Page 346 - Between One and Many The Art and Science of Public Speaking

Summary

You have choices when making decisions about how to best deliver your speech.
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The bottom line, however, is that the method you decide on should refl ect your
preferred style of speaking, the environment in which you will speak, and the To evaluate your understand-
speech occasion. ing of this chapter, visit our
Online Learning Center Web
site for quizzes and other
• Effective delivery involves both what you say and how you say it. chapter study aids.
• Speakers may choose from four methods of delivery: manuscript, memo-
rized, impromptu, and extemporaneous.

• Effective delivery demands skill not only in articulating the words you use
to express yourself but also in using your voice to shape the meaning of what
you articulate.
• Nonverbal communication complements the verbal and vocal delivery
of your speech. Unlike language, nonverbal communication is continu-
ous, makes use of channels of communication simultaneously, and is
spontaneous.

• Specifi c facets of the nonverbal communication system that infl uence deliv-
ery include the environment, physical appearance, the eyes, face, gestures
and movement, posture, time, and touch.
• Gestures frequently take the form of emblems and illustrators, which
regulate the speech transaction.
• Important functions of nonverbal communication in the delivery of speeches
include complementing the verbal message, contradicting the verbal mes-
sage, repeating/reinforcing the verbal message, substituting for a verbal cue,
increasing immediacy, and increasing excitement and power in the verbal
message.

Check Your Understanding: Exercises and Activities

1. Observe a speaker outside of your class. Keep track of the number of times
the speaker (a) changes the zone of interaction, (b) moves away from the
lectern, and (c) gestures. On a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the high end,
rate the speaker in each of these areas. Compare and discuss your observa-
tion and ratings with those of other students. See if a pattern emerges.

2. Make two blank copies of the personal style scale you fi lled out in the Self-
Assessment box on page 289. Next time you speak, ask two class members
to fi ll out these scales in terms of how they perceive your communication
style. Compare their assessments with yours. Do they agree? If they do not
agree, discuss the differences they see in your style relative to how you see
yourself. Also see if you cannot isolate specifi c nonverbal behaviors that
may help you explain any perceived differences.

3. On a scale of 1–10, how confi dent are you as an audience member in your
interpretations of a speaker’s nonverbal behavior? Using the same scale,
how confi dent are you as a speaker in your audience’s interpretation of
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