264 13.3 Delivering Your Speech
inferiors. The chin is not used to signal to superiors. The best way to point is
with the full hand.”^18 When one of the authors spoke in England, several listen-
ers noted the use of “typical overly expressive American gestures and move-
ment.” British listeners seem to prefer that the speaker stay behind a lectern and
use relatively few gestures. Other Europeans agree that they can spot an American
speaker because Americans typically are more animated in their use of gestures,
movement, and facial expressions than are Northern European speakers.AvoId AwkwArd gestures Public-speaking teachers often observe sev-
eral unusual, inappropriate, and unnatural gestures among their students. We’re
not suggesting that you can never make these gestures, but holding them for a
long time or during an entire speech looks awkward and unnatural and may dis-
tract your audience. They also keep you from using other, more helpful gestures.
• Parade rest. Some speakers keep their hands behind their backs like soldiers
given a “parade rest” command.
• Broken wing. Another common position is standing with one hand on the hip
or, even worse, both hands resting on the hips in a “double broken wing.”
• Flesh wound. Few poses are more awkward-looking than when a speaker
clutches one arm as if grazed by a bullet. The audience half expects the
speaker to call out reassuringly, “Don’t worry, Ma, it’s only a flesh wound.”
• Hands in pockets. Keeping your hands in your pockets can make you look as
if you were afraid to let go of your change or your keys.
• Fig leaf. Some students clasp their hands and let them drop in front of them
in a distracting “fig leaf clutch.”
Gestures can distract your audience in various other ways as well. Grasping
the lectern until your knuckles turn white or just letting your hands flop around
without purpose or control does little to help you communicate your message.use fuNctIoNAl gestures If you don’t know what to do with your hands,
think about the message you want to communicate. As in ordinary conversation,
your hands should simply help to emphasize or reinforce your verbal message.
Specifically, your gestures can lend strength to or detract from what you have
to say by (1) repeating, (2) contradicting, (3) substituting, (4) complementing,
(5) emphasizing, and (6) regulating.
• Repeating. Gestures can help you repeat your verbal message. For example,
you can say, “I have three major points to talk about today” while holding
up three fingers. Or you can describe an object as being 12 inches long while
holding your hands about a foot apart. Repeating what you say through
nonverbal means can reinforce your message.
• Contradicting. Because your audience will believe what you communicate
nonverbally sooner than what you communicate verbally, monitor your ges-
tures to make sure that you are not contradicting what you say. It is difficult