Speech Writing 101 Language and Composition Mrs. Hyatt

The rhetorical triangle Speaker Audience Purpose/Occasion

Audience Considerations For whom are you speaking? Do you want to be formal or informal? What connection can you make with your audience? How big is your audience? Who’s in it? Males? Females? Minorities? Young people or old crones? Rich? Poor?

Occasion Why a speech is appropriate A commencement? A victory? A rally?

Speaker questions Establish yourself as the speaker Are you friendly? Funny? Serious? Formal or informal? An authority or a novice? A peer or a superior or an inferior?

Key Ingredients Opening and greeting  Use storytelling – anecdotes and jokes can work  Use a “hook” – just like a lead in an essay/news story Body of speech  Your main points Closing  A call to action  Words of wisdom

From Congressional Research: Strive to maintain a clear theme throughout the speech. The accepted style of contemporary American public address is natural, direct, low key, casual, and conversational. This puts listeners at ease and promotes a sense of community between audience and speaker. Punctuation should reflect the sound structure of the speech, reinforcing the rhythm and pace of actual speech. Clarity of expression is as important a consideration in speech grammar as rigid adherence to rules for written language. Effective delivery can greatly improve a speech.

Language Don’t be wordy – you want to keep people ENGAGED Consider your diction carefully in relation to your audience Use rhetorical strategies!!! Rely on cadence and the aural elements of speech

Composition and rhetoric for speeches Repetition – Lincoln at Gettysburg emphasized the significance of the day's events by restating the solemnity of the occasion in not fewer than three variations: “We cannot dedicate, we cannot consecrate, we cannot hallow this ground,...”

Cadence R hythmic Triads. The grouping of words into patterns of three: I came, I saw, I conquered The kingdom, the power and the glory One third of a nation ill-clad, ill-nourished, ill-housed....”

Alliteration R epetition of beginning consonant sounds high standards of strength and sacrifice

Anaphora R epetition of beginning words or phrases We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds

Antithesis C omparing and contrasting dissimilar elements It was the best of times, it was the worst of times Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country

Sentence Variety Use dramatically short sentences Incorporate fragments Rhetorical questions Asyndeton and Polysyndeton

Best speeches of commencement-speeches-2013_n_ html -commencement-speeches-2013_n_ html

Homework – audio annotation Watch one of these speeches Take notes on what you hear  Technique  Purpose/message  Delivery

Homework – audio annotation Type up a one page “review” of the speech.  Include an introduction that answers the who, what, where, when, overview  What made the speech effective and powerful  What you learned about speechwriting and making based on the one you watched and listened to (something you may employ in your own speech)