Style
of speech
When you speak
in public, the style of speech is going to depend on different factors,
amongst them what I pointed out in the previous lesson.
That is to
say that the style of the speech will depend on the reason for the
speech, the objective that you are trying to achieve, the type of
audience, etc.
One topic can
be presented in different ways (for example, the presentation of a
company's results will vary according to whether you are talking about
accountancy infront of shareholders or congratulating the employees
for reaching their objectives).
You can not
always try and speak in public the same way: you have to adjust the
style of the speech to the charcteristics of every occasion, because
if you don't do this then the speech could turn out to be a complete
failure (except if someone is an expert on the material).
The characteristics
that define the style of the speech are numberous:
Formal or
informal
Serious or
casual
Plain or
enthusiastic
Close to
the audience or distant
Rigorous
or general
Monologue
or participating audience
With visual
aids (projector) or not
Etc.
Examples:
Speech in
an offical event: this will be a formal, plain and rigorous speech.
Presentation
of a technical project: this will be a technical and precise speech,
the style will be more informal and close, you will use visual support,
possibility to ask questions, etc.
Speech to
open the local "fiestas": informal (although informal
still needs to be well prepared) enthusiastic, fun (with anecdotes,
jokes, irony, etc) close, etc.
Improvised
words at a wedding: informal, familiar, deep, brief, etc.
The speaker
will look into giving the best approach in order to achieve the greatest
impact with the public.
If it is
not clear which is the appropriate approach, you will need to speak
to the event organizers or with an expert so that you can get their
opinion.
If you are
in doubt then adopt the most conservative option: it will be less
noticeable if you speak in a formal manner in an informal event,
than speaking in an informal manner at a formal event.
The way you
dress also depends on the type of event (it is not the same speaking
in Parliament as in a political meeting).
If you don't
pay attention to all of these details, then perhaps the speaker will
not manage to capture the public's attention, and they will go away
with the impression that the speech has been a waste of time.
One last observation:
A little
humour, carefully administered, is not looked at in a bad light
(besides, it helps you to get closer to the audience).
