Voice and Diction 2

Chapter 5.
18: Controlling the Voice

The Voice- Your Instrument
• Your voice is a powerful instrument of
expression that should express who you
are and convey your message in a way
that engages listeners.
– Indicates your confidence and whether the
audience perceives you to be in control of the
situation.
– Vocal elements include: volume, pitch, rate,
pauses, vocal variety, and pronunciation and
articulation.
Volume
• Volume, is the relative loudness of a
speaker’s voice while giving a speech.
– Proper volume when delivering a speech is
somewhat louder than a normal conversation.
– How much louder depends on: 1) size of the
room & number of people in the audience; 2)
whether or not you use a microphone; 3) level
of background noise.
• Volume affects credibility
Pitch
• Pitch is the range of sounds from high to low (or
vice versa).
– Determined by the number of vibrations per unit of
time; the more vibrations per unit, the higher the pitch.
• Vary your intonation
– Intonation is the rising and falling of vocal pitch across
phrases and sentences.
• Pitch conveys your mood, reveals your level of
enthusiasm, expresses your concern for the
audience, and signals your overall commitment
to the occasion.
– Avoid the monotone voice!
Do, Re, Mi, Fa, So, La, Ti
Do, a deer, a female deer
Re, a drop of golden sun
Mi, a name I call myself
Fa, a long, long way to run
So, a needle pulling thread
La, a note to follow Sol
Ti, a drink with jam and bread
That will bring us back to do (oh-oh-oh)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bw7lxdiL7NI
Rate
• The speaking rate is the pace at which you
convey the speech.
– Normal rate of speech for adults is estimated to be
between 120-150 words per minute.
– Typical speech occurs at a rate slightly below 120
words per minute.
• Varying your speaking rate is the most effective
way to hold your audience’s attention.
– A slow rate indicates thoughtfulness, seriousness,
concern, etc.
– A fast pace indicates excitement, happiness,
adventure.
Pauses
• Pauses enhance meaning by providing a type of
punctuation, emphasizing a point, drawing
attention to a thought, or allowing listeners a
moment to contemplate what is said.
– Many novice speakers are uncomfortable with
pauses.
– Pauses can make a speech effective; not always a
social stigma.
• It is a tendency to cover pauses with vocal
fillers.
– “Uh,” “hmm,” “you know,” “I mean,” “it’s like,” and
“anyways”
Strive for Vocal Variety
• The vocal elements
volume, pitch, rate
and pauses—work
together to create an
effective delivery.
– Key to effective vocal
delivery is to vary all of
these elements,
thereby demonstrating
vocal variety.
Pronunciation and Articulation
• Few things distract an audience more than
improper pronunciation or unclear articulation of
words.
– Pronunciation is the correct formation of word sounds.
– Articulation is the clarity or forcefulness with which the
sounds are made, regardless of whether they are
pronounced correctly.
• You can articulate clearly but pronounce incorrectly
– Good articulation betrays poor pronunciation
• Articulation problems can be a matter of habit (wearing
orthodontics, tongue twist)
Patterns of poor articulation
• Mumbling- slurring words together at a very low
level of volume and pitch so that they are barely
audible.
• Lazy speech is sometimes the cause of this
problem.
– Ex. Saying “fer” for “far” “gonna” instead of “going to”
• Poor articulation can be overcome by practicing
and learning the problem behavior
• Use dialect with care
– Dialect is a distinctive way of speaking associated
with a particular region or social group
Chapter 5.19: Using the Body
Pay Attention to Body Language
• Audience members
evaluate messages
sent by your facial
expressions, eye
behavior, gestures,
and general body
movements.
– Audience reads your
body language
Functions of Nonverbal
Communication in Delivery
• Clarify verbal messages
– The impact of the verbal component of your speech—what you say,
depends largely on your vocal and bodily actions while saying it.
• Facilitate feedback
– Listeners use a host of body cues
– Being alert to feedback and responding is critical
• Establish relationships between speaker and audience
– How you position yourself allows you to adjust your relationship with
audience.
• Establish speaker credibility
– Emphasize vocal variety, eye contact, nodding at listeners, and standing
with an open body posture.
– Audience more likely to respond positive to speakers whom they
perceive to be well dressed and attractive.
Body Language
• Animate facial expressions
– SMILE! Great way for building
rapport
• Maintain eye contact

– Look at most people in
audience by scanning.
• Use gestures that feel natural.
• Be aware of general body

movement
– Don’t be a talking head!
• Dress appropriately
Practice the Delivery
• Focus on the message
• Record the speech
– Tape recorded, camcorder
• Be prepared to revise speaking notes
• Practice under realistic conditions
• Time your speech
• Plan ahead and practice often (page 152)

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Chapter 5.

18: Controlling the Voice

• Maintain eye contact

• Use gestures that feel natural.

• Be aware of general body

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