A modern day speaker addressing an audience through microphones

Public speaking is the process of speaking to a group of people in a structured, deliberate manner intended to inform, influence, or entertain the listeners. The art and science of public speaking, especially in a North American competitive environment, is also known as forensics. The word "forensic" is an adjective meaning "of public debate or argument." The word is derived from the Latin forensis, meaning "of the forum." The sense of the word "forensic" that means "pertaining to legal trials" dates from the 1600s (Oxford English Dictionary) and led to the use of the word "forensics" in reference to legal evidence. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 450 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1200 × 1600 pixel, file size: 223 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 450 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1200 × 1600 pixel, file size: 223 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ... Bold text This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Forensics redirects here. ...

In public speaking, as in any form of communication, there are five basic elements, often expressed as "who is saying what to whom using what medium with what effects?" The purpose of public speaking can range from simply transmitting information, to motivating people to act, to simply telling a story. Good orators should be able to change the emotions of their listeners, not just inform them. Public speaking can also be considered a discourse community. It contains elements of a discourse community that exist in many mediums and forms that serve different purposes for society and business among other areas of communication. Interpersonal communication and public speaking have several components that embrace such things as motivational speaking, leadership/personal development, business, customer service, large group communication, and mass communication. Public speaking can be a powerful tool to use for purposes such as motivation, influence, persuasion, informing, translation, or simply entertaining. This article is in need of attention. ... Orator is a Latin word for speaker (from the Latin verb oro, meaning I speak or I pray). In ancient Rome, the art of speaking in public (Ars Oratoria) was a professional competence especially cultivated by politicians and lawyers. ... Discourse community is a term used in linguistics to describe the users of a particular style of language, such as an academic journal or an email list for Madonna fans (see online discourse environment). ... Discourse community is a term used in linguistics to describe the users of a particular style of language, such as an academic journal or an email list for Madonna fans (see online discourse environment). ... Interpersonal communication is the process of sending and receiving information or communication with another person. ...

History

The first known work on the subject was written over 2500 years ago, and the principles elaborated within it were drawn from the practices and experience of orators in ancient Greece. These basic principles have undergone modification as societies, and cultures have changed, yet remained surprisingly uniform. The history of public speaking has existed for centuries since civilization has been constructed and has had a major impact on society. The technology and the methods of this form of communication have traditionally been through oratory structure and rely on a large or sometimes somewhat small audience. However, new advancements in technology have allowed for more sophisticated communication to occur for speakers and public orators. The technological and media sources that assist the public speaking atmosphere include both videoconferencing and telecommunications. Videoconferencing is among one of the more recent technologies that is in a way revolutionizing the way that public speakers communicate to the masses. David M. Fetterman of Stanford University printed in his 1997 article Videoconferencing over the Internet: "Videoconferencing technology allows geographically disparate parties to hear and see each other usually through satellite or telephone communication systems". This technology is helpful for large conference meetings and face to face communication context, and is becoming more widespread across the world. The term ancient Greece refers to the periods of Greek history in Classical Antiquity, lasting ca. ... A society is a group of people living or working together. ... For other uses, see Culture (disambiguation). ... For the Bobby Womack album, see Communication (1972 album). ... Oratory is the art of eloquent speech. ... It has been suggested that H.331 be merged into this article or section. ... It has been suggested that H.331 be merged into this article or section. ... Stanford redirects here. ... It has been suggested that H.331 be merged into this article or section. ... For the Bobby Womack album, see Communication (1972 album). ...

Training

Effective public speaking can be developed by joining a club such Rostrum, Toastmasters International, Association of Speakers Clubs (ASC) or International Training in Communication (ITC) in which members are assigned exercises to improve their speaking skills. Members learn by observation and practice, and hone their skills by listening to constructive suggestions followed by new public speaking exercises. These include: Australian Rostrum is an association of Australian public speaking clubs, founded on 21 July 1930. ... Toastmasters International (TI) is a nonprofit educational organization that operates clubs worldwide for the purpose of helping members improve their communication, public speaking and leadership skills. ... The Association of Speakers Clubs (ASC) is a British confederation of about 150 clubs around the country that promote the skill of public speaking. ... International Training in Communication (ITC) is an organization formed in 1938[1] that seeks to help people improve interpersonal skills including speaking, listening and leadership. ...

• Oratory
• The use of gestures
• Control of the voice (inflection)
• Vocabulary, register, word choice
• Speaking notes
• Using humor
• Developing a relationship with the audience

Professional trainers in public speaking (or presenting) are cautious about recommending these organizations as they are essentially amateurs commenting on amateurs. As such they can reinforce mediocrity or worse, carry on spreading incorrect or over-simplified ideas. Serious students of public speaking are advised to get professional training. Oratory is the art of eloquent speech. ... For other uses, see Body language (disambiguation). ... The word voice can be used to refer to: Sound: The human voice. ... Inflection of the Spanish lexeme for cat, with blue representing the masculine gender, pink representing the feminine gender, grey representing the form used for mixed-gender, and green representing the plural number. ... The vocabulary of a person is defined either as the set of all words that are understood by that person or the set of all words likely to be used by that person when constructing new sentences. ... In linguistics, a register is a subset of a language used for a particular purpose or in a particular social setting. ... Look up Humour in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

Using a forum such as Toastmasters to practice public speaking skills after receiving professional training is a time-tested approach to developing one's ability to speak well. It is difficult to really receive any formal training but, can still be taught and practiced by those seeking to improve their public communication skills. The organization is among one of the largest nationally recognized that specializes in the improvement and networking of effective communication skills throughout the world.

The new millennium has seen a notable increase in the number of training solutions offered in the form of video and on-line courses. Video can provide significant training potential by revealing to the student actual examples of behaviors to emulate in addition to verbal knowledge transfer.

Leadership

Effective leadership almost always requires the skill of good public speaking, and this can often make up for a lack of other skills. Both Adolf Hitler and Martin Luther King, Jr. were effective orators who used oratory to have a significant impact on society. Hitler redirects here. ... Martin Luther King redirects here. ... Look up orator in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Oratory is the art of eloquent speech. ...

National and International Organizations

The National Communication Association (NCA) exists to assist professional communicators - both marketplace and academic. There is an annual convention held with many presentations addressing the concerns central to effective public speaking

Toastmasters International is a nonprofit educational organization that operates clubs worldwide for the purpose of helping members improve their communication, public speaking and leadership skills. Through its member clubs, Toastmasters International helps men and women learn the arts of speaking, listening, and thinking.^[1] Toastmasters International (TI) is a nonprofit educational organization that operates clubs worldwide for the purpose of helping members improve their communication, public speaking and leadership skills. ... A non-profit organization (abbreviated NPO, or non-profit or not-for-profit) is an organization whose primary objective is to support an issue or matter of private interest or public concern for non-commercial purposes, without concern for monetary profit. ... For the Bobby Womack album, see Communication (1972 album). ... Leader redirects here. ...

General

The fear of public speaking is called glossophobia (or, informally, "stage fright"). It is believed to be the single most common phobia — affecting as much as 75% of the population. Fear of oration is ranked even above that of death. As Jerry Seinfeld observes, "The average person at a funeral would rather be in the casket than doing the eulogy." Many careers require some ability in public speaking, for example presenting information to clients or colleagues. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... For other uses, see Phobia (disambiguation). ... This article is about the comedian. ... Look up eulogy in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

Public speaking and oration are sometimes considered some of the most importantly valued skills that an individual can possess. This skill can be used for almost anything. Most great speakers have a natural ability to display the skills and effectiveness that can help to engage and move an audience for whatever purpose. Language and rhetoric use are among two of the most important aspects of public speaking and interpersonal communication. Having knowledge and understanding of the use and purpose of communication can help to make a more effective speaker communicate their message in an effectual way. Rhetoric (from Greek , rhêtôr, orator, teacher) is generally understood to be the art or technique of persuasion through the use of oral, visual, or written language; however, this definition of rhetoric has expanded greatly since rhetoric emerged as a field of study in universities. ... For the Bobby Womack album, see Communication (1972 album). ...

See also

• World Individual Debating and Public Speaking Championships
• Audience Response System
• Australian Rostrum
• Glossophobia
• Public speaker
• North American Public Speaking Championship
• Debate
• Eloquence
• National Catholic Forensic League
• National Forensic League
• Orator
• Oratory
• Rhetoric
• Rostrum
• Speaking fee
• Speech communication
• Thematic Interpretation
• Toastmasters International
• Association of Speakers Clubs
• World Universities Debating Championship
• International Training in Communication

The World Individual Debating and Public Speaking Championships is a high profile annual English language debating and public speaking tournament for individual high school level students representing different countries. ... Infrared audience response control Audience response is a type of interaction associated with the use of audience response systems, to create interactivity between a presenter and his audience. ... Australian Rostrum is an association of Australian public speaking clubs, founded on 21 July 1930. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... It has been suggested that After dinner speaker be merged into this article or section. ... The North American Public Speaking Championship is organized by the Canadian University Society for Intercollegiate Debate and the American Parliamentary Debating Association. ... Debate (North American English) or debating (British English) is a formal method of interactive and position representational argument. ... Eloquence (from Latin eloquentia) is fluent, forcible, elegant or persuasive speaking in public. ... The National Catholic Forensic League (NCFL) is a speech and debate league that was formed in 1951. ... The National Forensic League is one of two major U.S. national organizations which direct high school competitive speech events. ... Look up orator in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Oratory is the art of eloquent speech. ... Rhetoric (from Greek , rhêtôr, orator, teacher) is generally understood to be the art or technique of persuasion through the use of oral, visual, or written language; however, this definition of rhetoric has expanded greatly since rhetoric emerged as a field of study in universities. ... Rostrum can mean one of several different things: A rostrum (Latin beak) is an anatomical structure resembling a birds beak, such as the snout of crocodiles or dolphins or the part of the carapace of a crustacean. ... A speaking fee is payment awarded to an individual for speaking at a public event. ... Bold text This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Thematic Interpretation is the practice of verbal and non verbal communication, utilizing illustrated and non ilustrated techniques, used by Interpretive Naturalists, Natural and Cultural Interpretive Specialist, Tour Guides and others to present complex and sometimes dry subject matter in an interesting and engaging way. ... Toastmasters International (TI) is a nonprofit educational organization that operates clubs worldwide for the purpose of helping members improve their communication, public speaking and leadership skills. ... The Association of Speakers Clubs (ASC) is a British confederation of about 150 clubs around the country that promote the skill of public speaking. ... The World Universities Debating Championship (WUDC) is the largest debating tournament, and one of the largest annual international student events in the world. ... International Training in Communication (ITC) is an organization formed in 1938[1] that seeks to help people improve interpersonal skills including speaking, listening and leadership. ...

External links

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to:

Public speaking

• National Speakers Association (NSA)
• Association of Speakers Clubs
• Online Library of American Speeches
• National Communication Association (NCA)
• Eastern Communication Association (ECA)
• Reference Guide Entry on Public Speakers

This article does not cite any references or sources. (December 2007) Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed.

It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Oratory. (Discuss)