Otis College of Art and Design, Liberal Arts and Sciences Department
Joan Takayama-Ogawa
There are three methods of speaking.
One without notes. Not recommended for beginners, only for the old pros. Imagine trying to ski down a steep slope the first time you ever put skis on your feet. You would probably spend much of your time on you backside.
Two, with notes that give you an outline of what you have prepared to say, but no details.
Three, from a prepared text, in the exact form you will use. For this exercise, we will examine the prepared text.
1. Adapt the speech by breaking it into short lines of prose. The end of each line should represent a pause. (See Kennedy’s Inaugural)
2. Read over your speech. Read it once, twice, three times. Fifty times. Read it so often that it is almost committed to memory.
3. The words should be like old friends.
4. If you can’t pronounce a word, delete it and replace it with another word.
5. Now return to the first paragraph of the speech. Read it over and over and over again. Then move to the second paragraph until key words carry you easily through the rest of the paragraph. Then move on to the remaining paragraphs. Why such repetition? Your mind is like a camera. It will imprint words into chunks, and if you rehearse enough you will find natural places to look up at your audience. When you are looking up, you will see the text in the retina of your eye. It is the photographing of the speech that will separate you from other speakers because you can smoothly look up and return to the speech without stumbling.
6. Underline, capitalize, or use bold print for words you must emphasize in your speech. The dash is useful in creating pauses. These gimmicks will prevent you from stumbling.
Let’s examine John F. Kennedy’s 1961 Inaugural Address, one of the finest examples of American oratory. Sorenson was his speechwriter. Here is an abridged version. Underlined words are emphasized
· We observe today not a victory of party, (raise your eyes to the camera)
· but a celebration of freedom-
· symbolizing an end as well as a beginning- (drop eyes and pick up next phrase)
· signifying renewal- (raise eyes and speak to the camera)
· as well as change.
(Continue with the next sentences, creating places for your eyes to look at the camera, look down to pick up a phrase, and look back to the camera.)
· For I have sworn before you and Almighty God
· the same solemn oath our forebears prescribed
· nearly a century and 3 quarters ago.
· The world is very different now.
· For man holds in his mortal hands
· the power to abolish all forms of human poverty-
· AND all forms o human life.
(Use repetition and parallel structure for force and passion.)
· Let the word go forth from this time-
· and from this place-
· to friends and foes alike-
· that the torch has passed to a NEW generation of Americans-
· born in this century-
· tempered by war-
· disciplined by a hard and bitter peace-
· proud of our ancient heritage-
· and unwilling to witness or permit
· the slow undoing of those human rights
· to which this nation has always been committed-
· and to which we are committed today-
· at home and around the world.
(Look at the deliberate rhythm. The rise and fall of clauses, the immediacy of the moment, the heightened intensity – making this a truly great speech.)
· Let every nation know-
· whether it wishes us well or ill-
· that we will pay any price-
· bear any burden-
· meet any hardship-
· support any friend-
· oppose any foe-
· to assure the survival and the success of liberty.
(One must wonder if this sentence set foreign policy for Vietnam.)
(The most memorable line in the speech is a contrapuntal turn around.)
· And so my fellow Americans-
· ask not what your country can do for you-
· ask what you can do for your country.
You are not finished preparing for your speech. You need to go one step further. Practice in front of a mirror. Examine yourself in the mirror to see how you pause and establish eye contact. Record your voice in a tape recorder. Listen for cadence in your vocal presentation. Use a stopwatch and time the speech.
Practice, practice, practice. Time the speech and edit phrases to shorten the
time.
Practice does not make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect.
· You will be more confident,
· more poised than you thought possible,
· and when you are done,
· you will give your performance a higher rating
· than you imagined.
· You will savor the exquisite after taste
· that comes with a successful delivery of a good speech.
· Particularly satisfying is the knowledge
· that because you prepared yourself with rigorous attention to detail,
· unaided by partners
· or group effort
· or grant of favor from any benefactor,
· you mastered the moment
· and were, for a brief span of time
· triumphant.