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What Is Speech? What Is Language?

[ en Español ]

Jorge is 4 years old. It is hard to understand him when he talks. He is quiet when he speaks, and his sounds are not clear.

Vicki is in high school. She has had learning problems since she was young. She has trouble reading and writing and needs extra time to take tests.

Maryam had a stroke. She can only say one or two words at a time. She cannot tell her son what she wants and needs. She also has trouble following simple directions.

Louis also had a stroke. He is able to understand everything he hears and speaks in full sentences. The problem is that he has slurred speech and is hard to understand.

All of these people have trouble communicating. But their problems are different.

What Is Speech?

Speech is how we say sounds and words. Speech includes:

Articulation How we make speech sounds using the mouth, lips, and tongue. For example, we need to be able to say the “r” sound to say "rabbit" instead of "wabbit.”

Voice How we use our vocal folds and breath to make sounds. Our voice can be loud or soft or high- or low-pitched. We can hurt our voice by talking too much, yelling, or coughing a lot.

Fluency This is the rhythm of our speech. We sometimes repeat sounds or pause while talking. People who do this a lot may stutter.

What Is Language?

Language refers to the words we use and how we use them to share ideas and get what we want. Language includes:

• What words mean. Some words have more than one meaning. For example, “star” can be a bright object in the sky or someone famous.
• How to make new words. For example, we can say “friend,” “friendly,” or “unfriendly” and mean something different.
• How to put words together. For example, in English we say, “Peg walked to the new store” instead of “Peg walk store new.”
• What we should say at different times. For example, we might be polite and say, “Would you mind moving your foot?” But, if the person does not move, we may say, “Get off my foot!”

Language and Speech Disorders

We can have trouble with speech, language, or both. Having trouble understanding what others say is a receptive language disorder. Having problems sharing our thoughts, ideas, and feelings is an expressive language disorder. It is possible to have both a receptive and an expressive language problem.

When we have trouble saying sounds, stutter when we speak, or have voice problems, we have a speech disorder .

Jorge has a speech disorder that makes him hard to understand. So does Louis. The reason Tommy has trouble is different than the reason Louis does.

Maryam has a receptive and expressive language disorder . She does not understand what words mean and has trouble using words to talk to others.

Vicki also has a language disorder . Reading and writing are language skills. She could also have problems understanding others and using words well because of her learning disability.

Where to Get Help

SLPs work with people who have speech and language disorders. SLPs work in schools, hospitals, and clinics, and may be able to come to your home.

To find a speech-language pathologist near you, visit ProFind .

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Other forms: speeches

When you say something out loud, that's speech . When you give a speech , you say a lot of things in front of a group. Maybe you should open with a joke?

The ability to produce and understand speech in complex ways has long been considered part of what separates humans from other animals. "Freedom of speech " is the right to express your thoughts and opinions publicly. Adjectives, nouns and verbs are "parts of speech ." By the way: speech is a noun.

• noun (language) communication by word of mouth “his speech was garbled” synonyms: language , oral communication , speech communication , spoken communication , spoken language , voice communication see more see less types: show 63 types... hide 63 types... words the words that are spoken orthoepy , pronunciation the way a word or a language is customarily spoken conversation the use of speech for informal exchange of views or ideas or information etc. discussion , give-and-take , word an exchange of views on some topic expression , locution , saying a word or phrase that particular people use in particular situations non-standard speech speech that differs from the usual accepted, easily recognizable speech of native adult members of a speech community idiolect the language or speech of one individual at a particular period in life monologue a long utterance by one person (especially one that prevents others from participating in the conversation) charm , magic spell , magical spell , spell a verbal formula believed to have magical force dictation speech intended for reproduction in writing monologue , soliloquy speech you make to yourself Beatitude one of the eight sayings of Jesus at the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount; in Latin each saying begins with `beatus' (blessed) logion a saying of Jesus that is regarded as authentic although it is not recorded in the Gospels calque , calque formation , loan translation an expression introduced into one language by translating it from another language advice and consent a legal expression in the United States Constitution that allows the Senate to constrain the President's powers of appointment and treaty-making ambiguity an expression whose meaning cannot be determined from its context euphemism an inoffensive or indirect expression that is substituted for one that is considered offensive or too harsh dysphemism an offensive or disparaging expression that is substituted for an inoffensive one shucks an expression of disappointment or irritation Received Pronunciation the approved pronunciation of British English; originally based on the King's English as spoken at public schools and at Oxford and Cambridge Universities (and widely accepted elsewhere in Britain); until recently it was the pronunciation of English used in British broadcasting tongue twister an expression that is difficult to articulate clearly crossfire a lively or heated interchange of ideas and opinions phatic communication , phatic speech conversational speech used to communicate sociability more than information exchange a mutual expression of views (especially an unpleasant one) chat , confab , confabulation , schmoose , schmooze an informal conversation gossiping , gossipmongering a conversation that spreads personal information about other people talk , talking an exchange of ideas via conversation nothings inconsequential conversation commerce social exchange, especially of opinions, attitudes, etc. colloquy formal conversation argument , argumentation , debate a discussion in which reasons are advanced for and against some proposition or proposal rap voluble conversation rap session conversation in a situation where feelings can be expressed and criticized or supported second-hand speech overheard conversation (especially overheard cellphone conversation) table talk conversation during a meal telephone conversation a conversation over the telephone tete-a-tete a private conversation between two people deliberation (usually plural) discussion of all sides of a question conference , group discussion a discussion among participants who have an agreed (serious) topic panel discussion discussion of a subject of public interest by a group of persons forming a panel usually before an audience post-mortem , postmortem discussion of an event after it has occurred public discussion , ventilation free and open discussion of (or debate on) some question of public interest dialogue , negotiation , talks a discussion intended to produce an agreement anatomical , anatomical reference an expression that relates to anatomy southernism a locution or pronunciation peculiar to the southern United States catchword , motto , shibboleth , slogan a favorite saying of a sect or political group axiom , maxim a saying that is widely accepted on its own merits epigram , quip a witty saying adage , byword , proverb , saw a condensed but memorable saying embodying some important fact of experience that is taken as true by many people idiom , idiomatic expression , phrasal idiom , phrase , set phrase an expression whose meanings cannot be inferred from the meanings of the words that make it up agrapha sayings of Jesus not recorded in the canonical Gospels sumpsimus a correct expression that takes the place of a popular but incorrect expression baby talk , babytalk the developing speech of a young child baby talk , babytalk , motherese an adult's imitation of the speech of a young child accent , dialect , idiom the usage or vocabulary that is characteristic of a specific group of people localism a phrase or pronunciation that is peculiar to a particular locality regionalism a feature (as a pronunciation or expression or custom) that is characteristic of a particular region telegraphese language characterized by terseness and ellipsis as in telegrams vernacular the everyday speech of the people (as distinguished from literary language) argot , cant , jargon , lingo , patois , slang , vernacular a characteristic language of a particular group (as among thieves) slang , slang expression , slang term informal language consisting of words and expressions that are not considered appropriate for formal occasions; often vituperative or vulgar conjuration , incantation a ritual recitation of words or sounds believed to have a magical effect curse , hex , jinx , whammy an evil spell type of: auditory communication communication that relies on hearing
• noun the exchange of spoken words “they were perfectly comfortable together without speech ” see more see less type of: speaking , speech production the utterance of intelligible speech
• noun a lengthy rebuke synonyms: lecture , talking to see more see less types: preaching , sermon a moralistic rebuke curtain lecture a private lecture to a husband by his wife type of: rebuke , reprehension , reprimand , reproof , reproval an act or expression of criticism and censure
• noun something spoken “he could hear them uttering merry speeches ” see more see less type of: utterance , vocalization the use of uttered sounds for auditory communication
• noun the act of delivering a formal spoken communication to an audience synonyms: address see more see less examples: Gettysburg Address a three-minute address by Abraham Lincoln during the American Civil War at the dedication of a national cemetery on the site of the Battle of Gettysburg (November 19, 1863) types: show 24 types... hide 24 types... allocution (rhetoric) a formal or authoritative address that advises or exhorts colloquium an address to an academic meeting or seminar dithyramb a wildly enthusiastic speech or piece of writing impromptu an extemporaneous speech or remark inaugural , inaugural address an address delivered at an inaugural ceremony (especially by a United States president) lecture , public lecture , talk a speech that is open to the public litany any long and tedious address or recital oratory addressing an audience formally (usually a long and rhetorical address and often pompous) oral presentation , public speaking , speaking , speechmaking delivering an address to a public audience discourse , preaching , sermon an address of a religious nature (usually delivered during a church service) reading , recital , recitation a public instance of reciting or repeating (from memory) something prepared in advance keynote address , keynote speech a speech setting forth the keynote nominating address , nominating speech , nomination an address (usually at a political convention) proposing the name of a candidate to run for election oration an instance of oratory debate , disputation , public debate the formal presentation of a stated proposition and the opposition to it (usually followed by a vote) declamation vehement oratory epideictic oratory a type of oratory used to eulogize or condemn a person or group of people stump speech political oratory salutatory , salutatory address , salutatory oration an opening or welcoming statement (especially one delivered at graduation exercises) valediction , valedictory , valedictory address , valedictory oration a farewell oration (especially one delivered during graduation exercises by an outstanding member of a graduating class) baccalaureate a farewell sermon to a graduating class at their commencement ceremonies kerugma , kerygma preaching the gospel of Christ in the manner of the early church evangelism zealous preaching and advocacy of the gospel homily , preachment a sermon on a moral or religious topic type of: speech act the use of language to perform some act
• noun words making up the dialogue of a play “the actor forgot his speech ” synonyms: actor's line , words see more see less types: show 6 types... hide 6 types... aside a line spoken by an actor to the audience but not intended for others on the stage cue an actor's line that immediately precedes and serves as a reminder for some action or speech monologue a (usually long) dramatic speech by a single actor soliloquy a (usually long) dramatic speech intended to give the illusion of unspoken reflections throwaway words spoken in a casual way with conscious under-emphasis prompt , prompting a cue given to a performer (usually the beginning of the next line to be spoken) type of: line text consisting of a row of words written across a page or computer screen
• noun your characteristic style or manner of expressing yourself orally “her speech was barren of southernisms” “I detected a slight accent in his speech ” synonyms: delivery , manner of speaking see more see less types: show 17 types... hide 17 types... address the manner of speaking to another individual catch a break or check in the voice (usually a sign of strong emotion) tongue a manner of speaking shibboleth a manner of speaking that is distinctive of a particular group of people tone , tone of voice the quality of a person's voice elocution an expert manner of speaking involving control of voice and gesture inflection , prosody the patterns of stress and intonation in a language inflection , modulation a manner of speaking in which the loudness or pitch or tone of the voice is modified sharp tongue a bitter or critical manner of speaking note a tone of voice that shows what the speaker is feeling rotundity , roundness the fullness of a tone of voice undertone a quiet or hushed tone of voice cadence , intonation , modulation , pitch contour rise and fall of the voice pitch caesura a break or pause (usually for sense) in the middle of a verse line enjambement , enjambment the continuation of a syntactic unit from one line of verse into the next line without a pause accent , emphasis , stress the relative prominence of a syllable or musical note (especially with regard to stress or pitch) rhythm , speech rhythm the arrangement of spoken words alternating stressed and unstressed elements type of: expressive style , style a way of expressing something (in language or art or music etc.) that is characteristic of a particular person or group of people or period
• noun the mental faculty or power of vocal communication synonyms: language see more see less type of: faculty , mental faculty , module one of the inherent cognitive or perceptual powers of the mind

Vocabulary lists containing speech

The Academy Awards have been presented every year since 1929. Although some changes have occurred since then – the venue and award categories – the art deco Oscar statue has remained virtually the same. Celebrate this collection of essential terms necessary for any viewer to enjoy the famous ceremony. Here are links to our lists in the collection: List 1 , List 2 , List 3 , List 4 , List 5 , List 6

Learn these words from the historical fiction by Jane Yolen (Inside: Level B, Unit 5). Here are our links to the selections of "Close Encounters": Encounter , Culture Clash , Mexico City , When Cultures Meet , Old World New World; The Log of Christopher Columbus Here are our links to the units of Level B: Unit 1 , Unit 2 , Unit 3 , Unit 4 , Unit 5 , Unit 6 , Unit 7 , Unit 8 Here are our links to the Inside books: Level A , Level B , Level C Here is our link to a list of academic vocabulary for Inside: Academic Vocabulary

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Definition of speech noun from the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary

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Look up any word in the dictionary offline, anytime, anywhere with the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary app.

What Is a Speech?

Speech generator.

Most people find it difficult to write a speech for themselves. This is because sometimes, whatever is written on print might sound different when said aloud. There’s always the struggle of proper pronunciation and diction, not to mention the fact that delivering a speech can be a a very nerve-racking experience for anyone.

There’s no denying that it’s probably not for everybody. But most of the time, we’re forced to make it anyway. In order for an individual to give an effective speech , one must construct it well and deliver it with confidence.

A speech is a form of verbal or nonverbal communication that is delivered for a given purpose. Good speech communication serves as an important aspect for many professions in terms of promoting proper communication between individuals.

Some speech examples are given during special occasions, such as a wedding speech and a valedictorian speech , while others are made for formal business gatherings.

How to Start a Speech with Power and Confidence

The common misconception about giving a good keynote speech is that it’s a skill that you’re supposedly born with. Obviously, this is not always the case. It’s a skill that you develop overtime through constant practice.

It’s natural to get nervous, everyone does, although it’s not always obvious. This is because it’s all in the mind, if you have a positive mindset then you’re sure to develop the confidence you need. It’s all about believing in yourself, despite all the uncertainties.

Stand straight. Chin up. And look straight at your audience.

This will give you a sense of dominance. Not only that, you would also need to have a certain tone in your voice. When you speak with power, people will want to listen to what you have to say. Whether it’s a motivational speech or a leadership speech , establish your credibility by giving a speech with power and confidence.

Tips for Giving a Killer Speech

• Picture everyone in their underwear. Metaphorically speaking, picturing your audience in their underwear would mean to strip them away from how you perceive them, which could probably be a group of monsters who are watching your every move.
• Interact with your audience. There’s nothing more interesting than watching a speaker engage the audience into being a part of the conversation.
• Observe proper posture. Body language is everything. This will allow you to deliver your speech in word with a high level of confidence.
• Avoid dead air. People who are nervous tend to forget the words to say. If this happens, skip this point and come back to it when you remember.

Importance of Speech

A  speech examples comes in various forms, all having a specific purpose. The best part about a speech is that it demands to be heard. Whatever a speaker has to say plays a significant purpose for the audience.

It allows the speaker to deliver a message, while the audience listens attentively. Speech in pdf also contributes to human development. It is a continuous learning process that helps develop an individual’s communication skills.

Text prompt

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Tips for writing a Speech on the value of teamwork

How to create a Speech for advocating for climate change action

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[ yoo ; unstressed y oo , y uh ]

You are the highest bidder. It is you who are to blame. We can't help you. This package came for you. Did she give you the book?

a tiny animal you can't even see.

You children pay attention. You rascal, you!

There's no sense in you getting upset.

Get you home. Make you ready.

• a plural form of the pronoun ye 1 .

Don't buy the bright red shirt—it just isn't you. It was like seeing another you.

Try to discover the hidden you.

/ juː; jʊ /

the culprit is among you

you know better

you can't tell the boys from the girls

you should get you a wife now

that hat isn't really you

• you know what or you know who a thing or person that the speaker cannot or does not want to specify

Discover More

Word history and origins.

Origin of you 1

Idioms and Phrases

• all right for you
• as you please
• before you can say Jack Robinson
• before you know it
• between you and me
• bite the hand that feeds you
• do you read me
• for shame (on you)
• good for (you)
• how does that grab you
• how do you do
• if you can't beat them, join them
• I'll be seeing you
• I told you so
• look before you leap
• my heart bleeds for you
• no matter how you slice it
• not if you paid me
• now you're talking
• pay as you go
• practice what you preach
• quit while you're ahead
• same to you
• says who (you)
• that's ___ for you
• what do you know
• what do you take me for
• what have you
• what of it (what's it to you)
• what's eating you

Example Sentences

The Internet cool kids are rallying against Taylor Swift after her bold screw-you to Spotify.

For more better-for-you beverages, check out these 10 Healthy Holiday Cocktail Recipes.

Dwyer was present for many of the events he describes, providing a you-are-in-the-room feel.

Because that minimum-wage hike was a project of the federal government, and that means that you-know-who was for it.

So it's really a take-what-you-can-get kind of situation with him.

The "Pay-as-You-Go" system has reflected favorably on the state's financial reputation.

"I beg of you, I appeal to you-my friend," she urged, with that ardour of the counsel who pleads a bad cause.

"I wish t' hell, stranger, you-all hadn't edged off south," chattered Alfred.

But wildcats is purty heavy, an' you-all can hit 'em with a shotgun.

"I just stepped over to inquire what you-all'd like for breakfast this mornin'," he said with a grin.

Related Words

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

What this handout is about

This handout will help you create an effective speech by establishing the purpose of your speech and making it easily understandable. It will also help you to analyze your audience and keep the audience interested.

What’s different about a speech?

Writing for public speaking isn’t so different from other types of writing. You want to engage your audience’s attention, convey your ideas in a logical manner and use reliable evidence to support your point. But the conditions for public speaking favor some writing qualities over others. When you write a speech, your audience is made up of listeners. They have only one chance to comprehend the information as you read it, so your speech must be well-organized and easily understood. In addition, the content of the speech and your delivery must fit the audience.

What’s your purpose?

People have gathered to hear you speak on a specific issue, and they expect to get something out of it immediately. And you, the speaker, hope to have an immediate effect on your audience. The purpose of your speech is to get the response you want. Most speeches invite audiences to react in one of three ways: feeling, thinking, or acting. For example, eulogies encourage emotional response from the audience; college lectures stimulate listeners to think about a topic from a different perspective; protest speeches in the Pit recommend actions the audience can take.

As you establish your purpose, ask yourself these questions:

• What do you want the audience to learn or do?
• If you are making an argument, why do you want them to agree with you?
• If they already agree with you, why are you giving the speech?
• How can your audience benefit from what you have to say?

Audience analysis

If your purpose is to get a certain response from your audience, you must consider who they are (or who you’re pretending they are). If you can identify ways to connect with your listeners, you can make your speech interesting and useful.

As you think of ways to appeal to your audience, ask yourself:

• What do they have in common? Age? Interests? Ethnicity? Gender?
• Do they know as much about your topic as you, or will you be introducing them to new ideas?
• Why are these people listening to you? What are they looking for?
• What level of detail will be effective for them?
• What tone will be most effective in conveying your message?
• What might offend or alienate them?

For more help, see our handout on audience .

Creating an effective introduction

Get their attention, otherwise known as “the hook”.

Think about how you can relate to these listeners and get them to relate to you or your topic. Appealing to your audience on a personal level captures their attention and concern, increasing the chances of a successful speech. Speakers often begin with anecdotes to hook their audience’s attention. Other methods include presenting shocking statistics, asking direct questions of the audience, or enlisting audience participation.

Establish context and/or motive

Explain why your topic is important. Consider your purpose and how you came to speak to this audience. You may also want to connect the material to related or larger issues as well, especially those that may be important to your audience.

Get to the point

Tell your listeners your thesis right away and explain how you will support it. Don’t spend as much time developing your introductory paragraph and leading up to the thesis statement as you would in a research paper for a course. Moving from the intro into the body of the speech quickly will help keep your audience interested. You may be tempted to create suspense by keeping the audience guessing about your thesis until the end, then springing the implications of your discussion on them. But if you do so, they will most likely become bored or confused.

For more help, see our handout on introductions .

Making your speech easy to understand

Repeat crucial points and buzzwords.

Especially in longer speeches, it’s a good idea to keep reminding your audience of the main points you’ve made. For example, you could link an earlier main point or key term as you transition into or wrap up a new point. You could also address the relationship between earlier points and new points through discussion within a body paragraph. Using buzzwords or key terms throughout your paper is also a good idea. If your thesis says you’re going to expose unethical behavior of medical insurance companies, make sure the use of “ethics” recurs instead of switching to “immoral” or simply “wrong.” Repetition of key terms makes it easier for your audience to take in and connect information.

Incorporate previews and summaries into the speech

For example:

“I’m here today to talk to you about three issues that threaten our educational system: First, … Second, … Third,”

“I’ve talked to you today about such and such.”

These kinds of verbal cues permit the people in the audience to put together the pieces of your speech without thinking too hard, so they can spend more time paying attention to its content.

Use especially strong transitions

This will help your listeners see how new information relates to what they’ve heard so far. If you set up a counterargument in one paragraph so you can demolish it in the next, begin the demolition by saying something like,

“But this argument makes no sense when you consider that . . . .”

If you’re providing additional information to support your main point, you could say,

“Another fact that supports my main point is . . . .”

Helping your audience listen

Rely on shorter, simpler sentence structures.

Don’t get too complicated when you’re asking an audience to remember everything you say. Avoid using too many subordinate clauses, and place subjects and verbs close together.

Too complicated:

The product, which was invented in 1908 by Orville Z. McGillicuddy in Des Moines, Iowa, and which was on store shelves approximately one year later, still sells well.

Easier to understand:

Orville Z. McGillicuddy invented the product in 1908 and introduced it into stores shortly afterward. Almost a century later, the product still sells well.

Limit pronoun use

Listeners may have a hard time remembering or figuring out what “it,” “they,” or “this” refers to. Be specific by using a key noun instead of unclear pronouns.

Pronoun problem:

The U.S. government has failed to protect us from the scourge of so-called reality television, which exploits sex, violence, and petty conflict, and calls it human nature. This cannot continue.

Why the last sentence is unclear: “This” what? The government’s failure? Reality TV? Human nature?

More specific:

The U.S. government has failed to protect us from the scourge of so-called reality television, which exploits sex, violence, and petty conflict, and calls it human nature. This failure cannot continue.

Keeping audience interest

Incorporate the rhetorical strategies of ethos, pathos, and logos.

When arguing a point, using ethos, pathos, and logos can help convince your audience to believe you and make your argument stronger. Ethos refers to an appeal to your audience by establishing your authenticity and trustworthiness as a speaker. If you employ pathos, you appeal to your audience’s emotions. Using logos includes the support of hard facts, statistics, and logical argumentation. The most effective speeches usually present a combination these rhetorical strategies.

Use statistics and quotations sparingly

Include only the most striking factual material to support your perspective, things that would likely stick in the listeners’ minds long after you’ve finished speaking. Otherwise, you run the risk of overwhelming your listeners with too much information.

Watch your tone

Be careful not to talk over the heads of your audience. On the other hand, don’t be condescending either. And as for grabbing their attention, yelling, cursing, using inappropriate humor, or brandishing a potentially offensive prop (say, autopsy photos) will only make the audience tune you out.

Creating an effective conclusion

Restate your main points, but don’t repeat them.

“I asked earlier why we should care about the rain forest. Now I hope it’s clear that . . .” “Remember how Mrs. Smith couldn’t afford her prescriptions? Under our plan, . . .”

Call to action

Speeches often close with an appeal to the audience to take action based on their new knowledge or understanding. If you do this, be sure the action you recommend is specific and realistic. For example, although your audience may not be able to affect foreign policy directly, they can vote or work for candidates whose foreign policy views they support. Relating the purpose of your speech to their lives not only creates a connection with your audience, but also reiterates the importance of your topic to them in particular or “the bigger picture.”

Practicing for effective presentation

Once you’ve completed a draft, read your speech to a friend or in front of a mirror. When you’ve finished reading, ask the following questions:

• Which pieces of information are clearest?
• Where did I connect with the audience?
• Where might listeners lose the thread of my argument or description?
• Where might listeners become bored?
• Where did I have trouble speaking clearly and/or emphatically?
• Did I stay within my time limit?

Other resources

• Toastmasters International is a nonprofit group that provides communication and leadership training.
• Allyn & Bacon Publishing’s Essence of Public Speaking Series is an extensive treatment of speech writing and delivery, including books on using humor, motivating your audience, word choice and presentation.

Works consulted

We consulted these works while writing this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find additional publications. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial . We revise these tips periodically and welcome feedback.

Boone, Louis E., David L. Kurtz, and Judy R. Block. 1997. Contemporary Business Communication . Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Ehrlich, Henry. 1994. Writing Effective Speeches . New York: Marlowe.

Lamb, Sandra E. 1998. How to Write It: A Complete Guide to Everything You’ll Ever Write . Berkeley: Ten Speed Press.

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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Synonyms of speech

• as in language
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Thesaurus Definition of speech

Synonyms & Similar Words

• presentation
• declamation
• keynote speech
• keynote address
• mother tongue
• terminology
• colloquialism
• regionalism
• vernacularism
• provincialism

Phrases Containing speech

• figure of speech

Thesaurus Entries Near speech

Cite this entry.

“Speech.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/speech. Accessed 1 Jul. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on speech

Nglish: Translation of speech for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of speech for Arabic Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about speech

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Speech in Linguistics

• An Introduction to Punctuation
• Ph.D., Rhetoric and English, University of Georgia
• M.A., Modern English and American Literature, University of Leicester
• B.A., English, State University of New York

In linguistics , speech is a system of  communication  that uses spoken words  (or sound symbols ). 

The study of speech sounds (or spoken language ) is the branch of linguistics known as phonetics . The study of sound changes in a language is phonology . For a discussion of speeches in rhetoric and oratory , see Speech (Rhetoric) .

Etymology:  From the Old English, "to speak"

Studying Language Without Making Judgements

• "Many people believe that written language is more prestigious than spoken language--its form is likely to be closer to Standard English , it dominates education and is used as the language of public administration. In linguistic terms, however, neither speech nor writing can be seen as superior. Linguists are more interested in observing and describing all forms of language in use than in making social and cultural judgements with no linguistic basis." (Sara Thorne, Mastering Advanced English Language , 2nd ed. Palgrave Macmillan, 2008)

Speech Sounds and Duality

• "The very simplest element of speech --and by 'speech' we shall henceforth mean the auditory system of speech symbolism, the flow of spoken words--is the individual sound, though, . . . the sound is not itself a simple structure but the resultant of a series of independent, yet closely correlated, adjustments in the organs of speech." ( Edward Sapir , Language: An Introduction to the Study of Speech , 1921)
• "Human language is organized at two levels or layers simultaneously. This property is called duality (or 'double articulation'). In speech production, we have a physical level at which we can produce individual sounds, like n , b and i . As individual sounds, none of these discrete forms has any intrinsic meaning . In a particular combination such as bin , we have another level producing a meaning that is different from the meaning of the combination in nib . So, at one level, we have distinct sounds, and, at another level, we have distinct meanings. This duality of levels is, in fact, one of the most economical features of human language because, with a limited set of discrete sounds, we are capable of producing a very large number of sound combinations (e.g. words) which are distinct in meaning." (George Yule, The Study of Language , 3rd ed. Cambridge University Press, 2006)

Approaches to Speech

• "Once we decide to begin an analysis of speech , we can approach it on various levels. At one level, speech is a matter of anatomy and physiology: we can study organs such as tongue and larynx in the production of speech. Taking another perspective, we can focus on the speech sounds produced by these organs--the units that we commonly try to identify by letters , such as a 'b-sound' or an 'm-sound.' But speech is also transmitted as sound waves, which means that we can also investigate the properties of the sound waves themselves. Taking yet another approach, the term 'sounds' is a reminder that speech is intended to be heard or perceived and that it is therefore possible to focus on the way in which a listener analyzes or processes a sound wave." (J. E. Clark and C. Yallop, An Introduction to Phonetics and Phonology . Wiley-Blackwell, 1995)

Parallel Transmission

• "Because so much of our lives in a literate society has been spent dealing with speech recorded as letters and text in which spaces do separate letters and words, it can be extremely difficult to understand that spoken language simply does not have this characteristic. . . . [A]lthough we write, perceive, and (to a degree) cognitively process speech linearly--one sound followed by another--the actual sensory signal our ear encounters is not composed of discretely separated bits. This is an amazing aspect of our linguistic abilities, but on further thought one can see that it is a very useful one. The fact that speech can encode and transmit information about multiple linguistic events in parallel means that the speech signal is a very efficient and optimized way of encoding and sending information between individuals. This property of speech has been called parallel transmission ." (Dani Byrd and Toben H. Mintz, Discovering Speech, Words, and Mind . Wiley-Blackwell, 2010)

Oliver Goldsmith on the True Nature of Speech

• "It is usually said by grammarians , that the use of language is to express our wants and desires; but men who know the world hold, and I think with some show of reason, that he who best knows how to keep his necessities private is the most likely person to have them redressed; and that the true use of speech is not so much to express our wants, as to conceal them." (Oliver Goldsmith, "On the Use of Language." The Bee , October 20, 1759)

Pronunciation: SPEECH

• 5 Theories on the Origins of Language
• Duality of Patterning in Language
• Phonology: Definition and Observations
• What Is Phonetics?
• Definition and Examples of Productivity in Language
• Spoken English
• Definition of Voice in Phonetics and Phonology
• Phonological Segments
• What Are Utterances in English (Speech)?
• Sound Symbolism in English: Definition and Examples
• Grapheme: Letters, Punctuation, and More
• What Is a Phoneme?
• Phoneme vs. Minimal Pair in English Phonetics
• Connected Speech
• What Is Graphemics? Definition and Examples
• 10 Titillating Types of Sound Effects in Language

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• Knowledge Base
• Parts of speech

The 8 Parts of Speech | Chart, Definition & Examples

A part of speech (also called a word class ) is a category that describes the role a word plays in a sentence. Understanding the different parts of speech can help you analyze how words function in a sentence and improve your writing.

The parts of speech are classified differently in different grammars, but most traditional grammars list eight parts of speech in English: nouns , pronouns , verbs , adjectives , adverbs , prepositions , conjunctions , and interjections . Some modern grammars add others, such as determiners and articles .

Many words can function as different parts of speech depending on how they are used. For example, “laugh” can be a noun (e.g., “I like your laugh”) or a verb (e.g., “don’t laugh”).

Table of contents

• Prepositions
• Conjunctions
• Interjections

Other parts of speech

Interesting language articles, frequently asked questions.

A noun is a word that refers to a person, concept, place, or thing. Nouns can act as the subject of a sentence (i.e., the person or thing performing the action) or as the object of a verb (i.e., the person or thing affected by the action).

There are numerous types of nouns, including common nouns (used to refer to nonspecific people, concepts, places, or things), proper nouns (used to refer to specific people, concepts, places, or things), and collective nouns (used to refer to a group of people or things).

Ella lives in France .

Other types of nouns include countable and uncountable nouns , concrete nouns , abstract nouns , and gerunds .

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A pronoun is a word used in place of a noun. Pronouns typically refer back to an antecedent (a previously mentioned noun) and must demonstrate correct pronoun-antecedent agreement . Like nouns, pronouns can refer to people, places, concepts, and things.

There are numerous types of pronouns, including personal pronouns (used in place of the proper name of a person), demonstrative pronouns (used to refer to specific things and indicate their relative position), and interrogative pronouns (used to introduce questions about things, people, and ownership).

That is a horrible painting!

A verb is a word that describes an action (e.g., “jump”), occurrence (e.g., “become”), or state of being (e.g., “exist”). Verbs indicate what the subject of a sentence is doing. Every complete sentence must contain at least one verb.

Verbs can change form depending on subject (e.g., first person singular), tense (e.g., simple past), mood (e.g., interrogative), and voice (e.g., passive voice ).

Regular verbs are verbs whose simple past and past participle are formed by adding“-ed” to the end of the word (or “-d” if the word already ends in “e”). Irregular verbs are verbs whose simple past and past participles are formed in some other way.

“I’ve already checked twice.”

“I heard that you used to sing .”

Other types of verbs include auxiliary verbs , linking verbs , modal verbs , and phrasal verbs .

An adjective is a word that describes a noun or pronoun. Adjectives can be attributive , appearing before a noun (e.g., “a red hat”), or predicative , appearing after a noun with the use of a linking verb like “to be” (e.g., “the hat is red ”).

Adjectives can also have a comparative function. Comparative adjectives compare two or more things. Superlative adjectives describe something as having the most or least of a specific characteristic.

Other types of adjectives include coordinate adjectives , participial adjectives , and denominal adjectives .

An adverb is a word that can modify a verb, adjective, adverb, or sentence. Adverbs are often formed by adding “-ly” to the end of an adjective (e.g., “slow” becomes “slowly”), although not all adverbs have this ending, and not all words with this ending are adverbs.

There are numerous types of adverbs, including adverbs of manner (used to describe how something occurs), adverbs of degree (used to indicate extent or degree), and adverbs of place (used to describe the location of an action or event).

Talia writes quite quickly.

Other types of adverbs include adverbs of frequency , adverbs of purpose , focusing adverbs , and adverbial phrases .

A preposition is a word (e.g., “at”) or phrase (e.g., “on top of”) used to show the relationship between the different parts of a sentence. Prepositions can be used to indicate aspects such as time , place , and direction .

I left the cup on the kitchen counter.

A conjunction is a word used to connect different parts of a sentence (e.g., words, phrases, or clauses).

The main types of conjunctions are coordinating conjunctions (used to connect items that are grammatically equal), subordinating conjunctions (used to introduce a dependent clause), and correlative conjunctions (used in pairs to join grammatically equal parts of a sentence).

You can choose what movie we watch because I chose the last time.

An interjection is a word or phrase used to express a feeling, give a command, or greet someone. Interjections are a grammatically independent part of speech, so they can often be excluded from a sentence without affecting the meaning.

Types of interjections include volitive interjections (used to make a demand or request), emotive interjections (used to express a feeling or reaction), cognitive interjections (used to indicate thoughts), and greetings and parting words (used at the beginning and end of a conversation).

Ouch ! I hurt my arm.

I’m, um , not sure.

The traditional classification of English words into eight parts of speech is by no means the only one or the objective truth. Grammarians have often divided them into more or fewer classes. Other commonly mentioned parts of speech include determiners and articles.

• Determiners

A determiner is a word that describes a noun by indicating quantity, possession, or relative position.

Common types of determiners include demonstrative determiners (used to indicate the relative position of a noun), possessive determiners (used to describe ownership), and quantifiers (used to indicate the quantity of a noun).

My brother is selling his old car.

Other types of determiners include distributive determiners , determiners of difference , and numbers .

An article is a word that modifies a noun by indicating whether it is specific or general.

• The definite article the is used to refer to a specific version of a noun. The can be used with all countable and uncountable nouns (e.g., “the door,” “the energy,” “the mountains”).
• The indefinite articles a and an refer to general or unspecific nouns. The indefinite articles can only be used with singular countable nouns (e.g., “a poster,” “an engine”).

There’s a concert this weekend.

If you want to know more about nouns , pronouns , verbs , and other parts of speech, make sure to check out some of our language articles with explanations and examples.

Nouns & pronouns

• Common nouns
• Proper nouns
• Collective nouns
• Personal pronouns
• Uncountable and countable nouns
• Verb tenses
• Phrasal verbs
• Types of verbs
• Active vs passive voice
• Subject-verb agreement

A is an indefinite article (along with an ). While articles can be classed as their own part of speech, they’re also considered a type of determiner .

The indefinite articles are used to introduce nonspecific countable nouns (e.g., “a dog,” “an island”).

In is primarily classed as a preposition, but it can be classed as various other parts of speech, depending on how it is used:

• Preposition (e.g., “ in the field”)
• Noun (e.g., “I have an in with that company”)
• Adjective (e.g., “Tim is part of the in crowd”)
• Adverb (e.g., “Will you be in this evening?”)

As a part of speech, and is classed as a conjunction . Specifically, it’s a coordinating conjunction .

And can be used to connect grammatically equal parts of a sentence, such as two nouns (e.g., “a cup and plate”), or two adjectives (e.g., “strong and smart”). And can also be used to connect phrases and clauses.

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How to Write a Definition Speech

Organizational Methods for Writing a Speech

A writer chooses what speech to write based on how they want to reach their audience. While some speeches are meant to entertain, others are meant to persuade or inform. A definition speech is written to inform the audience by describing and explaining an object or concept. You might be called upon to deliver such a speech at your place of employment, for example, in order to describe a new business strategy. Or, you may be required to define a new initiative to help a worthy cause in your community. But, before you get to that point, you may first have to write a definition speech as part of a school assignment. Writing a definition speech isn't too difficult if you just follow some basic guidelines.

Create Your Purpose Statement

The first step in writing a definition speech is to write a purpose statement that indicates the direction the speech will take and focuses on its main goal. For example, if you intend to describe the school of philosophical thought known as "transcendentalism," the purpose of your speech might be stated as "to define the meaning of the term transcendentalism and describe its major tenets."

Emphasize the Central Idea

Next, you must state the central idea, which is akin to the thesis statement in an essay and consists of a complete sentence that expresses the main idea or ideas you intend to make. For example, you might say, "Transcendentalism is a philosophy that proposes that man can discover the nature of reality through thought and spiritual intuition, and its tenets were embraced by such 19th century writers as Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson."

Put Together the Introduction

Once you've written your purpose statement and determined the central idea of the speech, it's time to write the introduction, never forgetting the importance of first impressions. What you initially say either can immediately grab the audience's attention, or make everyone sigh in boredom. According to Stephen E. Lucus, author of "The Art of Public Speaking," you should get the audience's attention by revealing the topic of your speech, establishing your credibility and goodwill, and previewing the main points you intend to make.

Construct the Body of the Speech

After the introduction is complete, you can then start writing the body of the speech. Since you will have only a certain amount of time in which to deliver the speech, you cannot relate all the facts about a chosen topic. Decide which information is most important and how it will be presented. Begin with a general definition of the object or concept, then explain the major ideas or elements. Provide several illustrations or examples. End the speech by summarizing the main points and/or providing the listeners with sources for additional information. Before writing the body, remember that if you are going to use terms, words, or acronyms that are unfamiliar to the audience, provide the definitions.

Wrap It Up With a Strong Conclusion

To finish off your definition speech, you'll need to write a strong conclusion. Do not end with an abrupt statement such as "this concludes my speech" or "well, that's all I have to say on the topic." Instead, summarize the main ideas that you presented, reinforce the audience's understanding of those ideas and refer back to the central idea that was presented in the introduction. Depending upon the topic of the speech, you might also end with a personal anecdote, appropriate joke or a dramatic statement to leave everyone with something to think about.

Things to Keep in Mind

If you are a student and free to choose your own topic, remember that since a definition speech describes or explains an object or concept, you must select a topic that fits this category. However, as long as the object or concept is open to a description and/or explanation, it is usually appropriate for a definition speech.

When giving the speech, you may also decide to incorporate visual aids to help make your message clearer. Visual aides reinforce concepts, generate interest and capture the audience's attention. The visual aids you use will depend on your topic. For instance, if you are defining a neurotransmitter, present photos or other images on a PowerPoint slideshow. List the main points using bullets or numbers to call the audience's attention to each point as you progress through the speech. Before using visual aids, be sure to ask your professor whether or not they are permitted.

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Effective Persuasive Speech Writing & Delivering in High School

• The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill: Speeches
• Academic Help: Writing a Definition Essay
• If you are a student and free to choose your own topic, remember that since a definition speech describes or explains an object or concept, you must select a topic that fits this category. However, as long as the object or concept is open to description and/or explanation, it is usually appropriate for a definition speech.
• If you are going to use terms, words, or acronyms that are unfamiliar to the audience, provide the definitions.
• Use visual aids to help make a speaker's message clearer. Visual aides reinforce concepts, generate interest and capture the audience's attention. The visual aids you use will depends on your topic. For instance, if you are defining a neurotransmitter, present photos or other images on a PowerPoint slideshow. List the main points using bullets or numbers to call the audience's attention to each point as you progress through the speech.

A college instructor for more than 14 years, Carol Rzadkiewicz earned a Master of Arts from the University of West Georgia. She is also a freelance writer and author of three published novels, and her work has appeared in such print publications as “Predicate Magazine” and “The New Review."

Want to create or adapt books like this? Learn more about how Pressbooks supports open publishing practices.

18.2 Special-Occasion Speeches

Learning objectives.

• Identify the different types of ceremonial speaking.
• Describe the different types of inspirational speaking.

M+MD – Birthday Speech – CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.

Many entertaining speeches fall under the category of special-occasion speeches. All the speeches in this category are given to mark the significance of particular events. Common events include weddings, bar mitzvahs, awards ceremonies, funerals, and political events. In each of these different occasions, speakers are asked to deliver speeches relating to the event. For purposes of simplicity, we’ve broken special-occasion speeches into two groups: ceremonial speaking and inspirational speaking.

Ceremonial Speaking

Ceremonial speeches are speeches given during a ceremony or a ritual marked by observance of formality or etiquette. These ceremonies tend to be very special for people, so it shouldn’t be surprising that they are opportunities for speech making. Let’s examine each of the eight types of ceremonial speaking: introductions, presentations, acceptances, dedications, toasts, roasts, eulogies, and farewells.

Speeches of Introduction

The first type of speech is called the speech of introduction , which is a minispeech given by the host of a ceremony that introduces another speaker and his or her speech. Few things are worse than when the introducer or a speaker stands up and says, “This is Joe Smith, he’s going to talk about stress.” While we did learn the speaker’s name and the topic, the introduction falls flat. Audiences won’t be the least bit excited about listening to Joe’s speech.

Just like any other speech, a speech of introduction should be a complete speech and have a clear introduction, body, and conclusion—and you should do it all in under two minutes. This brings up another “few things are worse” scenario: an introductory speaker who rambles on for too long or who talks about himself or herself instead of focusing on the person being introduced.

For an introduction, think of a hook that will make your audience interested in the upcoming speaker. Did you read a news article related to the speaker’s topic? Have you been impressed by a presentation you’ve heard the speaker give in the past? You need to find something that can grab the audience’s attention and make them excited about hearing the main speaker.

The body of your introductory speech should be devoted to telling the audience about the speaker’s topic, why the speaker is qualified, and why the audience should listen (notice we now have our three body points). First, tell your audience in general terms about the overarching topic of the speech. Most of the time as an introducer, you’ll only have a speech title and maybe a paragraph of information to help guide this part of your speech. That’s all right. You don’t need to know all the ins and outs of the main speaker’s speech; you just need to know enough to whet the audience’s appetite. Next, you need to tell the audience why the speaker is a credible speaker on the topic. Has the speaker written books or articles on the subject? Has the speaker had special life events that make him or her qualified? Lastly, you need to briefly explain to the audience why they should care about the upcoming speech.

The final part of a good introduction is the conclusion, which is generally designed to welcome the speaker to the lectern. Many introducers will conclude by saying something like, “I am looking forward to hearing how Joe Smith’s advice and wisdom can help all of us today, so please join me in welcoming Mr. Joe Smith.” We’ve known some presenters who will even add a notation to their notes to “start clapping” and “shake speakers hand” or “give speaker a hug” depending on the circumstances of the speech.

Now that we’ve walked through the basic parts of an introductory speech, let’s see one outlined:

Specific Purpose: To entertain the audience while preparing them for Janice Wright’s speech on rituals.

Introduction: Mention some common rituals people in the United States engage in (Christmas, sporting events, legal proceedings).

Main Points:

• Explain that the topic was selected because understanding how cultures use ritual is an important part of understanding what it means to be human.
• Janice Wright is a cultural anthropologist who studies the impact that everyday rituals have on communities.
• All of us engage in rituals, and we often don’t take the time to determine how these rituals were started and how they impact our daily routines.

Conclusion: I had the opportunity to listen to Dr. Wright at the regional conference in Springfield last month, and I am excited that I get to share her with all of you tonight. Please join me in welcoming Dr. Wright (start clapping, shake speaker’s hand, exit stage).

Speeches of Presentation

The second type of common ceremonial speech is the speech of presentation . A speech of presentation is a brief speech given to accompany a prize or honor. Speeches of presentation can be as simple as saying, “This year’s recipient of the Schuman Public Speaking prize is Wilhelmina Jeffers,” or could last up to five minutes as the speaker explains why the honoree was chosen for the award.

When preparing a speech of presentation, it’s always important to ask how long the speech should be. Once you know the time limit, then you can set out to create the speech itself. First, you should explain what the award or honor is and why the presentation is important. Second, you can explain what the recipient has accomplished in order for the award to be bestowed. Did the person win a race? Did the person write an important piece of literature? Did the person mediate conflict? Whatever the recipient has done, you need to clearly highlight his or her work. Lastly, if the race or competition was conducted in a public forum and numerous people didn’t win, you may want to recognize those people for their efforts as well. While you don’t want to steal the show away from winner (as Kanye West did to Taylor Swift during the 2009 MTV Music Video Awards, for example http://www.mtv.com/videos/misc/435995/taylor-swift-wins-best-female-video.jhtml#id=1620605 ), you may want to highlight the work of the other competitors or nominees.

Speeches of Acceptance

The complement to a speech of presentation is the speech of acceptance . The speech of acceptance is a speech given by the recipient of a prize or honor. For example, in the above video clip from the 2009 MTV Music Video Awards, Taylor Swift starts by expressing her appreciation, gets interrupted by Kanye West, and ends by saying, “I would like to thank the fans and MTV, thank you.” While obviously not a traditional acceptance speech because of the interruption, she did manage to get in the important parts.

There are three typical components of a speech of acceptance: thank the givers of the award or honor, thank those who helped you achieve your goal, and put the award or honor into perspective. First, you want to thank the people who have given you the award or honor and possibly those who voted for you. We see this done every year during the Oscars, “First, I’d like to thank the academy and all the academy voters.” Second, you want to give credit to those who helped you achieve the award or honor. No person accomplishes things in life on his or her own. We all have families and friends and colleagues who support us and help us achieve what we do in life, and a speech of acceptance is a great time to graciously recognize those individuals. Lastly, put the award in perspective. Tell the people listening to your speech why the award is meaningful to you.

Speeches of Dedication

The fourth ceremonial speech is the speech of dedication . A speech of dedication is delivered when a new store opens, a building is named after someone, a plaque is placed on a wall, a new library is completed, and so on. These speeches are designed to highlight the importance of the project and possibly those to whom the project has been dedicated. Maybe your great-uncle has died and left your college tons of money, so the college has decided to rename one of the dorms after your great-uncle. In this case, you may be asked to speak at the dedication.

When preparing the speech of dedication, start by explaining how you are involved in the dedication. If the person to whom the dedication is being made is a relative, tell the audience that the building is being named after your great-uncle who bestowed a gift to his alma mater. Second, you want to explain what is being dedicated. If the dedication is a new building or a preexisting building, you want to explain what is being dedicated and the importance of the structure. You should then explain who was involved in the project. If the project is a new structure, talk about the people who built the structure or designed it. If the project is a preexisting structure, talk about the people who put together and decided on the dedication. Lastly, explain why the structure is important for the community where it’s located. If the dedication is for a new store, talk about how the store will bring in new jobs and new shopping opportunities. If the dedication is for a new wing of a hospital, talk about how patients will be served and the advances in medicine the new wing will provide the community.

At one time or another, almost everyone is going to be asked to deliver a toast . A toast is a speech designed to congratulate, appreciate, or remember. First, toasts can be delivered for the purpose of congratulating someone for an honor, a new job, or getting married. You can also toast someone to show your appreciation for something they’ve done. Lastly, we toast people to remember them and what they have accomplished.

When preparing a toast, the first goal is always to keep your remarks brief. Toasts are generally given during the middle of some kind of festivities (e.g., wedding, retirement party, farewell party), and you don’t want your toast to take away from those festivities for too long. Second, the goal of a toast is to focus attention on the person or persons being toasted—not on the speaker. As such, while you are speaking you need to focus your attention to the people being toasted, both by physically looking at them and by keeping your message about them. You should also avoid any inside jokes between you and the people being toasted because toasts are public and should be accessible for everyone who hears them. To conclude a toast, simply say something like, “Please join me in recognizing Joan for her achievement” and lift your glass. When you lift your glass, this will signal to others to do the same and then you can all take a drink, which is the end of your speech.

The roast speech is a very interesting and peculiar speech because it is designed to both praise and good-naturedly insult a person being honored. Generally, roasts are given at the conclusion of a banquet in honor of someone’s life achievements. The television station Comedy Central has been conducting roasts of various celebrities for a few years.

In this clip, watch as Stephen Colbert, television host of The Colbert Report , roasts President George W. Bush.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSE_saVX_2A

Let’s pick this short clip apart. You’ll notice that the humor doesn’t pull any punches. The goal of the roast is to both praise and insult in a good-natured manner. You’ll also see that the roaster, in this case Stephen Colbert, is standing behind a lectern while the roastee, President George W. Bush, is clearly on display for the audience to see, and periodically you’ll see the camera pan to President Bush to take in his reactions. Half the fun of a good roast is watching the roastee’s reactions during the roast, so it’s important to have the roastee clearly visible by the audience.

How does one prepare for a roast? First, you want to really think about the person who is being roasted. Do they have any strange habits or amusing stories in their past that you can discuss? When you think through these things you want to make sure that you cross anything off your list that is truly private information or will really hurt the person. The goal of a roast is to poke at them, not massacre them. Second, when selecting which aspects to poke fun at, you need to make sure that the items you choose are widely known by your audience. Roasts work when the majority of people in the audience can relate to the jokes being made. If you have an inside joke with the roastee, bringing it up during roast may be great fun for the two of you, but it will leave your audience unimpressed. Lastly, end on a positive note. While the jokes are definitely the fun part of a roast, you should leave the roastee knowing that you truly do care about and appreciate the person.

A eulogy is a speech given in honor of someone who has died. (Don’t confuse “eulogy” with “elegy,” a poem or song of mourning.) Unless you are a minister, priest, rabbi, imam, or other form of religious leader, you’ll probably not deliver too many eulogies in your lifetime. However, when the time comes to deliver a eulogy, it’s good to know what you’re doing and to adequately prepare your remarks. Watch the following clip of then-Senator Barack Obama delivering a eulogy at the funeral of civil rights activist Rosa Parks in November of 2005.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRsH92sJCr4

In this eulogy, Senator Obama delivers the eulogy by recalling Rosa Parks importance and her legacy in American history.

When preparing a eulogy, first you need to know as much information about the deceased as possible. The more information you have about the person, the more personal you can make the eulogy. While you can rely on your own information if you were close to the deceased, it is always a good idea to ask friends and relatives of the deceased for their memories, as these may add important facets that may not have occurred to you. Of course, if you were not very close to the deceased, you will need to ask friends and family for information. Second, although eulogies are delivered on the serious and sad occasion of a funeral or memorial service for the deceased, it is very helpful to look for at least one point to be lighter or humorous. In some cultures, in fact, the friends and family attending the funeral will expect the eulogy to be highly entertaining and amusing. While eulogies are not roasts, one goal of the humor or lighter aspects of a eulogy is to relieve the tension that is created by the serious nature of the occasion. Lastly, remember to tell the deceased’s story. Tell the audience about who this person was and what the person stood for in life. The more personal you can make a eulogy, the more touching it will be for the deceased’s friends and families. The eulogy should remind the audience to celebrate the person’s life as well as mourn their death.

Speeches of Farewell

A speech of farewell allows someone to say good-bye to one part of his or her life as he or she is moving on to the next part of life. Maybe you’ve accepted a new job and are leaving your current job, or you’re graduating from college and entering the work force. Whatever the case may be, periods of transition are often marked by speeches of farewell. Watch the following clip of Derek Jeter’s 2008 speech saying farewell to Yankee Stadium, built in 1923, before the New York Yankees moved to the new stadium that opened in 2009.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJrlTpQm0to

In this speech, Derek Jeter is not only saying good-bye to Yankee Stadium but also thanking the fans for their continued support.

When preparing a speech of farewell, the goal should be to thank the people in your current position and let them know how much you appreciate them as you make the move to your next position in life. In Derek Jeter’s speech, he starts by talking about the history of the 1923 Yankee Stadium and then thanks the fans for their support. Second, you want to express to your audience how much the experience has meant to you. A farewell speech is a time to commemorate and think about the good times you’ve had. As such, you should avoid negativity during this speech. Lastly, you want to make sure that you end on a high note. Derek Jeter concludes his speech by saying, “On behalf of this entire organization, we just want to take this moment to salute you, the greatest fans in the world!” at which point Jeter and the other players take off their ball caps and hold them up toward the audience.

Inspirational Speaking

The goal of an inspirational speech is to elicit or arouse an emotional state within an audience. In Section 18.2.1 “Ceremonial Speaking” , we looked at ceremonial speeches. Although some inspirational speeches are sometimes tied to ceremonial occasions, there are also other speaking contexts that call for inspirational speeches. For our purposes, we are going to look at two types of inspirational speeches: goodwill and speeches of commencement.

Speeches to Ensure Goodwill

Goodwill is an intangible asset that is made up of the favor or reputation of an individual or organization. Speeches of goodwill are often given in an attempt to get audience members to view the person or organization more favorably. Although speeches of goodwill are clearly persuasive, they try not to be obvious about the persuasive intent and are often delivered as information-giving speeches that focus on an individual or organization’s positives attributes. There are three basic types of speeches of goodwill: public relations, justification, and apology.

Speeches for Public Relations

In a public relations speech, the speaker is speaking to enhance one’s own image or the image of his or her organization. You can almost think of these speeches as cheerleading speeches because the ultimate goal is to get people to like the speaker and what he or she represents. In the following brief speech, the CEO of British Petroleum is speaking to reporters about what his organization is doing during the 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cCfa6AxmUHw

Notice that he keeps emphasizing what his company is doing to fix the problem. Every part of this speech is orchestrated to make BP look caring and attempts to get some amount of goodwill from the viewing public.

Speeches of Justification

The second common speech of goodwill is the speech of justification, which is given when someone attempts to defend why certain actions were taken or will be taken. In these speeches, speakers have already enacted (or decided to enact) some kind of behavior, and are now attempting to justify why the behavior is or was appropriate. In the following clip, President Bill Clinton discusses his decision to bomb key Iraqi targets after uncovering a plot to assassinate former President George H. W. Bush.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mpWa7wNr5M

In this speech, President Clinton outlines his reasons for bombing Iraq to the American people and the globe. Again, the goal of this speech is to secure goodwill for President Clinton’s decisions both in the United States and on the world stage.

Speeches of Apology

The final speech of goodwill is the speech of apology. Frankly, these speeches have become more and more commonplace. Every time we turn around, a politician, professional athlete, musician, or actor/actress is doing something reprehensible and getting caught. In fact, the speech of apology has quickly become a fodder for humor as well. Let’s take a look at a real apology speech delivered by professional golfer Tiger Woods.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xs8nseNP4s0

When you need to make an apology speech, there are three elements that you need to include: be honest and take responsibility, say you’re sorry, and offer restitution. First, a speaker needs to be honest and admit to doing something wrong. The worst apology speeches are those in which the individual tries to sidestep the wrongdoing. Even if you didn’t do anything wrong, it is often best to take responsibility from a public perception perspective. Second, say that you are sorry. People need to know that you are remorseful for what you’ve done. One of the problems many experts saw with Tiger Woods’s speech is that he doesn’t look remorseful at all. While the words coming out of his mouth are appropriate, he looks like a robot forced to read from a manuscript written by his press agent. Lastly, you need to offer restitution. Restitution can come in the form of fixing something broken or a promise not to engage in such behavior in the future. People in society are very willing to forgive and forget when they are asked.

Speeches for Commencements

The second type of inspirational speech is the speech of commencement , which is designed to recognize and celebrate the achievements of a graduating class or other group of people. The most typical form of commencement speech happens when someone graduates from school. Nearly all of us have sat through commencement speeches at some point in our lives. And if you’re like us, you’ve heard good ones and bad ones. Numerous celebrities and politicians have been asked to deliver commencement speeches at colleges and universities. One famous and well-thought-out commencement speech was given by famed Harry Potter author J. K. Rowling at Harvard University in 2008.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkREt4ZB-ck

J. K. Rowling’s speech has the perfect balance of humor and inspiration, which are two of the main ingredients of a great commencement speech.

If you’re ever asked to deliver a commencement speech, there are some key points to think through when deciding on your speech’s content.

• If there is a specific theme for the graduation, make sure that your commencement speech addresses that theme. If there is no specific theme, come up with one for your speech. Some common commencement speech themes are commitment, competitiveness, competence, confidence, decision making, discipline, ethics, failure (and overcoming failure), faith, generosity, integrity, involvement, leadership, learning, persistence, personal improvement, professionalism, reality, responsibility, and self-respect.
• Talk about your life and how graduates can learn from your experiences to avoid pitfalls or take advantages of life. How can your life inspire the graduates in their future endeavors?
• Make the speech humorous. Commencement speeches should be entertaining and make an audience laugh.
• Be brief! Nothing is more painful than a commencement speaker who drones on and on. Remember, the graduates are there to get their diplomas; their families are there to watch the graduates walk across the stage.
• Remember, while you may be the speaker, you’ve been asked to impart wisdom and advice for the people graduating and moving on with their lives, so keep it focused on them.
• Place the commencement speech into the broader context of the graduates’ lives. Show the graduates how the advice and wisdom you are offering can be utilized to make their own lives better.

Overall, it’s important to make sure that you have fun when delivering a commencement speech. Remember, it’s a huge honor and responsibility to be asked to deliver a commencement speech, so take the time to really think through and prepare your speech.

Key Takeaways

• There are eight common forms of ceremonial speaking: introduction, presentation, acceptance, dedication, toast, roast, eulogy, and farewell. Speeches of introduction are designed to introduce a speaker. Speeches of presentation are given when an individual is presenting an award of some kind. Speeches of acceptance are delivered by the person receiving an award or honor. Speeches of dedication are given when a new building or other place is being opened for the first time. Toasts are given to acknowledge and honor someone on a special occasion (e.g., wedding, birthday, retirement). Roasts are speeches designed to both praise and good-naturedly insult a person being honored. Eulogies are given during funerals and memorial services. Lastly, speeches of farewell are delivered by an individual who is leaving a job, community, or organization, and wants to acknowledge how much the group has meant.
• Inspirational speeches fall into two categories: goodwill (e.g., public relations, justification, and apology) and speeches of commencement. Speeches of goodwill attempt to get audience members to view the person or organization more favorably. On the other hand, speeches of commencement are delivered to recognize the achievements of a group of people.
• Imagine you’ve been asked to speak before a local civic organization such as the Kiwanis or Rotary Club. Develop a sample speech of introduction that you would like someone to give to introduce you.
• You’ve been asked to roast your favorite celebrity. Develop a two-minute roast.
• Develop a speech of commencement for your public speaking class.

Stand up, Speak out Copyright © 2016 by University of Minnesota is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Definition of speech – Learner’s Dictionary

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speech noun ( SAY WORDS )

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• Lip reading enables her to understand the speech of another without hearing the words.
• The phonetic alphabet represents speech sounds symbolically .

speech noun ( PUBLIC TALK )

(Definition of speech from the Cambridge Learner's Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

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a member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police

Fakes and forgeries (Things that are not what they seem to be)

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Usher reflects on family, fatherhood and forgiveness in bet awards lifetime achievement speech.

His remarks followed an all-star tribute featuring performances by Keke Palmer, Childish Gambino and more.

By Kimberly Nordyke

Kimberly Nordyke

Managing Editor, Digital

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Usher was honored with the lifetime achievement award Sunday night at the 2024 BET Awards with an all-star tribute performance, followed by a speech heavy on self-reflection that emphasized forgiveness and fatherhood.

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Following the video, Childish Gambino — the alter ego of Donald Glover — kicked off a performance tribute with a slowed-down rendition of “U Don’t Have to Call.” Keke Palmer then joined him onstage as the song picked up the tempo. Palmer then segued into “You Make Me Wanna…”

Summer Walker followed Palmer, performing “Good Good,” which she is featured on alongside Usher and 21 Savage. Coco Jones then gave her rendition of “There Goes My Baby,” getting up close and personal with many in the audience, including Usher himself.

Marsha Ambrosius sang “Superstar,” Chlöe hit the stage with “Good Kisser,” Tinashe covered “Nice & Slow,” Teyana Taylor and Victoria Monét performed a risque version of “Bad Girl,” and Latto brought the energy for “Yeah!”

During the tribute, the cameras frequently cut to Usher, who was seen smiling and clapping along, and appeared to be enjoying each of the performances.

After the performance, Jam and Lewis brought out L.A. Reid and Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds, who spoke about how they blew him away at his first audition at age 14. 

Usher then took the stage, wearing sunglasses, a white jacket and jeans, where he appeared to be overcome with emotion before giving his remarks.

“Getting here has definitely not been easy, but it has been worth it,” he said, before noting that “I like to talk and I have a way with words” and hadn’t written prepared remarks because he “wanted this to be present, in this moment” (his speech ran for nearly 15 minutes).

Meanwhile, a good portion of Usher’s speech was bleeped out, presumably due to language, but much of what could be heard found Usher reflecting on his family and being a dad.

He talked about his father — Usher Raymond III — leaving his family when he was a baby. “I was trying to make sense of this name a man gave me that didn’t stick around because he didn’t love me,” he said, taking off his glasses so the audience could really see his expression. “You have to have a forgiving heart to understand the true pitfalls and hardships of a Black man in America. and my father, he was a product of that.” He urged other fathers to be present in their own kids’ lives. “This is the year of the father. Stand up for your daughters and sons and lead. They say success has a million fathers,” he said.

He also addressed his ex-wife, Tameka Foster. “I’m trying, Tameka,” he said, pointing to the meaning behind his song “Good Good” and noting he was “turning a new leaf.” He mention as role models other former couples who get along for the sake of the kids, including Swizz Beatz and his ex-wife and current wife, Alicia Keys.

Usher brought several family members to the 2024 BET Awards , including his wife, Jennifer Goicoechea Raymond , mom Jonnetta Patton, sons Naviyd Raymond and Usher “Cinco” Raymond V and brother J. Lack.

Earlier in the night, Usher won the award for best R&B/hip-hop artist at the BET Awards.

Taraji P. Henson hosted the show, which aired live on BET from Downtown Los Angeles.

See a list of 2024 BET Awards winners.

Justin Hagey contributed to this report.

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How to watch the presidential debate: Time, channel guide for Trump-Biden showdown

U.S. President  Joe Biden  and former President  Donald Trump  will face off on Thursday in the  CNN Presidential Debate , the first of the 2024 election cycle and more than four months before the November election.

June 27 will mark the first match-up since 2020 featuring either Trump or Biden since neither participated in primary debates this cycle and the first-ever debate between a sitting and former president, according to the Atlanta-based network.

It’s also the first in decades not to be held by the  Commission on Presidential Debates , which has organized presidential debates since 1988.

Viewers can tune into the ‘CNN Presidential Debate,’ Thursday, June 27, at 8 pm Central time on CNN or simulcast on USA Today via YouTube. The debate, hosted by Jake Tapper and Dana Bash, will last 90 minutes with two  commercial breaks .

The  rules and setting of the debate  will be different from those that have come before. Notably, no live audience will be present on the Atlanta soundstage, and each candidate’s microphone will be cut off when it’s not their turn to speak.

Prep for the polls:   See who is running for president and compare where they stand on key issues in our Voter Guide

Candidates  won’t be allowed to talk  with their staff during breaks or bring any  pre-written notes  with them. They’ll be provided only a pen, pad, and water bottle.

No other candidates  met all of the criteria set out by CNN to participate in the CNN Presidential Debate, which included that they appear on enough state ballots to be able to win the necessary  270 electoral votes  and be polling at or above 15% in four different national polls of registered or likely voters.

The  second presidential debate  is set for September 10, hosted by  ABC News , with David Muir and Linsey Davis serving as moderators, as announced by the network.

Presidential debate poll: Share your thoughts

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