SPEAKING IN PUBLIC

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19132, 29 September 1936, Page 13

SPEAKING IN PUBLIC

AFTER-DINNER ORATORY STYLE AND CONCISENESS PREPARATION OF MATTER Elements in the moulding of an etleetivo after-dinner speech were interestingly analysed to-day in an address to the Gisborne Rotary Club by Miss Lois l)avys, a well-known elocutionist. The speaker dealt with the various phases of material, style, delivery, and length, and though hampered by limitations of time gave her audience a comprehensive view of the art of public speech ns practised in these days. The preparation of the material of a speech was advised by Miss Davys, who quote.d Oliver Wendell Holmes, the great American oratoy, to the effect that “wo niust carve our words before we let them fall.” This was true both of the construction of a speech and of its delivery, for a speech poorly prepared could not hope to be effective even though excel lenity delivered, while the most carefully constructed speech must fail of its effect unless the actual words of delivery were carven in the mouth. DISTINCT UTTERANCE Distinct utterance was one feature of public speaking on which too much emphasis could not be laid, said .Miss Davys, who mentioned incidentally that during last session of Parliament she had visited the gallery of the House of Representatives in Wellington, and had found in the country’s Parliamentary representatives an appalling lack of clearness of enunciation. “Probably the reporters in the Press Gallery were able to hear what was said, but from the front row of the Strangers’ Gallery it was impossible to distinguish clearly wliat went on,” she declared. At a later stage of her address. Miss Davys suggested that ft reporters at public gatherings were placed behind the audience, and the speakers were obliged to make themselves heard or forego the publicity attendant upon the making! of a speech, there would lie more attention paid to correct enunciation. Many speakers who had good carrying voices, she added, failed in this matter of enunciation, and though they could make sound travel, they could not make their words distinguishable except to those within short range. ITXFALi.S OF SPEECH

Among the pitfalls of speech to the public mentioned by Miss Davys were selection of the wrong pitch, unnecessary changes of quality, and mouthing oi words. Each of tliese faults militated against the effect which the speaker desired to produce, and when they were constantly apparent the influence upon an audience was unmistakable.

The outbreak of coughing in an audience might be a warning to any speaker that he was not carrying his words to his public, as there was a tendency for aural strain to produce a sensation of irritation in the throat. Each individual must select liis own natural pitch for speaking purposes, for in this he would find sustaining power, modulation being added through the cultivation of the higher and lower registers. Miss Davys likened modulation in speeeli to the shadings in a painting, the change of key in music, or the tints of the rainbow, giving range and variety together with a medium of emphasis. BRIEF, BUT EXCELLENT To bo successful, said Miss Davys, an after-dinner speech must be brief and full of excellence. It must be couched in terms to which thought has been given, but not rendered mechanically; the bane of any audience was the man who chose his words as he went along, straying by the path to select a word to clothe a thought, and then discarding it for another

John Bright, one of the greatest English orators, had said that in public •speech lie tried to spring from headland to headland; and to sustain interest in a modern audience. Miss Davys added, a speech must be full of humour, lofty in sentiment, or so classic in style as to win and keep attention. Theoretically, a speech should be entertaining, but it need not be uninformative, for any vital subject would find listeners, and many social and political reforms might be traced to the suggestions of an after-dinner speaker.

In passing, Miss Davys referred to the proposer of a toast who goes on too long, and usually covers a lot of ground [irepared by tiie respondent. Introductions of subjects should be brief, she held, and the real speech should be left to the respondent. Adding some comments upon flip necessity for confidence, which could be obtained bv most people only through practice, Miss Da vys "stated t hat some natural endowment was necessary to the development of an effective after-dinner speaker.

The address was closed amidst warm applause, which was renewed when Rotarian F. W. Nolan proposed a hearty vote of thanks to Miss Davys.

The gathering! was presided over by Rotarian Tlios. Adams, and among the guests was Mrs. A. D. Davvs, mother of the speaker of the day.