User:Larabecker55/Public speaking

Purpose of public speaking[edit]
The main objective of public speaking is to evoke a change in the thoughts and actions of the audience. The function of public speaking is determined by the speaker's intent and completely relies on their preparation, delivery, and connection to the audience.

Although the name suggests otherwise, public speaking is often delivered to a closed, limited audience that shares a common outlook. However, it is often implemented around publics in which the speaker does not know personally. Additionally, the audience can be composed of fervent supporters of the speaker, antagonistic individuals attending the event unwillingly or out of spite, or strangers with no particular interest in the speaker. However, effective speakers understand that even a small audience is not a unified mass with a single point of view; rather, they are a collection of diverse individuals.

Broadly, public speaking aims to either reassure an anxious audience, or, to alert a complacent audience of something important. However, it can also be used to inform audiences purely based on the speaker's interests. Thus, once the speaker has determined which approach is required, they can implement a combination of storytelling and informational approaches in order to achieve their goals.

Persuasion[edit]
Persuasion is a term derived from the Latin word "persuādēre." Persuasive speaking aims to change the audience's beliefs. Often, it is most commonly used in political debates. Specifically, leaders implement such public forums as an attempt to persuade their audience, whether they be the general public or government officials.

Persuasive speaking involves four essential elements: (i) the speaker or persuader; (ii) the audience; (iii) the speaking method; and (iv) the message the speaker is trying to convey. When attempting to persuade an audience to change their opinions, a speaker primarily appeals to their emotions and beliefs.

Furthermore, various techniques exist for speakers to gain audience support. Speakers can demand action from the audience through implying urgency. Additionally, they may use inclusive language such as 'we' and 'us' to create unity between the speaker and the audience. Lastly, they may choose words with strong connotations to intensify a message's impact. In conversation, rhetorical questions, anecdotes, generalizations, exaggerations, metaphors, and irony may also be employed to increase the likelihood of persuading an audience.