Speaking on Special Occasions

Types of Speeches  Introduction  Presentation or award  Acceptance  After dinner  Commemoration

Introductions  Be brief  Be accurate  Adapt to the environment  Formal vs. informal  Adapt to the main speaker’s focus  Refrain from engendering audience emotion  Use humor in good taste only  Adapt to the audience  Establish speaker credibility  Build according to audience interest  Create a sense of anticipation

Presentation or Award Speeches  Explain award  Praise others who may have competed for the award  Explain why person is receiving the award  Contributions  Achievements

Acceptance Speeches  Be brief  Be humble  You merely did what you believed without expectation of any award  Be gracious  Name those who helped

After Dinner Speeches  Usually lighter in tone than other persuasive or informative speeches  Not technical or argumentative  More entertaining in nature  Can use humor that naturally evolves from the material

Commemorative Speeches  Purpose: to praise or celebrate a person or an event  Use vivid descriptions; paint a picture of the recipient’s achievement  Stir up sentiment  Use language creatively  Metaphor, simile, repetition, antithesis, etc.  Imagery