What is public speaking and what are its basic rules?

“Speech is the clothing of thoughts, and eloquence is its elegant attire.”

Every day we convince someone of the correctness of our words and, perhaps, use oratory, if we have the skills.

We can participate in negotiations, sell, speak publicly, polemicize and argue. We are constantly trying to prove and defend our rights or point of view.

Every day, television announcers, print journalists, sellers and advertisers, bosses and comrades try to convince us of this or that.

Facts, reasons, arguments, reasons hover around us. We want to argue our positions in front of any audience and speak convincingly so that the opponent is intrigued and interested in our speech. What skills are needed for this, and what is public speaking?

Rules of behavior for a speaker

What are the basics of oratory? We need to learn how to make speeches that can produce changes in people.

Speak in such a way that people can not only state that they had a good time, but after your speech strive for certain actions to which you tried to induce them, to what you persuaded them to do.

In public speaking, there are no endless rules that need to be memorized for half your life; you just need to master a simple algorithm of actions. On the basis of acquired knowledge, through practice and experience, one can achieve considerable results in oratory.

• The basics of public speaking are easy to learn from good speakers. By observing their actions and studying their behavior, you can adopt their speaking tactics.
• The human cerebral cortex contains mirror neurons that allow learning by observing the actions of another person. So little children repeat everything after their parents, eat what their parents eat, talk the same way, even with the same intonation. This is one of the most important conditions for increasing speaker skills.
• Public speaking requires knowledge and skill and definitely requires practice. Without reading the right books and educational literature, which clearly outlines what it is and how to master the skill, skills will not be able to grow at the speed you need.
• Knowledge has no value without practice. Also, any knowledge can become boring if it is not applied. There is no audience - oratory will help you, the exercises of which can be done in splendid isolation in front of a mirror. You can familiarize yourself with such exercises in books on public speaking.
• A real speaker should not be bothered by negative thoughts, especially the fear of failure. This will certainly interfere with your performance in front of an audience. During the performance, all extraneous thoughts must be removed from your mind. Complete enthusiasm for the performance will leave no room for excitement and worry.
• Oratory art includes the rules of conduct for a speaker. A good speaker will not be afraid of an extraneous phrase from the outside or an inappropriate question. He is in control of the situation, and during the performance he is the only one in control. To do this, there is no need to be rude and argue, you need to find contact with the audience and be a little higher than it. You can achieve such a result only by knowing your business, and confidently arguing and convincing your listeners.
• Clear and precise speech and correctly placed phrases will not allow the audience to fall asleep during your speech. Even a boring report can be diluted with interesting facts, especially if the names of famous people are involved.
• And the speech will be more effective if the audience is involved in the discussion. Oratory is about using the technique of involvement, but within an acceptable norm, since your oratorical place can be taken by a more active listener.
• There should be no text on the paper that will lie in front of the speaker; the bad speaker is the one who reads his speech. Apart from the outline of your speech, nothing should be in front of the speaker. Looking into each listener's eyes for a few seconds will help you achieve greater success. Oratory says that before speaking, a speaker must rehearse his speech many times.
• Moderate gestures and enthusiasm in the face will always come to the aid of the person delivering the speech. A light, friendly smile, confirmed by a calm pace of speech, is the first step to victory. It is precisely this tactic that attracts attention and is remembered faster than the monotonous boring story of a faceless creature.

The ability to please

We always strive to make an impression on others and leave it in people's minds. To do this you need to be able to please, which is quite difficult.

It is necessary to make an impression immediately upon appearing in society. To do this, it is important to understand the psychotype of your opponent or group of people, to know with whom and how you can talk.

All this knowledge can be obtained by studying oratory, which combines two components that study the questions of what to say and how - this is oratory and rhetoric.

The books by R. Gandapas “Charisma of a Leader” and “101 Advice to a Speaker”, “Arsenal of a Speaker” may be useful for you. Full ammunition" by A. Kovalev, B. Morev and Convince and Win. “Secrets of effective argumentation” by N. Nepryakhin.

It is not difficult to understand people, you just need to look at them carefully. It’s easier for us to communicate with people like ourselves - these are completely subconscious actions.

Therefore, talented negotiators are skilled in mimicry. This is an important quality of oratory. They know how to hear and see the desires of the party with whom negotiations are necessary, and build a system of motivations and appearance in such a way as not to cause irritation.

Reasons for irritation of the interlocutor

To make it easier to navigate in an unfamiliar society, and to prevent your opponent from becoming irritated even before the conversation begins, it is important to know some rules:

1. Oratory for dummies begins with a person’s appearance. They greet you by their clothes. Of course, a sloppy appearance is a serious irritant, but sophisticated luxury in clothing style can cause the same reaction. You may be madly in love with your expensive watch, but it will annoy the person you are talking to. Exquisite poverty cannot inspire confidence either. Conclusion: clothing should be discreet and adequate.
2. Everyone understands perfectly well that smells play an important role in communication. And it’s better not to use any cosmetics than some. We won’t dwell on cleanliness, since even kids know this fact. But women often overdo it with scents. The trail of perfume does not always fascinate the opponent so that he can be manipulated, sometimes vice versa. And even first-class oratory skills will not be able to attract the attention of your opponent.
3. We, looking at a person, try to understand who this person is. Men are judged by their physical fitness, since the level of competition is inherent in them from birth. Women always evaluate from the position of rivals. But you need to clearly understand which areas need to be removed from consciousness and which ones should be presented correctly. If we do not look a person in the eye, he gets the impression that we are hiding something. If the head is slightly set back, then this speaks of our arrogance. Our task is to know how we should appear to our interlocutor. By scanning a person, we should draw conclusions about what can be done and what cannot be done, and how to behave. This aspect is extremely important in oratory.
4. If our interlocutor speaks with an accent, then in order to find a common language with him we should not try to speak with him in the same way, with an accent, to catch the pace of his speech - this is the main task. We need to be able to get into a speech rate that is comfortable for our interlocutor. Only by listening to him can you understand how and what he will be able to perceive.
5. If we want to convince our interlocutor that we are right, then logic cannot help with this. A person always makes decisions at two levels: rational and emotional. When we appeal to his “rationality”, but the opponent’s emotions are not completely drawn to our side, he will find himself justification for the falsity of our logic and departure from it. The situation of conviction is zero if we are not one hundred percent sure that we are right.

Oratory for dummies cannot be understood without all the above-mentioned rules and without special literature on oratory and developed techniques for beginners.

Important Tips

1. Oratory skill lies in the fact that the owner of knowledge will not be intimidated by the number of listeners or the status of many of them. He will always find a topic interesting to any interlocutor; from the first minutes he will determine how to attract even an unfamiliar interlocutor, but will not be intrusive.
2. Any performance, even the best one, can be made a little better. All processes have a certain structure, built on the universal law of compositions. It was not invented by man, but only recorded by him. This is the law of nature. All extended processes begin with build-up, development, preparatory action, and only then does the main action occur, and only after it does some attenuation occur. For example, a restaurant serves cold appetizers or an aperitif in order to prepare the visitor for the main course, then the main course is served, and dessert is served at the end. An appointment with a doctor also has its own composition. Therefore, the speech should be prepared according to the same principle.
3. Modern speakers make a common mistake. Unfortunately, they either exclude the introduction altogether or utter predictable banal phrases. And it is the introduction that plays the most important role, and it must be carefully prepared, no less than the speech itself. The further perception of the entire speech by the audience depends on it - this is warming up, preparation.
4. If a person could not assert in a few minutes his right to hold the attention of the audience for several hours, then it is unlikely that the audience will be inclined to lend such a speaker for more time. It is possible to intrigue and interest a modern audience only with an unconventional and carefully thought-out introduction.

Basic properties

The speaker's monologue is designed to convince the audience and set it in the right mood. Oratorical abilities include the ability to choose the right style, linguistic and facial means of communication with the listener, and build the composition of your monologue. What specific features does the oratorical style have in comparison with other styles?

• public character, appeal to a large audience of listeners;
• the presence of a clear structure and formative parts, sequentially interconnected;
• propaganda character;
• the presence of a goal that needs to be conveyed to the public, convinced of its correctness and motivated to further action;
• the internal energy of the word, authority, and the speaker’s passion for the topic being presented.

The speaker strives to convey to the public his psychological mood and set the desired message, and for this he himself must be confident in his words. Having managed to exert his will, he will be able to influence his listeners.

Oratory in life

The skill of public speaking is the use of tools against the background of psychological stress. And no matter what books we read, no matter how hard we try to apply our knowledge, we cannot do without a psychological understanding of a person.

In public speaking, the likelihood of something going wrong is high. No matter how a person manages the situation, the success of his speech depends on the number of listeners who have their own habits and motivation. The level of tension during a speech is extremely high, so the speaker’s skills tend to be blocked.

The art of oratory does not have prescribed laws for high-quality performance, but it is clear that it is a tool of influence on others that has no equal. No motivation system can give such an effect as an energizing motivational speech. No amount of effort to relieve tension and instill confidence in a crisis situation will provide such a boost as one inspiring speech.

A person who applies and improves the art of oratory simultaneously develops a higher degree of self-confidence, emancipation, and freedom.

Speaking in public, we hone our skills of argumentation, eloquence, and persuasion. In one-on-one communication, these skills work in the same way, but in a slightly simpler way.

Grammatically correct speech

Is it possible to learn oratory: the psychology of influencing the listener and oratory abilities are not everything. Only correct and beautiful speech can make the listener take a serious attitude towards the situation and make them believe the speaker.

Check your pronunciation using a dictionary. Build sentences wisely: there should be few incomplete ones, although in real speech they cannot be avoided. Pay attention to declensions and grammatical forms. Read more, learn new interesting words and expand your vocabulary, but do not forget about the appropriateness of use. If you are unsure of the exact meaning of a word, it is better to replace it with another.

Eliminate parasitic words, do not abound in archaisms and neologisms, terms. Pronounce your words clearly. Pause your sentences and avoid ambiguity. Retell the texts. Record your speech on a voice recorder and listen to it, then work on your mistakes. Without control over your speech, you cannot develop your oratory abilities.

Types of performances

The purpose of public speaking is to motivate the audience to take certain actions.

The main criterion for the effectiveness of a speech lies in the actions of the audience. Based on this, there are four formats for performances.

Inspirational speeches

Speeches should sound like they encourage some action. For example, you are a seller of a certain product, and sales of this product depend on your performance.

You give a presentation that encourages the audience to sign an agreement with you or vote for your candidacy. These speeches require a serious approach and oratory skills.

Ritual performances

Ritual speeches are most often made by the compere when introducing someone, or opening speeches, and toasts also belong to ritual speeches.

The purpose of ritual performances is to change the attitude of the audience. If we are talking about a birthday person, then listeners should pay attention to him. If a speaker introduces himself, the audience should treat him better. Oratory in such a speech is necessary, since you need to be able to attract the audience and prepare them for further actions.

Informative speeches

Speeches that have the lowest form requirements are lectures. They do not oblige the speaker to be interesting, eloquent, prim and intriguing, since the audience is dependent on the speaker, and not vice versa.

Everyone must pass the session, everyone has the right to listen or not listen to the speaker. Unfortunately, not all modern lecturers master the art of oratory.

Main types

Depending on the audience and the goal pursued, there are several types of oratory. The modern classification includes 6 varieties.

1. Socio-political. Speeches on social and political topics, campaigning and rallies.
2. Academic. The art of public speaking involves the use of a strict style, scientific facts and special terminology.
3. Judicial. Characterized by reasoning, objectivity, accuracy.
4. Social and everyday life. Anniversary congratulations, toasts, memorial words also require adherence to a certain style.
5. Bogoslovskoe. These are church sermons and prayers. Their specificity is distinguished by the lack of arguments and logic. Gravitates toward a sublime and pathetic style.
6. Certain types of oratory that require the presence of an interlocutor include polemics, discussion, and dialogue. The peculiarities of the construction of oratory art here are associated with the need to influence the interlocutor.

History of oratory

The chronicles of oratory are transferred to Ancient Greece. It was here that great craftsmanship was given close attention. This is where the roots of stylistic patterns and the development of speech come from, because before the advent of writing, thoughts were expressed orally.

Greek orators skillfully influenced the public because they mastered the laws of logic and the rules of oral speech. They were able to ensure that eloquence served them as their main weapon from a political point of view. Oratory, being the queen of the arts, could very effectively influence decisions in public affairs.

It was in Ancient Greece that the first school of oratory . Its outstanding masters were Demosthenes, Philocrates, Hyperides, Aeschines and other public figures. Among them, Demosthenes was able to achieve the highest achievements. Without his contribution, it is difficult to imagine oratorical practice and the basics of the theory of rhetoric, where the word was given great importance. People learned from his speeches not only in ancient times; the surviving theories are still relevant today. They are part of the golden fund of rhetoric as a separate science.

Oratory in other types of speech communication

The multifaceted art of oratory includes not only speaking in front of a large audience, but also conducting a dialogue with an interlocutor, debates, discussions, as well as other types of speech communication . At the same time, the speaker’s speech should always amaze with iron logic, but at the same time be sincere and sensual. Only in this case can you count on the listener’s interest and disposition.

In any verbal communication, you can demonstrate oratory skills and leave an indelible imprint, a good opinion and earn respect by impressing with an interesting conversation. In this case, important importance is paid not only to the literacy and erudition of the speaker, but also to his emotionality, interest and ability to listen to his interlocutor. Of course, natural abilities also help with this, but the experience gained, speech culture and intelligence are not secondary.

Repeat

In one of the lessons on memory development on our website, there is an entire section devoted to repetition, because repetition is the most important principle of memorizing information. In oratory, repetition is used, which more deeply cements the main idea of ​​the speech in the minds of the audience, increases the persuasiveness of the speaker’s speech, evokes memories in the listeners, helps to correctly organize the speech, and present new information as already familiar. So if you want your listeners to remember the necessary information well, repeat it and get the desired effect.

However, it should be borne in mind that ordinary word-for-word repetition of material is effective only in certain circumstances; in most cases, repetitions become an effective technique for a speaker only if they are skillfully framed in speech. The following types of repetitions can be distinguished:

• Verbatim repetition. This type is used quite rarely: only when quoting verbatim, or for deliberate emphasis on a specific phrase, especially an exclamation. For example, Martin Luther King exclaimed in almost every sentence of his famous speech: “I have a dream!” In addition, in both prose and poetic speech, a technique close to literal repetition, anaphora, is often used. The essence of anaphora is the repetition of similar sounds, words or groups of words at the beginning of separate phrases. Anaphora also plays a big role in the formation of a clear, established image of the expressed idea in the minds of the listeners.
• Variable repeat. More often, to repeat important thoughts in oratory, variable repetition is used, that is, returning to what has already been said earlier in a different verbal form, expressing the same thought in different words. The semantic content of the repetition in this case will be presented to listeners with different shades, which will make the idea more vivid and expressive.
• Extended repetition (clarification or recursion) - repetition of an already spoken thought with the inclusion of new words to develop the main ideas and images of your speech. If the expression of thought you initially chose does not seem convincing enough to you, you should return to it during the course of your speech and supplement it and explain it. However, it is better not to overuse this technique, since your words and ideas that are repeated too often may seem intrusive and tiresome to listeners (remember the famous humorous poem “The House That Jack Built” translated by Samuil Marshak or the song “Night Watch” by Alexander Pushny with an endless number of extended repetitions). Try to use more concise and concise images instead of frequent repetitions with detailed explanations.
• Partial repetition and refining (generalization) is used to briefly orient the listener in previously presented material, for example, before moving on to a new part of the speech. This is a general repetition, in the form of several precise brief statements. This technique is especially suitable for educational presentations (lectures), when the lecturer needs to periodically summarize previously obtained conclusions.

Sophistry

Sophistry

(from the Greek “cunning invention, trick”) are false statements that, nevertheless, upon superficial examination seem correct (“imaginary evidence” according to Aristotle). Sophistry is based on the deliberate, conscious violation of the rules of logic by the speaker to mislead listeners. Sophisms can be logical, terminological, psychological and others. Sophistries as one of the techniques of oratory are described in more detail in a special article in the “articles” section, however, we do not recommend using sophisms in your speech, since you should resort to them only as a last resort, when other techniques do not work. If you are caught using sophistry, it will subsequently be extremely difficult for you to convince your audience of your objectivity and correctness.

All of the above oratorical techniques are often interrelated, and one technique entails the use of another. However, you should not use them too closely, otherwise they may begin to work not for you, but against you

Techniques differ functionally: some of them influence the content of the speech and are able to hold the attention of listeners and convince them of their point of view, while others are aimed at preparing the audience and designing the material. Speakers can use many of the rhetorical rules discussed intuitively, but when preparing for a speech, we recommend that you consciously familiarize yourself with all the techniques so as to be sure not to lose sight of their possible influence and effect on the audience's perception of your speech

Public speaking training

Anyone can learn public speaking. The main thing is to have a desire and focus on results. You should not be afraid of difficulties that may arise during the learning process. Only patience and diligence will bring the expected results. Even many famous people who were able to achieve success in public speaking initially encountered difficulties. For example, Margaret Thatcher managed to change her shrill voice, which was naturally so. Her hard work studying acting has paid off. The French politician Mirabeau learned to present memorized texts in such a way that they began to seem like real improvisation.

Public speaking training can be done independently, but classes in specialized schools and centers will be more effective. Developed programs and psychological trainings are popular ways to get rid of the fear of speaking in public, develop thinking and memory, replenish conversational skills and gain self-confidence. Here you can learn to formulate thoughts correctly, quickly interest the listener, gain artistic skills and speak beautifully on any topic, including impromptu. Experts will teach you how to choose the right intonation and skillfully use different speech techniques. They will talk about how to benefit from communication, introduce unproductive conversation patterns and reveal ways to avoid “uncomfortable” questions.