Words Are Like Food
Junk Food -- avoid at all costs
Fast Food -- low nutritional value
Healthy Choice Food -- your best choice
Gourmet Food -- use appropriately for effect
Junk Food Words
Ah, Um, Er, So, And...
Thing
Stuff
Really
Very
Expletives
Expectations -- "more than I thought," "more than you'd imagine"
Why are these words Junk Food?
Don't communicate thoughts, might communicate that thoughts exist
Don't communicate feelings, might communicate that feelings exist
Don't specify depth of feeling
Fast Food Words
Adjectives
"When you see an adjective, kill it!"
"This," "these" used as nouns
Why are Adjectives Fast Food Words?
They say what you think or feel
They don't say why you think or feel that way
They don't fully engage the audience
This, these -- require audience to remember when you could reinforce
Healthy Choice Words
Verbs
Precise nouns
Why are Verbs Good Food Words?
Verbs carry baggage: alight vs slam; bluffed vs said; ate vs dined
Baggage conveys your thoughts
Baggage involves your audience
Exercise: power lines across the prairie
Why are Precise Nouns Good Food Words?
Precise nouns build audience respect
Precise nouns build on audience experience
Ex: Tree vs Oak vs Live Oak
Ex: Bird vs Hawk vs Cooper's Hawk
Gourmet Food Words
Verbs
Precise nouns
When do you use gourmet words?
To make a special point
When you use pauses or maybe strong voice
When you would make a deliberate, expansive gesture
When don't you use gourmet words?
If the audience may not understand the pronunciation
If the audience may not understand the word
When the words don't pass the "Thesaurus test"
If they provide too rich a diet - Ex: "Row, row, row your boat."
As a band-aid for a poor speech
|
The Big Picture -- Structure
Speech has structure
Paragraphs have structure
Sentences have structure
Words must fit each of these structures
Just like gestures and body language must fit these
The Big Picture -- Energy Flow
Speech has ebbs and flow of energy and excitement
Paragraphs have ebbs and flow of energy and excitement
Sentences have ebbs and flow of energy and excitement
Words must fit each of these ebbs and flows
Just like gestures and body language must fit these
Presentation Speed Control
Radio
TV & Movies
VCR/DVD/CD
Speech
Written
Rate of Speech
Fast Food
Good Food
Gourmet Food
Gestures and Body Language
Fast Food
Good Food
Gourmet Food
Styles of Writing
Broadcast
News story
Feature article
Words to Write, Words to Speak
Fast Food - avoid in both
Healthy choice - written word can be richer, because audience has time
Gourmet Food - use for effect in both; know your audience
Exercise: powerlines reflecting light
Conclusion
Be aware of the four classes of words
Listen for appropriate and inappropriate words
Listen at tonight's speech contest
|