Modern Communications & Speech Delivery Notes

Modern Communications

  • Self Discrepancy Theory: Relates to self-esteem and involves comparing one's self-perception to:
    • Ideal Self: How one wishes to be.
    • Ought Self: How one believes they should be to satisfy others.
  • Self-Verification Theory: Focuses on maintaining a consistent self-concept based on how we identify ourselves; context influences verbal and nonverbal expression.
  • Face: One's self-perception and how others perceive them; "saving face" refers to avoiding embarrassment.

Self-Perception

  1. Select information
  2. Organize the information
  3. Analysis

Culture

  • Culture is defined as a group sharing established beliefs and attitudes.

Composing Your Speech Delivery : Physical/Embodied Aspects

  • Eye Contact
    • Sustained eye contact.
    • Varied eye contact.
  • Gestures
    • Use hand gestures, avoiding repetitive motions like clutching the podium.
    • Keep gestures varied.
  • Facial Expressions: Show genuine engagement with the presentation.
  • Posture
    • Plant feet firmly on the floor.
    • Avoid leaning on the podium.
    • Keep shoulders back.
    • Avoid locking knees or rocking.
    • Refrain from playing with objects, as it can be distracting.

Vocal/Verbal Aspects of Speech Delivery

  • Pace: Avoid rushing; incorporate pauses.
  • Avoidance of Verbal Fillers: Minimize use of "like," "um," "uh," "so," etc.
  • Volume: Project voice to reach the back of the room.
  • Inflection: Avoid a monotone delivery; add emotional expression.
  • Enunciation: Speak clearly.

Speech Structure: Introduction

  • Attention Getter: Captures the audience's attention.
  • Orienting Material: Provides clarity and essential information about the presentation.
  • Thesis Statement: Should be written out verbatim in the delivery outline.
  • Preview/Transition: Guides the audience on what the speech will cover, ensuring topics connect logically.

Speech Structure: Conclusion

  • Signal the End: Use phrases like "in conclusion" or "in the end."
  • Summary/Review: Summarize the main points, mirroring the preview/transition in reverse.
  • Restate:
  • Compelling Closing: "Sandwiches" the attention-getter.

Speech Structure: Body

  • Main Points: Provide supporting information and subpoints.
  • Subpoints: Limit to no more than two subpoints per main point.
  • Organizational Pattern: Structure points in a logical pattern.

Elements of Language: Lecture

  • Rhythm: The beat of the language.
  • Intonation: The melody or music of a language, where voice rises and falls as we speak; intonation changes with the situation.
  • Vocabulary: The words used in a language.
  • Pitch: The speed of vibration within a person's vocal folds.

Types of Gestures

  1. Emblems: Gestures that substitute for verbal statements.
  2. Illustrators: Gestures that accent verbal messages.
  3. Regulators: Gestures that control turn-taking in conversation.
  4. Adaptors: Touching gestures that serve a physical or psychological purpose.

Language Rules

  1. Constitutive Rules: Define word meanings.
    • Example: Understanding that figurative language differs from literal language.
  2. Regulative Rules: Govern how we use language, including spelling and grammar.

Additional Language Concepts

  1. Dialect: A variation of a language within a culture (e.g., English accents).
  2. Phonetics: The study of sounds in human language.

Regional Variations in Language

  • Examples include variations in word choice and pronunciation related to regions