We explain what public speaking is and where this set of speaking techniques originated. The types of public speaking and what a good speaker is like.
What is public speaking?
Public speaking is not just orality, that is, It is not the mere fact of speaking to another and others, but it involves a number of techniques and rules or principles that allow us to express ourselves clearly before a large audience.
The purpose of oratory is to convey a message without fear or mistrust and with ease. Oratory is related to eloquence, to be able to convince with our words or it will move who or those who hear us.
Within literature, oratory has to do with literary processes whose purpose is to persuade (such as a conference). A speaker must modify the emotions of the listeners, not just provide them with information.
Now, oratory is something natural in the human being, as a capacity to persuade or convince another about my point of view or opinion. However, it has developed as a discipline with its own rules and characteristics.
Where did oratory originate?
Like most of the human sciences, public speaking had its origin in Greece from the hand of the Sicilians. In Greece, oratory was used for political purposes and to achieve prestige.
Socrates founded a school of oratory, located in Athens, and defined the speaker as the educated man with high ideals who was to guarantee the progress of the state.
Demosthenes was the orator who was considered the best in this art. Cicero was the one who perfected it in the Roman Republic. He wrote several speeches and treatises that have come down to us almost entirely.
Types of public speaking
There is currently a classification of types of public speaking according to the purpose of the speaker. Here are some types of public speaking:
- Social speaking. Also called ceremonial, augural or sentimental, they are those that take place in a certain area where the human being participates in a ceremony.
- Pedagogical oratory. It seeks to transmit culture through the spoken word, that is, it transmits knowledge. It is a didactic or academic oratory that seeks to teach.
- Forensic oratory. It is used within legal science and seeks to clearly expose the reports of judges, lawyers and prosecutors.
- Persuasive public speaking. When politicians expose and debate political ideas and used mainly in times of suffrage.
- Sacred or religious oratory. Make sermons from the word of God using the Bible or other religious books as a basis.
- Public speaking within a company (called “Management Speaking”). It is used by businessmen and entrepreneurs in order to convey corporate objectives.
The good speaker
Public speaking is not simply public speaking, a good speaker must meet certain characteristics that make him different from other common speakers.
- Public speaking is always done with an individual speaker in front of an audience (collective receiver).
- The speaker must Speak clearly, but also with enthusiasm, efficiency and persuasion. Language is your main tool. A speaker must know how to make himself heard. You must get the audience to show interest and be thoughtful.
- The speaker must be clear about the purpose of his speech. It can be a persuasive speech, in order to convince the public of an opinion, for example. Plus, you can teach, move, or please your audience.
- The physical appearance It is very important as well as the grooming of people. The attire that the speaker chooses must be in accordance with the circumstances depending on whether it is a formal or informal occasion.
- A speaker should maintain a positive attitude, being relaxed and be in good physical and mental health.
- It must also have a lot of memory capacity, since public speaking requires 90% speaking and just a little note reading, if necessary.
- A speaker must be sincere and congruent, that is, there is a relationship between what a speaker says and does. In addition, he must be loyal to whoever has trusted him or her.
- A speaker must lose fear and prejudice To speak in public, you must be fluent and know how to stand in front of an audience.
A speaker you must get the audience to listen carefully, become sensitive to it and understand it, and, if it is a persuasive speech, convince the listener of what the speaker is saying about a topic.