Power Language: Power Language

Power Vocabulary

audience: a group of people that hears your message

brainstorm: to quickly develop a list of ideas on a topic; usually a group activity in which members use the ideas of others to spur their own creativity

communicate: to relay a message that is understood by writing, speaking, or gesturing

extemporaneous: planned but unscripted; sometimes considered synonymous with “impromptu”

feedback: criticism or suggestions from others

gesture: a movement with the hands or body that has meaning

impromptu: unplanned; unrehearsed; spur of the moment

inflection: a change or variation in vocal pitch

introduction: the beginning of a speech; also, a brief setup that announces another speaker or topic

listen: to hear someone else's message and gain meaning from it

nonverbal communication: communication associated with bodily movements, facial expressions, or sounds that are not words (compare to “verbal communication”)

persuade: to influence someone else to think a certain way or do something

presentation: a speech that shows an audience how to do something

props: physical items such as pictures, drawings, or objects that make a speech more interesting; they also give speakers something purposeful to do with their hands

public speaking: making a formal or informal speech before a group of people

story: an account of something that happened; it might be real or fiction

tone of voice: a variation in the voice that expresses mood or emotion

verbal communication: communication associated with language (compare to “nonverbal communication”)

visual aids: props that enhance or reinforce the message