Six Guidelines for Effective Language Use

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Six Guidelines for Effective Language Use[1]

public speaking에 대한 이미지 검색결과

I.               Be Clear
Use lay language, repetition, paraphrasing, and examples.  Avoid jargon that your audience will not understand.
e.g. instead of “We’ve all been taught that AIDS is perinatal and that it is transmitted through sexual contact.”
Rephrase terms,
“We’ve been taught that AIDS is transmitted from other to child perinatally – that is, during the birth process – and that it is transmitted through sexual activity.

            What is the effect of not using clear language?

II.              Be concrete
Avoid abstract terms.  Put the following in order from most general to most concrete.
Instrumentalist
Saxophonist
Entertainer
Musician
Woodwind player

What is the effect of using only abstract terms?

III.            Be correct
Use the right vocabulary terms – be sure to have the correct term
e.g. vegetarian, veterinarian; psoriasis, cirrhosis, distorted, dented.
Use the correct pronunciation of words
e.g. epitome, hyperbole
Use correct grammar

What is the effect of using language incorrectly?

IV.            Be concise
Avoid cluttering your speech with extra words, or verbiage.  Avoid redundancy.
Example: I became interested in this topic upon the constant hounding of my father urging me to take a foreign language, preferably Japanese, the reason being is because my major is business, and the Japanese are dominating the international business scene.

Could be more concisely expressed:
I became interested in this topic because my father constantly hounded me to take a foreign language – preferably Japanese.  He reasoned that my major is business, and the Japanese are dominant players on the international business scene.

What is the effect of not being concise?

V.             Be culturally sensitive
Respect the diversity of your audience.  Do not use language that may offend your audience.
Avoid humor that is based on racial or gender stereotypes.
You should work to develop common bonds with your audience through the use of inclusive pronouns like “we” and “our”
e.g. Ross Perot at a key play in his speech to the NAACP said:
Financially, at least it’s going to be a long, hot summer.  I don’t have to tell you who gets hurt first when this sort of thing happens, do I?  You, your people do.  Your people do.  I know that and you know that.

What is the effect of being culturally sensitive?

VI.            Be engaging
Choose colorful, vivid language that will help your listeners experience the information in your speech.
Some techniques are:
A.    Alliteration – using the same sounds in several important words
e.g. clear, concise, and complete
B.    Deliberate repetition – using the same structure over and over again
e.g. Lincoln, “A government of the people, by the people, and for the people.”
C.    Hyperbole – exaggeration of a situation to illustrate a point
D.    Metaphor – compare two things that are otherwise different
e.g. The human body is like a city.
E.     Descriptive language – Use RENNS!

What is the effect of using repetitious, monotonous words?





[1] Information drawn from: Jaffe, C. Public Speaking: Concepts and Skills for a Diverse Society. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing, 1998.
Osborn, M. and Osborn S. Public Speaking. (4th Edition). Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1997.

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