Public Speaking Midterm Vocab

articulation

pronunciation

audience

individuals who are directly or indirectly receiving, engaging, or responding to the speaker's message

audience analysis

the process of gathering and interpreting information about an audience to adapt, develop, and communicate a message

closure

a sense of resolution or conclusion at the end of the speech

coherence

how the main points go together and connect

common ground

the ways the speaker and the audience are similar to each other

communication apprehension

a person's level of fear or anxiety associated with real or anticipated communication with people

communication competence

the ability to take part in effective communication that is characterized by skills and understanding that enable communicator to exchange messages successfully

darting

when a speaker's eyes cast around the room randomly without a sense of purpose

demographics

age, sex, race, etc

direct observation

informal strategies speakers use as they physically observe and look at specific discrete characteristics of an audience

discreteness

characteristic that each main point should be distinguishable from all others

ethnocentrism

the attitude that one's own group, ethnicity, or nationality is superior to others

ethos

message strategies designed to bring audience perceptions of a speaker into harmony with the purposes of a speech

extemporaneous

delivery style that combines both memorization and improvisation

facts

a known and documented occurrence

fidgeting

impromptu

delivery style that is off the cuff with little to no rehearsal and no script or notes

information

the imparting if knowledge in general

logos

message strategies designed to bring an audience's powers of reasoning to bear upon a topic

manuscript

reading speech word for word

meandering

getting off topic in your speech

memorized

pandering

when speakers overcompensate and indulge audiences in their presentations by only considering their audience's personal interests, perspectives, and beliefs

pathos

message strategies that bring an audience's emotions into harmony with the purposes of a speech

pitch

highness or lowness in your tone of voice

positionality

the individual and collective experiences a speaker possesses

purpose

signposts

verbal and nonverbal markers indicating that the main part of the message is now past and its end approaching

speaking rate

how fast or slow someone speaks

stereotypes

succinctness

when the main points are said in a simple, clear way that can be grasped immediately

thesis

the main idea of a message expressed as a proposition or argument

tone

pitch of voice

voice image

the way that you perceive and believe that others perceive the quality and impact of your voice

volume

how loud or quiet