When considering some of the greatest speeches I've had the opportunity to listen to and be a part of there are numerous things that come to mind. Engaging, thought provoking, tone inflection, and the use of pauses are just some of the most important aspects to a speech in my opinion.
While engaging the audience could include a number of things such as asking questions, having an activity, or using any video or projection, it keeps the audience immersed in what is being presented.Not only are you sure to keep the audience present but any who have started to wander off from your words can be sucked back in.
Another form of good speech is one that is thought provoking. If you were going to give a speech about a topic most people are familiar with and could piece together themselves, then it would be very difficult to catch any attention at all. If I had to choose a speech from class as an example, I would say Kevin's speech about the civicness behind the destruction of America was the most intriguing. Beforehand, when thinking about all that it means to be civic, I had never given much thought to other countries and what the idea of being civic means to them.
Now if we begin to try to separate a good speech from a great speech, tone inflection comes to play. When publicly speaking, its important to project your voice and shifts tones for greater emphasis. A speaker who is a good example of this is Barack Obama. Anytime I've heard a speech of his, it was hard not to pay attention because by using his tone for emphasis, when he'es making a good point, you're sure to not miss it. There are wander very few if not any moments that you fall from his words.
Lastly, another way to set yourself up for a great speech is through the use of pauses. Pauses when used correctly are another great way to create emphasis. It you're a really great speaker, it almost leaves the audience on the edge of their seats waiting for what next. It a great way to bring attention to a point while also guiding into the next point. In our class, Kaitlyn's speech about Budweiser's 9/11 ad had many pauses that helped to emphasize all the way this ad worked to set nationalism and unify our country after such a tragedy.
With some sort of engagement, provoking thought, inflecting tone, and effective pauses any speech begins to make its way from mediocre, to good, to great.
While engaging the audience could include a number of things such as asking questions, having an activity, or using any video or projection, it keeps the audience immersed in what is being presented.Not only are you sure to keep the audience present but any who have started to wander off from your words can be sucked back in.
Another form of good speech is one that is thought provoking. If you were going to give a speech about a topic most people are familiar with and could piece together themselves, then it would be very difficult to catch any attention at all. If I had to choose a speech from class as an example, I would say Kevin's speech about the civicness behind the destruction of America was the most intriguing. Beforehand, when thinking about all that it means to be civic, I had never given much thought to other countries and what the idea of being civic means to them.
Now if we begin to try to separate a good speech from a great speech, tone inflection comes to play. When publicly speaking, its important to project your voice and shifts tones for greater emphasis. A speaker who is a good example of this is Barack Obama. Anytime I've heard a speech of his, it was hard not to pay attention because by using his tone for emphasis, when he'es making a good point, you're sure to not miss it. There are wander very few if not any moments that you fall from his words.
Lastly, another way to set yourself up for a great speech is through the use of pauses. Pauses when used correctly are another great way to create emphasis. It you're a really great speaker, it almost leaves the audience on the edge of their seats waiting for what next. It a great way to bring attention to a point while also guiding into the next point. In our class, Kaitlyn's speech about Budweiser's 9/11 ad had many pauses that helped to emphasize all the way this ad worked to set nationalism and unify our country after such a tragedy.
With some sort of engagement, provoking thought, inflecting tone, and effective pauses any speech begins to make its way from mediocre, to good, to great.
I think the aspect of thought provacation is important as well. Even if the audience may be thinking hard on a subject matter and not even necessarily agree with what you're saying, they are still mentally engaged and interested in what your claim is.
ReplyDeleteI agree that a differing tone is very important part of a speech in order to keep your audience fully engaged. Pauses is also a great way to distinctly separate ideas which is sometimes hard to do while speaking.
ReplyDeleteI like how you emphasize the pauses. Pauses are important in any good performance. I would compare it to something like playing an instrument. The pauses are important. Pauses in a speech also allow for the audience to collect their thoughts before you plunge into something else. I also agree Kevin's speech on North Korea was very interesting and makes us think of being civic in a different light.
ReplyDeleteI personally agree with you about Obama's strength in public speaking. He always did seem to be the master of using pauses and inflection for emphasis. In addition I find your point about thought-provoking speeches being engaging both true and very interesting.
ReplyDeleteFirst off, I feel so honored to be mentioned in your post! I agree with you that tone and inflection as well as the use of pauses can really define the greatness of a speech, especially when used effectively. I also completely agree with your example about Obama, he is very talented at using his tone and inflection to strengthen his speeches.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your points on pauses and how central they are to a great speech. I also appreciated how you used an example not just from Obama, a speaker with which anyone is familiar, but you also drew from a speech in class.
ReplyDelete