Norton Field Guide for Speaking 4.2

NFGS_ch4.2_lecppt.pptx

1. Chapter 4.2 Vocal Delivery Copyright © 20 22 W. W. Norton & Company

2. Introduction Vocal delivery refers to using and integrating effective breath control, volume, rate, pitch, inflection, fluency, articulation, and pronunciation when you speak Developing a more effective speaking voice requires time, effort, and practice 2

3. Breathing for Speech The key to effective breathing for speech is to control your outgoing breath Effective breath control improves the sound of your voice: Projection: Enables you to project a strong voice across a large and crowded room Duration: Lets you say more with a single breath Authority: Enables you to speak with a richer and more resonant, powerful, and persuasive voice Quality: Enhances the overall appeal of your voice and reduces the likelihood of vocal problems 3

4. Components of Vocal Quality There are five major components that are essential for effective presentation speaking: Volume Projection Rate Pitch Fluency Harnessing these five component allows you to speak in an expressive and confident voice that enhances your stage presence and immediacy 4

5. Volume (1 of 4) Volume , or loudness, of your voice determines whether or not your audience will hear what you have to say Evaluate and Adjust Your Volume: Practice your presentation out loud, rehearsing the volume you intend to use in front of your audience Ask someone to listen to your practice session and give you honest feedback If possible, practice in a room about the same size as the one where you will be speaking Always open your mouth wide enough when speaking 5

6. Volume (2 of 4) Vary Your Volume: Varying your volume during a presentation makes it more pleasing and interesting to your listeners and helps you emphasize some things more than others Adjust your volume to suit a room’s acoustics —the properties or qualities of a room that determine how sound is transmitted in it 6

7. Volume (3 of 4) Master the Microphone: In a crowded or large space, amplification makes it possible for everyone to hear, listen, and understand When you’re presenting in a mediated setting (such as Zoom), check how you sound A microphone can help you convey subtle emotions and highlight important ideas To deliver your presentation effectively with a microphone, you should speak more slowly, articulate more clearly, and make sure the system can accommodate changes in your volume 7

8. Volume (4 of 4) Microphones also present unique challenges: The sound of your voice can be distorted The letter “p” can make an annoying popping sound Speakers may fumble with the equipment If you speak too softly or don’t speak directly into the sensitive part of a microphone, it may not pick up everything you say 8

9. Projection Projection describes a controlled vocal energy that gives clearness and power to your voice To improve the projection of your voice: Ask someone to sit at the back of the room or auditorium Read a nonsense sentence in a loud and clear voice Ask your listener to repeat the sentence back to you to test whether they heard you accurately You need to pronounce the consonants and vowels in the words more clearly and forcefully 9

10. Rate Your speaking rate is the number of words you say per minute Your natural speaking style, the presentation topic’s urgency, complexity, and mood, your language, and your audience’s interest, concern, and listening ability should all affect your rate If you want to be persuasive , fast talk is often more effective If you want to make a personal connection with your audience and ensure they understand your message, slower may be better Use pauses to vary your rate and give your message dramatic power 10

11. Pitch (1 of 2) Pitch refers to how high or low your voice sounds Optimum pitch is the natural pitch at which you speak most easily and expressively Speaking at your optimum pitch offers the following advantages: Your voice will be stronger and less likely to fade at the end of sentences Your voice will not tire easily You won’t sound harsh, hoarse, breathy, or squeaky. You will have “room to move” above and below the pitch, an absolute must for an expressive and energetic voice 11

12. Pitch (2 of 2) Inflection refers to the changing pitch within a syllable, word, or group of words Inflection helps you emphasize important and meaningful words or phrases Consider the following examples: I was born in New Jersey. (You, on the other hand, were born in Maryland.) I was born in New Jersey. (No doubt about it!) I was born in New Jersey. (So I know my way around.) I was born in New Jersey . (Not in New York.) 12

13. Fluency Fluency is the ability to speak smoothly without tripping over words or pausing at an awkward moment Filler phrases are all the verbal interruptions, blunders, restarted sentences, and repeated words that fill space while we search for the next meaningful part of the sentence we’re speaking The clarity and pronunciation of the words you speak also influences your audience's impressions of your vocal delivery 13

14. Vocal Clarity and Correctness The clarity and pronunciation of the words you speak also influences your audience’s impressions of your vocal delivery 14

15. Articulation Articulation refers to how clearly you make the sounds in the words of a language Try to enunciate each word as you speak 15

16. Pronunciation Pronunciation refers to whether you say a word correctly, putting all the correct sounds in the correct order with the correct stress Speakers who don’t take the time to check the pronunciation of words they’re unsure about may find themselves embarrassed in front of an audience 16

17. Accents An accent is a way of speaking shaped by a combination of geography, social class, education, ethnicity, and first language There is no such thing as perfect, neutral, or unaccented English or any other language People who speak Standard American English are judged as more intelligent, competent, and successful, even when the judges themselves speak in a different American accent Code-switching describes how we modify our verbal and nonverbal communication, including accent and speaking style, when speaking to different audiences 17

18. Conclusion Everyone who speaks has a unique voice An effective, expressive voice is the skilled combination of breath control, volume, projection, articulation, pronunciation, rate, pitch, inflection, and fluency 18

19. Credits This concludes the Lecture PowerPoint presentation for Chapter 4.2. For more resources, please visit The Norton Field Guide to Speaking : http://digital.wwnorton.com/nfgspeaking. Copyright © 2 022 W. W. Norton & Company