Public Speaking Flashcards
This saying belongs to who? “The right word may be effective, but no word was ever as effective as a rightly timed pause.”
Mark Twain (1835-1910) was an American humorist, journalist, and novelist best known for his treatment of life on the Mississippi River in works such as The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.
To get accustomed to pausing in speeches, what should you do?
Count to two in between sentences while talking. With time, these pauses will become natural.
This saying belongs to who? “A talk is voyage. It must be charted. The speaker who starts nowhere usually gets there.”
Dale Carnegie (1888-1955) was a pioneer in the field of public speaking and author of How to Win Friends and Influence People and Public Speaking: A Practical Course for Business Men.
Preparation is essential in any talk, no matter if it’s a small group or an audience of thousands. What key questions should you consider before talking?
1-What are my goals? 2-What are the key takeaways for listeners? 3-How do I want my audience to feel?
This saying belongs to who? “A good orator is pointed and impassioned.”
Cicero (106 BCE-43 BCE) was an ancient Roman Statesman (a politician, diplomat or another notable public figure who has had a long and respected career), who was considered the greatest orator of his day.
Whether speaking to one person or many, you need to keep your audience’s interest, but how do you do this?
1-Don’t use many words when few will suffice. 2-Make your key points and repeat them for emphasis. 3-Show passion for your subject.
What is the number one thing you should be aware of when talking?
Never to deliver your talk flat. A monotone voice will leave my audience with a negative impression, no matter how insightful the speech is.
This saying belongs to who? “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
Maya Angelou (1928-2014) was a poet, educator, and actress who explored African American experience, gender, and economics in the United States in her autobiography: I Know Why The Cage Bird Sings.
Studies have found that we listen about _____ percent of the time we are awake.
45 percent.
Studies have found that we remember about _____ percent of what we hear.
25-50 percent. The more time that passes, the fewer details we remember.
How to induce pathos to your speech, which arguably the finest strategy for public speaking?
1-Speak directly. 2-Make unique, counterintuitive points that my audience will remember. 3-Strategically use humor if the subject allows it.
This saying belongs to who? “A great speaker convinces us not by force of reasoning, but because he is visibly enjoying the beliefs he wants us to accept.”
William Butler Yeats (1865-1939) was an Irish writer who crafted some of the most celebrated and influential poems of the 20th century and won the Nobel Prize for literature in 1923.
Audience members pick up on nonverbal cues. Knowing this, how should you speak in front of people?
1-Smile. 2-Use friendly gestures. 3-Exude passion in my voice.
This saying belongs to who? “The finest language is mostly made up of simple, unimposing words.”
George Eliot (1819-90) was a Victorian English novelist who pioneered the use of psychological analysis in fiction in novels such as Middlemarch and Daniel Deronda.
While a strong vocabulary is essential to reading comprehension and precision in speaking and writing, using too many complex words can confuse your audience and obscure your central point. What should you do then?
Use language appropriate for the audience; don’t use jargon that might be unfamiliar.
What is rhetoric?
The art of persuasive speaking.
What is alliteration?
Alliteration involves the repetition of sounds across a phrase or group of words. This adds lyricism to you language, but it also makes your phrases more vivid and easier for an audience to grasp.
What is amplification?
Amplification occurs when a speaker arranges words or ideas in the order of increasing force or importance. Often this involves using a list or repeating key terms while building to a climax. Powerful speakers frequently use amplification to create an emotional response in their audiences.
What is analogy?
Analogies compare two things using “like” or “as”. They are often used to provide a simple explanation for a more complicated idea. Additionally, they can be used to deliver a vivid image for an audience that fully captures their imaginations. A well-timed analogy can add depth to your speech as it helps your audience understand your central points.
What is anamnesis?
Anamnesis refers to a recollection of the past. While appeals to history can sometimes involve logical fallacies, they can be used effectively to emphasise commonalities between speaker and audience and to demonstrate a speaker’s mastery of a subject. In this way, anamnesis forms a part of a larger appeal to ethos, or the character and authority of a speaker.
What is anaphora?
Anaphora occurs when the same word or phrase begins sentences or clauses that appear close to one another. It adds emphasis to the repeated idea and also creates a pleasing rhythmic effect. Often used at the beginnings and endings of speeches, anaphora makes a speech more powerful and memorable.
What are the strategies this speaker involves?
- Anaphora: McCullough repeats the phrases “if everyone” and “no longer” to critique conventional wisdom.
- Humor: McCullough employs humor to lighten his message and keep his audience engaged.
- Parallelism: McCullough uses parallel construction to illustrate his image of “the fulfilled life.”
- Antithesis: McCullough uses antithesis to contrast selfish goals with actions that benefit others.
To practice your vowel sounds, what sentence should you say 3 times?
The keen king gave the queen a pink and green ring.
The keen king gave the queen a pink and green ring.
The keen king gave the queen a pink and green ring.
To practice your P and B sounds, what sentence should you say 3 times?
Put the peanut butter on the bread before placing it in the paper bag.
Put the peanut butter on the bread before placing it in the paper bag.
Put the peanut butter on the bread before placing it in the paper bag.