Public speaking is speaking to a group of people in a structured, deliberate manner intended to inform, influence, or entertain the listeners. In public speaking, as in any form of communication, there are five basic elements, often expressed as "who is saying what to whom utilizing 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. A good orator should be able to change the emotions of their listener, not just inform them.

History

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Public speaking is almost as ancient as speech itself. The first textbook on the subject was written over 2400 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.

Training

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Effective public speaking can be developed by joining a club such as Rostrum, Toastmasters International, ASC or International Training in Communication 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:

• Oratory
• The use of gestures
• Control of the voice
• Choice of vocabulary
• Speaking notes
• Using humour
• Developing a relationship with the audience

Leadership

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Effective leadership almost always requires the skill of good public speaking, and this can often make up for a lack of other skills. The ends to which this skill can be used vary greatly - Adolf Hitler and Martin Luther King, Jr. were both able to use oratory to have a significant impact on society - but in very different directions.

General

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The fear of public speaking is called glossophobia (or, informally, "stage fright"). It is believed to be the single most common phobia — even above death — affecting as much as 75% of all people.

One prominent place for public speaking nowadays is Speakers' Corner in Hyde Park, London. On Sundays, everyone can take a "soap box", stand on it, and talk about God and the world.

See also

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• Public speaker
• North American Public Speaking Championship
• Debate
• Eloquence
• Orator
• Oratory
• Rhetoric
• Speech
• Toastmasters International
• World Universities Debating Championship

External links

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• Public Speaking Resources
• National Speakers Association (NSA)
• Institute of Rhetoric and Communication - Germany's leading Rhetoric Institute
• Saxton Speakers Bureau: Australia's leading public speaking bureau

• Detailed article on overcoming Fear of Public Speaking
• World Debate Website
• Association of Speakers Clubs
• Public Speaking Tip Organization

Public speaking | Rede | discours | Oratória | Tal (retorik)