English III: RATE OF SPEECH

1. Rate of Speech
Presented by: Levhie Ceasar Raro Ragas Jr.

2. “Speak when you are angry and you will make the best
speech you will ever regret”
-Dr. Laurence J. Peter

3. WHAT IS ALL ABOUT THE RATE OF
SPEECH?

4. Speech rate is the term given to the speed at
which you speak. It's calculated in the number of
words spoken in a minute. A normal number of
words per minute (wpm) can vary hugely.
Source:http://www.write-out-loud.com

5. Rate Guidelines
Studies show speech rate alters depending on the speaker's culture, geographical
location, subject matter, gender, emotional state, fluency, profession or audience.
However, despite these variables, there are widely accepted guidelines.
These are:
• Slow speech is usually regarded as less than 110 wpm, or words per minute.
• Conversational speech generally falls between 120 wpm at the slow end, to 150 - 200
wpm in the fast range.
• People who read books for radio or podcasts are often asked to speak at 150-160
wpm.
• Auctioneers or commentators who practice speed speech are usually in the 250 to
400 wpm range.

6. Speaking is characterized by variations in speed:
Slow Speech projects such personality characteristics as: calmness,
acceptance of others, and formality.However if the rate is too slow, it
make project an image of dullness,listlessness,apathy,laziness or
sometimes lack of intelligence.
Rapid Speed projects animation, enthusiasm,excitement and
informality but speaking too fast may suggest nervousness, tension,
anxiety, or flightily personality
Slow Speech may result to the distortion of vowel sounds, while rapid
speech may result in the omission or slighting of consonants.

7. It is very important to vary the rate of speaking to avoid monotony.
Some kinds of statements must by spoken slowly while others must be
said fast.
The rate of speech may be varied on the thought you are expressing.
For instance, a serious and complex ideas are spoken slowly so that
the audience will have an enough time to understand the message
well. On the other hand, a vivid chronology of exciting events in a
narrative is told and describe in a more rapid rate.
Example:
Basketball announcer describes an exciting ball game in a rapid
fashion , Repeat the priest’s words as he says some prayer in a slow
and dignified rate of speech.

8. Using a rapid rate of speech is necessary in order not to
drag the continuity of action but decreasing the speed may
be helpful in calling attention to the important point.

9. The rate of speech is also a reflection on the speaker’s mood.
For instance, a very excited and enthusiastic person speaks quite
rapidly whereas a poised or an apathetic person in a passive mood
speaks slowly. This rapid-slow rate combination may also occur in one
person, such that an enthusiastic but poised speaker may present his
facts describe events in a lively manner but slows down deliberately
and empathetically so that his words and phrases will have an impact
to the audience.

10. The speed of one’s utterance may vary from
time to time and from passage to passage.
Two factors influence this difference are
quantity and pause.

11. Quantity in Speech Rate
This is the length of time that is spent in the actual
utterance of vowel sounds within the words and the
duration varies according to the mood or sentiment being
expressed. If you are sad, heavy of heart, deeply serious or
in a reflective mood, your speech tends to be slow.
However, if you’re happy, joyful, excited or in a hurry, you’ll
probably speak faster than is usual, pronouncing the vowel
tones in shorter duration because of the gaiety of the
mood. Listeners get bored too easily listening to a very
slow pace with too much phonation of within the word at
the same time, they strain too much and get tired of
listening to a very fast speaker

12. Words and Phrase Junctures
Pause is the length of time spent in silence between phrases. It may
range from a slight hesitation to a longer pause or silence. In writing, it
is marked by a punctuation signs such as commas(,),colons(:), and
dashes(/). However, not every comma calls for a pause nor the
absence of comma indicates that no pause is required. In long
compound sentence, writers usually omit commas for you to have a
pause between thought groups and meaningful units in order to put an
emphasis and meaning to your sentence.

13. Direction: Pause slightly after each single bar and drop your pitch and stop at
the end of the double bars.
By this time / I was beginning to suspect that he was trying to obscure
by noise / the fact that he had ordered the drinks, on the chance that
I would be bewildered into paying for them. // But when they were down/ he
crashed a silver dollar loudly upon the bar. // Then, / of course, / another
serving was obligatory.// And when I had paid for that / I took leave of him
brusquely;// for I wanted no more of him.// But before I had obtained my
release / he had prated loudly of an income that his wife received, / and
showed a handful of silver money.//
-An excerpt from O.Henry’s short story “ A Municipal Report.”

14. Pauses maybe not only between words or phrases but also
during vocalization such that one may pause for a longer
time than is normal for a word.
Observe how is done in the following examples from
Hamlin Garlands’ short story “Among the Corn-Rows”.

15. 1. "Soothe him-soo-o-o-o-the him!" said Wilson.
"Don't be harsh."
2. "All abo-o-o-a-rd!' said the conductor,
grinning his appreciation at the crowd, and
the train was off.

16. Poetry may present a problem in pausing because poets
divide their lines although the thought continues. This
leads the reader to pause after each line even in the
absence of comma. In reading poetry, do not always
pause at the end of each line because the poet’s thought
frequently continue to the next line. The only reason he
breaks his line is to fill a poetic convention- the metric
pattern.
This can be illustrated in the poem “The Hammer” by Carl
Sandburg where one whole continuous thought is divided
into nine lines.

17. The Hammer
By Carl Sandburg
I have seen
The old gods go
And the new gods come.
Day by day
And year by year
The idols fall
And the idols rise.
Today
I worship the hammer.

18. A pause has several uses. Before a word or statement, it may build up
suspense and emphasize the word or sentence that follows. In the example the
word snow creates a feeling of joy at it's sudden appearance.
Mr. Oakhurst was a light sleeper. Toward morning he awoke benumbed cold.
As he stirred the dying fire, the wind which was now blowing strongly, brought
to his cheek that which caused the blood to leave it, - snow!
-Bret Harte

19. A pause after a powerful statement or a single word gives the listeners
time to assimilate the word particularly for dramatic effects . Hesitations
or slight pauses at strategic places increase the impact of the feeling
being projected. This can be seen in the following prose excerpt from
Mary E. Wilkins Freeman’s “The Revolt of Mother”.
Sarah bent over and touched her husband on one of his thin, sinewy shoulders. “Father!”
The old man's shoulders heaved: he was weeping.
“Why, don't do so, father,” said Sarah.
“I'll — put up the — partitions, an' — everything you — want, mother.”
Sarah put her apron up to her face; she was overcome by her own triumph.

20. Many speakers substitute sighs and grunts for real pauses.
When they’re unnecessary of the next word to say, or
pressed for a next idea, they prolong the last sound of the
word and say “This is… ah ah…” “is … ah” or “and…ah” .
This unnecessary lengthening of sounds projects lack, of
confidence and the strain a speaker is undergoing. It is
meaningless prolongation, not a pause, and it must be
avoided unless it is used in drama effects .

21. Variety of Rate in Speech
Changes in speaking rate can be rapid, light, gay, slow or very slow.
Speaking in one particular rate too long tends to bore listener, so a
change in timing can call their attention once more to what you’re
saying. Achieving rate variety can be done through pauses and
changes in pace. As the interpreter of a selection, you can simply
pause or to stop speaking for a moment to give a listener time to
ponder over what you've said and to prepare for the next line or mood
of the passage.
These elements of voice- the articulation and pronunciation of sounds,
and expressiveness- and the proper and skillful use of various speech
forms are the factors that you should consider in your effort to become
an effective communicator.

22. Instruction: Read the following excerpts by
varying your voice quality, pitch levels,
intensity and rate of speaking

23. I cannot call riches better than the baggage of virtue. The Roman word is
better, impedimenta. For as the baggage is to an army, so is riches to virtue. It
cannot be spared, nor left behind, but it hindereth the march; yea, and the care
of it, sometimes loseth or disturbeth the victory. Of great riches there is no real
use, except it be in the distribution; the rest is but conceit. So saith Solomon,
Where much is, there are many consume it; and what hath the owner, but the
sight of it with his eyes? The personal fruition in any man, cannot reach to feel
great riches: there is a custody of them; or a power of dole, and donative of
them; or a fame of them; but no solid use to the owner. Do you not see what
feigned prices, are set upon little stones and rarities? and what works of
ostentation are undertaken, because there might seem to be some use of great
riches? But then you will say, they may be of use, to buy men out of dangers or
troubles. As Solomon saith, Riches are as a strong hold, in the imagination of
the rich man. But this is excellently expressed, that it is in imagination, and not
always in fact. For certainly great riches, have sold more men, than they have
bought out. Seek not proud riches, but such as thou mayest get justly, use
soberly, distribute cheerfully, and leave contentedly.

-Francis Bacon’s “Of Riches”-An Excerpt

24. WHEN, O Catiline, do you mean to cease abusing our patience? How long is
that madness of yours still to mock us? When is there to be an end of that
unbridled audacity of yours, swaggering about as it does now? Do not the
nightly guards placed on the Palatine Hill—do not the watches posted
throughout the city—does not the alarm of the people, and the union of all good
men—does not the precaution taken of assembling the senate in this most
defensible place—do not the looks and countenances of this venerable body
here present, have any effect upon you? Do you not feel that your plans are
detected? Do you not see that your conspiracy is already arrested and
rendered powerless by the knowledge which every one here possesses on it?
What is there that you did last night, what the night before—where is it that you
were—who was there that you summoned to meet you—what design was there
which was adopted by you, with which you think that any one of us is
unacquainted?
Shame in the age and on its principles!
-Marcus Tullius Cicero’s First Oration Against Catiline

25. Dear children of God, my sermon this morning will be a very short one.
I wish only that you should ponder and meditate the deep meaning and
mystery of our masses of Christmas Day. For whenever Mass is said,
we reenact the Passion and Death of Our Lord; and on this Christmas
Day we do this in celebration of His Birth. So that at the same moment
we rejoice in His coming for the salvation of men, and offer again to
God His Body and Blood in sacrifice, oblation and satisfaction for the
sins of the whole world. I do not think I shall ever preach to you again;
and because it is possible that in a short time you may have yet
another martyr, and that one perhaps not the last. I would have you
keep in your hearts these words that I say, and think of them at another
time. In the Name of the Father, and o£ the Son, and of the Holy
Ghost. Amen.
-Thomas Stearns Eliot’s Murder In The Cathedral- An Excerpt