PRINCIPLES OF SPEECH DELIVERY

(a) Appearance - The speaker’s appearance should be appealing to the audience. The audience in fact likes speakers who are similar to them.

(b) Movement - All the movements on the stage should be voluntary and warranted. Nervousness can cause involuntary movements which can distress both the speaker and the audience. If the speaker gets involved in the speech and trusts the audience, nervousness can go. No movement can happen on the stage without reason. Movements driven by the speech can help the speaker maintain contact with all the sections of the audience.

(c) Posture: A confident speaker stands straight with his arms well relaxed. Nervous speakers sprawl on the podium and lean against the wall. There is always fear and tension. Great speakers on the other hand take an informal posture and relax their audience too. Informal postures get the speaker a positive reaction from the audience.

(d) Facial Expressions: The expression on the speaker’s face determines the audience’s closeness to him. Warm smile and confident look take the audience close to the speaker. The expressions display the degree of involvement, the speaker has in his speech. The involvement with the speech is all the necessity and the rest will take care of itself.

The expressions and the tone used by the speaker should go hand in hand with the message and the emotions that are delivered. For example, the expression and tone of the speaker should be serious when he delivers a serious message and sad when he delivers something sad. Any deviation in this would confuse the audience.

(e) Eye Contact: It is one of the most important gestures. It not only increases the speaker’s direct contact with the audience but also increases their interest in their speech. Direct eye contact helps the speaker understand audience reaction then and there and it makes the occasion less frightening.(f) Volume: It is confirmed by the number of the audience but it should be loud enough for the speech to reach everybody. The beginners who have stage fear are usually not loud enough and it is they who should check it through rehearsals.

(g) Articulation: It is the right pronunciation of all the words. The people who suffer stage fright commit the mistake of deletion, addition, adding extra parts towards slurring. Perfect articulation and Standard English are a must for any public speaker.

(h) Time: Time is an important factor in Speech delivery. At the outset, the speaker should know the amount of time given for his speech and prepare accordingly. Sticking to time can be achieved by proper rehearsals.

(i) Language : The speaker should use the language well suited for the audience. Too much of scientific terms may not go well with the common public. The words that the speak uses should be readily understood by the audience. It is good to stoop to the level of the audience.

“Don’t use a big word where a small one could do.” – George Orwell.

(j) Use Short stories, Anecdotes and Quotations according to the need. It is always good to start the speech with a small story as stories normally arouse interest. But remember, too much of anything is good for nothing.

A good saying to follow in giving a speech is

“Tell them what you are going to tell them, tell them, and tell them what you told them.”

Example of Speech of Delivery

Consider Mia’s story:My sister needed an organ transplant and, as she waited and waited on theorgan-transplant waiting list, I learned a lot about the many rules that govern theorgan-donation waiting-list system. I decided to give my informative speech on thiswaiting list, as it is something that I now know a lot about. I practiced my speech andI felt that I was ready. When I delivered my speech, I concluded by telling my audienceabout my sister. We were very close and she passed away waiting for an organ that neverarrived. I started crying; I couldn’t help it. I think it upset the audience. I think everyonewill remember my speech and the delivery, but I’m not sure what they’ll remember aboutorgan donation.Mia’s delivery on the topic of organ-donation waiting lists definitely made animpression on her audience. After her speech, her classmates looked as though theywanted to say something but didn’t know what to say. One student hugged Mia,and everyone will remember Mia’s speech because it touched them, she had acommand of the subject matter, and her delivery demonstrated her strong commit-ment to the topic. It also left many students feeling awkward.Many people think of public speaking as all about delivery, but delivery is—as wehope you have seen in the previous chapter—only one aspect of the entire process.Delivery alone will not result in a strong speech. In this chapter, we will discussimportant issues surrounding speech delivery, including overcoming anxiety, set-ting the tone, considering language and style, incorporating visual aids, being awareof the time, choosing a delivery method, projecting a persona, and practicing thespeech. Finally, we’ll address some ethical issues relevant to speech delivery. Butfirst, we’ll learn what delivery is and why it is important.Once you have read this chapter, you will be able to:●Explain the importance of speech delivery.●Identify key issues in speech delivery.●Connect speech delivery to the three artistic proofs: ethos, pathos and logos.●Understand the ethical issues in speech delivery.