Real Communication An Introduction

Chapter 13  Organizing, Writing, and Outlining Presentations 377

or inappropriately complex language are not as effective as those who speak
directly and in terms that their audience can readily understand and interpret.
You don’t need to “dumb down” your points; just make your points in a lan-
guage that is clear, simple, and unambiguous so that your audience can follow
what you are saying. In addition, there is no speaker quite as dreaded as the
long-winded speaker who repeats the same points or uses six examples where
one would suffice. (Admit it—we’ve all sat through speeches like this!) If you
keep your speech short and to the point, you’ll have a better chance of reaching
your audience with your intended message.

Use Vivid Language

Language paints a picture for an audience. The more vivid your terms, the
more audience members can use their imaginations and their senses. For
example, if you say you have a car, your listeners get a common, forgettable
fact. If you tell them that your father drove a faded orange 1972 Volkswagen
Beetle with a dent in the left fender and a broken taillight, you’ll
give them a very clear and memorable picture of this vehicle.
You may assume your great, eye-catching slides and props
will paint the picture for you, but you must not forget
that words count—often even more than your Power-
Point slides.

Incorporate Repetition, Allusion,

and Comparisons

In 1851, American abolitionist and women’s rights activist Sojourner Truth
delivered an effective and memorable speech at the Women’s Convention in
Akron, Ohio. The speech known as “Ain’t I a Woman?” is effective not only
because of its powerful message about the evils of slavery and the mistreatment
of women but also because Truth’s passionate use of language helped make a
lasting impression on her listeners. Consider, for example, her use of repetition,
allusion, and comparisons. (See Sample Speech 13.1.)

Repetition

Repetition—saying compelling terms, phrases, or even entire sentences more
than once—can help increase the likelihood that the audience will remem-
ber what matters most in your speech. In Truth’s speech, she repeats “Ain’t I
a woman?” several times. This repetition highlights each of the injustices she
feels and influences audience members to consider Truth deserving of the
rights and privileges withheld from her.

Allusion

An allusion is making a vague or indirect reference to people, historical events,
or concepts that an audience will recognize in order to give deeper meaning to
the message and possibly evoke emotional responses. Allusions can also pro-
vide grounded context that goes beyond what you are saying directly. In Truth’s

CONNECT

In Chapters 4 and 14, you

learn about nonverbal as-

pects of speech such as

rate, pauses, tone, volume,

and pitch. In many cases,

these factors can help you

use repetition effectively.

For example, if you repeat

a phrase with an upward

inflection of voice followed

by a pause, you will help

the audience anticipate

the next line and enhance

their retention of your main

points.

AUDIENCE MEMBERS

wouldn’t conjure up this clear

and memorable a picture

in their minds unless it was

painted with vivid language by

the speaker. © ilbusca/istockphoto

.com

Have you ever been part

of an audience that had to

sit through a speech when

the speaker failed to use

language the audience

easily understood? Do you

remember anything impor-

tant from this speech—or

even its main point? How

did you feel during the

speech?

AND YOU?