight lisp and an awkward stammer. Like them, you can overcome natural disadvantages and use your voice to the best effect. Lincoln and Churchill learned to control their voices. You can do the same thing.

The aspects of voice you should work to control are volume, pitch, rate, pauses, variety, pronunciation, and articulation.

VOLUME

At one time, a powerful voice was essential for an orator.Today, electronic amplification allows even a soft-spoken person to be heard in any setting.Whether you speak with or without a microphone, be sure to adjust our voice to the acoustics of the room, the size of the audience , and the level of background noise.If you speak too loudly, your listeners will think you boorish. If you speak too softly, they will not understand you.

Remember that your own voice always sounds louder to you than to a listener. Soon after beginning your speech, glance at the people farthest away from you.If they look puzzled, ate leaning forward in their seats, or ate otherwise straining to hear, you need to talk louder.

PITCH

Pitch is the highness or lowness of the speaker's voice.Changes in pitch are known as inflections. They give your voice luster, warmth, and vitality.Inflections reveal whether you are asking a question or making a statement, whether you are being sincere or sarcastic. Your inflections can also make you sound happy or sad, angry or pleased, dynamic or listless, tense or relaxed.

Few people speak in an absolute monotone, with no variation whatever in pitch, but many fall into repetitious pitch patterns that are just as hypnotic. You can guard against this by recording your speeches as you practice them. If all your sentences end on the same inflection--either upward or downward--word on your pitch patterns to fit the meaning of your words .

RATE

Rate refers to the speed at which a person speaks. Native speakers of English usually talk at a rate between 120 and 150 words per minute, be there is no uniform rate for effective speechmaking.The best rate depends on several things --the vocal attributes of the speaker, the mood she or he is trying to create, the composition of the audience, and the nature of the occasion.

Two obvious faults to avoid are speaking so slowly that your listeners become bored or so quickly that they lose track of your ideas. The key in both cases is to become aware of the problem and then to concentrate on solving it .Use a digital recorder to check how fast you speak. Pay special attention to rate when practicing your speech, and note where you need to slow down or speed up. Finally, be sure to include reminders about rate on your speaking outline so you won’t forget to make the adjustments when you present your speech.

PAUSES

Learning how and when to pause is a major challenge for most beginning speakers. As you gain more poise and confidence, however, you will discover how useful the pause can be. It can signal the end of a thought unit, give an idea time to sink in, and lend dramatic impact to a statement. “The right word may be effective,” said Mark Twain, “but no word was ever as effective as a rightly timed pause.”

Developing a keen sense of timing is partly a matter of common sense, partly a matter of experience. You will not always get your pauses just right at first, but keep trying. Listen to accomplished speakers to see how they use pauses to modulate their rate and rhythm. Work on pauses when you practice your speeches.

When you pause, make sure you do so at the end of thought units and not in the middle. Most important, do not fill the silence with “um,” “er,” or “well.” These vocalized pauses are distracting to listeners and can damage a speaker’s credibility.

VOCAL VARIETY

Just as variety is the spice of life, so is it the spice of public speaking. A flat, listless, unchanging voice is just as deadly to speechmaking as a flat, listless, unchanging routine is to daily life. When giving a speech, you should vary the rate, pitch, and volume of your voice to communicate your ideas and feelings.

As you practice your speeches, record them to hear how they sound. Try them out on members of your family, a friend, or a roommate. Practice the vocal variety exercise at the end of this chapter. Above all, approach every speech as an opportunity to share ideas that are important to you. Your sense of conviction and your desire to communicate will give your voice the same spark it has in spontaneous conversation.

PRONUNCIATION

Pronunciation poses a challenge for anyone who presents speeches in a second language. Although native speakers of English are very tolerant of pronunciation errors by nonnative speakers in spontaneous conversation, they expect a higher degree of accuracy in formal speeches. As you work on your speeches, pay special attention to words that are difficult for you to pronounce and practice them until you can say them correctly. If you have any doubts about particular words, check an online dictionary that includes audio pronunciation.

ARTICULATION

Articulation and pronunciation are not identical. Sloppy articulation is the failure to form particular speech sounds crisply and distinctly. Most of the time, poor articulation is caused by laziness—by failing to manipulate the lips, tongue, jaw, and soft palate so as to produce speech sounds clearly and precisely.

One of the most common articulation errors by English speakers, native and nonnative alike, comes form the careless blending of two short words—such as saying “lemme” instead of “let me,” “gonna” instead of “going to,” and “didja” instead of “did you.” Here are some other common errors in articulation you should work to avoid:

Word Misarticulation

ought to otta

don’t know dunno

have to hafta

want to wanna

will you wilya

The Speaker’s Body

Posture.facial expression,gestures,eye contact-all effect the way listeners respond to a speaker.How we use these and other body motions to communicate is the subject of a fascinating area of study called kinesics.One of its founders,Ray Birdwhistell,estimated that more than 700,000 physical signals can be sent through bodily movement.

Studies have shown that these signals have a significant impact on the meaning communicated by speakers.Research has also confirmed what the Greek historian Herodotus observed more than 2400 years ago:”People trust their ears less than their eyes.”When aspeaker’s body language is inconsistent with his or her words,listeners often believe the body language rather the words.

Here are the major aspects of physical action that will affect the outcome of your speeches.

PERSONAL APPEARANCE

A number of studies have confirmed that personal appearance plays an important role in speechmaking.Listeners always see you before they hear you,Just asyou adapt your language to the audience and the occasin,so should you dress and groom appropriately.Although the force of your speech can sometimes overcome a poor impression created by personal appearance,the odds are against it.Regardless of the speaking situation,you should try to evoke a favorable first impression.

EYE CONTACT

Like many elements of communication, eye contact is influenced by cultural background. When engaged in conversation, Arabs, Latin Americans, and Southern Europeans tend to look directly at the person with whom they are talking. People from some Asian countries and parts of Africa tend to engage in less eye contact.

When it comes to public speaking, there is wide agreement across cultures on the importance of some degree of eye contact. In most circumstances, one of the quickest ways to establish a communicative bond with your listeners is to look at them personally and pleasantly. Avoiding their gaze is one of the surest ways to lose them.

When addressing a small audience, you can usually look briefly from one

person to another. For a larger group, you will probably scan the audience rather than trying to engage the eyes of each person individually. No matter what the size of your audience, you want your eyes to convey confidence, sincerity, and conviction. They should say, “I am pleased to be able to talk with you. I believe deeply in what I am saying, and I want you to believe init too.”

GESTURES

Few aspects of delivery cause beginning speakers more anguish than deciding what to do with their hands. Even people who use their hands expressively in everyday conversation seem to regard them as awkward appendages when speaking before an audience.

Adroit gestures can add to the impact of a speech, but effective speakers do not need a vast repertoire of gestures. Some accomplished speakers gesture frequently; others, hardly at all. The primary rule is this: Whatever gestures you make should not distract from your message. They should appear natural and spontaneous, help clarify or reinforce your ideas, and be suited to the audience and occasion.

Gesturing tends to work itself out as you acquire experience and confidence. For now, make sure your hands do not upstage your ideas. Avoid flailing them about, wringing them together, or sticking them in your pockets. Once you have eliminated these distractions, forget about your hands. Think about communicating with your listeners, and your gestures will take care of

themselves-just as they do in conversation.

MOVEMENT

Novice speakers are often unsure what to do with their body while giving a speech. Some space back and forth across the podium or repeatedly shift their weight from one foot to another. Such quirks usually stem from nervousness or inexperience. Once they are pointed out to you, concentrate on eliminating them in later speeches.

As important as how you act during the speech is what you do just before you begin and after you finish. As you rise to speak, try to appear calm, poised, and confident, despite the butterflies in your stomach. When you reach the lectern, don’t lean on it, and don’t rush into your speech. Give yourself time to get set. Arrange your notes just the way you want them. Stand quietly as you wait to make sure the audience is paying attention. Establish eye contact with your listeners. Then-and only then-should you start to talk.

When you reach the end of your speech, maintain eye contact for a few moments after you stop talking. Unless you are staying at the lectern to answer questions, collect your notes and return to your seat. As you do so, maintain your cool, collected demeanor. Whatever you do, don’t start to gather your notes before you finish talking; and don’t cap off your speech with a huge sigh of relief or some remark like, “Whew! Am I glad that’s over! ”

When practicing your speeches, spend a little time rehearing how you will behave at the beginning and at the end. It is one of the easiest-and one of the most effective-things you can do to improve your image with an audience.

As experienced speakers know, you need to practice a speech thoroughly before delivering it. If possible, try to rehearse under conditions as close as possible to those you will face during the speech itself.

Practicing Delivery

Popular wisdom promises that practice makes perfect. This is true, but only if we practice properly .You will do little to improve your speech delivery unless you practice the right things in the right ways. Here is a five-step method that has worked well for many speakers:

1. Go through your preparation outline aloud to check how it translates into

spoken discourse. Is it too long? Too short? Are the main points clear when you speak them?

Do the introduction and conclusion come across well? As you answer these questions, revise the speech as needed.

2. Prepare your speaking outline. In doing so, be sure to follow the guidelines in Chapter 9.Use the same visual framework as in preparation outline. Make sure the speaking outline is easy to read at a glance. Give yourself cues the outline for delivering the speech.

3. Practice the speech aloud several times using only the speaking outline. Be sure to “talk through” all examples and to recite in full all quotations and statistics. If your speech includes visual aids, use them as you practice. The first couple of times, you will probably forget something or make a mistake, but don’t worry. Keep going and complete the speech as well as you can. Concentrate on gaining control of the ideas; don’t try to learn the speech word for word. After a few tries, you should be able to get through the speech extemporaneously with surprising ease.

Checklist Delivery

YES NO

( ) ( ) 1. Do I understand the four methods of speech delivery?

( ) ( ) 2.Can I concentrate on communicating with my audience rather than on trying to remember what I want to say?

( ) ( ) 3.Have I recorded my speech when rehearing to check volume, rate, pitch, and vocal variety?

( ) ( ) 4.Have I eliminated vocalized pauses from my speech?

( ) ( ) 5.Have I practiced the pronunciation and articulation of all challenging words?

( ) ( ) 6.Have I dressed properly for the audience and the occasion?

( ) ( ) 7.Have I rehearsed how I will act at the beginning and end of my speech to create a favorable impression?

( ) ( ) 8.Have I identified distracting mannerisms that I should avoid during the speech?

( ) ( ) 9.Have I gone over all aspects of the speech, including visual aids, in my practice sessions?

( ) ( ) 10.Have I practiced the timing of my speech so I can complete it in the allotted time?

( ) ( ) 11.Have I followed the five-step method of practicing delivery

explained in this chapter?

( ) ( ) 12.Have I started practicing early enough that I will be fully prepared and confident on speech day?

4. Now begin to polish and refine your delivery. Practice the speech in front of a mirror to check for eye contact and distracting mannerisms. Record the speech to gauge volume, pitch, rate, pauses, and vocal variety. Most important, try it out on friends, roommates, family members-anyone who will listen and give you an honest appraisal. Since your speech is designed for people rather than for mirrors or records, you need to find out ahead of time how it goes over with people.

5. Finally, give your speech a dress rehearsal under conditions as close as possible to those you will face on speech day. Some students like to try the speech a couple of times in an empty classroom the day before the speech is due. Professional speakers usually familiarize themselves with the room in which they will be speaking. No matter where you hold your last practice session, you should leave it feeling confident

and looking forward to addressing your audience.

If this or any practice method is to work, you must start early. Don’t wait until the night before your speech to begin working on delivery. A single practice session—no matter how long—is rarely enough. Allow yourself plenty of time to gain command of the speech and its presentation.

Summary:

Speech delivery involves using the voice and body to convey the message expressed by a speaker’s words. Rather than calling attention to itself, effective delivery conveys the speaker’s ideas clearly, engagingly, and without distracting the audience.

There are four basic methods of delivering a speech: reading verbatim form a manuscript, reciting a memorized text, speaking impromptu, and speaking extemporaneously.

To use your voice effectively, you should work on controlling your volume, pitch, rate, pauses, vocal variety, pronunciation, and articulation. Volume is the relative loudness of your voice, and pitch is the relative highness or lowness. Rate refers to the speed at which you talk. Pauses, when carefully timed, can add impact to your speech, but you should avoid vocalized pauses (“er,”“well,”and the like ) .Vocal variety refers to changes in volume, pitch, rate, and pauses and is crucial to making your voice lively and engaging. For pubic speaking, you should be sure to pronounce words correctly and to articulate them distinctly.

Posture, personal appearance, facial expression, gestures, and eye contact also affect the way listeners respond to speakers. Dress and groom appropriately, use gestures and bodily movement to enhance your message, and make eye contact with your listeners.

You should practice all these aspects of delivery along with the words of your speech. Start your practice sessions early so you will have ample time to polish your presentation..

Key terms: Manuscript speech (148) pause (151) impromptu speech (148)

Vocalized pause (151) extemporaneous speech (149)

Vocal variety (151) conversational quality (149)

Pronunciation (152) volume (150) articulation (152)

Pitch (150) kinesics (153) inflections (150)

Eye contact (154) rate (150) gestures (154)

Exercises for thinking and speaking

1. An excellent way to improve your variety is to read aloud selections from poetry that require emphasis and feeling. Choose an English-language poem and practice reading aloud. Use your voice to make the poem come alive. Vary your volume, rate, and pitch. Find the appropriate places for pauses. Underline the key words or phrases you think should be stressed. Use inflections for emphasis and meaning.

If possible, practice reading the selection into a digital recorder. Listen to the playback. If you are not satisfied with what you hear, practice the selection some more and record it again. Finally, present the poem in class to receive feedback from your classmates and instructor.

2. Watch a 10-minute segment of a television drama with the sound off. What do the characters say with their dress, gestures, facial expressions, and the like? Do the same with a television comedy. How do the nonverbal messages in the two shows differ? Be prepared to report your observation in class.

3. attend an English-language speech on campus. Prepared a brief report on the speaker’s delivery. In your report analyze the speaker’s volume, pitch, rate, pauses, vocal variety, pronunciation, and articulation. Also evaluate the speaker’s personal appearance, bodily action, gestures, and eye contact. Finally, note two techniques of delivery used by the speaker that you might want to try in your next speech.

4. present a 1-2 minute report to your class analyzing the delivery of two of the speaker included on the CD-ROM for this chapter (videos 11.1-11.6)

Public Speaking in Your Career

After receiving your master’s degree, you accepted a job in the English department at a local university, where you have been teaching public speaking. Now you have been invited to attend a provincial conference on English public

speaking instruction, at which you will present a paper on “The Three Most Important Elements of Speech Delivery .” Prepare a 2-minute summary explaining the elements of delivery that you believe are most important, and why.