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The
Basic Course
This page provides some tips on the kind of language that is appropriate to public speaking, as contrasted with writing. While many of the techniques used to make written messages inspiring, persuasive, or informative -- such as the use of metaphor, simile, metonymy, synecdoche, antithesis, and imagery -- should also be used in good oral communication, this page focuses on what is more specific to speaking.
Oral language and written language are very different. In general, since it is meant to be listened to rather than to be read, public speaking uses a less formal language style. In contrast to essays and other written forms, speeches should use:
Sentences in public speaking must always be concise. A sentence that is beautifully written for the page can be impossible to decipher by the listening audience, no matter how awesome your presentation skills are. For example, in a Memorial Day speech he gave at the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial, President Clinton could have said:
"These men and women, who were known to all of us -- there is not one person here who did not know someone on the wall -- fought for freedom, brought honor to their communities, loved, and died for, their country."
Instead, he said:
"These men and women fought for freedom, brought honor to their communities, loved their country, and died for it. The were known to all of us. There's not a person in this crowd today who did not know someone on this wall."
By keeping each idea a separate sentence, Clinton made his speech easier to follow. For more examples of how sentences differ in oral versus written communication, read the front page of today's newspaper, then listen to the news on the radio. Notice how the sentences are shorter in broadcast news than in the newspaper.
Do not use jargon unless your audience consists of experts in the field the jargon comes from. For example, if you are speaking to a group of people who are not in the medical field, do not say, "The malignancy metastasized." Instead just say, "The cancer spread." Even if there is a slight variation in meaning between the two phrases, the audience would not know the difference, and you might lose them or cause them to become disinterested if you use specialized language.
In general, oral communication uses simpler words. If someone is reading your words, they can consult a dictionary if necessary, but if they are listening to you, you could lose them by using an unnecessarily "big" word. For example:
Notice how the simpler words listed above are more vivid. In public speaking, being abstract will get you nowhere. You can make your speech more interesting by including words that are descriptive, specific and concrete. After you have organized your speech, look at the language you're using and see if you can replace words or phrases with ones that would provide more meaning and/or more description. For example:
When someone is listening to you speak, they need you to repeat yourself more often than you would if they were reading your words. A reader can go back on the page to remind herself of important points, but a listener cannot. Your speech will not be understood or remembered unless you use strategic repetition.
An internal summary is a form of transition that reviews what you have already stated and prepares the listener for the next point. For example:
"I have already explained that shorter sentences and simple language are easier for the listener to absorb, and I've touched on how the use of repetition in the form of internal summaries can help the listener remember your message. Next I would like to provide examples of the use of repetition in actual speeches"
While this type of transition was not necessary for us to write here on the web page, it would be helpful if we were communicating orally. See our speech structure page for more ideas on how to use repetition in your speeches.
Anaphora is the repetition of words or phrases, and parallelism is the repetition of sentence structure. Often, they go together. These techniques not only help the listener remember your message, but they also make your speech pleasing to hear.
For example, Jesse Jackson's speech before the Democratic National Convention in 1988 used anaphora and parallelism. Jackson said:
"The denial of human rights anywhere is a threat to human rights everywhere. Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere."
The anaphora in this excerpt is found in Jackson's repetition of the words "anywhere" and "everywhere." The parallelism is in his repetition of the sentence structure: "_________ is a threat to _________."
Another example of using repetition effectively can be found in Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech from the civil rights March on Washington in 1963. His repetition of the phrase "I have a dream" several times helped it to become one of the most memorable and inspirational speeches in the nation's history.
This is the last example on this language page. Notice how King suddenly broke the parallelism by including a short sentence that was different than the basic sentence structure he had been using. This combination of repetition and novelty is one of the marks of a skillful orator.
An excerpt from "I Have a Dream:"
"I say to you today, my friends, that in spite of the difficulties and frustrations of the moment I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.
I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident; that all men are created equal."
I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slaveowners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.
I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a desert state sweltering with the heat of injustice and oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.
I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.
I have a dream today. . ."