PUBLIC SPEAKING

INTRODUCTION
Humans’ ability to communicate using formalized systems of language is one of the reasons
which sets us apart from other living creatures on the Earth. As Quintilian says, “God, that
all-powerful Creator of nature and architect of the world, has impressed man with no
character so proper to distinguish him from other animals, as by the faculty of speech.” So,
communication is an important tool in our day-to-day life to inform and express ourselves but
it becomes very useful skill if one tries to master it. One of the aspects of the communications
is PUBLIC SPEAKING. Even, the most successful and most powerful people over the
centuries have mastered the ability to communicate effectively both publicly and personally.
In fact, the skill of communicating through public speaking was so important that it has been
formally taught and practice for thousands of years.
According to Wikipedia, Public speaking is giving speech face to face to live audience. We
often assume that public speaking is only related to politicians giving speeches during
elections but its purpose and uses are more than that. Public speaking can serve the purpose
of transmitting information, motivating people to act or encouraging people and telling a
story. Most of the professional jobs involve public speaking, even a student participating in
elocution can be termed as public speaking. Thus, due to the evolution of public speaking, it
is modernly viewed as any form of speaking (formally and informally) between an audience
and the speaker.
ORIGINS OF PUBLIC SPEAKING
It is said that the Egypt was first to have the form of public speaking but the evidently the
first trace of the origin of modern public speaking was found in the ancient Greece and Rome
go goes back to more than 2000 years ago. Of course, those societies didn't have any of the
electronic conveniences we've got today to help with public speaking but they did have a
need for public speaking as both Greece and Rome are known for their democracy which has
heavy dependence of speaking skills and developed public speaking methods that are still
studied today.
The ancient Greeks, in particular, used public speaking primarily in persuading and praising
people. As being the birth place of democracy, at one point, all Greek citizens had the right to
suggest or oppose laws during their assemblies, which resulted in a need for skilled public
speakers and thus, public speaking became a desirable skill and soon was being taught in
universities and to public. Public speaking in the time of the Greeks was called rhetoric.
Afterwards when Romans came to power, they also needed skilled public speakers for their
roman senate and they also adopted the public speaking rhetoric methods of the Greeks. In
fact, most public speaking teachers of the time were Greek and thus Greeks and romans gave
the world the art of public speaking.
FATHER OF PUBLIC SPEAKING

Aristotle, the great Greek philosopher whose philosophies are considered to be empirical, and
practical is considered the father of public speaking. He was the first philosopher to consider
the dynamics of public speaking and persuasion and to compile those observations in The
Rhetoric.  In effect, this became the first textbook on public speaking. However, for 20 years
Aristotle was Plato’s student, but their philosophies were quite different, as Aristotle’s
philosophies mainly pointed out to the world. Aristotle was the one who came up with the
definitive rules and models of public speaking. It was because of his emphasis on oratory that
led to oration becoming a central part of liberal arts and education.

The classical antiquity works written by him captured the ways in which the art of public
speaking was taught and developed.  He came up with the three rules of public speaking and
termed it as Rhetoric– “the faculty of observing in any given case the available means of
persuasion.” The three rules or means of persuasion were -  Logos, Ethos & Pathos.

EVOLUTION OF PUBLIC SPEAKING

The art, or use of public speaking, is quite different today than when it was practiced by the
Greeks, and then the Romans. Theirs was a time that didn’t have multimedia -- television,
radio, internet, movies, newspapers, and the like -- for getting their messages to the masses.
Instead, the Greeks and Romans informed, praised, or persuaded people the old fashion way
-- through discourse -- otherwise known as the oral tradition. That meant speaking face to
face with their audience.
What we know today as the art of public speaking has undergone a number of changes since
the days of Pericles, Cicero, and Quintilian. Public speaking brought us through the Middle
Ages, experienced a rebirth as a result of the Renaissance, redefined to conquer and explain
the known and unknown, interpreted to perform theatrics, and finally, along this historical
path from the ancient Greeks and Romans, the art of public speaking was reinvented to
accommodate the electronic age of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. So, has public
speaking really changed since the days of the Greeks and Romans No, the concept of public
speaking hasn’t changed; it has basically remained the same. However, as the field of
communication transitioned from one era to another, so did the understanding of public
speaking.

GREAT PUBLIC SPEACHES- SPEAKERS

1. Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill was the British Prime Minister during WW2. He understood his talent of
oratory and once wrote, “of all the talents bestowed on men, none is so precious as the gift of
oratory.” When WW2 started and France was defeated, he gave his most inspirational speech “We
Shall Fight on the Beaches”. And when London was suffering from its worst bombardment during
the Blitz, his speeches motivated the British to “never surrender”. In 1953, Churchill was awarded
the Nobel Prize in Literature, in part for his speeches.
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skrdyoabmgA)

2.  Abraham Lincoln

“The Gettysburg Address” is one of the greatest pieces of rhetoric which was delivered by
Abraham Lincoln. This speech was delivered at the time of the civil war. The speech lasted
only for 3 minutes where he aimed at testing whether the government could maintain the
proposition of equality and discard the practice of slavery. In short, his speech aimed at
reviving the constitution in such a way where everyone had freedom and equality. The words
chosen by him could be understood by anyone which made his message more clear, concise
and impactful. 

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvA0J_2ZpIQ&feature=emb_logo)
3. Martin Luther King jr.
Martin Luther was a black civil rights activist in the United States who fought against racial
discrimination. He always believed in non-violence and respect for humanity, irrespective of
colour, race or creed. His most famous speech, “I Have a Dream” has been listen to by millions
since he delivered it. Due to its powerful message, he got the Presidential Medal of Freedom in the
year 1997.
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smEqnnklfYs&feature=emb_logo)
INDIAN PUBLIC SPEAKERS
1.Bal Gangadhar Tilak
Bal Gangadhar Tilak was a great orator delivered a speech in Nashik in 1917 after he came
out of prison after six years. The slogan 'Swaraj is my birthright' became very important in
the ongoing national struggle for self-government and eventually complete independence. 

2.Mahatma Gandhi
Gandhi is one of the world's great inspiring public speakers. Yet it wasn't always that way. In fact
in his early years, Gandhi was a terrified public speaker. It has often been asserted that Gandhi’s
impact on the people he met and spoke to was simply electrifying. These people were not just
freedom fighters and politicians, writers and thinkers; Gandhi spoke to people living in slums,
villagers, farmers, laborers and the illiterate and that’s one of the reasons he’s

3.Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose

“Give me blood and I will give you freedom” This is perhaps the most famous speeches given
by Netaji Subhahs Chandra Bose. He delivered this speech in Burma in 1944 to the members
of Indian National Army. 
PUBLIC SPEAKING IN THE AGE OF INTERNET
From past few decades, importantly after the second world war, public speaking has became a
very important skill and has also evolved over a period of time. Now, on global level the leaders of
countries need to be very aware about what and how they speak and thus its very important to
them to have the public speaking skills. Most of the jobs around the world involve more or less to
speak publicly and also there are increased number of competitions on school and college level so
for them also it is important to hone the skill of public speaking.

Public speaking as a form has changed a lot during this electronic and internet age. Now, there are
various platforms such as TEDx talks, YouTube, Social media and the internet as a platform itself.
So, the traditional definition of speaking to people face to face is changing gradually.

DOCUMENTARY
There is a documentary named Public speaking directed by Martin Scorsese which revolves
around a public speaker Fran Lebowitz, a writer known for his unique take on modern life.
This documentary shows how is a life of public speaker and it is also a good for learning the
fundamental skills for public speaking.
CONCLUSION
In today’s world it has become very important to communicate effectively and so it crucial to learn
the public speaking for everyone. It will not only help to land a good job but it will also help
personal relations and in today’s there are also a lot of online courses to learn from.