AAU28D: Set Reading 4- When giving a speech, what verbal aspects of delivery must you pay attention to?

Chen (2007) is right in saying that the medium is the message and refers to our voice. Our voice can reflect personality, power, strength, confidence, belief, and most importantly emotions. Giving a speech or a presentation is a method of communication between the presenter and the audience. With clever use of our voice, we are able to surpass the contents of our speech and connect directly with the audience by making a good choice of words, good articulation and placing emphasis on the right words.

However, the method of using words, articulation and emphasis is not to be fixed because there are lots of different situations to consider. Lucas (2007) categorizes the speeches into 4 main types- objects, processes, events and concepts. Information and method of delivery for each type of speech differ greatly and thus, it is vital for us to be able to understand that we have to customise our speech each time.

For example, you would not try to make an educational talk into a stand-up comedy because the content is too heavy, and humour relies on a light and easy content to be successful. Turk (1985) mentions that interest and enthusiasm in listeners are generated by verbal and non-verbal signals given off by the presenters. Listeners also feel more secure when they can see the person who is giving them new information. With that level of trust, you will be able to introduce a more shocking or controversial topic gently to them and let them accept the message which you are trying to get across to them as compared to bluntly presenting them with the topic of which you may receive jeers, insults and an occasional rotten egg thrown at you.

Being fluent and well-articulated helps bring across a feeling that you are passionate about your topic, which will let your readers value your views heavily and not doubt a word that you say. Cleverly using jargon that is known to most of the audience reduces the time you take to bring your message across the audience and they will remember you as an expert on your topic. There are a wide variety of things you can do to verbally deliver a great speech but at the end of the day, careful construction of an effective speech that is easiest for the audience to understand in the limited time available after thoroughly analysing the audience is the most important thing you can do (Turk, 1985).

Chen, Ernest. (2003). Earnestly Speaking: How to Achieve Success in Public Speaking. Singapore: INTERCONEX Management Pte Ltd, pp. 116–130.

Lucas, S. E. (2007). The Art of Public Speaking (9^th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill, pp. 300–312.

Turk, Christopher. (1985). Effective Speaking: Communicating in Speech. London: Spon Press, pp. 129–143.