HONR 101B - Midterm #1

Alliteration

Repetition of the initial consonant sound of close or adjoining words

Articulation

The clear and precise pronunciation of words

Attitude

A speaker’s or listener’s feelings or opinions toward a subject

Audience-centerdness

Keeping the audience’s needs, values, and expectations in mind during speech preparation and delivery.

Central Idea

A one-sentence summary that encapsulates the main point of a speech.

Channel

The medium through which a message is transmitted (e.g., voice, video, written text).

Clutter

Excessive or unnecessary words that obscure meaning in speech.

Comprehensive listening

Listening to understand the message of a speaker.

Connective

A word or phrase that links ideas together in a speech.

Connotative meaning

The emotional or cultural associations attached to a word beyond its dictionary definition.

Conversational quality

The ability to make a speech sound spontaneous and natural, even when rehearsed.

Credibility

The audience’s perception of a speaker’s expertise, trustworthiness, and goodwill.

Crescendo ending

A conclusion that builds intensity and power before the final statement.

Delivery cues

Notes ina. speech outline that remind the speaker how to present certain parts (e.g., pause, emphasis)

Denotative Meaning

The literal, dictionary definition of a word.

Dissolve ending

A conclusion that gradually fades to a dramatic final thought.

Empathetic listening

Listening to provide emotional support and understand the speaker’s perspective.

Ethical decisions

Choices that consider moral principles and fairness in communication.

Eye contact

Direct visual connection with the audience to enhance engagement and credibility.

Feedback

Verbal and nonverbal responses from an audience that indicate their reaction to a speaker’s message.

Frame of reference

The sum of a person’s experiences, values, and knowledge that shapes their interpretation of messages.

Global plagiarism

Stealing an entire speech or text from a single source and passing it off as one’s own.

Identification

Creating a connection with the audience by emphasizing shared values or experience.

Imagery

The use of vivid language to create mental pictures for the audience.

Inclusive language

Language that avoids discrimination or exclusion based on gender, race, or other factors.

Inflection

Variations in pitch or tone to convey meaning and emotion in speech.

Interference

Anything that disrupts communication, such as noise, distractions, or misunderstanding.

Internal summary

A statement that recaps key points within a speech to reinforce understanding.

Kinesics

The study of body language, facial expressions, and gestures in communication.

Non-verbal communication

Conveying messages through gestures, facial expressions, posture, and other visual cues rather than words.

Open ended questions

Questions that require more than a yes-or-no answer and encourage discussion.

Parallelism

The repetition of similar grammatical structures to create rhythm and clarity in speech.

Paraphrase

Restating someone else’s ideas in one’s own words while maintaining the original meaning.

Patchwork plagiarism

Combining parts of multiple sources into a speech without proper citation.

Pause

A brief moment of silence to emphasize a point or allow the audience to absorb information.

Pitch

The highness or lowness of a speaker’s voice.

Positive nervousness

Channeling anxiety into energy to enhance speech performance.

Quoting out of context

Misrepresenting someone’s words by removing them from their original meaning or setting.

Rate

The speech at which a speaker talks, measured in words per minute.

Residual message

The key takeaway or lasting impression left on the audience after a speech.

Rhetorical question

A question posed for effect rather than an actual response.

Signpost

A verbal cue that indicates the structure of a speech (e.g., “first”, “next,” “finally”).

Specific purpose

A precise goal that defines what the speaker wants to achieve with their speech.

Stage fright

Nervousness or anxiety before or during public speaking.

Statistics

Numerical data used to support arguments or enhance credibility.

Strategic organization

Structuring a speech to maximize clarity, impact, and audience engagement.

Visual framework

The format of a speech outline that shows the relationships among ideas through indentation and symbols.

Visualization

Mentally imagining a successful speech performance to reduce anxiety and improve confidence.

Vocal variety

Changes in a speaker’s pitch, volume, rate, and tone to enhance expressiveness and audience engagement.

Vocalized pause

Unintentional sounds like “um”, “uh”, or “like” that occur during a speaker’s hestitation.