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Oct 30, 2018 · Perhaps we should start to work some more slang into our next speech. Any discussion of slang requires us to understand just exactly what slang is. It turns out that slang is words that are understood by a lot of people; however, at the same time they are not accepted as examples of good or formal word usage by the majority of people.
- Beware of The Curse of Knowledge
- Avoid Big Words
- Avoid Bafflegab
- Avoid Jargon
- Avoid Slang
- Avoid Cliches
- Avoid Cusswords
- Avoid The Ists
- Avoid Powerless Language
When I was in graduate school I suffered from the curse of knowledge. Actor and communication expert, Alan Alda in his book, If I Understood You, Would I Have This Look on my Facesays, The problem is people are “unable to ignore the additional information they possess,” according to economists Camerer, Loewenstein, and Weber. These researchers ques...
Why use a three-dollar word when a two-dollar word will do? Words like facetious, discombobulation, obfuscate, and cacophony make you sound smart, but they won’t make you understood. There is a time and place for your ‘big” vocabulary, but it is rarely in your speech. As with all things, context is key. If you are a graduate student or faculty memb...
According to Milton Smith, originator of the term bafflegab said, In short, it is using fancy words used to sound smart or to deliberately confuse your audience. William Lutz called it this inflated language. Most of the time, your audience is confused and not impressed. My dad used to tell me not to confuse my audience or I would be “up the prover...
Jargon is the specialized language of a group or profession. If you are part of the group and speaking to an audience made up of people from that group, then you should use jargon, in fact, it would be hard for you not to. If, however, there are outsiders in the audience, you should be sure to define unknown terms or exclude them altogether. Just f...
Slang is the informal language of a particular group. Because it is seen as “informal,” it should be avoided in formal speeches like career speeches, academic speeches, and professional speeches. In less formal speeches, slang can be useful. If you are an insider to the group, slang can build credibility. Studies found that it created a more suppor...
Clichés are overused expressions that have lost their meaning over time. Cliches can make you seem too lazy to come up with concrete words and some people find them annoying. If you are writing a formal essay, all experts say to avoid cliches. If you are making a formal academic presentation, avoid cliches. In speeches, sometimes they work, but oth...
To cuss or not to cuss, that is the question? If you would have asked me that question, ten years ago, I would have advised you that under no circumstances should you ever swear in a speech. I have to be honest here, however, some of my favorite speeches use swear words. Dr. Randy Pausch says curse words in the Last Lecture and Dr. Jerry Harvey’s l...
Ists do not belong in your speech. Avoid racist, sexist, agist, heterosexist, ableist language. And while you are at it, make sure you know the preferred name for people groups. The “right” word to use changes over time and changes based on context. When I started to write this chapter, I thought I would make a list of what words to say and what wo...
Powerless language consists of words or phrases that weaken the language and undermine credibility. Powerless language results in the speaker being seen as less persuasive, less attractive, and less credible. It is true that in social settings, you should be willing to use powerless language for the sake of cooperation, but in speeches, you should ...
Aug 22, 2023 · Language and word choice are crucial in public speaking as they can impact the audience’s understanding, engagement, and perception of the speaker. Using clear, concise, and appropriate language helps convey ideas effectively and ensures that the audience remains attentive throughout the presentation. 2.
Mar 8, 2024 · Generate Slangs. Click above to generate some slangs. 1. Talk. To “talk” in the context of speeches refers to delivering a speech or presentation to an audience. It can be used as a verb to describe the act of speaking in front of others. For example, “I will talk about the importance of education in my speech.”.
Sep 21, 2017 · Sum It Up. By understanding “how” you should speak, you do yourself and your audience a magnificent service. By speaking the audience’s language, you make it easy to relate, understand, and accept your message, which hopefully benefits them in some way. By speaking YOUR language, you stay true to yourself.
Jan 9, 2023 · Whether you’re writing an essay or speaking in front of a group, there are certain big words you can use to impress your audience.
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Slang words for mental illness should always be avoided, such as “crazy” or “mental.” Other Types of Appropriateness. Language in a speech should be appropriate to the speaker and the speaker’s background and personality, to the context, to the audience, and to the topic. Let’s say that you’re an engineering student.
