SULEYMAN DEMIREL UNIVERSITY

Public Speaking
Summer 2020

Instructor: Arman Argynbayev

Module 4: Introduction to oratory

MODULE 4: INTRODUCTION TO ORATORY

By the end of this module, you will be able to do the

following:

🞆Recognize ways in which orators tailor their writing for the

spoken word.
🞆Describe techniques for effective public speaking, both
prepared and extemporaneous.
WRITING FOR SPEAKING
Structure
🞆When you are writing a speech, you should bear in mind
that your audience will only have one chance to understand
any one thing you say. They can’t stop and replay what you
just said. As a result, you will have to work to make sure
that you bring them along with you. It is critical for your
speech to have a clearly articulated argument that you refer
back to often to keep it fresh in your hearers' minds. Your
speech should also have a clear structure, with “signal
phrases” that let your audience know when you are moving
from one idea to the next.
🞆To this end, the topic of division is a useful tool:
DIVISION
The topic of division enumerates the constituent parts of an idea, entity, or argument,
and articulates the logical relationship of those parts to each other.
"I want to talk to you today about three places where we begin to build the Great
Society: in our cities, in our countryside, and in our classrooms.
Our society will never be great until our cities are great. Today the frontier of
imagination and innovation is inside those cities and not beyond their borders. It will
be the task of your generation to make the American city a place where future
generations will come not only to live, but to live the good life.
A second place where we begin to build the Great Society is in our countryside. We
have always prided ourselves on being not only America the strong and America the
free, but America the beautiful. Today that beauty is in danger. The water we drink, the
food we eat, the very air that we breathe, are threatened with pollution.
A third place to build the Great Society is in the classrooms of America. There your
children’s lives will be shaped. Our society will not be great until every young mind is
set free to scan the farthest reaches of thought and imagination."
—President Lyndon Johnson outlines his domestic policies (the “Great Society”
program) before Congress on January 5, 1965.
STYLE
Writing for public speaking is also a question of style. Vivid
images and figures of speech are valuable tools for capturing
and keeping your audience’s attention. The use of all of the
different forms of repetition,
like parallelism and anaphora, is particularly important.
You can see President Johnson use strategic repetition in the
passage quoted above: he repeats the phrase “place...to build
the Great Society” in some form before each of his points,
reminding us at each step what this is a list of.
Figures of Speech: Figures of speech are rhetorical devices that use language in unique and non-literal
ways to create impact. Examples include metaphors, similes, personification, hyperbole, and
alliteration. These devices add depth and vividness to the language used.

Metaphor: Metaphors compare two seemingly unrelated things to highlight a

similarity, often creating a vivid image. For example, "Her smile was a ray of
sunshine."
Simile: Similar to metaphors, similes compare two things using "like" or "as" to
make a comparison. For example, "His voice was as smooth as silk."
Personification: Personification gives human characteristics to non-human entities
or objects. For instance, "The wind whispered through the trees."
Hyperbole: Hyperbole involves exaggeration for effect. For example, "I'm so
hungry I could eat a horse."
Imagery: Imagery uses descriptive and sensory language to create mental images
that appeal to the senses, such as sight, sound, taste, touch, and smell. It allows
the reader or listener to feel more connected to the content. For example, "The
sea was a brilliant shade of turquoise, and the waves danced in the sunlight."
Alliteration: Alliteration is the repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of
words in close proximity, creating a pleasing sound and rhythm. For instance,
"She sells seashells by the seashore."
PARALLELISM AND ANAPHORA
Parallelism:
● Parallelism is the use of similar grammatical structures or patterns in a series of
words, phrases, clauses, or sentences. It creates a balanced and harmonious
structure that makes the text easier to read or hear and helps to emphasize a point.
● Example of parallelism in a sentence: "She enjoys reading, swimming, and
hiking." In this example, the three gerunds ("reading," "swimming," and "hiking")
are presented in a parallel structure, making the sentence more cohesive and
rhythmical.
Anaphora:
● Anaphora is a specific type of parallelism that involves the repetition of a word or
phrase at the beginning of successive clauses or sentences. It is often used to add
emphasis and create a rhythmic, memorable effect.
● Example of anaphora: "I have a dream that one day... I have a dream that one day...
I have a dream that one day..." This famous example from Martin Luther King Jr.'s
"I Have a Dream" speech repeats the phrase "I have a dream that one day" at the
beginning of multiple sentences, reinforcing the central theme and making the
speech more impactful.
THE SOUND BYTE

Since the advent of Twitter, many people have received their

news in tiny snippets. Even when they do watch, listen to, or
read a full news story, both written and recorded quotes
—“sound bytes”—are incredibly short: The Boston
Globe reported in 2012 that the average length of a sound
byte in that year's election cycle was just under eight
seconds. As a result, you will want to carefully include short,
punchy sentences that sum up your points. Providing these
easily excerpted snippets is one way to exercise some control
over how your words will be remembered.
However, making a short, pithy statement of something
important almost always requires that you leave something
else important out. Make sure the things that you leave out
are things that you can afford to lose when your words are
repeated.
 Extemporaneous
Speaking
/ekˌstem.pəˈreɪ.ni.əs/
done or said without any preparation or thought
OUTLINING AND PREPARING FOR AN UNSCRIPTED
SPEECH

From time to time, you will need to give a speech that you
will have no time to write beforehand. Perhaps, for example,
you will need to respond in a debate to someone else’s
speech, or perhaps you will have to respond quickly to some
event that just occurred. You may also simply prefer to give
your speech extemporaneously. There are certain advantages
to this approach. You will be able to connect with your
audience more in terms of gestures, posture, and eye contact
if you are not busy reading from a script. Extemporaneous
speaking also gives you the flexibility to invite audience
participation, which makes you seem more personable and
approachable.
There are several tactics that you may find useful when
preparing to give an unscripted speech.
🞆 First, you will want a clear and effective outline of your
train of thought. This will help you make sure that you cover
each of your main points. It will also help you pace yourself
effectively. You will want to know exactly how much time to
give to each section of your speech. Make sure that there is a
clock visible somewhere in the venue where you will be
speaking, and that you stick to your plan. Few things are
worse than nearing the end of your time and realizing you
have only covered half of your points.
🞆 Secondly, compose and memorize two or three
clear sentences for each section of your outline that sum up
your points. A good rule is to have a suggestive or surprising
opening line; a thought-provoking aside, example, or
subpoint; and a firm, compelling closing statement. These
will ensure that you communicate your ideas effectively and
give your audience key touchstones to remember your
argument with.
🞆Third, try pairing each point in your speech with a vivid,
effective story or example. Storytelling holds the
attention, makes your points memorable, and helps enliven
your talk.
🞆Lastly, make sure you get your facts straight! If you use
concrete details, memorize them carefully. Mistakes in fact
or erroneous statistics will give critics plenty to talk about
and will distract from your central message.
🞆For each of these strategies, the most crucial element for
success is practice, practice, and more practice.
ANSWERING QUESTIONS
🞆 Even if you do give a scripted speech, you will often have
to answer questions or interact with your audience in some
way. Don’t worry: there are ways to prepare for this, too!
🞆 Anticipate counterarguments. In each case, try to have a
clear, emphatic, or compelling sentence memorized with
which to open your response. You can then elaborate or
expand on that thought or idea, but it is important to
address it firmly and clearly.
🞆 Use questions as opportunities. There may be some
additional points that you don’t have time to cover, but that
you suspect your audience may be curious about; be
prepared to take any relevant questions as opportunities to
expand and elaborate on your argument. Again, memorize
short sentences with which to open your additional points.
ANSWERING QUESTIONS

🞆Do not be afraid to reiterate. When questions are raised

that your speech already addressed, be patient with your
audience. They are giving you a valuable opportunity to
repeat your points. If those points matter enough to say
once, they matter enough to say again and again.
🞆If you do not know the answer to a question, do not be
afraid to say so. Being evasive or hedging will be
transparent to your audience and damage
your ethos tremendously.

reiterate - to say something again, once or several times

ROBERT KENNEDY, EXTEMPORANEOUS SPEECH

An Example
Harvard Kennedy School Professor David Gergen began his
career as a speechwriter for President Richard Nixon. He
went on to become Nixon's director of speech-writing, then
director of communications for Presidents Ford and Reagan.
Professor Gergen also served as a special advisor to
President Bill Clinton. In the video below, he describes
Bobby Kennedy's tribute to Martin Luther King Jr. as a
moving example of unscripted oratory.

Watch the video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GoKzCff8Zbs
PUBLIC SPEAKING TIPS

Erika Bailey is Head of Voice and Speech at Harvard's

American Repertory Theater. Along with Professor Engell,
she coaches students who speak at Harvard
Commencement. Here are Erika's tips on preparing for
your speech, and using voice and movement to captivate
your audience.

Watch her video.

And watch a few more.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFPwDe22CoY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tYto5PrSOI