1. Making a speech your own
Style
Making a speech your own

2. style What others perceive to be your manner of expression
The pattern of choices attributed to a person by others to characterize or to distinguish him or her
What others perceive to be your manner of expression
A pattern of choices that is not predetermined
You don’t have to act like a “politician” if you are running for President
Style is always audience dependent
Style is perceived by others

3. Style Continued
Used to set someone apart from others or to identify someone with a particular group
Individualist style sets you apart from others
Patterns of choices make people unique
Example: Florence and the Machine have what kind of style?
It becomes your SIGNATURE

4. Style in a speech Not always a positive attribute
Example: Filler expressions, “you know”
Some speakers the goal is to remove a particular characteristic
Nervous, unsure style------smooth, confident style
False to think that style is just ornamentation; it is a part of the content as well

5. Style and Language
Strategic planning= Identifying your resources and using them to achieve your purpose
Language is most effective way to do this
Must pay attention to the words you choose to express your ideas
Turns a dull speech into a memorable speech

6. Perception of Speech
A speaker’s word choices direct listeners to view the message in one way rather than another
Example: Bill Clinton’s 2012 Democratic National Convention Speech
How the speaker feels about the subject

7. Perception of the Speaker
Speaker’s ethos
Negative Perceptions
Examples: The speaker who needlessly uses obscure words may impress some listeners, but others may see it as arrogant and condescending
Speaker whose language offends listeners usually loses credibility

8. Positive Perceptions
Effectively repeating a key word or phrase helps identify what is important
Colorful, appropriate language can lead the audience to see things in a different perspective
Avoid jargon and technical terms to seem pleasing to hear

9. Oral style versus written style
Listeners are much more independent on the speaker
Audience members can’t review the speaker’s main points if they forget them or press “pause” if they need to check a term
Simplicity
Shorter, common words
Descriptions are briefer
Sentences are shorter and less complex

10. Oral style versus written style Cont:
Organization of speech is clearly identified through summaries, transitions, and previews
If audience members have to puzzle out your speech’s meaning or intention, they have less mental energy for concentrating on what comes next
Repetition
Informality
Reflexivity-Speakers refer to themselves, and the audience, and the situation
Speakers intend to have a specific impact on an audience
Speakers make organizational structure explicit

11. Performative vs. conversational style
Performative- Performers concerned primarily with expressing themselves and secondarily with establishing a relationship with the audience
Conversational style- Listeners are more active participants in a discussion with a speaker and the speaker wants to first create a connection with the audience (Bill Clinton is known for this)
Both are effective, make sure to look at purpose of speech

12. Basic requirements for effective style
The accuracy of what you say
Example:
The appropriateness of what you say
Avoid sounding self-important or pretentious
Avoid signs of disrespect
Avoid inappropriate emotion
Example:

13. Achieving clarity, rhythm, and vividness
Concrete Words
Maxims- short statements used to describe a situation; examples: “yes we can” “just do it”
Limiting jargon, defining technical terms
Word economy-using words effectively and avoiding unnecessary words
Active voice- who did what, “Black Keys play stone cold rock and roll music”

14. Rhythm The sound of the message contributes to stylistic effect
Pace of the speech
Helps convey mood
Repetition-tactic to emphasize a key idea or argument’s significance
Parallel wording- “Out of luck, out of touch, out of office”
Antithesis-pairing of opposites
Example: JFK, “Let us never negotiate out of fear. But let us never fear to negotiate.”
Inversion of words: “Ask not” vs. “Do not ask”

15. Vividness Compelling visual images presented in words
Pictures that listeners can see in their minds
Makes speech easy to understand
Description
Stories
Comparisons: Simile and Metaphor
Vivid sounds-The Hiiissssing of a snake
Personification-Abstract terms to human terms
Reference to hypothetical people-dialogue or asking rhetorical questions

16. Finding the right pace and proportion
Style should be varied; you don’t want to call attention to your style instead of your ideas
Balance
Conciseness
Memorable phrases or “sound bites”
Congruence of language and delivery- If your topic and language are serious and formal; your delivery should match that style

17. Developing and Improving your style
Review your outline from the standpoint of style and word choice; incorporate key phrases and stylistic choices into your outline
Practice composing speeches in writing
Be your own toughest critic when revising your outline for style
Are key ideas and arguments worded as effectively as possible?
Does your language make the message easy or difficult for the audience to remember?
Does the speech seem interesting or tedious?

18. Developing and Improving your style
Practice your speech, not only to become more familiar with its contents and to gain self-confidence but also to listen to its overall rhythm
Does the speech ‘move’ in the way you would like it to?
Consider how your speech might incorporate the stylistic resources
Raise awareness of other speakers’ styles
Don’t work on too many things at once