Power Language: Public Speaking

Activity 6: Vocal Hijinks

Set the Stage

Do you know what it means to be sarcastic? The tone of your voice doesn't appear to match the words you're saying. You can say the same words in a different way and either be believed or not believed. Some speakers think that how you say something is as important as what you say.

Speak Out

Think of a message you want to get across. Repeating only one word, try to tell someone something. You might use the word apple, or even fake words (gibberish). Vary your tone of voice and emphasis, but don't use gestures. If you have trouble not using gestures, ask your partner to close his or her eyes while you speak. Try the exercise until you have communicated several different ideas.

Communicate some of the same ideas to your partner, but this time use real words only. See how many different ways you can say the same words yet mean something different each time.

Now ask a partner or your helper to say something to you in gibberish. Try to translate what he or she means.

Stretch the Message

Using statements from one of your previous speeches, try delivering the words with varying tones of voice. Ask a listener to help you evaluate which techniques made you appear most believable.

Open Mike

Share

• How were you able to get someone else to understand you without using different words?
• Was it easier or harder to do the exercise with eyes closed?
• What things about your partner's voice helped you identify meaning?

Process

• How are written messages different from spoken ones?
• Which do you believe more—words or nonverbal cues? Why?
• If you are confident, how does this influence a listener? How does it change the way you deliver your message?

Generalize

• What other cues do you use to interpret someone's meaning?

Apply

• How can you use what you learned to become a better communicator?