Oratory and speech culture
Key words: oratory, speech, speech culture, models of communication
Speech is a mirror of person's inner world. Throughout human history, people who mastered the effective and clear speech were highly regarded by society. That is why in our modern world, most people who consider mastering perfect speech as a key factor for their successful career, strive to learn the secrets of correct expressive speech. But is it correct to call everyone who uses a clear, fluent, cultural speech an orator? And does any orator master the speech cultural while he/she speaks to a large audience, attracts people with eloquent, pathetic speeches, touches their hearts, influences their minds and leads them? Sometimes we see that many world-famous speakers in their discussions, dialogues, in everyday communication with other people do not follow the culture of speech, i.e. the common requirements of cultural speech. Public speaking is the same ability as drawing or poetry. Speakers, like poets and painters, may be not so wise, perfect, or “civilized” in everyday life. Written memories about famous orators and leaders, as well as movies about them, confirm our opinion. Just as not every poet or painter is considered an orator, so not every person mastering speech culture can be considered an orator.
Society does not require anyone to be a poet or painter, nor does it require anyone to be an orator. But the cultural speech, or the culture of speech, is required from everyone. In fact, it is a divine duty imposed on people, a divine command given to them. The culture of speech is a quality that a person may strive for, and oratory is an innate ability given by God. The speech culture is the education of heart and morality. If the speech culture is not reflected in a person’s speech, then this is similar to the non-observance of the Law, and we can hardly to hope that such a situation will benefit the society. Public speaking, also called oratory or oration, has traditionally meant the act of speaking face to face to a live audience. Today it includes any form of speaking (formally and informally) to an audience, including pre-recorded speech delivered over great distance by means of technology. Confucius, one of many scholars associated with public speaking, once taught that if a speech was considered to be a good speech, it would impact the individuals' lives whether they listened to it directly or not. His idea was that the words and actions of someone of power can influence the world. Public speaking is used for many different purposes, but usually as some mixture of teaching, persuasion, or entertaining. Each of these calls upon slightly different approaches and techniques. Public speaking was developed as a primary sphere of knowledge in Greece and Rome, where prominent thinkers codified it as a central part of rhetoric. Today, the art of public speaking has been transformed by newly available technology such as videoconferencing, multimedia presentations, and other nontraditional forms.
REFERENCES
1.Corbett, E.P.J. (1965). Classical Rhetoric for the Modern Student. New York: Oxford University Press.
2.Dick, H.C., ed. (1955). Selected Writings of Francis Bacon. New York: Modern Library.
3.Ehninger, D., ed. (1963). Richard Whately, Elements of Rhetoric. Carbondale: Southern Illinois University Press.
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