Essentials of Public Speaking Perfecting Language Style Chapter 9 Essentials of Public Speaking Cheryl Hamilton 5th Edition Cheryl Hamilton, Ph.D. Chapter 9 – Perfecting Language Style

Chapter 9– Perfecting Language Style Key Ideas Why language styles are important Characteristics of effective language style Language stylistic devices Language and speaker bias Chapter 9– Perfecting Language Style

Chapter 9– Perfecting Language Style Flashback . . . In his Orator, Cicero describes three kinds of rhetorical styles: The Plain style—an “easy,” subdued style (Informative). The Middle style—a polished style including humor, wit, and ornamentation of all kinds (Entertaining). The Grand style—an eloquent, dramatic, and fiery style to be used with caution (Persuasive). Chapter 9– Perfecting Language Style

Why Language Styles are Important Language can clarify your ideas and arguments Language can influence audience attitudes and behaviors Language can make ideas and arguments personally resonate with audience Language can add to audience interest and enjoyment Chapter 9– Perfecting Language Style

Effective Language Style Style defined – Style is the way you use language to express your ideas Criteria for effective language style choices Language should be simple Language should be specific Language should be vivid Language should be forceful Chapter 9– Perfecting Language Style

Chapter 9– Perfecting Language Style Keep Language Simple Using confusing language can make your message hard to understand and can result in the audience misunderstanding it. Avoid overly technical language and jargon Use simple words rather than complex ones (e.g. use rain rather than precipitation) Chapter 9– Perfecting Language Style

Keep Language Specific Avoid using abstract words – words that are difficult for listeners to picture such as devotion or health Avoid ambiguous words – words with vague and unclear meanings Avoid Euphemimisms – words with positive overtones substituted for words with negative overtones Chapter 9– Perfecting Language Style

Chapter 9– Perfecting Language Style Keep Language Vivid Use active voice rather than passive voice by avoiding phrases such as it is believed Use a variety of interesting supporting materials Use concrete words that have high imagery to paint mental pictures in the minds of the listeners Chapter 9– Perfecting Language Style

Keep Language Forceful Forceful language involves the effective use of volume, emphasis and pitch Forceful language adds to the audience’s confidence in the speaker and the speaker’s evidence Forceful language is an important part of persuasively stating the speaker’s position in a persuasive speech Chapter 9– Perfecting Language Style

A stylistic device rearranges sentences in unusual ways or Stylistic Devices Alliteration Assonance Antithesis Simile Metaphor Onomatopoeia Repetition Parallelism Hyperbole Personification A stylistic device rearranges sentences in unusual ways or changes the ordinary meaning of a word. Chapter 9– Perfecting Language Style

Chapter 9– Perfecting Language Style Stylistic Devices Alliteration - repetition of consonants- usually the first or last letter in a word (e.g. Each Wednesday Wally washes his woolens.) Assonance – repetition of vowels (e.g. The low moan of our own soldiers.) Anthesis – a sentence containing ideas in parallel phrases (e.g. Let us never negotiate out of fear, but let us never fear to negotiate.) Chapter 9– Perfecting Language Style

Chapter 9– Perfecting Language Style Stylistic Devices Hyperbole – an extreme exaggeration for emphasis (e.g. We either vote for this bill or we die.) Onomatopoeia – words that sound like their meanings (e.g. buzz, fizz, ring) Can help the speaker create a mood Martin Luther King Jr. used it in his I Have a Dream speech Personification – giving human characteristics or feelings to an animal or object Chapter 9– Perfecting Language Style

Chapter 9– Perfecting Language Style Stylistic Devices Repetition and Parallelism Repetition – repeating a word or series of words in successive clauses or sentences Martin Luther King Jr. repeated the phrase, Let Freedom Ring Parallelism – grouping of similarly phrased ideas Parallelism increases the pace of a speech and generates psychological momentum Chapter 9– Perfecting Language Style

Chapter 9– Perfecting Language Style Stylistic Devices Simile and Metaphor Simile – making direct comparisons using the words like or as (e.g. Happiness is like ice cream-both can melt away if you aren’t careful.) Metaphor – making implied comparisons not using like or as by speaking of one item as if it were another (e.g. Happiness is an ice cream cone.) Chapter 9– Perfecting Language Style

Biased Language: Gender Bias Avoid using the generic he when referring to males and females Use proper terminology and not gender specific terminology when referring to many professions Use Police Officer NOT Policeman Use Firefighter NOT Fireman Use Fight Attendant NOT Stewardess Chapter 9– Perfecting Language Style

Language Bias: Cultural Bias Listeners supply word meanings from their own frame of reference The more diverse your audience the more the audience’s frame of reference will likely be different from yours Effective speakers are aware of cultural differences that may exist in the audience and choose words that will minimize possible cultural bias Chapter 9– Perfecting Language Style

Essentials of Public Speaking Perfecting Language Style Chapter 9 Essentials of Public Speaking Cheryl Hamilton 5th Edition Cheryl Hamilton, Ph.D. Chapter 9 Perfecting Language Style