PUBLIC SPEAKING.   Term Paper ID:28063 Click to get this paper

Essay Subject: Discusses audience contact, delivery, distractions, speaker-listener relationship.... More...

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Paper Abstract: Discusses audience contact, delivery, distractions, speaker-listener relationship. Paper Introduction: This paper examines physical, emotional, and mental contact with the audience as a component of public speaking. A speech before a group is an exchange, although usually only the speaker is talking. Yet without effective interaction, communication does not take place. The speaker must be constantly aware of the different kinds of contact that are occurring with the audience, drawing cues from the audible, visual, and visceral reactions being stimulated among the listeners. Interaction is dependent on such basic elements as whether or not the speaker can be heard clearly or speaks with a discernable accent and on such complex issues as whether or not the message has been well designed to meet the needs, interests, and preconceptions of those in attendance. An effective relationship between speaker and audience can result in the powerful exchange of information, Text of the Paper: The entire text of the paper is shown below. However, the text is somewhat scrambled. We want to give you as much information as we possibly can about our papers and essays, but we cannot give them away for free. In the text below you will find that while disordered, many of the phrases are essentially intact. From this text you will be able to get a solid sense of the writing style, the concepts addressed, and the sources used in the research paper. Speakers must take care to address issues that are genuinelyimportant to the audience, not merely to themselves. If theaudience cannot hear the speaker, has trouble understanding the speaker'saccent, or is distracted by the speaker's delivery, an exchange isunlikely. Gondin and Edward M. Clella Iles Jaffe (1995) argues, "Therelationship between speakers and their audiences is complex, involvinginterwoven sets of perceptions that they hold about themselves and oneanother" (p. Caveat audiens ("let thelistener beware"). It also enables you to judge audiencereaction and tailor your remarks accordingly" (p. A famous person who is wellknown for insensitivity toward a particular group would not be likely to beaccepted as an authority by members of that group; for example, AnitaBryant would not be the best choice to speak about gay rights to apredominantly gay audience, although she would probably be well received bya conservative group opposed to more liberal gay issues. Mammen (1981) observe, "Publicspeaking is an enlarged conversation" (p. 23). Hankins, G. Hankins (1991, January 7) cites the example of the chiefexecutive of an aerospace firm: "He continued in the same dull, distantmonotone, even when he announced, 'If I sound enthusiastic, it is because Iam enthusiastic'" (p. 42). Interaction is dependenton such basic elements as whether or not the speaker can be heard clearlyor speaks with a discernable accent and on such complex issues as whetheror not the message has been well designed to meet the needs, interests, andpreconceptions of those in attendance. 92). Sonya Hamlin (1988) writes, "Three basic factors shape theanswer to every potential listener's challenging unspoken question: 'Whyshould I listen?' [These are] self-interest, who's telling, [and] how theytell it" (p. A speech before a group is anexchange, although usually only the speaker is talking. Hankins(1991, January 7) suggests, "Look at everyone during your presentation.This lets the audience know you are talking to them, not merely recitingsomething for your own benefit. Contact between speaker and audience must include the physical, theemotional, and the intellectual. M. Industry Week,24 (1): 42. William R. It's not what you say: Publicspeaking skills are vital, and the standards are rising. Theseperceptions are to some extend preconceived: they are present at the startof the speech and affect the ways in which the exchange occurs. The best speakers are good performers, using a variety of gestures,humor, energy, and rapport to establish contact with the audience. Theaudience usually does not speak (at least not during the speech itself) butnevertheless participates in the discussion by following the speaker'sargument, agreeing or disagreeing, and thinking about the points beingmade. New York: Harper & Row. 11 -112). 2). References Doloff, S. Steven Doloff (1997,January-February) notes the danger of "attributing to the public apreoccupation with something that the [speakers] themselves are keen onbecause they hope it will generate a marketable amount of public interest"(p. The speaker mustbe constantly aware of the different kinds of contact that are occurringwith the audience, drawing cues from the audible, visual, and visceralreactions being stimulated among the listeners. The public speech, on whatever topic andin whatever setting, is a part of this ongoing national conversation.Whether it makes an effective contribution or blocks the process isdependent on factors as simple as whether or not the audience can hear thespeaker and as complex as whether or not the speaker is able to construct acogent, well-reasoned argument that the audience is able to follow. Public speaking: A cultural perspective.Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.----------------------- 1 48). The emotional contact between speakerand audience can be intoxicating and addictive. Jaffe (1995) writes, "Public speaking is vital in a free societywhere each person is valued and each citizen has the constitutional rightto express ideas freely" (p. W. Humanist, 57(1): 4-6. The age range of the group, their educational andcultural prejudices, their knowledge of and attitude toward the subject,and other relevant factors are important in designing the message to bedelivered. Garden City, NY: Doubleday. Even when all physical factors are working to support the speaker'sefforts, other distractions can work against the speech's effectiveness.Jaffe (1995) notes the distinction between monological and dialogicalspeakers, those who see their audiences as individuals to be manipulatedand those who consider the audience to be an important part of thediscussion, even if the speaker's words are the primary means ofcommunication (pp. (1997, January-February). An effective relationship betweenspeaker and audience can result in the powerful exchange of information,and it is the speaker's responsibility to make sure that all the elementsare in place to facilitate such an exchange. When all three are working, a truedialogue ensues. This paper examines physical, emotional, and mental contact with theaudience as a component of public speaking. While the conventional viewof a conversation is that of an exchange of words, a dialogue, publicspeaking is a more subtle version of the same kind of exchange. Gondin W. I. Self-interest determines whether the audience memberwill begin the exchange. A room that is too cold, an outside area that contains toomany distractions, or a faulty public address system can all impair thecommunication process. She (1995) observes, "Audiences whoparticipate in monologue allow speakers to dominate and control them.Instead of thinking their way through arguments and fighting for theirpersonal conclusions, they allow themselves to be swayed by the words ofthe speaker" (p. (1988). The exchange begins when the audience decides to pay attention in thefirst place. 42). How to talk so people listen: The real key tojob success. 97). The audience must also perceive the speakerto be authoritative and worth listening to. Speech preparation should include study of the audience, learningwhat the listeners are interested in and consider important as a basis forbeginning to write a speech. In otherrespects, however, they can change during the speech. In this kind of dominant situation, the speaker mayemerge feeling triumphant, but no real exchange has occurred. The art of speaking madesimple. They can help sway an audience torespond in a visceral way to subjects that, in more contemplative moments,they might think about more exhaustively. The way in which the message is delivered is also important. Hamlin, S. Mental contact with the audience can also be dangerous in its ownway, since it tends to build on purely rational terms a connection thatignores the common humanity of speaker and audience. This does not merely mean that the speakermust be an appropriate authority for delivering a particular message orconveying certain information. 5). Jaffe, C. An effective speech begins with an analysis ofwho is being addressed. (1991, January 7). The speaker candiscover that the audience is more diverse, more perceptive, or morerestless than originally anticipated, and this can be influenced not onlyby the speaker's presentation but also by physical factors of the speakingenvironment. Yet withouteffective interaction, communication does not take place. 6). R., & Mammen, E. The best speechcombines feeling and thought, using a combination of intellectual argumentsand human example to establish the conversation that is the public speech. Jaffe (1995) contends that the speaker-listener relationship isprincipally dependent on three factors: "(1) your perception of youraudience, (2) their perceptions of you, and (3) the perceptions you andyour listeners hold regarding the relationship between you" (p. (1981). Speakers must take care not toabuse emotional appeals or stimulate emotional responses that could bedangerous and get out of control. (1995). Gary W. Emotions arepowerful tools in public speaking. The speaker's background and credibility are important factors in therelationship to the audience. Doloff (1997, January-February) argues against the use of emotionallycharged words or phrases, designed to "reduce the audience's potentiallycomplicated feelings about a controversial subject (presumably underrational discussion) to an irrational gut response" (p. 111). If this paper is not what you are looking for, you can search again: Search for: or Click here to request an essay written just for you.