2. If You are Speaking before the Audience Если Вы выступаете перед аудиторией

If you want to be successful,

You must look successful.

Moore

Jesting Many a true word is spoken in jest. Proverb

Шутки Много правды говорится в шутку. Пословица

1. Don't mumble, speak loud, but do not shout.

2. Do not swallow words, they have no meaning down your throat, leave something for your audience,

3. Do not speak to the ceiling, speak to the audience.

4. Do not close your eyes, you are not dreaming, you are talking.

5. Speak into the mike.

6. Do not wave or swing your hands, you arc not dancing, you arc lecturing.

7. Do not walk up and down the platform, as if you are doing Othello.

8. Do not consult your Watch every two minutes – it is too early for lunch, you are wasting time.

9. Do not empty the glass of water too often, you will need room for some food at the cocktail party.

10. Do not show off with your figure, you are not modeling, you are explaining.

3. Elements of Delivery Элементы устного выступления

You can have the most impressive organization, the most powerful content, and the most professional visuals, and still not a successful presentation. How we present our material is just as important as what we say. That's why we must pay particular attention to our voice, our gestures,

a nd our movements as we present. Let's consider each of the elements of delivery and consider some examples of their use and importance

The Voice

The voice is the speaker's powerful tool in the speaker's arsenal. It creates moods and inspires audiences to action. For example, by increasing the speed of your delivery as you describe an action or event, you can create excitement and interest. By speaking softly, you can invite your audience to listen carefully and to become a part of a confidence between the listener and speaker. By speaking with enthusiasm and vigor, you create enthusiasm in your audiences. What you are what you feel come through in your voice.

For this reason, you must be aware of your voice and ask yourself some key questions. First, am I speaking too loudly or too softly?

If your audience is leaning toward you attempting to hear, you arc speaking too softly. However, if they are backing up in their chairs, you may be speaking too loudly. If you have doubts, ask the audience or have a friend sit in the back of the room to signal you if you are speaking too softly or too loudly.

I

I

A-

Second, «Am I speaking too quickly or too slowly?» Generally, a nervous presenter speaks too rapidly, like the American auctioneer who speaks so rapidly that only those who know «auction language» can follow what he says. Speaking too rapidly confuses the audience and shows your lack of confidence.

Speakers from the northeastern U.S. and countries with rapid speech patterns should be especially careful to slow their delivery rate so that the audience can follow their presentation comfortably. When you are delivering detailed data, especially if it is new to your listeners, or material containing numbers or statistical data, slow down. Reinforce important numbers or data by writing them on the board or using other visual media.

Sometimes, speakers present their material too slowly, which frustrates the audience. Speakers from the southern U.S. and those who are learning to speak English need to increase their delivery speed to between 90-150 words per minute, which is the normal pace for conversation.

Third, «Am I using trite phrases, unexplained abbreviations, or slang expressions in my presentation?» If you intend to use an abbreviation, explain it the first time you use it. Slang expressions and trite phrases should be deleted in favor of original phrases. Phrases such as «you know» and «have a nice day» are boring and commonplace.

Fourth, ask yourself, «Am I choosing and pronouncing words correctly?» Nothing destroys a positive impression more than mispronouncing words or using large words incorrectly. For example, a student was discussing how to improve one's writing mid told the group they should always use a «catharsis» to find alternative words. What he meant, of course, was «thesaurus», a compilation of synonyms and antonyms; however, the audience had a good laugh at his expensw. When you're in doubt the meaning or pronunciation of a word, look it up in the dictionary. Then practice the pronunciation until you are comfortable using it. If you still have doubts about your pronunciation, ask your professor or a native speaker to critique your pronunciation of words. Taping your presentation will often give you more clues about the correctness of your pronunciation when you review it with your instructor.

Related to pronunciation is accent, or the way you pronounce vowel and consonant sounds. Everyone, regardless of what region of the country they are from, speaks with an accent. Your accent is acquired when you are learning the language and supplemented or changed through your education and later language experiences. Accent helps the listener identify your background, education, and origin.

In the United States, there are many regional accents, For example, Texans elongate their vowels. People from the rural South tend to drop the «g» from words ending in «ing» mid soften the pronoun «I» to «Ah». This means that instead of saying, «I'm going fishing», a Southerner may say, «Ahm goin ‘fishin'». New Yorkers, however, clip their words and pronouns them with a nasal twang.

People from other countries have their own accent when speaking English. You will find Americans are very receptive to English spoken with a «foreign accent». For the most part, they find it charming and refreshing, so long as they can understand it clearly. When making a professional presentation, however, try to keep your accent and pronunciation as close to standard American pronunciation as possible. Have a native speaker critique your accent and note words and phrases that he or she had difficulty understanding vowel or consonant sounds that you need further work in pronouncing.

Fifth, ask «Am I using filler words like «and... uh» and «you know» in my presentation. Presenters tend to fill silences or pauses with verbal noise, hence the «and... uhs». Unfortunately, we are unconscious of doing this until we hear ourselves on tape or someone tells us. We all have heard stories about people actually keeping count of the times a speaker uses «and-uh» or «you know» in a speech. They get so caught up the speaker's error that they do not pay attention to the message.