PUBLIC SPEAKING

'Public speaking' is the process of speaking to a group of people in a structured, deliberate manner intended to inform, influence, or entertain the listeners. The art and science of public speaking, especially in a North American competitive environment, is also known as 'forensics'. The word "forensic" is an adjective meaning "of public debate or argument." The word is derived from the Latin ''forensis'', meaning "of the forum." The sense of the word "forensic" that means "pertaining to legal trials" dates from the 1600s (Oxford English Dictionary) and led to the use of the word "forensics" in reference to legal evidence.
In public speaking, as in any form of communication, there are five basic elements, often expressed as "''who'' is saying ''what'' to ''whom'' using what ''medium'' with what ''effects''?" The purpose of public speaking can range from simply transmitting information, to motivating people to act, to simply telling a story. Good orators should be able to change the emotions of their listeners, not just inform them.

Contents

History

Training

Leadership

General

See also

External links

History

The first known textbook on the subject was written over 2500 years ago, and the principles elaborated within it were drawn from the practices and experience of orators in ancient Greece. These basic principles have undergone modification as societies and cultures have changed, yet remained surprisingly uniform.

Training

Effective public speaking can be developed by joining a club such Rostrum, Toastmasters International, Association of Speakers Clubs (ASC) or International Training in Communication (ITC) in which members are assigned exercises to improve their speaking skills. Members learn by observation and practice, and hone their skills by listening to constructive suggestions followed by new public speaking exercises. These include:

★ Oratory

★ The use of gestures

★ Control of the voice (inflection)

★ Vocabulary, register, word choice

★ Speaking notes

★ Using humour

★ Developing a relationship with the audience
It should be noted, however, that professional trainers in public speaking (or presenting) are sometimes cautious about recommending these organisations as they are - essentially - simply amateurs commenting on amateurs: as such they can re-enforce mediocrity (simply because no one in the particular group knows any better) or at worse, carry on spreading incorrect or over-simplified ideas. Serious students of public speaking are advised to get professional training at some point at least.

Leadership

Effective leadership almost always requires the skill of good public speaking, and this can often make up for a lack of other skills. The ends to which this skill can be used vary greatly. Both Adolf Hitler and Martin Luther King, Jr. were able to use oratory to have a significant impact on society, in their own choice of ways.

General

The fear of public speaking is called glossophobia (or, informally, "stage fright"). It is believed to be the single most common phobia — affecting as much as 75% of the population. Fear of oration is ranked even above that of death. As Jerry Seinfeld observes, "The average person at a funeral would rather be in the casket than doing the eulogy."

See also

★ Australian Rostrum

★ Glossophobia

★ Public speaker

★ North American Public Speaking Championship

★ Debate

★ Eloquence

★ National Catholic Forensic League

★ National Forensic League

★ Orator

★ Oratory

★ Rhetoric

★ Rostrum

★ Speaking fee

★ Speech communication

★ Thematic Interpretation

★ Toastmasters International

★ World Public Speaking Championships

★ World Universities Debating Championship

★ International Training in Communication

External links

★ National Speakers Association (NSA)

★ Institute of Rhetoric and Communication - Germany's leading Rhetoric Institute

★ Association of Speakers Clubs

★ Art of Speaking

★ World Debating & Public Speaking Website

★ Rostrum Australia (Develop your public speaking skills)

★ Verbal Communication Technique

★ Successful Communication