Notes on Speaking

Notes on Successful Speaking

Thor May

These are the main things a speaker must control to be understood :

1. Interpersonal contact -> the speaker interacts with and adapts to the listener’s needs.

2. Topic knowledge -> The speaker knows what s⁄he is talking about.

3. Discourse organization -> Things that logically come first are said first. Things that follow are said later in a sensible order.

4. Coherence -> The argument makes sense to the listener. The speaker must be aware of what the listener is understanding or not understanding.

5. Cohesion -> Pronouns have a clear reference to nouns. Link words like therefore and however truly link ideas.

6. Syntax (grammar) -> The organization inside sentences follows patterns the listener can understand.

7. Lexis (vocabulary) -> The vocabulary choice describes the ideas properly and is suitable for the social context.

8. Phonology (sound system) ->

a) Non-segmental : i) the stress-timing is correct (for English); ii) the intonation and pitch control follows musical patterns the listener can understand and accept.

b) Segmental -> i) the phonemes (vowels and consonants) have values within an acceptable dialect range (the listener can understand and accept them); ii) the reduction and liaison of phonemes is correct for surrounding sounds; iii) phoneme replacements (especially using unstressed vowels) are done correctly.

c) Fluency -> the sound stream flows without serious hesitations.

d) Clarity -> The combined effect of sound elements comes to the ear of the listener in a way which seems clear and easy to understand.