Effective Speaking: Communicating In Speech

Effective Speaking Communicating in Speech For David, Sarah and Anna Effective Speaking: Communicating in Speech Christopher Turk Honorary Senior Research Fellow Cardiff University Wales First published 1985 by E & FN Spon, an imprint of Chapman & Hall This edition published in the Taylor & Francis e-Library, 2003. Spon Press is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group © 1985 Christopher Turk All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilized in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers. British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library ISBN 0-203-47290-X Master e-book ISBN ISBN 0-203-78114-7 (Adobe eReader Format) ISBN 0-419-13020-9 (hbk) ISBN 0-419-13130-6 (pbk) Contents Acknowledgements ix 1 1 2 3 Communicating in speech Who is this book for? Learn to speak well What needs to be done Communication in theory Speech came first Notes to chapter one Further reading 1 2 5 7 9 11 11 The audience 13 Think about the audience Think about the context How large an audience? The structure of groups Audience receptivity Attention controlling The relationship between the speaker and the group Notes to chapter two Further reading 13 14 17 20 24 25 30 40 41 Selecting, planning and arranging the material 43 Be prepared Thoughtful selection A coherent pattern The structure of reasoning In search of being well remembered Preparation is half the battle Notes to chapter three Further reading 43 44 49 57 61 68 69 70 v vi Contents 4 5 6 7 8 Starting, carrying-on, and ending 72 The opening Getting attention Signposting all the way The longer speech The closing stages Notes to chapter four Further reading 72 74 77 79 81 82 83 Making notes 85 Script or notes? Notes are to help you What about their notes? Notes to chapter five 85 91 96 98 Coping with nerves: the credibility problem 100 A common complaint Research on nervousness Nervousness affects you Nerves and the audience Cures for nerves The very nervous Notes to chapter six Further reading Tension in performance 100 102 105 107 109 112 114 115 115 Timing and bad timing 117 A contract Passionate absorption The span of attention Inner time is bad time Good timing 117 118 121 123 125 Intonation and variety 130 Variety Clear enunciation Varieties of intonation Notes to chapter eight Further reading 130 131 134 143 143 Contents 9 Non-verbal communication 145 Communicating without words Non-verbal signals are unconscious What you appear to be saying Dress signals An eye for an eye Legs and bodies Notes to chapter nine Further reading 145 147 149 150 152 155 164 165 10 Arranging the physical environment for a talk 167 Physical comfort Proxemics The embattled speaker A hot presentation Rows and rows of chairs