208 CHAPTER 15^ Informative Speaking
the endless “whys” of 4 year olds with explanations. Good expository speakers can iden-
tify the hurdles listeners are likely to encounter in their attempt to comprehend the
concept. They then plan ways to overcome those barriers and make meanings clear.Defining Terms
Definitions answer the questions “What is it?” or “What does it mean?” Definition
speeches are common in classrooms and workplaces—for example, a literature professor
defines genre, a speech professor clarifies the concept of communication climates,
and an employer defines sexual harassment for new employees. Inspirational speakers
also define words: a minister defines generosity; a commencement speaker describes
success; a coach defines perseverance. In short, although people act in ways we might
classify as generous or as sexual harassment, we can neither see nor touch generosity or
harassment; defining those terms helps us as a society discriminate between appropriate
and inappropriate behaviors.
One effective organizational pattern for a speech of definition^21 presents first
the denotative and then the connotative meaning of a word. (Chapter 12 discusses
denotation and connotation in detail.)- Denotative Meaning: Focus on the definition of the word as found in reference
books, such as a thesaurus or etymological dictionary. The Oxford English Dictionary
or another unabridged dictionary provides the most thorough definitions. Books in
an academic discipline show how scholars in that field define the term; for example,
the definition of confirmation found in a dictionary differs from the definition you’d
find in a book on interpersonal communication. Develop the denotative point of
your speech by selecting some of the following strategies:
• Provide synonyms and antonyms that are familiar to your audience.
• Explain the use or function of what you’re defining.
• Give the etymology of the word. What’s its historical source? How has the con-
cept developed over time?
• Compare an unknown concept or item to one your audience already knows.
For example, an “Allen wrench” might be unfamiliar to some listeners, but a
“wrench that looks like a hockey stick” or an “L-shaped wrench” helps them select
the specific tool, given a lineup of wrenches.^22 - Connotative Meaning: Focus on connotative meanings, the emotional associations
of words, by using realistic life experiences as creatively as possible. Here, draw from
whatever you can think of that will add emotional elements to your explanation.
• Relate a personal experience that demonstrates the idea.
• Quote other people telling what the term means to them.
• Tell a narrative or give a series of short examples that illustrate the concept.
• Refer to an exemplar—a person or thing that exemplifies the term.
• Connect the term to a familiar political, social, or moral issue.
For example, in the denotative section of her student speech on destiny, Terez
first provided the dictionary definition and then explained the etymology of the word
like this:
The Roman saying Destinatum est mihi meant “I have made up my mind.” In
Rome, destiny meant a decision was fixed or determined. Later the word reappeared
in both Old and Middle French in the feminine form destiné. Finally, from the
Middle English word destinee, we get the modern form of the word.
Next, a transition led to her connotative section, which consisted of an extended
example of a near-fatal car wreck that devastated her family.
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