Copyright 2013 Ian Ellis-Jones. All Rights Reserved. Fair Use Permitted.

1. THE ART OF PUBLIC SPEAKING
By Dr Ian Ellis-Jones
BA, LLB (Syd), LLM, PhD (UTS), DD, Dip Relig Stud (LCIS), Adv Mgmt Cert (Syd Tech Col)
Lawyer ~ Educator ~ Trainer and Facilitator ~ Minister of Religion ~ Consultant
Solicitor of the Supreme Court of New South Wales and the High Court of Australia
Lecturer and Legal Adviser, New South Wales Institute of Psychiatry
Former Senior Lecturer-in-Law, Faculty of Law, University of Technology, Sydney
Founder, Minister and Convener, Sydney Unitarian Chalice Circle
Dr Ian Ellis-Jones is an experienced public speaker and high-level debater
who has spoken before audiences in their thousands. A public speaking coach
to lawyers and other professionals, Ian first studied elocution in Sydney
NSW with Lucille Bruntnell (late Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, London)
before going on to study voice production for speech and drama
with Sydney’s original and very eminent voice and radio coach Bryson Taylor.
Copyright © 2013 Ian Ellis-Jones
All Rights Reserved

2. THE ART OF PUBLIC SPEAKING
Dedicated to the Memory and Spirit
of Norman Vincent Peale.
“Think of your speech as food for your audience. As a speaker you
must fill people up!”
– Dottie Waters,
President, Walters International Speakers Bureau.
Introduction
“In the beginning was the word …”.1
Words are so important. Words are things. Words create reality. Powerful stuff!
A good public speaker needs to be a good wordsmith. Without that, no one can be an
effective public speaker. In order to be a good wordsmith, you must love words,
love books, and love reading … and be a good and well-informed reader as well. You
also need to be able to speak well, have a certain “presence”,2 and say what the
audience wants to hear.
However, being a good wordsmith is not all that is required. That’s only the start.
Norman Vincent Peale3 was one of the greatest public speakers of all time. It has
been estimated that, in his thousands of addresses and talks throughout his
John 1:1.
1
2
Or “power” image, being “whatever makes you feel like a presenter who can move and motivate an
audience” (Walters 1993:106).
3
Dr Norman Vincent Peale (1898-1993) was a distinguished minister of religion and writer. His most
popular book, The Power of Positive Thinking, has sold more than 20 million copies in 41 languages and
is the greatest inspirational best-seller of all time. He visited Australia on 4 different occasions for
speaking engagements.
1

3. lifetime, he spoke to more than 30 million people. Dr Peale gave this most helpful
advice to those who engage in public speaking:
1. Be INTERESTING.
2. Be ENTHUSIASTIC.
3. DON’T TALK TOO MUCH.4
He gave other helpful advice to would-be public speakers, and much of that advice
is set out in this document.
Why is public speaking so important?
Public speaking is both an art and a skill, or rather a combination of skills.
Public speaking is important …
PERSONALLY … … … … … … because sooner or later each one of us will be
called upon to make a speech in public
… … … also, being an effective public speaker can be a
source of real and lasting joy and contentment.
PROFESSIONALLY … … … because, if you own or are working in a business,
by public speaking you hope to gain not lose
clients or customers.
4
See foreword by Dr Peale in Walters (1993:xxiv). Actor, singer and public speaking coach Dorothy
Sarnoff (born 1917) has written that effective public speakers have energy, enthusiasm, intensity,
conviction, animation, clarity, colour, expression, confidence, ease and humour.
2

4. Yes, business, professional, social and personal satisfaction and development depend
heavily upon your ability to communicate well, and that extends to speaking in
public.
However, public speaking does not appear to come naturally to most people. It is,
for the most part, an ACQUIRED SKILL. Most people seem to have an aversion to
public speaking. Indeed, it has been said that our 3 greatest fears are as follows:
1. DEATH.
2. BEING ASKED FOR MONEY.
3. SPEAKING IN PUBLIC.5
So, the more PRACTICE you get at speaking in public …
Analyze your audience
Before you speak … indeed, before you start preparing your speech … you must
ANALYZE YOUR AUDIENCE.
Who will be listening to you? An audience, especially one whose members come from
a distinct group, profession, etc, has a “corporate personality” of its own. That
personality could be intent, sophisticated, and aware of everything, or it could be
dull or apathetic. You need to tailor your speech, and its content, as well as your
delivery, to your particular audience.
5
At least this is the view of AdSchool AFA lecturer Tim Matthews: see S Robertson, “The Skill of Public
Speaking”, viewed 13 June 2007, <http://www.bandt.com.au/blog/blogposts.asp?postid=215>. According to
Project Management Source public speaking is rated as the number one fear by over 40 per cent of people in
the world: see “How to Improve Your Public Speaking: 27 Tips, Tricks, and Tutorials”, viewed 13 June 2007,
<http://www.projectmanagementsource.com/2007/03/how_to_improve_.html>.
3

5. To be persuasive you must have a keen understanding of HUMAN PSYCHOLOGY.
People want to be built up. Never begin a talk without feeling a strong sense of
affection and regard for your audience. Dr Peale wrote, “The human being
personality demands love and it also demands respect.”
The essence of good communication
Effective communication begins during the PREPARATION STAGE.
Your every communication, whether oral or written, consists of:
the CONTENT of the ideas communicated, and
the FEELING you covey with it.
You communicate your ideas and feelings through:
WORDS
VOCAL NOISE (pitch, tone, pace), and
BODY LANGUAGE (non-verbal).
Although we tend to focus most of our attention on the words, rather than on vocal
noise and body language, research suggests that the total impact of a
communication is as follows:
7 per cent WORDS
38 per cent VOCAL NOISE, and
55 per cent NON-VERBAL … including your body language, the way you
dress, the time allowed for your communication, the seating arrangements,
the physical environment, etc.
4

6. When you speak, you ENCODE your ideas and feelings you want to communicate into
words, vocal noises and body language that mean, at least according you genetic
makeup, learning, personality style and life experience, what you want, and hope, to
communicate. You send your “message” to your listeners who then, irrespective of
whether or not they are listening and otherwise paying attention to what you’re
saying, must DECODE the “message” they receive according to their respective
genetic makeup, learning, personality styles and life experiences.
So, your APPEARANCE is so very important. That means you must:
look as personable as possible
be neat and tidy
not slouch
avoid stiffness.
The really important thing is …
DON’T TRY TO IMITATE OTHERS. BE YOURSELF, NOT SOMEONE ELSE.
Yes, be yourself, and make use of all of your positive personality traits. It is only by
being yourself that you will ever be … ORIGINAL.
Learn from others, but don’t copy them. They are not you.
Attention lasts no more than 10 minutes
According to some studies, the average person has a MAXIMUM ATTENTION
SPAN of 10 minutes. However, a Swedish study found it was only 7 minutes … at the
5

7. maximum! More recent studies have concluded that average attention span is now
down to 1.5 minutes among younger people (ie Generation X’ers and Y’ers)!
This 10, or 7, or 1.5 minute “limit” need not limit the length of your speech but you
must keep it in mind and ensure that you carefully change your pace, mode of
delivery, expression and your subject-matter throughout your speech.
You must also bear in mind that PEOPLE TEND TO HEAR WHAT THEY EXPECT TO
HEAR, which may well be something altogether different from what you said or
intended. Prejudices, predilections, beliefs, expectations and past experience on
the part of the listener will have an impact on what they hear. Some of this
“distortion” is beyond your control, but you must telegraph your main points in an
effective manner and otherwise hold your audience.
Your listeners will LISTEN IN SPURTS. They concentrate for a minute or so, then
let up, and then concentrate again for a minute or so. Yes, most listeners only pay
attention to what is said for about a minute at a time. Part of the problem is that
we think at about 600 words per minute, but, on average, we talk at about 140
words per minute. Once you start to speak, by the time you’ve said a few words your
listeners’ minds have already raced ahead of you to something else.
The end result of all of the above is this … YOUR LISTENERS WILL REMEMBER
VERY LITTLE OF WHAT THEY HAVE HEARD.
Tell 'em, tell 'em again, and tell 'em what you've told them
This is the good advice often given to persons training to be ministers of religion …
or salespersons of any kind!
6

8. First, tell ’em
Yes, every speech must have
a BEGINNING,
a MIDDLE, and
an END.
Having said that, from a STRUCTURAL point of view, your speech should have 2
distinct parts:
an INTRODUCTION (the “beginning”), and
the MAIN BODY of the speech (which will encompass and embrace both
the “middle” and the “end”).
First, your speech must have an INTRODUCTION. In many ways, it’s the most
important part of your entire speech. Indeed, you MUST grab the attention of your
audience in the FIRST MINUTE.
After, maybe, one or 2 icebreakers (eg a question or an anecdote, humorous or
otherwise), start confidently, even boldly, in your INTRODUCTION by telling your
listeners:
WHAT your subject is,
WHAT you are going to cover, and
WHY it is important to THEM.
This enables you to state your “thesis” (main idea) upfront, in order to carefully
steer your audience in the direction that you want to take them. Use your
introduction to make some personal reference to the subject-matter of your talk,
7

9. the audience, and the purpose of the meeting. America’s greatest philosopher and
psychologist Professor William James (1842-1910) gave this advice to teachers …
ONE CAN ONLY MAKE ONE POINT IN A LECTURE …
… and the lecture he referred to lasted one hour!
In short, use your introduction to develop INTEREST and ATTENTION FACTORS.
However, keep your introduction brief. Get quickly to the point. Present the
“problem”, “challenge” or whatever quickly. The MAIN BODY of your speech is
where you address and answer the problem, meet the challenge, and so forth.
At all times, TALK to your audience, not at them. Smile at them. Make them feel
that you are genuinely interested in them.
Then, tell 'em again … and tell 'em what you've told them
If you intend speaking on a distinct theme and discrete topic area, then the MAIN
BODY of your speech should contain no more than 3 main sub-heads or main points,
all of which:
are illustrations, expositions or “proofs” of your theme or topic area,6
support your thesis or main idea, and
take the form of advice, opinion or recommendation, or guides or
methods for solving the “problem” or facing the “challenge”, or whatever.
If you can cover your material with only 2 sub-heads or main points, that is even
better.
6
Dr Peale (in White and Henderlider 1954) says that “the true example is the finest method I know to
make an idea clear, interesting, and persuasive. Usually, I use several examples to support each major
point.” These stories, whether about you or others, are sometimes known as “signature stories”. They
add both authenticity and interest to your speech.
8

10. So, never give a 15-30 minute speech as such, but rather a series of 2 or 3 short
stories that make a single point.
There need not be a formal CONCLUSION as such at the end of your speech.
Instead, at the end of each sub-head or main point, in order to assist recall:
SUMMARISE what you’ve said,
REPEAT the main point, and
STRESS key points, listing them progressively, even repetitively.
Your summary at the end of each sub-head or main point should be more-or-less the
same for every other sub-head or main point. Thus, the summary and conclusion for
the last sub-head can serve as a conclusion for the entire speech. This is especially
helpful if you find yourself running out of time. You can then discard your final sub-
head or point and simply rely upon your most recent summary as the CLOSE of the
entire speech.
If, however, your speech covers a number of different themes or topic areas, then
you may need a formal CONCLUSION to bring everything together and summarise
your entire speech.
In any event, concluding remarks, as such, should be short and to the point … but
end your speech on a STRONG note (eg by asking a question or telling a humorous
anecdote).
SUMMARISE as you go along. SUMMARISE, SUMMARISE, and SUMMARISE.
So, never forget …
TELL 'EM, TELL 'EM AGAIN, AND TELL 'EM WHAT YOU'VE TOLD THEM!
But you must know when to stop speaking. Dorothy Sarnoff has written:
9

11. Make sure you have finished speaking before your audience has finished listening.
Let’s take a look at how all this might work in practice.
EXAMPLE7
You are asked to give an address on whether the present legal definition of
religion in Australia (as enunciated by the High Court of Australia in the
Scientology case)8 is appropriate.
You happen to believe that the present definition is inappropriate. Thus, you
decide to structure your talk as follows:
I. INTRODUCTION
You will start by saying that the definition of what constitutes a
religion is of enormous legal importance having regard to such
matters as rating and taxing exemptions, the law of trusts (in
particular, the law relating to charitable trusts for the advancement
of religion), separation of church and state, clergy and communicant
privilege, and so forth.
You will then go on to explain what the High Court actually said about
the matter in the Scientology case, namely, that according to 2 of
the 5 justices belief in a supernatural Being, Thing or Principle is
essential for a religion. Two other justices considered that belief in
a supernatural Being, Thing or Principle was one of the more
important indicia of a religion and, if it were absent, it was unlikely
that one has a religion.
II. BODY OF SPEECH
You will make the following 3 main points. (NOTE. These 3 points are
really illustrations or “proofs” of your main idea or thesis.9)
7
This example is based on the thesis hypothesis of Beyond the Scientology Case: Towards a Better
Definition of What Constitutes a Religion for Legal Purposes in Australia Having Regard to Salient
Judicial Authorities from the United States of America as well as Important Non-Judicial
Authorities, a thesis submitted by Ian Ellis-Jones in fulfilment of the requirements of the
postgraduate degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Law (C02028), Faculty of Law, University of
Technology, Sydney. Year of Submission of Thesis on Completion of Examination: 2007. Year of
Submission of Thesis for Examination: 2006. Copyright © Ian Ellis-Jones 2007. All Rights Reserved.
8
Church of the New Faith v Commissioner of Pay-roll Tax (Vic) (1983) 154 CLR 120.
9
Or, in the case of a thesis, your thesis hypothesis consequent upon its investigation and testing.
10

12. 1. The present definition of religion is inappropriate in that it
does not readily accommodate a number of important belief
systems that are generally regarded as being religious belief
systems, even though they do not involve any notion of the
supernatural in the sense in which that word is ordinarily
understood. Examples of such belief systems include
Confucianism, many forms of Buddhism and modern day Judaism
and Christianity, and Christian Science.
Conclusion: The definition is inadequate.
2. The present definition of religion is inappropriate in that the
High Court has provided little or no meaningful guidance as to
how one determines whether a particular belief system involves a
“supernatural” view of reality. In that regard, the High Court saw
the “supernatural” as the “belief that reality extends beyond
that which is capable of perception by the senses”. However,
that is not supernaturalism but parapsychology which is the
scientific study of supernormal phenomena by experimental or
other systematic means.
Conclusion: The definition is inadequate.
3. The present definition of religion is inappropriate in that it is
philosophically impossible to postulate a meaningful distinction
between the “natural” and the supposedly “supernatural” in a way
that would enable the courts and other decision makers to
meaningfully apply the test enunciated by the High Court in the
Scientology case. Why? Because it is not possible to validate
supernaturalism either empirically or philosophically. There is an
inherent meaninglessness in calling things “supernatural” as it is
impossible to conceive of there being, let alone describe, any
existence, or other order or level of reality, other than "natural"
existence.
Conclusion: The definition is inadequate.
NOTE. The summary and conclusion for the third sub-head can serve as a conclusion
for the entire speech. However, if you wish there can be a formal conclusion as such
at the end of your speech.
11

13. Speech delivery
What makes an effective public speaker?
Basically, it’s a combination of genetic predisposition and makeup, conditioning,
personality style … and good ELOCUTION particularly in the second sense
described below:
Main Entry: el·o·cu·tion
Pronunciation: "e-l&-'kyü-sh&n
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English elocucioun, from Latin elocution-, elocutio, from eloqui
1 : a style of speaking especially in public
2 : the art of effective public speaking
- el·o·cu·tion·ary /-sh&-"ner-E/ adjective
- el·o·cu·tion·ist /-sh(&-)nist/ noun10
An emphasis on some basic elocution does not mean the abandonment of Australian
English which, at its best, is an altogether acceptable form of good English speech.
The true foundation of good speech is proper DIAPHRAGMATIC BREATHING11 as
opposed to chest breathing, which most people engage in.12
DIAPHRAGMATIC BREATHING involves expanding the lungs downwards as well, so
the diaphragm needs to move downwards.
10
Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, viewed 7 June 2007, <http://www.m-w.com/cgi-
bin/dictionary?book=Dictionary&va=elocution>. An emphasis on some basic elocution does not mean the
abandonment of Australian English which, at its best, is an altogether acceptable form of good English
speech.
11
In addition to diaphragm breathing, correct posture is very important to voice projection. Hold your
body upright when you speak. If your body sags, your voice sags.
12
There is also what is known as “abdominal breathing”.
12

14. EXERCISE
DIAPHRAGMATIC BREATHING
The floor of the chest cavity which contains the lungs is made up of the
diaphragm, which is a great dome of flattish muscle at the bottom of the
chest between the lungs and the stomach.
The diaphragm has the capacity to move upwards and downwards changing
the volume of the chest cavity and of its passive occupants, the lungs.
All good stuff, but it is a very sad fact that most people hardly use their
diaphragm when breathing.
Now, the diaphragm is a muscle you can't see, so you have to concentrate on
the muscles in front. One way of doing that is as follows.
If somebody is about to hit you in the abdomen, what do you ordinarily do?
You tense your abdominal muscles. Do so now. Slightly tense your abdominal
muscles and, at the same time, push your abdomen outwards as you breathe
in. The diaphragm descends (lowers) and the ribs move upwards and
outwards, making the chest cavity longer and larger.
The diaphragm and intercostal muscles (the muscles between the ribs)
should be used to take the in-breath to the middle and lower parts of the
lungs.
The diaphragm is also the principal muscle used for breathing out; the
diaphragm rises as you exhale, making the chest cavity shorter again.
Use your abdominal muscles in this way to control your breathing. Diaphragm
breathing gives the voice depth and also conveys a sense of assurance and
authority which is extremely important for a public speaker.
In addition to:
Having a WELL-ORGANIZED and TIGHTLY STRUCTURED SPEECH, and
being one’s own PERSONALITY,
an effective public speaker has the following SPEAKING SKILLS which collectively
produce a high STANDARD OF SPEECH:
13

15. a PLEASING, HIGH QUALITY VOICE with GOOD ARTICULATION, as
follows:
o solid PROJECTION in the form of:
 good, strong VOCAL PRODUCTION, and
 VOLUME,
o good TONE placement, with:
 appropriate controlled PITCH (good MODULATION and
INFLECTION),
 good RESONANCE, and
 expressive INTONATION,
o VARIANCE IN VOCAL ELEMENTS (pitch, volume and speed) when
necessary for effect, to avoid monotony and to otherwise generate
and maintain audience interest in the subject-matter of your
speech,13
o CLARITY in the forms of proper PRONUNCIATION,
ARTICULATION and DICTION, avoiding carelessness in the form of
such things as gross assimilation and gross elision,
o good RHYTHM, PACE and mode of delivery, with appropriate use of
PAUSES, and
o FLUENCY in the form of fluid dialogue14 with appropriate speed and
intensity, and
a direct but not confronting MANNER OF SPEECH, with:
o an appropriate use of formal and informal speech (but avoiding slang)
13
Change your pitch, volume, and speed at least once every 30 seconds or so, if only for just one
word.
14
Avoiding “ums” and “uhs”.
14

16. o good use, but not overuse, of rhetorical questions15 and declarative
sentences,
o varied VOCABULARY,
o good GESTICULATION and good POSTURE/BODY MOVEMENT (as
regards the latter, your neck must be well-positioned to optimize
your voice box – see the drawing on the next page),
o effective EYE CONTACT with the audience, and
o an appropriate use of HUMOUR (but avoiding sarcasm and bad
language unless it be a bucks party or something similar).16
THE MAIN ORGANS OF SPEECH
15
Good public speakers like Norman Vincent Peale and Fulton Sheen never left any of their own
rhetorical questions unanswered.
16
The best, and most innocuous, way of using humour wisely is to play yourself down. Most of the jokes
should be at your own expense. In addition, don’t be sarcastic. Witty, yes; sarcastic, no. Also, don’t
forget to smile a lot throughout your speech.
15

17. Before speaking:
WARM UP your voice.
BREATHE DEEPLY. Deep breathing, of the kind described earlier, is not
only good for the voice, it also helps to relax your whole body as well as
your mind.
STRETCH AND GENTLY MASSAGE your shoulders, chest, neck, jaw and
face.
When using a LECTERN:
DON’T lean on the lectern, and
DON’T just stand behind the lectern, but move around (but not like a
caged lion).
Ensure CORRECT POSTURE in the
standing position (see drawing
opposite). As mentioned above, the
NECK must be well-positioned to
optimize the VOICE BOX.
Develop APPROPRIATE GESTURES of
the hands, arms, body and face. Good
speakers are animated.
16

18. As regards effective EYE CONTACT with your audience, you must speak to and look
directly at your audience, but don’t “eye surf”. Although the eyes should be in
action almost constantly, don’t “picture” your audience, that is, don’t let your eyes
dart quickly across the room. Focus on one person in the audience at a time, then
another, as if having a one-on-one conversation with each person in the audience.
Avoid window gazing, floor gazing, etc. Effective public speakers play off their
audience with both gestures and eye contact.
Don’t worry about FEELING NERVOUS. That’s a good feeling; it’s the effect of
adrenalin. Use that rush of adrenalin to your best advantage. Transform it into
enthusiasm and passion for your subject-matter and your audience.
If you want to improve your speech start by observing others … and yourself.
SHOULD YOU SPEAK EXTEMPORANEOUSLY? Ideally, yes. However, that will not
always be possible for a variety of reasons including but not limited to the
complexity of the subject-matter, the time available to prepare for the speech, and
so forth. Even extemporaneous public speaking requires careful advance preparation
and, in that regard, Dr Peale’s advice is that you should still “carefully prepare a
pattern or sequence of ideas but leave the exact expression of those ideas to the
inspiration of the moment” (Broadhurst 1964:45).17
Using visual aids
Visual aids should be SIMPLE and NON-OBTRUSIVE … but large enough to be seen!
Avoid visual information overload and overkill. Recent research from UNSW
17
World’s Work edn, 1964.
17

19. indicates that it is more difficult to process information when it is coming at us in
both the written and spoken forms at the same time (cf PowerPoint presentations).
The UNSW research “shows the human brain processes and retains more
information if it is digested in either its verbal or written form, but not both at the
same time” (Patty 2007).
Some of the most effective public speakers of all time have used either no visual
aids at all or only the most simple types. For example, the popular American bishop
and TV personality Fulton Sheen, in his Life is Worth Living program, made very
effective use of a simple chalkboard. So, DON’T BE TRENDY AND FADDISH just
for the sake of it. The weight of evidence is now very much the other way.
Don’t be too hard on yourself
Good public speaking takes PRACTICE … lots of it. Learn from mistakes and, most
importantly, don’t take yourself too seriously. Indeed, you will be a better public
speaker if you don’t.
Dale Carnegie, an expert on public speaking, once wrote:
There are always three speeches, for every one you actually gave:
The one you practiced … the one you gave … the one you wish you gave!
18

20. GLOSSARY
Abdominal breathing, also known as lower-chest breathing, is when the front
abdominal wall is thrust outwards during inspiration, which occurs when the
intercostal muscles (the muscles between the ribs) are not used sufficiently. See
also chest breathing and diaphragmatic breathing.
Articulation refers to both the total process of the production of speech sounds as
well as enunciation (qv). More specifically, articulation refers to the degree of
clearness with which the sounds are produced, and involves the proper
understanding and use of the moveable organs of speech which form our consonants
and vowels. Articulation is said to be “good” when sounds are uttered distinctly.
Chest breathing, also known as clavicular breathing, which most people engage in,
involves expanding the rib cage outwards so the lungs are also forced to expand
outwards. See also abdominal breathing and diaphragmatic breathing.
Diaphragmatic breathing involves expanding the lungs downwards as well, so the
diaphragm needs to move downwards. See also abdominal breathing and chest
breathing.
Diction refers not just to your distinctive vocabulary but also to good enunciation
(qv), meaning that speech sounds are distinct and clear. The consonants are more
important than the vowels in clarity of speech.
Enthusiasm, in relation to public speaking, means that you, the speaker, must have
and display great excitement for and interest in your subject-matter together with
a strong passion to communicate that enthusiasm to your audience. The origin of
the English word “enthusiasm” can be traced to the Greek en theos (“in the god”,
“of the god”, “a god within” or, more accurately, “to be possessed by the god”). All
good public speaking comes from enthusiasm or, if you wish, divine inspiration.
Enunciation refers to the act of combining speech sounds into words as well as and
the degree of clearness of utterance.
Gesticulation refers to appropriate gestures of the hands, arms, body and face.
Gross assimilation occurs when different sounds are run together.
Gross elision occurs when sounds are dropped.
19

21. Inflection refers to the sliding of the voice from one pitch to another, being a
change of pitch within a key, whereas modulation (qv) refers to a change in the
voice from one key to another.
Intonation means clear and varied inflection (qv) and modulation (qv) in the voice,
with consequent changes in pitch or tone or voice.
Modulation is the process of changing the voice from one range of pitch (“key”) to
another, effected by the tightening and slackening of the vocal cords. See also
inflection.
Nasality refers to a quality of the voice that is produced by the nasal resonators
(the small bones and cavities directly above, behind and beside the nose). Excessive
nasality most frequently occurs as a result of a lazy soft palate, tense jaw and
tongue, and a mouth that is not open wide enough. Ensure that your teeth are
parted a little when you talk.
Pace, or speed, is the rate at which words are spoken. The normal English speaking
rate of most people is 150 to 170 words per minute, with overall speaking rate
ranges being between approximately 130 to 200 words per minute. A rate of 140
words per minute is ordinarily too slow for normal speaking but is generally OK for
most types of formal public speaking. All things considered, a rate of 140-160
words per minute is a good pace for a persuasive speech.
Pause, also known as caesura, means an audible pause, break or interruption in
speaking. American comedian Jack Benny said, “It’s not so much knowing when to
speak, as when to pause.” Pause before and after each important point, but don’t
overdo it. A couple of seconds of silence can be very effective, but no more.
Pitch refers to the highs and lows of a speaker’s voice. The speaker’s total range of
pitch consists of the highest and lowest pitches which the speaker can utter
comfortably together with all the pitches in between. Most people these days
prefer to hear “low” tones as opposed to squeaky, high-pitched voices, but avoid a
boring, monotone voice. A controlled, well-pitched voice is a distinct advantage.
Pronunciation refers to the choice of sounds and the manner of accentuation of
those sounds when words are produced. A good speaker avoids mispronunciations.
Resonance refers to a sound quality or timbre enriched by overtones (harmonics)
without over-nasality which enables us to recognize and distinguish individual voices.
The proper use of your resonance cavities ensures that sounds produced by the
vocal cords are amplified and reinforced.
20

22. Speaking rate. See pace.
Speech is simply voice modified by changes in the pharynx (being the part of the
throat that begins from behind the nose to the beginning of the voice box and the
oesophagus), mouth and nose.
Speed. See pace.
Tone refers to the quality or character (“timbre”) of the sound of a particular
person’s voice. The expression can also refer to the particular or relative pitch (qv)
of a word, phrase or sentence. The “secret” of good speech is quality of tone. The
original sound made by the vocal cords is thin and requires resonance for beauty
and fullness.
Voice refers to the sound produced by the vocal organs, specifically through the
expiration of air through vibrating vocal cords. The expression also refers to the
ability to produce such sounds. The mechanism of voice involves the following
structures: the lungs, the larynx, and the resonance cavities (especially the larynx,
pharynx, nose and mouth).
Voice quality refers to the net calibre of the voice in terms of its character and
attributes. Although not the same thing as speech, voice quality nevertheless
modifies speech considerably.
Volume is the “intensity” or “fullness” of vocal tone (that is, the relative loudness or
softness with which the words are spoken). For speech to be good and intelligible
frequencies of 500 to 4,000 are necessary, and it must be of adequate intensity.
Project your voice out over the entire audience.
21

23. BIBLIOGRAPHY
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