speech on english language importance

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Speech On The Importance Of English

Speech on the Importance of English Language

The English language plays a very important role in our lives. As a result of globalisation and with the help of the English language, the entire world has now become familiar to all people. It is considered the principal language of communication by many nations, and everyone has accepted it as the global language. Do you want to know more about the topic? Read the article for cues and tips, and prepare a mesmerising speech on the importance of the English language – one of the interesting speech topics for kids .

Sample speeches on the importance of the english language, speech about the importance of learning english.

Importance of Learning English Speech

Frequently Asked Questions on the Importance of English Language

A couple of sample speeches are given below. Go through them, utilise the resources, and prepare a speech about the importance of the English language on your own.

Have you ever wondered about our condition if there was no common language like English to share our thoughts and feelings with one another? There are numerous languages in our world. Most countries have a national language, and there are multiple regional languages within a nation. The English language is a great boon in such situations; it serves as a common language and helps everyone to communicate.

The English language bridges the gap between nations and offers everyone the possibility of attaining wide exposure. The adoption of the English language as the principal source of communication has resulted in increasing international relationships in travel and tourism, education, business, entertainment, science, technology, and so on.

The English language helps individuals to transcend international boundaries and get a global reach. For example, a book written in English will get far better reach than a book written in any of the regional languages. A regional language has limitations; it cannot be understood by anyone who doesn’t know it; as a result, the audience will be minimal. A common language like English will eradicate this limitation and help everyone to connect with wider audiences. Similar is the condition for any content presented in English.

The worldwide reach of the English language is the main reason for setting English as the language of the internet. By knowing the English language, a person can easily access all the information on any topics that are available on the internet. English content like songs, movies, news, entertaining programmes, public events, and all can be enjoyed by everyone who knows the language. Like the words of Frank Smith, “One language sets you in a corridor for life. Two languages open every door along the way”. Let’s try to learn more languages and open every opportunity in our lives.

Speech on the Importance of Learning English

The English language was initially the national language of England. Later, as a result of British imperialism and colonisation, the language was introduced to many nations. Eventually, it became the primary and secondary language of their colonies, such as India, Australia, Sri Lanka, Canada etc. Gone are the times when the British ruled over more than half the world, but their language is still ruling almost half the entire world.

Today, nearly sixty-seven countries all over the world have declared English as their official language, and twenty-seven countries consider English as their secondary language. Without a second thought, we can declare the English language as one of the most dominant languages in the world.

The English language is the key to opening the door to the world. It is one of the most used languages in the world. The knowledge of the English language helps everyone to attain personal and professional growth. As a result, people all over the world have started to learn English as a second language. Many nations have included English as their second language in their school curriculums to assist students in learning English at a young age. Almost all the materials and subjects for learning are drafted in English to make it more accessible for everyone all around the world. The initiative of using the English language as a medium of instruction in schools and colleges brings a commonality to the structure of education and brings multiple positive impacts to the students.

Good communication skills in English is considered one of the most important soft skills required for an employee. Other than this benefit provided by the English language, it helps us understand different nations’ cultures. A piece of good knowledge in English guides us to travel to any new nation. With the support of good understanding and communication skills, a person can easily transfer ideas and thoughts to one another. An insight of the English language increases the chance of setting up a good career.

The impacts brought by the English language on our lives are boundless. Let’s realise the true potential of language and remember the words of Roger Bacon – “Knowledge of languages is the doorway to wisdom.”

How did English become a global language?

The English language is one of the most dominant languages in the world. The English language was initially the national language of England. Later, as a result of British imperialism and colonisation, the language got introduced to many nations. Eventually, it became the primary and secondary language of their colonies, such as India, Australia, Sri Lanka, Canada etc. Today, nearly sixty-seven countries all over the world have declared English as their official language, and twenty-seven countries consider English as their secondary language.

What is the importance of learning English?

List some advantages of the English language.

English is considered the principal language of communication by many nations, and everyone has accepted it as the global language.
The English language knowledge helps everyone attain personal and professional growth.
A piece of good knowledge in English guides us to travel to any new nations.
English helps every content creator to receive a wider audience.
The English language helps us to enjoy content like songs, movies, news, entertaining programmes, public events and so on.

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5-minute Speech on the Importance of English

Understanding of English language is one of the most demanding skills for employment. Here are 3+ Best Speech on the Importance of English. You might be shocked to know that it is 3 rd most spoken language around the globe.

The English language can lead you to the top of your career. This is why this language holds a huge value for someone who is very ambitious about his career.

Speech Example

Good morning all [wish according to time]

I wish you all the best wishes and greetings. And I also would like to thank you all for having me here to share my thoughts on the English language.

The English language is a global language and the most famous language for social communication. It is the third most spoken language on the globe and about 104 countries have people that can converse in English. The variant of the English language we speak today is called modern English. This language has more than 150 accents. This language is used in programming languages, international communication, sports, news etc.

The main function of any language is to share information . The English language is most suitable for sharing information because it assists to state logical facts clearly. The next function of the English language is the expressive function that carries the feelings or ideas or emotions of somebody. English poetry is the best illustration of it.

In this modern era, the English language has become an important part of each existing field. Some decades ago a degree was enough to get a corporate job or employment but at present, the time has changed. Today, knowledge of the English language holds more value than a degree.

Furthermore, This language unlocks barriers to your growth. If you desire to start your career in the field of science and technology, the English language is a necessity. Even it assists in performing research because most of the data available on the internet are in English.

Moreover, the English language is also useful for strengthening relations with other countries that have English as their native language. Communication in this language will also bring business prospects to the international market.

In the end, the English language is like a device that can help you experience the world at a better level. If you investigate any type of information, it is available generally in English. The knowledge of the English language is counted in the skillset of an individual. For the technology field, English is a must.

I have to stop here because time is limited and we should respect time. I hope you liked my thoughts on the English language.

Thank you all for listening to my words.

Hope you liked the post-Speech on the Importance of English. If so, Don’t forget to share it with your friends and loved ones . Thank you so much for using this website. If you have any suggestions regarding the content published on this page. Don’t bother to let me know in the comments

Faq’s

Tips to deliver a good speech on the importance of english..

You can infuse some quotes about the English language at the beginning. Ask questions in between delivering speech [This will engage the listeners] Use a conversational tone while delivering the speech Take a short break [a while] every fifty words Try to not go out of your topic.

Importance Of English Language Essay

500 words importance of english language essay.

The English Language is becoming more and more common in the world. As a result, increasingly people are dedicating time to study English as their second language. In fact, many countries include it in their school syllabus to teach children this language from a young age. However, the true value of this language is that it helps remove many barriers from our life. Whether it is to find a new job or travel the world. In other words, it helps to progress in life both on a personal and professional level. Thus, the Importance of English Language Essay will help you understand all about it.

Importance Of English Language

Language is our major means of communication; it is how we share our thoughts with others. A language’s secondary purpose is to convey someone’s sentiments, emotions, or attitudes. English is one such language in the world that satisfies both the above purposes. English has been regarded as the first global Lingua Franca. It has become part and parcel of almost every existing field. We use it as the international language to communicate in many fields ranging from business to entertainment.

Many countries teach and encourage youngsters to acquire English as a second language. Even in nations where English is not an official language, many science and engineering curriculum are written in English.

English abilities will most certainly aid you in any business endeavours you choose to pursue. Many large corporations will only hire professional employees after determining whether or not they speak good English. Given the language’s prominence, English language classes will be advantageous to you if you want to work for a multinational organization and will teach you the communication skills needed to network with professionals in your area or enhance your career.

The English Language opens an ocean of career opportunities to those who speak this language anywhere in the world. Similarly, it has turned into an inevitable requirement for various fields and professions like medicine , computing and more.

In the fast-evolving world, it is essential to have a common language that we can understand to make the best use of the data and information available. As a result, the English Language has become a storehouse of various knowledge ranging from social to political fields.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Reasons to Learn the English Language

As the importance of the English Language is clear now, we move on to why we must learn the English Language. First of all, it is a global language. It is so common that one out of five people can speak or understand this language.

Further, learning the English Language can help in getting a job easily. As it has become the language of many fields, it automatically increases the chances of landing a good job in a good company.

In addition, it helps with meeting new people. As it is the official language of 53 countries, learning it helps to break the language barriers. Most importantly, it is also the language of the Internet.

Another important reason to learn this language is that it makes travelling easier. Being a widely used language globally, it will help you connect with people easily. Similarly, it is also essential in the world of business.

It does not matter whether you are an employee or employer, it benefits everyone. Students who wish to study abroad must definitely study this language. Many countries use their schools and universities. So, it can offer a good opportunity for students.

Why and where do we need the English language?

Use of English on the Internet – Because of the tremendous rise of information technology, particularly the internet, English is the language of choice for Internet users. The internet has also played an important role in promoting and spreading the English language throughout the world, as more and more people are exposed to it, and English has also become the language of the internet.
Use of English in Education – English has become one of the majorly used languages to understand, learn and explain concepts from various fields of knowledge. The majority of instructional tools, materials, and texts are written in English. The global educational systems at colleges all over the world need English as a foreign language.
Use of English for Travel purposes – As we all know, English has been named as the official language of 53 countries and over 400 million people in the world speak English, the English language comes in handy for communicating with everyone when anyone travels around the world be it for tourism, job opportunity, settlement, casual visits, etc.
Use of English for Communication – The most important function of a language is to allow people to communicate effectively. For many years, English has been the most widely known and valued language on the planet. In other words, English becomes an efficient tool for communicating with people all over the world.

Conclusion of Importance Of English Language Essay

We use the English Language in most of our international communications. While it is not the most spoken language in the world, 53 countries have named it their official language. Moreover, about 400 million people globally use it as their first language. Thus, being the most common second language in the world, it will be beneficial to learn this language to open doors to new opportunities.

FAQ on Importance Of English Language Essay

Question 1: How does the English Language help you get a job?

Answer 1: the English Language is the language of many things like science, aviation, computers, diplomacy, and tourism. Thus, if you know English, it will increase your chances of landing a good job in an international company.

Question 2: Does the English Language help in connecting with people globally?

Answer 2: Yes, it does. It is because English is the official language of 53 countries and we use it as a lingua franca (a mutually known language) by people from all over the world. This means that studying English can help us have a conversation with people on a global level.

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Importance of the English Language

By: Dr. G. Manivannan | Category: Teaching English in Asia | Topic: Learning and Teaching

Last Updated: 24th Jun. 2022

A look at the importance of English in India and the world.

A language is a systematic means of communication by the use of sounds or conventional symbols. It is the code we all use to express ourselves and communicate to others. It is a communication by word of mouth. It is the mental faculty or power of vocal communication. It is a system for communicating ideas and feelings using sounds, gestures, signs or marks. Any means of communicating ideas, specifically, human speech, the expression of ideas by the voice and sounds articulated by the organs of the throat and mouth is a language. This is a system for communication. A language is the written and spoken methods of combining words to create meaning used by a particular group of people. Language, so far as we know, is something specific to humans, that is to say it is the basic capacity that distinguishes humans from all other living beings. Language therefore remains potentially a communicative medium capable of expressing ideas and concepts as well as moods, feelings and attitudes. A set of linguists who based their assumptions of language on psychology made claims that language is nothing but ‘habit formation’. According to them, language is learnt through use, through practice. In their view, ‘the more one is exposed to the use of language, the better one learns’. Written languages use symbols (characters) to build words. The entire set of words is the language’s vocabulary. The ways in which the words can be meaningfully combined is defined by the language’s syntax and grammar. The actual meaning of words and combinations of words is defined by the language’s semantics. The latest and the most advanced discoveries and inventions in science and technology are being made in the universities located in the United States of America where English language is the means of scientific discourse. The historical circumstances of India (having been ruled by the British for over two centuries) have given the Indians an easy access to mastering English language, and innumerable opportunities for advancement in the field of science and technology. Many Indians have become so skilled in English language and have won many international awards for creative and comparative literatures during the last few years. Sometime ago, an Indian author, Arundhati Roy, won the prestigious booker prize for her book “The God of Small Things”. Her book sold lakhs of copies all over the globe. Over the years, English language has become one of our principal assets in getting a global leadership for books written by Indian authors and for films made by Indians in English language. A famous Indian movie maker Shekhar Kapoor’s film “Elizabeth” has got several nominations for Oscar Awards. It does not require any further argument to establish the advantage English language has brought to us at the international level. English language comes to our aid in our commercial transactions throughout the globe. English is the language of the latest business management in the world and Indian proficiency in English has brought laurels to many Indian business managers. English is a means not only for international commerce; it has become increasingly essential for inter-state commerce and communication. In India, people going from North to South for education or business mostly communicate in English, which has become a link language. Keeping this in mind, the Parliament has also recognized English as an official language in addition to Hindi. All the facts of history and developments in present day India underline the continued importance of learning English in addition to vernaculars. Some of the states of India are witnessing popular increase in public demand for teaching of English language from the primary classes. Realizing the importance, recently, the Minister of Indian Railways, Laloo Prasad Yadav, demands teaching of English language in schools. The great demand for admission in English medium schools throughout the country is a testimony to the attraction of English to the people of India. Many of the leaders, who denounce English, send their own children to English medium schools. Many of the schools in the country have English as the sole or additional medium of instruction. A language attracts people because of the wealth of literature and knowledge enshrined in it. English poses no danger to Indian languages. The Indian languages are vibrant and are developing by the contributions of great minds using them as their vehicle of expression. English is available to us as a historical heritage in addition to our own language. We must make the best use of English to develop ourselves culturally and materially so that we can compete with the best in the world of mind and matter. English language is our window to the world. English language is one tool to establish our viewpoint. We can learn from others experience. We can check the theories of foreigners against our experience. We can reject the untenable and accept the tenable. We can also propagate our theories among the international audience and readers. We can make use of English to promote our worldview and spiritual heritage throughout the globe. Swami Vivekananda established the greatness of Indian view of religion at the world conference of religions in Chicago in 1893. He addressed the gathering in impressive English. Many spiritual gurus have since converted thousands of English people to our spirituality by expressing their thought and ideas in masterful English. English has thus become an effective means of promoting Indian view of life, and strengthening our cultural identity in the world. When William Caxton set up his printing press in London (1477) the new hybrid language (vernacular English mixed with courtly French and scholarly Latin) became increasingly standardized, and by 1611, when the Authorized (King James) Version of the Bible was published, the educated English of London had become the core of what is now called Standard English. By the time of Johnson’s dictionary (1755) and the American Declaration of Independence (1776), English was international and recognizable as the language we use today. The Orthography of English was more or less established by 1650 and, in England in particular, a form of standard educated speech, known as Received Pronunciation (RP) spread from the major public schools in the 19th century. This accent was adopted in the early 20th century by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) for its announcers and readers, and is variously known as RP, BBC English, Oxford English, and the King’s or Queen’s English. Generally, Standard English today does not depend on accent but rather on shared educational experience, mainly of the printed language. Present-day English is an immensely varied language, having absorbed material from many other tongues. It is spoken by more than 300 million native speakers, and between 400 and 800 million foreign users. It is the official language of air transport and shipping; the leading language of science, technology, computers, and commerce; and a major medium of education, publishing, and international negotiation. For this reason, scholars frequently refer to its latest phase as World English.

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Speaking, writing and reading are integral to everyday life, where language is the primary tool for expression and communication. Studying how people use language – what words and phrases they unconsciously choose and combine – can help us better understand ourselves and why we behave the way we do.

Linguistics scholars seek to determine what is unique and universal about the language we use, how it is acquired and the ways it changes over time. They consider language as a cultural, social and psychological phenomenon.

“Understanding why and how languages differ tells about the range of what is human,” said Dan Jurafsky , the Jackson Eli Reynolds Professor in Humanities and chair of the Department of Linguistics in the School of Humanities and Sciences at Stanford . “Discovering what’s universal about languages can help us understand the core of our humanity.”

The stories below represent some of the ways linguists have investigated many aspects of language, including its semantics and syntax, phonetics and phonology, and its social, psychological and computational aspects.

Understanding stereotypes

Stanford linguists and psychologists study how language is interpreted by people. Even the slightest differences in language use can correspond with biased beliefs of the speakers, according to research.

One study showed that a relatively harmless sentence, such as “girls are as good as boys at math,” can subtly perpetuate sexist stereotypes. Because of the statement’s grammatical structure, it implies that being good at math is more common or natural for boys than girls, the researchers said.

Language can play a big role in how we and others perceive the world, and linguists work to discover what words and phrases can influence us, unknowingly.

How well-meaning statements can spread stereotypes unintentionally

New Stanford research shows that sentences that frame one gender as the standard for the other can unintentionally perpetuate biases.

Algorithms reveal changes in stereotypes

New Stanford research shows that, over the past century, linguistic changes in gender and ethnic stereotypes correlated with major social movements and demographic changes in the U.S. Census data.

Exploring what an interruption is in conversation

Stanford doctoral candidate Katherine Hilton found that people perceive interruptions in conversation differently, and those perceptions differ depending on the listener’s own conversational style as well as gender.

Cops speak less respectfully to black community members

Professors Jennifer Eberhardt and Dan Jurafsky, along with other Stanford researchers, detected racial disparities in police officers’ speech after analyzing more than 100 hours of body camera footage from Oakland Police.

How other languages inform our own

People speak roughly 7,000 languages worldwide. Although there is a lot in common among languages, each one is unique, both in its structure and in the way it reflects the culture of the people who speak it.

Jurafsky said it’s important to study languages other than our own and how they develop over time because it can help scholars understand what lies at the foundation of humans’ unique way of communicating with one another.

“All this research can help us discover what it means to be human,” Jurafsky said.

Stanford PhD student documents indigenous language of Papua New Guinea

Fifth-year PhD student Kate Lindsey recently returned to the United States after a year of documenting an obscure language indigenous to the South Pacific nation.

Students explore Esperanto across Europe

In a research project spanning eight countries, two Stanford students search for Esperanto, a constructed language, against the backdrop of European populism.

Chris Manning: How computers are learning to understand language

A computer scientist discusses the evolution of computational linguistics and where it’s headed next.

Stanford research explores novel perspectives on the evolution of Spanish

Using digital tools and literature to explore the evolution of the Spanish language, Stanford researcher Cuauhtémoc García-García reveals a new historical perspective on linguistic changes in Latin America and Spain.

Language as a lens into behavior

Linguists analyze how certain speech patterns correspond to particular behaviors, including how language can impact people’s buying decisions or influence their social media use.

For example, in one research paper, a group of Stanford researchers examined the differences in how Republicans and Democrats express themselves online to better understand how a polarization of beliefs can occur on social media.

“We live in a very polarized time,” Jurafsky said. “Understanding what different groups of people say and why is the first step in determining how we can help bring people together.”

Analyzing the tweets of Republicans and Democrats

New research by Dora Demszky and colleagues examined how Republicans and Democrats express themselves online in an attempt to understand how polarization of beliefs occurs on social media.

Examining bilingual behavior of children at Texas preschool

A Stanford senior studied a group of bilingual children at a Spanish immersion preschool in Texas to understand how they distinguished between their two languages.

Predicting sales of online products from advertising language

Stanford linguist Dan Jurafsky and colleagues have found that products in Japan sell better if their advertising includes polite language and words that invoke cultural traditions or authority.

Language can help the elderly cope with the challenges of aging, says Stanford professor

By examining conversations of elderly Japanese women, linguist Yoshiko Matsumoto uncovers language techniques that help people move past traumatic events and regain a sense of normalcy.

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13 Speeches in English for Listening and Speaking Practice

Giving a speech in front of a whole room of people can be pretty scary. Especially if you are giving a speech in English as a non-native speaker.

But you can learn from the best.

You can watch videos of famous, effective speeches in English to learn how to do it the right way .

In this post we will share 13 amazing speeches in English that you can use to become a more confident speaker yourself.

1. Speech on Kindness by a 10-year-old Girl

2. “the effects of lying” by georgia haukom, 3. “education for all” by cameron allen, 4. gender equality speech by emma watson, 5. “rocky balboa speech” by sylvester stallone, 6. 2008 presidential acceptance speech by president barack obama, 7. “this is water” speech by david foster wallace, 8. “the great dictator speech” by charlie chaplin, 9. 2018 golden globe speech by oprah winfrey, 10. “i have a dream” speech by martin luther king jr., 11. “the gettysburg address” by abraham lincoln, 12. “britain does owe reparations” by shashi tharoor, 13. mark antony’s speech by william shakespeare, and one more thing....

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)

Level: Beginner

Do you think people should be kind to one another? This speaker sure does. And she knows how to convince you of the same.

This is a perfect informative speech for beginner English learners . The speaker is a child who is able to speak fluently but with simple words . She also uses her gestures and facial expressions to communicate her emotions with the audience.

This speech is perfect for listening practice . However, learners should be aware that her pauses are not perfect. Learners should focus more on her words and the content of the speech than her intonation or pacing while practicing.

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Even though the speaker is a student in the fourth grade, her speech is one of the most interactive speeches I have seen. She starts with a game and is able to make her main point through the game itself.

English learners will enjoy her speech especially because the vocabulary she uses is simple and can be easily learned. But it does not feel like a beginner wrote this speech because she uses her words so well.

If you want to learn the art of making basic arguments while speaking, you should watch this speech. She is able to convince her audience because she is able to connect with them through games and stories.

She also uses scientific studies to back up (support) her main points.

Level: Intermediate

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This is a short and simple speech about why everyone in the world should get an education. Because the speaker is a child, the speech does not have complex words or sentence structures.

This is also a classic example of an informative speech. The speaker presents the main argument and the facts simply and clearly . She also gives the basic definitions of important terms in the speech itself.

This speech is perfect for English listening and speaking practice because it is so short but also full of useful information. It is also a good example of the standard American English accent .

Emma Watson is a famous English actress who is best known for her role in the “Harry Potter” movie series as Hermione. She is also a United Nations Women Goodwill Ambassador .

In this speech, she is trying to both inform and convince the audience of why men should support feminism. Feminism is a movement that asks for equal rights and opportunities for women.

She mixes her formal tone with personal stories to do this. The speech is also a good example of British English .

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This is a speech taken from the movie “Rocky Balboa.” In this scene, Rocky, played by Sylvester Stallone, is talking to his son.

His speech is a classic example of a motivational speech . In these kinds of speeches, a person tries to inspire someone else, especially when the listener feels hopeless or is full of shame.

The basic message of the speech is that no matter how strong a person is, he or she will always face difficulties. And even though the message does not sound positive, Stallone’s way of speaking still makes it inspiring.

Stallone is able to communicate his message with love, even though he is criticizing his son and telling him difficult facts about the world. Generally, this is called “tough love” in English.

Listeners should also notice how he uses gestures to make his point .

Compare this speech with the Oprah Winfrey and Martin Luther King speeches (later in this list). All of them inspire their audiences but have really different tones. Stallone’s speech is the most informal and personal while Martin Luther King’s speech is the most formal and written for a large audience. All these speeches are in American English.

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Barack Obama was the first African American elected as president by U.S. citizens. He gave this speech after he won the election.

English learners can discover a lot from his speech. Obama talks about the most important issues Americans were facing back then and are still important to them. He also uses a kind of American English that is easy to understand . His speech is mainly about the values that he and Americans stand for.

Obama’s accent is a mixture of standard American English and the way of speaking commonly popular in African American communities. He is an expert in using pauses so that the audience can follow his words without breaking his rhythm.

As the speech is longer than most others on this list, you may want to listen to it in parts rather than beginning-to-end.

Level: Advanced

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This speech is a perfect example of the mixture of casual and formal English . David Foster Wallace was an award-winning American writer who wrote about the culture of the U.S.

In this speech, he talks about the value of an education in liberal arts (general academic subjects, as opposed to technical/professional training). He believes that this kind of education teaches you how to think and think about others.

This is a good example of American English. Be aware that in some parts of the speech he also uses swear words (rude/offensive words) to create an emotional impact on the audience. This is very close to how people generally communicate with one another in daily life.

So, this speech is better for learning casual English even though it is a speech given at a university.

Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Charlie Chaplin is generally known for his gestures and facial expressions. In this movie, he proves that he can use speech as well to inspire and entertain the viewers.

The movie “The Great Dictator” is a satire about the rise of authoritarian governments in Europe. The word “authoritarian” means a person or a government that believes in controlling others and does not believe in freedom.

In this speech, Charlie Chaplin copies Adolf Hitler , but his message is exactly the opposite of Hitler’s ideas.

The interesting thing about the speech is how Chaplin uses short sentences for the most impact . There is also a lot of repetition that makes it easy for the audience to follow the speech.

Chaplin uses the tone, rhythm and pitch of his voice to make the speech interesting instead of using varied words. Chaplin’s speech can be categorized as inspirational or motivational. It does not use formal words but neither is it casual or informal.

Oprah Winfrey is an American talk show host and actor who is known around the world for her interviews. In the 2018 Golden Globe Awards, she was awarded the Cecil B. deMille award .

Her speech at the award show is about many different topics related to American society. She is the first African American woman to be awarded the prize . She talks about how watching an African American celebrity get another big entertainment award many years ago changed her life.

She also talks about sexual assault and the search for justice in American society. The MeToo movement is the main subject of the speech.

Even though the speech is in formal English , Oprah is able to make it emotional and personal .

Learners should focus on how she uses chunking in her sentences . Chunking is the technique of grouping words (called chunks) in a sentence with a slight pause between every chunk. It also helps with intonation and the rhythm of speaking.

This is one of the most well-known speeches of the last century . Martin Luther King Jr. was a leader of the civil rights movement in the U.S. The movement demanded that people of different races should be treated equally. This speech summarized the main vision of the movement using metaphors and repetition .

The speech begins by referring to the “Emancipation Proclamation.” The proclamation (official announcement) was an order by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863 that freed many slaves in the U.S. Martin Luther King talks about this because most of the slaves were African Americans and it was their first step towards freedom.

Advanced learners can learn about the history and cultural conflicts of America through this speech. It is also a perfect example of the use of formal English to convince other people .

Some of the words used in this speech are no longer common in American English. “Negro” is often regarded as an insult and learners should use words like “African American” instead.

This speech, delivered by the 16th president of the U.S. (Abraham Lincoln, whom we just discussed above) is considered to be one of the best speeches in English .

Lincoln delivered this in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania where many soldiers had died fighting a civil war. It was fought between Americans who wanted to ban slavery and people who did not. Lincoln was there to dedicate a graveyard to the soldiers.

In this speech, Lincoln reminds the people why this was an important war. He mentions that the U.S. was created on the values of liberty and equality. And this civil war was a test of whether a nation based on these values can last for long or not.

He honors the soldiers by saying that they have already “consecrated” the land for the people of America. (“To consecrate” means to make something sacred or holy.) He reminds the audience that they have to make sure that the idea of America as a nation of freedom continues so that the efforts of these soldiers are not wasted.

This is a very short speech . Learners can easily listen to it multiple times in a practice session. But only advanced learners can understand it since it has several difficult words in it. For instance, “score” is an outdated term used for the number 20. And when he mentions the word “fathers” in the first line he is actually referring to the leaders who had founded the country of America.

Even though Shashi Tharoor is not a native English speaker, his English is so fluent that he sounds like one. Learners from India will instantly recognize him because he is famous there for his English skills.

In this video, he is giving a speech as a part of a debate at Oxford University . He lists out arguments that support the idea that the U.K. should give reparations to its colonies. “Reparations” are payments to a country or community for some harm done to them. A colony is a region or a country that is controlled by another country by force.

Britain had a large number of colonies throughout the world between the 16th and 20th centuries. In this speech, Tharoor tries to convince his audience that the U.K. should give something for the damage they did to the countries they had colonized.

This is one of the finest examples of a formal speech in today’s English . Learners who want to go into academics can learn how to organize their arguments with evidence.

The speech is also great for vocabulary practice . Plus, Tharoor has deep knowledge of both the national history of the U.K. and the colonial history of India. Apart from the content of the speech, his way of speaking is also impressive and is similar to formal British English .

This speech is part of a play called “Julius Caesar” written by William Shakespeare. The play is based on the life and murder of Caesar who was a leader of the Roman Empire. The speech is considered to be one of the finest pieces of English literature .

It is also one of the best examples of the use of rhetoric (the art of speaking and persuasion).

Mark Antony makes this speech after Caesar is killed by other leaders of the Roman Empire. Antony was a close friend of Caesar’s and here he tries to remind the people of Rome that Caesar was actually a good man. He has to convince the people that his murderers like Brutus are actually criminals. But he has to do so without directly blaming the murderers.

Advanced learners should know this speech mainly because of its cultural value.

Many words in this speech have been replaced by other words in today’s English. “Hath” is the older form of “has” or “had.” “Thou” has also been replaced by the word “you.”

So rather than memorizing the vocabulary, learners should focus on how Damian Lewis delivers the speech instead. The intonation, tone, pitch and rhythm is similar to the formal English used today. He is also good at conveying emotions through pauses and expressions.

If you keep watching videos of native speakers talking, you’ll get used to hearing how different people talk in English. After watching these speeches, you could look for more speeches or interviews on YouTube.

FluentU takes authentic videos—like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talks—and turns them into personalized language learning lessons.

You can try FluentU for free for 2 weeks. Check out the website or download the iOS app or Android app.

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The best way to learn the art of speaking is to first copy great speakers. Try to speak the same words in a style that is natural and comfortable to you. These speeches in English are the perfect material to master it!

If you like learning English through movies and online media, you should also check out FluentU. FluentU lets you learn English from popular talk shows, catchy music videos and funny commercials , as you can see here:

If you want to watch it, the FluentU app has probably got it.

The FluentU app and website makes it really easy to watch English videos. There are captions that are interactive. That means you can tap on any word to see an image, definition, and useful examples.

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PRDV008: Preparing and Delivering Presentations

The importance of language.

Read this article, which explains how to use language creatively while avoiding jargon and obscenities.

Ask any professional speaker or speech writer, and they will tell you that language matters. In fact, some of the most important and memorable lines in American history came from speeches given by American presidents:

It is true that you may fool all the people some of the time; you can even fool some of the people all the time; but you can't fool all of the people all the time. – Abraham Lincoln

Speak softly and carry a big stick . – Theodore Roosevelt, Sept. 2, 1901. Speech at Minnesota State Fair.

The only thing we have to fear is fear itself . – Franklin Delano Roosevelt, March 4, 1933

Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country . – John F. Kennedy, Jan. 20, 1961. Inaugural address.

We lose ourselves when we compromise the very ideals that we fight to defend. And we honor those ideals by upholding them not when it's easy, but when it is hard . – Barack Obama, Dec. 10, 2009. Remarks at the acceptance of the Nobel Peace Prize.

You do not have to be a president or a famous speaker to use language effectively. So in this chapter, we are going to explore the importance of language. First, we will discuss the difference between oral and written language, then we will talk about some basic guidelines for using language, and lastly, we will look at six key elements of language.

Oral versus Written Language

When we use the word language , we are referring to the words you choose to use in your speech – so by definition, our focus is on spoken language. Spoken language has always existed prior to written language. Wrench, McCroskey, and Richmond suggested that if you think about the human history of language as a twelve-inch ruler, written language or recorded language has only existed for the "last quarter of an inch". Wrench, J. S., McCroskey, J. C., & Richmond, V. P. (2008). Human communication in everyday life: Explanations and applications . Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon, p. 304.

Furthermore, of the more than six thousand languages that are spoken around the world today, only a minority of them actually use a written alphabet.Lewis, M. P. (2009). Ethnologue (16th ed.). To help us understand the importance of language, we will first look at the basic functions of language and then delve into the differences between oral and written language.

Basic Functions of Language

Language is any formal system of gestures, signs, sounds, and symbols used or conceived as a means of communicating thought. As mentioned above, there are over six thousand language schemes currently in use around the world. The language spoken by the greatest number of people on the planet is Mandarin; other widely spoken languages are English, Spanish, and Arabic.Lewis, M. P. (2009). Ethnologue (16th ed.).

Language is ultimately important because it is the primary means through which humans have the ability to communicate and interact with one another. Some linguists go so far as to suggest that the acquisition of language skills is the primary advancement that enabled our prehistoric ancestors to flourish and succeed over other hominid species. Mayell, H. (2003, February). When did modern behavior emerge in humans? National Geographic News .

In today's world, effective use of language helps us in our interpersonal relationships at home and at work. Using language effectively also will improve your ability to be an effective public speaker. Because language is an important aspect of public speaking that many students do not spend enough time developing, we encourage you to take advantage of this chapter.

One of the first components necessary for understanding language is to understand how we assign meaning to words. Words consist of sounds (oral) and shapes (written) that have agreed-upon meanings based in concepts, ideas, and memories. When we write the word "blue", we may be referring to a portion of the visual spectrum dominated by energy with a wavelength of roughly 440–490 nanometers.

You could also say that the color in question is an equal mixture of both red and green light. While both of these are technically correct ways to interpret the word "blue", we are pretty sure that neither of these definitions is how you thought about the word. When hearing the word "blue", you may have thought of your favorite color, the color of the sky on a spring day, or the color of a really ugly car you saw in the parking lot. When people think about language, there are two different types of meanings that people must be aware of: denotative and connotative.

Denotative Meaning

Denotative meaning is the specific meaning associated with a word. We sometimes refer to denotative meanings as dictionary definitions. The definitions provided above for the word "blue" are examples of definitions that might be found in a dictionary. The first dictionary was written by Robert Cawdry in 1604 and was called Table Alphabeticall . This dictionary of the English language consisted of three thousand commonly spoken English words. Today, the Oxford English Dictionary contains more than 200,000 words.Oxford University Press. (2011). How many words are there in the English language?

Connotative Meaning

Connotative meaning is the idea suggested by or associated with a word. In addition to the examples above, the word "blue" can evoke many other ideas:

State of depression – feeling blue
Indication of winning – a blue ribbon
Side during the Civil War – blues vs. grays
Sudden event – out of the blue

We also associate the color blue with the sky and the ocean. Maybe your school's colors or those of your arch rival include blue. There are also various forms of blue: aquamarine, baby blue, navy blue, royal blue, and so on.

Some miscommunication can occur over denotative meanings of words. For example, one of the authors of this book recently received a flyer for a tennis center open house. The expressed goal was to introduce children to the game of tennis. At the bottom of the flyer, people were encouraged to bring their own racquets if they had them but that "a limited number of racquets will be available". It turned out that the denotative meaning of the final phrase was interpreted in multiple ways: some parents attending the event perceived it to mean that loaner racquets would be available for use during the open house event, but the people running the open house intended it to mean that parents could purchase racquets onsite. The confusion over denotative meaning probably hurt the tennis center, as some parents left the event feeling they had been misled by the flyer.

Although denotatively based misunderstanding such as this one do happen, the majority of communication problems involving language occur because of differing connotative meanings. You may be trying to persuade your audience to support public funding for a new professional football stadium in your city, but if mentioning the team's or owner's name creates negative connotations in the minds of audience members, you will not be very persuasive.

The potential for misunderstanding based in connotative meaning is an additional reason why audience analysis, discussed earlier in this book, is critically important. By conducting effective audience analysis, you can know in advance how your audience might respond to the connotations of the words and ideas you present. Connotative meanings can not only differ between individuals interacting at the same time but also differ greatly across time periods and cultures. Ultimately, speakers should attempt to have a working knowledge of how their audiences could potentially interpret words and ideas to minimize the chance of miscommunication.

Twelve Ways Oral and Written Language Differ

A second important aspect to understand about language is that oral language (used in public speaking) and written language (used for texts) does not function the same way. Try a brief experiment. Take a textbook, maybe even this one, and read it out loud. When the text is read aloud, does it sound conversational? Probably not. Public speaking, on the other hand, should sound like a conversation. McCroskey, Wrench, and Richmond highlighted the following twelve differences that exist between oral and written language:

Oral language has a smaller variety of words.
Oral language has words with fewer syllables.
Oral language has shorter sentences.
Oral language has more self-reference words ( I , me , mine ).
Oral language has fewer quantifying terms or precise numerical words.
Oral language has more pseudo-quantifying terms ( many , few , some ).
Oral language has more extreme and superlative words ( none , all , every , always , never ).
Oral language has more qualifying statements (clauses beginning with unless and except ).
Oral language has more repetition of words and syllables.
Oral language uses more contractions.
Oral language has more interjections (Wow!, Really?, No!, You're kidding!).
Oral language has more colloquial and nonstandard words.

These differences exist primarily because people listen to and read information differently. First, when you read information, if you do not grasp content the first time, you have the ability to reread a section. When we are listening to information, we do not have the ability to "rewind" life and re-listen to the information. Second, when you read information, if you do not understand a concept, you can look up the concept in a dictionary or online and gain the knowledge easily. However, we do not always have the ability to walk around with the Internet and look up concepts we do not understand. Therefore, oral communication should be simple enough to be easily understood in the moment by a specific audience, without additional study or information.

Key Takeaways

Language is important in every aspect of our lives because it allows people to communicate in a manner that enables the sharing of common ideas.
Denotative definitions are the agreed-upon meanings of words that are often found in dictionaries, whereas connotative definitions involve individual perceptions of words.
Misunderstandings commonly occur when the source of a message intends one denotative or connotative meaning and the receiver of the message applies a different denotative or connotative meaning to the same word or words.
Oral language is designed to be listened to and to sound conversational, which means that word choice must be simpler, more informal, and more repetitive. Written language uses a larger vocabulary and is more formal.

Using Language Effectively

When considering how to use language effectively in your speech, consider the degree to which the language is appropriate, vivid, inclusive, and familiar. The next sections define each of these aspects of language and discuss why each is important in public speaking.

Use Appropriate Language

As with anything in life, there are positive and negative ways of using language. One of the first concepts a speaker needs to think about when looking at language use is appropriateness. By appropriate, we mean whether the language is suitable or fitting for ourselves, as the speaker; our audience; the speaking context; and the speech itself.

Appropriate for the Speaker

One of the biggest mistakes novice speakers make is thinking that they have to use million-dollar words because it makes them sound smarter. Actually, million-dollar words do not tend to function well in oral communication to begin with, so using them will probably make you uncomfortable as a speaker. Also, it may be difficult for you or the audience to understand the nuances of meaning when you use such words, so using them can increase the risk of denotative or connotative misunderstandings.

Appropriate for the Audience

The second aspect of appropriateness asks whether the language you are choosing is appropriate for your specific audience. Let's say that you are an engineering student. If you are giving a presentation in an engineering class, you can use language that other engineering students will know. On the other hand, if you use that engineering vocabulary in a public speaking class, many audience members will not understand you.

As another example, if you are speaking about the Great Depression to an audience of young adults, you cannot assume they will know the meaning of terms like "New Deal" and "WPA", which would be familiar to an audience of senior citizens. In other chapters of this book, we have explained the importance of audience analysis; once again, audience analysis is a key factor in choosing the language to use in a speech.

Appropriate for the Context

The next question about appropriateness is whether the language you will use is suitable or fitting for the context itself. The language you may employ if you are addressing a student assembly in a high school auditorium will differ from the language you would use at a business meeting in a hotel ballroom. If you are giving a speech at an outdoor rally, you cannot use the same language you would use in a classroom. Recall that the speaking context includes the occasion, the time of day, the mood of the audience, and other factors in addition to the physical location. Take the entire speaking context into consideration when you make the language choices for your speech.

Appropriate for the Topic

The fourth and final question about the appropriateness of language involves whether the language is appropriate for your specific topic. If you are speaking about the early years of The Walt Disney Company, would you want to refer to Walt Disney as a "thaumaturgic" individual (i.e., one who works wonders or miracles)? While the word "thaumaturgic" may be accurate, is it the most appropriate for the topic at hand? As another example, if your speech topic is the dual residence model of string theory, it makes sense to expect that you will use more sophisticated language than if your topic was a basic introduction to the physics of, say, sound or light waves.

Use Vivid Language

After appropriateness, the second main guideline for using language is to use vivid language. Vivid language helps your listeners create strong, distinct, clear, and memorable mental images. Good vivid language usage helps an audience member truly understand and imagine what a speaker is saying. Two common ways to make your speaking more vivid are through the use of imagery and rhythm.

Imagery is the use of language to represent objects, actions, or ideas. The goal of imagery is to help an audience member create a mental picture of what a speaker is saying. A speaker who uses imagery successfully will tap into one or more of the audience's five basic senses (hearing, taste, touch, smell, and sight). Three common tools of imagery are concreteness, simile, and metaphor.

Concreteness

For example, you could talk about how Afghani women under Taliban rule have been denied access to education, and how those seeking education have risked public flogging and even execution. Iacopino, V., & Rasekh, Z. (1998). The Taliban's War on Women: A Health and Human Rights Crisis in Afghanistan . Boston, MA: Physicians for Human Rights.

You could further illustrate how Afghani women under the Taliban are forced to adhere to rigid interpretations of Islamic law that functionally limit their behavior. As illustrations of the two freedoms discussed by Steiner, these examples make things more concrete for audience members and thus easier to remember. Ultimately, the goal of concreteness is to show an audience something instead of talking about it abstractly.

The second form of imagery is simile . As you probably learned in English courses, a simile is a figure of speech in which two unlike things are explicitly compared. Both aspects being compared within a simile are able to remain separate within the comparison. The following are some examples:

The thunderous applause was like a party among the gods.
After the revelation, she was as angry as a raccoon caught in a cage.
Love is like a battlefield.

When we look at these two examples, you will see that two words have been italicized: "like" and "as". All similes contain either "like" or "as" within the comparison. Speakers use similes to help an audience understand a specific characteristic being described within the speech. In the first example, we are connecting the type of applause being heard to something supernatural, so we can imagine that the applause was huge and enormous. Now think how you would envision the event if the simile likened the applause to a mime convention – your mental picture changes dramatically, doesn't it?

To effectively use similes within your speech, first look for instances where you may already be finding yourself using the words "like" or "as" – for example, "his breath smelled like a fishing boat on a hot summer day". Second, when you find situations where you are comparing two things using "like" or "as", examine what it is that you are actually comparing. For example, maybe you are comparing someone's breath to the odor of a fishing vessel. Lastly, once you see what two ideas you are comparing, check the mental picture for yourself. Are you getting the kind of mental image you desire? Is the image too strong? Is the image too weak? You can always alter the image to make it stronger or weaker depending on what your aim is.

The other commonly used form of imagery is the metaphor , or a figure of speech where a term or phrase is applied to something in a nonliteral way to suggest a resemblance. In the case of a metaphor, one of the comparison items is said to be the other (even though this is realistically not possible). Let's look at a few examples:

Love is a battlefield .
Upon hearing the charges, the accused clammed up and refused to speak without a lawyer.
Every year a new crop of activists are born .

In these examples, the comparison word has been italicized. Let's think through each of these examples. In the first one, the comparison is the same as one of our simile examples except that the word "like" is omitted – instead of being like a battlefield, the metaphor states that love is a battlefield, and it is understood that the speaker does not mean the comparison literally.

In the second example, the accused "clams up", which means that the accused refused to talk in the same way a clam's shell is closed. In the third example, we refer to activists as "crops" that arise anew with each growing season, and we use "born" figuratively to indicate that they come into being – even though it is understood that they are not newborn infants at the time when they become activists.

To use a metaphor effectively, first determine what you are trying to describe. For example, maybe you are talking about a college catalog that offers a wide variety of courses. Second, identify what it is that you want to say about the object you are trying to describe. Depending on whether you want your audience to think of the catalog as good or bad, you will use different words to describe it. Lastly, identify the other object you want to compare the first one to, which should mirror the intentions in the second step. Let's look at two possible metaphors:

Students groped their way through the maze of courses in the catalog.
Students feasted on the abundance of courses in the catalog.

While both of these examples evoke comparisons with the course catalog, the first example is clearly more negative and the second is more positive.

One mistake people often make in using metaphors is to make two incompatible comparisons in the same sentence or line of thought. Here is an example:

"That's awfully thin gruel for the right wing to hang their hats on". Nordquist, R. (2009). Mixed Metaphor .

This is known as a mixed metaphor, and it often has an incongruous or even hilarious effect. Unless you are aiming to entertain your audience with fractured use of language, be careful to avoid mixed metaphors.

Our second guideline for effective language in a speech is to use rhythm. When most people think of rhythm, they immediately think about music. What they may not realize is that language is inherently musical; at least it can be. Rhythm refers to the patterned, recurring variance of elements of sound or speech. Whether someone is striking a drum with a stick or standing in front of a group speaking, rhythm is an important aspect of human communication. Think about your favorite public speaker. If you analyze his or her speaking pattern, you will notice that there is a certain cadence to the speech. While much of this cadence is a result of the nonverbal components of speaking, some of the cadence comes from the language that is chosen as well. Let's examine four types of rhythmic language: parallelism, repetition, alliteration, and assonance.

Parallelism

When listing items in a sequence, audiences will respond more strongly when those ideas are presented in a grammatically parallel fashion, which is referred to as parallelism . For example, look at the following two examples and determine which one sounds better to you:

Give me liberty or I would rather die.
Give me liberty or give me death.

Technically, you are saying the same thing in both, but the second one has better rhythm, and this rhythm comes from the parallel construction of give me . The lack of parallelism in the first example makes the sentence sound disjointed and ineffective.

By repeating a phrase during a speech, you create a specific rhythm. Probably the most famous and memorable use of repetition within a speech is Martin Luther King Jr.'s use of "I have a dream" in his speech at the Lincoln Memorial on August 1963 during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. In that speech, Martin Luther King Jr. repeated the phrase "I have a dream" eight times to great effect.

Alliteration

Non-immediate juxtaposition occurs when the consonants are repeated in nonadjacent words (e.g., "It is the p oison that we must p urge from our p olitics, the wall that we must tear down before the hour grows too late"). Obama, B. (2008, January 20). The great need of the hour. Remarks delivered at Ebenezer Baptist Church, Atlanta.

Sometimes you can actually use examples of both immediate and non-immediate juxtaposition within a single speech. The following example is from Bill Clinton's acceptance speech at the 1992 Democratic National Convention: "Somewhere at this very moment, a child is b eing b orn in America. Let it be our cause to give that child a h appy h ome, a h ealthy family, and a h opeful future". Clinton, W. J. (2005). My Life . New York, NY: Vintage Books, p. 421.

Assonance is similar to alliteration, but instead of relying on consonants, assonance gets its rhythm from repeating the same vowel sounds with different consonants in the stressed syllables. The phrase "how now brown cow", which elocution students traditionally used to learn to pronounce rounded vowel sounds, is an example of assonance. While rhymes like "free as a breeze", "mad as a hatter", and "no pain, no gain" are examples of assonance, speakers should be wary of relying on assonance because when it is overused it can quickly turn into bad poetry.

Use Inclusive Language

Language can either inspire your listeners or turn them off very quickly. One of the fastest ways to alienate an audience is through the use of noninclusive language. Inclusive language is language that avoids placing any one group of people above or below other groups while speaking. Let's look at some common problem areas related to language about gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and disabilities.

Gender-Specific Language

The first common form of noninclusive language is language that privileges one of the sexes over the other. There are three common problem areas that speakers run into while speaking: using "he" as generic, using "man" to mean all humans, and gender typing jobs.

Generic "He"

The generic "he" happens when a speaker labels all people within a group as "he" when in reality there is a mixed sex group involved. Consider the statement, "Every morning when an officer of the law puts on his badge, he risks his life to serve and protect his fellow citizens". In this case, we have a police officer that is labeled as male four different times in one sentence. Obviously, both male and female police officers risk their lives when they put on their badges. A better way to word the sentence would be, "Every morning when officers of the law put on their badges, they risk their lives to serve and protect their fellow citizens". Notice that in the better sentence, we made the subject plural ("officers") and used neutral pronouns ("they" and "their") to avoid the generic "he".

Use of "Man"

Traditionally, speakers of English have used terms like "man", "mankind", and (in casual contexts) "guys" when referring to both females and males. In the second half of the twentieth century, as society became more aware of gender bias in language, organizations like the National Council of Teachers of English developed guidelines for nonsexist language. National Council of Teachers of English (2002). Guidelines for Gender-Fair Use of Language .

For example, instead of using the word "man", you could refer to the "human race". Instead of saying, "hey, guys", you could say, "OK, everyone". By using gender-fair language you will be able to convey your meaning just as well, and you will not risk alienating half of your audience.

Gender-Typed Jobs

The last common area where speakers get into trouble with gender and language has to do with job titles. It is not unusual for people to assume, for example, that doctors are male and nurses are female. As a result, they may say "she is a woman doctor" or "he is a male nurse" when mentioning someone's occupation, perhaps not realizing that the statements "she is a doctor" and "he is a nurse" already inform the listener as to the sex of the person holding that job. Speakers sometimes also use a gender-specific pronoun to refer to an occupation that has both males and females.

Table 1 "Gender Type Jobs" lists some common gender-specific jobs titles along with more inclusive versions of those job titles.


Policeman	Police officer
Businessman	Businessperson
Fireman	Firefighter
Stewardess	Flight attendant
Waiters	Wait staff / servers
Mailman	Letter carrier / postal worker
Barmaid	Bartender

Table 1 Gender Type Jobs

Ethnic Identity

Another type of inclusive language relates to the categories used to highlight an individual's ethnic identity. Ethnic identity refers to a group an individual identifies with based on a common culture. For example, within the United States we have numerous ethnic groups, including Italian Americans, Irish Americans, Japanese Americans, Vietnamese Americans, Cuban Americans, and Mexican Americans. As with the earlier example of "male nurse", avoid statements such as "The committee is made up of four women and a Vietnamese man".

Instead, say, "The committee is made up of four women and a man" or, if race and ethnicity are central to the discussion, "The committee is made up of three European American women, an Israeli American woman, a Brazilian American woman, and a Vietnamese American man". In recent years, there has been a trend toward steering inclusive language away from broad terms like "Asians" and "Hispanics" because these terms are not considered precise labels for the groups they actually represent. If you want to be safe, the best thing you can do is ask a couple of people who belong to an ethnic group how they prefer to label themselves.

Sexual Orientation

For example, a speaker might begin a speech by saying, "I am going to talk about the legal obligations you will have with your future husband or wife". While this speech starts with the notion that everyone plans on getting married, which is not the case, it also assumes that everyone will label their significant others as either "husbands" or "wives". Although some members of the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender/transexual community will use these terms, others prefer for more gender-neutral terms like "spouse" and "partner".

Moreover, legal obligations for same-sex couples may be very different from those for heterosexual couples. Notice also that we have used the phrase "members of the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender/transexual community" instead of the more clinical-sounding term "homosexual".

The last category of exclusive versus inclusive language that causes problems for some speakers relates to individuals with physical or mental disabilities. Table 2 "Inclusive Language for Disabilities" provides some other examples of exclusive versus inclusive language.


Handicapped People	People with disabilities
Insane Person	Person with a psychiatric disability (or label the psychiatric diagnosis, e.g. "person with schizophrenia")
Person in a wheelchair	Person who uses a wheelchair
Crippled	Person with a physical disability
Special needs program	Accessible needs program
Mentally retarded	Person with an intellectual disability

Table 2 Inclusive Language for Disabilities

Use Familiar Language

The last category related to using language appropriately simply asks you to use language that is familiar both to yourself and to your audience. If you are not comfortable with the language you are using, then you are going to be more nervous speaking, which will definitely have an impact on how your audience receives your speech. You may have a hard time speaking genuinely and sincerely if you use unfamiliar language, and this can impair your credibility. Furthermore, you want to make sure that the language you are using is familiar to your audience. If your audience cannot understand what you are saying, you will not have an effective speech.

Using appropriate language means that a speaker's language is suitable or fitting for themselves, as the speaker; our audience; the speaking context; and the speech itself.
Vivid language helps listeners create mental images. It involves both imagery (e.g., concreteness, simile, and metaphor) and rhythm (e.g., parallelism, repetition, alliteration, and assonance).
Inclusive language avoids placing any one group of people above or below other groups while speaking. As such, speakers need to think about how they refer to various groups within society.
Using familiar language is important for a speaker because familiar language will make a speaker more comfortable, which will improve audience perceptions of the speech.

Six Elements of Language

Language is a very important aspect of anyone's public speaking performance. Whether a speaker uses lots of complicated words or words most people have in their vocabularies, language will determine how an audience experiences the speech. To help you think through your language choices, we are going to talk about six important elements of language and how they affect audience perceptions.

The first important element of language is clarity , or the use of language to make sure the audience understands a speaker's ideas in the way the speaker intended. While language, or verbal communication, is only one channel we can use to transmit information, it is a channel that can lend itself to numerous problems. For example, as discussed earlier, if people have different connotative definitions for words, the audience can miss the intended meaning of a message.

Imagine you are listening to a speaker talking and he or she uses the phrase, "Older female relative who became aerodynamic venison road kill", or "Obese personification fabricated of compressed mounds of minute crystals". If you are like most people, these two phrases just went right over your head. We will give you a hint, these are two common Christmas songs. The first phrase refers to "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer", and the second one is "Frosty the Snowman". Notice that in both of these cases, the made-up title with all the polysyllabic words is far less clear than the commonly known one. While you are probably unlikely to deliberately distort the clarity of your speech by choosing such outlandish words to express simple thoughts, the point we are illustrating is that clear language makes a big difference in how well a message can be understood.

Another common mistake among new public speakers is thinking that more words are more impressive. In fact, the opposite is true. When people ramble on and on without actually making a point, audiences become bored and distracted. To avoid this problem, we recommend word economy , or the use of only those words necessary to accurately express your idea. If the fundamental idea you are trying to say is, "that stinks", then saying something like "while the overall outcome may be undesirable and definitely not recommended" becomes overkill. We do have one caveat here: you want to make sure that your language is not so basic that it turns off your audience. If you are speaking to adults and use vocabulary appropriate for school children, you will end up offending your audience. So while economy is definitely important, you do not want to become so overly basic that you are perceived as "talking down" to your audience.

Obscenity , or indecent language, consists of curse words or pornographic references. While it may be fun to use obscene language in casual conversations with your friends, we cannot recommend using obscene language while delivering a speech. Even if you are giving a speech related to an obscene word, you must be careful with your use of the word itself. Whether we agree with societal perceptions of obscenity, going out of our way to use obscenity will end up focusing the audience on the obscenity and not on our message.

Obscure Language/Jargon

Obscure language and jargon are two terms that closely relate to each other. Obscure language refers to language choices that are not typically understood or known by most of your audience. Imagine you are listening to a speech and the speaker says, "Today I have given you a plethora of ideas for greening your workplace". While you may think the word "plethora" is commonly known, we can assure you that many people have no idea that plethora means many or an abundance of something.

Similarly, you may think most people know what it means to "green" a workplace, but in fact many people do not know that it means to make the workplace more environmentally friendly, or to reduce its impact on the environment. In the case of this example, plethora simply means the speaker has given many ideas for greening the workplace. You can still use the word "plethora", but you should include a definition so that you are sure all of your audience will understand.

Jargon , on the other hand, refers to language that is commonly used by a highly specialized group, trade, or profession. For example there is legal jargon, or the language commonly used by and understood by lawyers. There is also medical jargon, or the language commonly used by and understood by health care practitioners. Every group, trade, or profession will have its own specific jargon. The problem that occurs for many speakers is not realizing that jargon is group, trade, or profession specific and not universal. One common form of jargon is the acronym, a word formed by taking the first letters or groups of letters of words, such as NASDAQ (National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations), PET (positron emission tomography) scan, or IHOP (International House of Pancakes).

Another form of jargon is initialism , formed by pronouncing the initials rather than the name of an organization or other entity. For example, CDC stands for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, fMRI stands for Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging, and B of A stands for Bank of America. In political discussions, you may come across various CFRs, or Codes of Federal Regulations. If you are going to use a specific acronym or initialism within your speech, you need to explain it the first time you use it. For example, you could say,

According to the United States Code of Federal Regulations, or CFR, employment discrimination in the Department of Homeland Security is not allowed based on biological sex, religion, sexual orientation, or race. Furthermore, the US CFR does not permit discrimination in receiving contracts based on biological sex, religion, sexual orientation, or race.

By defining the jargon upon first mention, we are subsequently able to use the jargon because we can be certain the audience now understands the term.

Power is an individual's ability to influence another person to think or behave in a manner the other person would not have otherwise done. DeVito examined how language can be used to help people gain power over others or lose power over othersDeVito, J. A. (2009). The interpersonal communication book (12th ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.. Table 3 "Powerful and Powerless Language" provides examples of both powerful language and powerless language a speaker can use during a speech. Powerless language should generally be avoided in public speaking because it can damage audience perceptions of the speaker's credibility.

Language Strategy	Definition	Example

Direct Requests	Asking the audience to engage in a specific behavior.	"At the conclusion of today's speech, I want you to go out and buy a bottle of hand sanitizer and start using it to protect your life."
Bargaining	An agreement that affects both parties of a situation.	"If you vote for me, I promise to make sure that our schools get the funding they so desperately need."
Ingratiation	Attempting to bring oneself into the favor or good graces of an audience.	"Because you are all smart and talented people, I know that you will see why we need to cut government spending."

Hesitations	Language that makes you sound unprepared or uncertain.	"Well, as best I was able to find out, or I should say, from what little material I was able to dig up, I kind of think that this is a pretty interesting topic."
Intensifiers	Overemphasizing all aspects of the speech.	"Great! Fantastic! This topic is absolutely amazing and fabulous!"
Disqualifiers	Attempts to downplay your qualifications and competence about a specific topic.	"I am not really an expert on this topic, and I am not very good at doing research, but here goes nothing."
Tag Questions	A question added to the end of a phrase seeking the audience's consent for what was said.	"This is a very important behavior, isn't it?" or "You really should do this, don't you think?"
Self-Critical Statements	Downplaying your own abilities and making your lack of confidence public.	"I have to tell you that I am not a great public speaker, but I will go ahead and give it a try."
Hedges	Modifiers used to indicate that you are not completely sure of the statement just made.	"I really believe this may be true, sort of." "Maybe my conclusion is a good idea. Possibly not."
Verbal Surrogates	Utterances used to fill space while speaking; filler words.	"I was, like, err, going to, uhhh, say something, um, important, like, about this."

Table 3 Powerful and Powerless Language

The last important aspect of language is variety , or a speaker's ability to use and implement a range of different language choices. In many ways, variety encompasses all the characteristics of language previously discussed in this chapter. Often speakers find one language device and then beat it into the ground like a railroad spike. Unfortunately, when a speaker starts using the same language device too often, the language device will start to lose the power that it may have had. For this reason, we recommend that you always think about the language you plan on using in a speech and make sure that you use a range of language choices.

Public speakers need to make sure that they are very aware of their language. Six common language issues that impact public speakers are clarity, economy, obscenity, obscure language/jargon, power, and variety.
When public speakers prepare their speeches, they need to make sure that their speeches contain clear language, use as few words as possible to get their point across, avoid obscenity, be careful with obscure language/jargon, use powerful language, and include variety.

5 Minute English

Famous English Speeches and Their Importance

The power of words has shaped history, influenced societies, and inspired generations. Throughout history, numerous English speeches have resonated beyond their immediate audience, leaving an indelible mark on the fabric of society. This article explores some of the most iconic English speeches, delving into their context, content, and the impact they have had both at the time and in the years that followed.

The Timeless Influence of Oratory

Oratory, the art of effective public speaking, has been a critical tool for leaders and visionaries to convey their ideas, rally support, and make lasting changes. The English language, with its rich vocabulary and expressive potential, has been the medium for many significant speeches. These oratories not only reflect the times in which they were given but also continue to influence contemporary thought and discourse.

The Power of Churchill’s Words

“we shall fight on the beaches”.

Winston Churchill, the British Prime Minister during World War II, was known for his stirring oratory, which played a vital role in bolstering British morale during the war’s darkest hours. Among his many speeches, “We Shall Fight on the Beaches,” delivered to the House of Commons on June 4, 1940, stands out. This speech was given after the British Expeditionary Force’s evacuation from Dunkirk, a moment that was both a retreat and a miraculous escape.

Context and Content

Churchill’s speech was a masterful blend of realism and defiance. He did not shy away from acknowledging the dire situation Britain faced but simultaneously infused a spirit of unyielding resilience. The speech’s most famous line, “We shall fight on the beaches… we shall never surrender,” encapsulated the British resolve to stand against Nazi Germany, regardless of the odds.

Impact and Legacy

This speech is not just remembered for its immediate effect on British morale but also for how it has come to symbolize steadfast resistance in the face of adversity. Churchill’s words continue to be referenced and quoted, showcasing the enduring power of well-crafted rhetoric.

Martin Luther King Jr.’s Dream

“i have a dream”.

On August 28, 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his iconic “I Have a Dream” speech, a defining moment in the American Civil Rights Movement. Standing on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C., King shared his vision of a future where people would be judged not by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

King’s speech was a poignant and poetic call for equality and freedom. Its power lay not just in the words but in the emotion and conviction with which they were delivered. The refrain “I have a dream” became a rallying cry for change and has since become synonymous with the fight against racial injustice.

The speech galvanized the civil rights movement and is credited with helping to pave the way for significant legislative changes, such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Its influence extends beyond the United States, inspiring global movements for equality and justice. King’s dream remains a touchstone in discussions about race and equality, demonstrating the enduring impact of his words.

The Eloquence of Elizabeth I

“the tilbury speech”.

In 1588, Queen Elizabeth I delivered a rousing speech to her troops at Tilbury, who were preparing to repel the Spanish Armada. This speech is noteworthy not only for its content but also because it was delivered by a female monarch during a time when women were often excluded from public political life.

Facing the threat of invasion, Elizabeth’s speech was a powerful assertion of her leadership and a demonstration of unity and strength. Her declaration, “I know I have the body of a weak, feeble woman; but I have the heart and stomach of a king,” was a remarkable statement of her resolve and capability as a leader.

Elizabeth’s speech is remembered as a symbol of strong leadership and national unity. It is often cited in discussions about gender and leadership, highlighting how Elizabeth used her position to challenge contemporary notions of gender roles.

John F. Kennedy’s Call to Action

“ ask not what your country can do for you ”.

John F. Kennedy’s inaugural address on January 20, 1961, is remembered for its stirring call to action and its challenge to the American public. The speech’s most famous line, “Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country,” has become a timeless call to civic responsibility and public service.

Kennedy’s speech came at a crucial time in American history, with the Cold War in full swing and a burgeoning civil rights movement. His words were aimed at inspiring a sense of collective responsibility and urging Americans to contribute to the greater good of the nation and the world. The speech was notable for its forward-looking optimism and its appeal to unity and shared purpose.

Kennedy’s inaugural address helped to inspire a generation to public service and played a significant role in shaping the national and international policies of the 1960s. The phrase “Ask not what your country can do for you” continues to resonate as a symbol of selfless service and is often referenced in political discourse, emphasizing the importance of individual contribution to societal progress.

Nelson Mandela’s Defiant Stand

“i am prepared to die”.

Delivered during his trial in 1964, Nelson Mandela’s “I Am Prepared to Die” speech was a powerful and eloquent defense of his actions and beliefs in the fight against apartheid in South Africa. This speech not only encapsulated his personal resolve but also the broader aspirations of the anti-apartheid movement.

In facing the possibility of the death penalty, Mandela used the courtroom as a platform to justify the necessity of armed struggle against an oppressive regime. He articulated his vision for a democratic and free society, where all South Africans, regardless of race, could live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. The most poignant part of the speech, where Mandela declared he was prepared to die for his ideals, underscored his unwavering commitment to justice.

Mandela’s speech became a manifesto for the anti-apartheid movement and played a significant role in drawing international attention to the plight of South Africans under apartheid. His words and his subsequent long imprisonment became central symbols of the struggle against racial oppression. The speech remains a powerful example of the use of oratory to advance human rights and social justice.

Barack Obama’s Message of Hope

“yes we can”.

Barack Obama’s “Yes We Can” speech, given after the New Hampshire primary in 2008, became a defining moment in his presidential campaign and a symbol of hope and change for many Americans and people around the world. The repetitive and rhythmic refrain “Yes We Can” captured a spirit of optimism and unity.

The speech was notable for its inclusive language and its appeal to a sense of shared destiny. Obama used simple yet powerful rhetoric to inspire a sense of possibility and to rally support for his vision of a more united and equitable America. The refrain “Yes We Can” was both a statement of collective ability and a call to action.

Obama’s “Yes We Can” speech played a significant role in his election as the first African American President of the United States. The speech, and the phrase itself, became emblematic of his presidency and his approach to governance. It continues to be used as an example of how powerful and positive rhetoric can be used to unite people and bring about change.

Each of these speeches, in their own way, has contributed to the shaping of history and the English language. They have demonstrated the power of words to inspire, to challenge, and to bring about change. From Churchill’s unwavering defiance to Obama’s optimistic vision, these speeches continue to resonate because they speak to universal truths and aspirations. They remind us of the power of speech not just to reflect reality but to shape it, and of the ongoing importance of eloquent and effective communication in our world.

Rhetorical Mastery in Famous Speeches

English speeches of great historical significance are not only remembered for their content but also for their masterful use of rhetorical techniques. These techniques, which include the use of repetition, metaphor, and emotional appeal, have played a crucial role in making these speeches memorable and impactful.

Techniques That Resonate

Churchill’s use of repetition in “We Shall Fight on the Beaches,” Mandela’s poignant use of antithesis in “I Am Prepared to Die,” and King’s vivid metaphors in “I Have a Dream” are prime examples of how language can be artfully employed to persuade, motivate, and inspire. These techniques not only enhance the emotional impact of the speeches but also contribute to their lasting memorability.

The Art of Persuasion

Understanding these rhetorical strategies provides insight into how speakers have historically persuaded and influenced their audiences. It reveals the art behind the oratory, highlighting how strategic language choices can significantly impact the effectiveness of a message.

The Linguistic Legacy

The influence of these famous speeches extends beyond their immediate political or social contexts, leaving a lasting imprint on the English language and literature. Phrases like “I have a dream” and “Yes We Can” have entered common parlance, illustrating how powerful speech can transcend its original setting to become part of everyday language.

Language and Literature

These speeches have also found their way into educational curricula, serving as exemplary texts for studying language, rhetoric, and history. They offer rich material for linguistic analysis and are often used to teach persuasive writing and speaking skills.

Speeches in Education and Public Speaking

The study of these famous speeches is integral to education, particularly in the fields of English, history, and political science. They serve as powerful tools for teaching students about the impact of effective communication and the importance of public speaking.

Training the Next Generation of Orators

By analyzing these speeches, students learn not only about historical events and figures but also about the art of crafting and delivering a message. These speeches are used in public speaking courses to teach techniques such as voice modulation, pacing, and audience engagement.

Inspiration for Aspiring Speakers

For those learning English as a second language (ESL), these speeches offer rich examples of the language’s expressive potential. They provide inspiration and models for aspiring speakers to develop their own style and voice.

Famous English speeches have played an instrumental role in shaping history, influencing language, and inspiring generations. Their enduring importance lies not just in their historical significance but also in their continued relevance and ability to resonate across time and cultures. As we continue to study and draw inspiration from these speeches, we are reminded of the enduring power of words to effect change and the vital role of effective communication in our society.

Contemporary Relevance of Iconic Speeches

The impact of these historic speeches extends into the contemporary era, influencing modern politics, media, and public discourse. Their enduring relevance highlights the timeless nature of effective communication and the universal appeal of messages rooted in fundamental human values and aspirations.

Influence on Modern Politics

Politicians and public figures continue to draw inspiration from these speeches. The rhetorical devices, persuasive techniques, and emotional appeals used in iconic speeches like those by Churchill, King, and Obama serve as a blueprint for crafting compelling political messages today. Their speeches are often referenced or echoed in contemporary political discourse, underlining the timeless principles they represent.

Media and Popular Culture

In popular culture, these speeches have been immortalized through various mediums, including films, documentaries, and books. Their dramatization in movies and documentaries has helped bring their context and significance to a broader audience, thereby educating and inspiring future generations.

A Tool for Social Change

Furthermore, the messages conveyed in these speeches continue to resonate in modern social movements. Phrases like “I have a dream” or “Yes We Can” are often invoked in campaigns for equality, justice, and social change, demonstrating the enduring power of these words to mobilize and unite people for a common cause.

Celebrating and Remembering the Speeches

The legacy of these speeches is preserved and celebrated through various means. Memorials, museums, and educational programs are dedicated to the figures behind these speeches, ensuring that their messages and the values they stood for are not forgotten.

Educational Programs and Memorials

Educational institutions often include these speeches in their curriculum, recognizing their value not only as historical documents but also as tools for teaching rhetoric, communication, and history. Memorials and museums dedicated to figures like Martin Luther King Jr. and Nelson Mandela offer interactive experiences that bring their speeches and their historical contexts to life.

Annual Commemorations and Events

Annual commemorations and events are held in honor of these speeches and their speakers, often coinciding with significant historical dates related to them. These events serve as reminders of the progress made since these speeches were delivered, as well as the ongoing challenges in fulfilling the visions they articulated.

The famous English speeches explored in this article are more than just words from the past; they are living documents that continue to influence and shape our present and future. Their study offers invaluable lessons in the power of language, the art of persuasion, and the role of leadership in effecting change. As we reflect on these speeches, we are reminded of the potential each of us has to use our voice to make a difference, to inspire change, and to contribute to the betterment of our world.

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Business English

Public speaking in English: 10 essential tips to present with confidence

Why are people scared of public speaking?

1. remember that people want you to succeed, 2. speak directly from your thoughts, 3. prepare speaking notes, 4. know your audience, 5. speak slowly and clearly , 6. people love stories, 7. look at your audience , 8. build up your confidence, 9. use your body, 10. practice, practice, practice, a brief afterword.

Even in our first language, speaking in front of a group of people makes us anxious. Whether it is a work or university meeting, in person or online, we worry about saying the wrong thing or running out of things to say.

In a second language, we have the added stress that we may not always find the right words and sentences. However, there are many things we can do to reduce that anxiety and be more confident.

For many people, speaking in front of a crowd triggers “fight or flight” responses similar to those we feel when we’re in intense danger. Sweaty palms, increased heart rate, warped perception of time…You’re just preparing to give a speech, but your body is behaving as though it’d seen a pack of hungry wolves. Why?

Well, probably our bodies are trying to keep us safe. Fear of public speaking could be an instinct from when we depended directly on our communities to survive. If you spoke in front of everyone you knew and upset them, then the consequences might have been life-threatening. It would be impossible to survive in nature without collaborating with others every day on finding food and shelter!

What’s more, in Neolithic hunter-gatherer societies, experts estimate you might only have had 20 – 25 people in your immediate community. If you’re presenting to a crowd greater than that, no wonder you’re a nervous wreck! Whilst our societies have evolved and changed beyond recognition, the human brain has not. A fear of public speaking, whilst deeply annoying, is the most natural thing in the world.

10 tips for public speaking in English

Public speaking might feel like one of those mysterious skills that people are born with, or without. But it isn’t! The more you do prepare and practice, the better your speeches will be.

People like listening to other people. People are kind and want you to succeed. Anyone who has learned a second language knows it is tough and wants to support you. Anyone who hasn’t will automatically be impressed. It can be easier said than done, but try to see your listeners as your allies and supporters. They are on your side.

It is always much more interesting to hear someone creating sentences as they speak rather than reading something written in advance. Unless you are a brilliant actor, it is very hard to read a text in a natural way. When someone is constructing their sentences as they speak, we listen carefully to find out where they are going. Of course, it means more mistakes but this is part of sounding natural and authentic.

Your individual sentences will sound more authentic if you don’t plan and memorize them, but you should certainly prepare notes about your general ideas! Even when you only have a few moments to prepare, write down a few bullet points to structure your thoughts and remind you what to say. If you’re speaking in English or another less familiar language, note down any tricky or important words and phrases on a small piece of paper to hold in your hand.

Any good plan should include a clear introduction that tells people what you are going to say; this will help them follow your contribution and feel comfortable. It should also include a clear conclusion where your main point is repeated, so that people know exactly what you want them to remember.

Consider who you will be talking to, what they already know and what they want to know from you. If many of your listeners are also using their second or third language, they will appreciate clear and simple messages. Think about what information or experience you have that will be most interesting to them.

Speaking fast is a sure sign that you want this to be over as quickly as possible. It makes you more difficult to understand, especially if your accent might be unfamiliar to your listeners. When people do not pause, it shows that they are scared of being interrupted. Good speakers speak slowly and clearly and pause to give emphasis to important points.

If you have had any personal experiences, use them. TED Talks nearly always start with a personal journey, a moment of revelation or a funny story. Speaking personally helps to humanize you and illustrates your opinions. Referring again to your story before your finish will help you to finish well.

People react naturally to eye-contact. It makes us feel connected. So, even if you have to look at your notes occasionally, maintain eye contact with the people you are talking to. If your audience knows that you are looking at them, they won’t start checking their phones. Focus especially on your friends and those who look interested and are nodding and smiling.

If you have the chance, a quiet moment alone can build your confidence. Breathe deeply. Remind yourself that you are strong, that your thoughts are worth hearing. The motto “fake it ‘til you make it” contains a lot of truth. Acting confident will actually make you feel more confident which means your listeners will trust you more.

Many of the signals that tell us whether someone is happy or confident are non-verbal. In fact, in the 1960s, a pioneering study at the University of California, Los Angles concluded that body language makes up 55% of communication during a conversation.

Twisting your body to make it as small as possible shows that you don’t want to be seen. Hands in front of faces or arms across bodies make it look as if someone is protecting themselves from an unseen attack. A few hand gestures can add to what you say but hands flying about all the time like little birds are distracting. Stillness is very powerful and makes you seem in control.

If you’re not sure what your body language is saying, try recording a video of yourself practicing the speech. You’ll either spot some movement habits to unlearn, or be pleasantly surprised!

Whether talking to your dog or talking to yourself, the more you exercise your mind and voice in your new language, the easier it gets. If you know you have to make a verbal contribution, then practice it. A walk in the park is a great opportunity to rehearse, even people may think you have gone mad. You can also ask a friend or a tutor to listen to you and give you feedback.

There’s nothing like the thought of public speaking to make you question your self-belief. However, if you’ve accepted the challenge of presenting a speech in a language you’re not 100% comfortable with, then — not to sound like a proud parent — that in itself makes you an impressive person.

Prepare with these tips, and you’ve got nothing to fear from public speaking in English. Once the experience is over, you’ll be soaring on an adrenaline high, eager to do it again….maybe even wondering why you ever worried at all!

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Simon lives in London and is a professional communicator. He has over 30 years' experience as a report writer, editor, public speaker, presenter and a director and trustee of many organizations. He has supported many people to have a greater impact through their speaking and writing and believes that words - and the way they are used - can change people's minds and lives.

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1 Minute Speech on English Language In English

Respected Principal, teachers and my dear friends, a wonderful morning to all of you. Today on this special occasion, I would like to speak some words on the topic- English Language.

English has truly become a global language, and is the third most spoken language worldwide. It helps people all over the globe communicate with each other. The richness and variety of English literature from both England and its colonies has enriched the literary world greatly too.

Why learning the parts of Speech in English is essential for reaching fluency

Published: Nov 28, 2023 | By: Lucas Weaver

Learn the words and phrases you need for any language topic you choose. Get vocabulary words, key phrases, grammar explanations, and flashcards created for you in minutes.

Are you struggling to understand English grammar? Finding it hard to create proper sentences or communicate your more advanced ideas clearly and easily?

One of the most important building blocks for unlocking fluent communication in English is learning the parts of speech.

We often gloss over the parts of speech in school, not realizing how essential they are as English language skills.

But understanding nouns, verbs, adjectives, and more, forms the foundation for everything from sentence structure to punctuation to writing style.

In this blog post, I’ll cover what exactly the parts of speech are, why you need to learn them to master English, common challenges English learners face, and how my online course can help fill in any gaps in your knowledge.

What are the parts of speech?

Why are the parts of speech important, proper sentence structure, correct punctuation, more engaging writing style, improved reading comprehension, common challenges for english learners, confusing similarities , incorrect grammar, putting them together, remembering rules , repeated mistakes , how learning the parts of speech in english improves your english fluency, the neuroscience behind learning the parts of speech, how my parts of speech english course can help, take your english skills to the next level.

The main parts of speech in English are:

Nouns:

People, places, things, and ideas. For example: teacher, Miami, pencil, education. Comprised of proper nouns and common nouns. Nouns can also be used in a noun phrase which can serve as the subject of a sentence.

Pronouns:

Words used in place of nouns. For example: she, we, them. These can be either a personal pronoun, possessive pronoun, reflexive pronoun, indefinite pronoun, or relative pronoun.

Verbs:

Action words, linking words, and auxiliary verbs (helping verbs). For example: run, speak, read, is.

Adjectives:

Words that describe or modify nouns. For example: tall, boring, expensive.

Adverbs:

Words that describe verbs, adjectives or other adverbs. Some examples of an adverb are: quickly, very, politely.

Prepositions:

Words that link nouns to other words in a sentence. For example: on, by, with, into. Commonly used in a prepositional phrase. A preposition is commonly known as "anywhere a rabbit can go."

Conjunctions:

Words that join phrases, clauses, and sentences together. For example: and, but, so, because. These are broken down into coordinating conjunctions, correlative conjunctions, subordinating conjunctions, and others.

Interjections:

Short exclamations to express emotion. For example: ouch, wow, uh-oh.

These building blocks allow us to construct sentences and communicate complete ideas. Without them, we would just have disorganized words and sounds with no meaning.

Each part of speech plays a specific role. Once you understand the role of every word in a sentence, you can use grammar correctly, avoid mistakes, and understand how ideas fit together.

Learning the parts of speech also unlocks more advanced grammar and writing concepts.

For instance, as we move into a little bit more advanced English lessons about sentence structure, we will start to discuss the different types of sentences, like complex sentences, simple sentences, and compound sentences.

We'll also discuss how to identify the direct object and indirect object of a sentence. Then we'll talk about the difference between an independent clause and a dependent clause.

You'll also need to know the difference between a main verb and a helping verb when we learn things like English word order.

This might all seem like boring grammar topics now, but learning all of these building blocks will make your life so much easier when you try to speak and write fluently in English.

The order words appear in a sentence depends on their part of speech. Knowing if a word is a noun, verb, adjective, etc. allows you to structure sentences properly.

For example, English sentences often follow a subject-verb-object order. The subject is usually a noun or pronoun, the verb is an action word, and the object receives the action. Parts of speech tell you which words play those roles.

Using the right sentence structure makes your writing clear, coherent, and easy to understand.

Punctuation like periods, commas, and semicolons belong in certain places around parts of speech.

For instance, commas go between items in a list of adjectives. Periods indicate the end of a sentence containing a subject and predicate. Knowing parts of speech guides you to use punctuation correctly.

Proper punctuation makes writing flow smoothly and conveys ideas clearly.

Relying too much on one part of speech makes writing boring. Overusing nouns and verbs leads to a repetitive, unsophisticated style.

Varying your parts of speech adds flavor to your writing. Well-placed adjectives and adverbs add vivid description. A strategically used interjection can grab the reader’s attention.

Understanding parts of speech unlocks your ability to craft more engaging prose.

When reading, identifying the role each word plays as a part of speech helps you analyze the text critically.

Seeing how the author uses nouns, verbs, adjectives, and other parts of speech provides deeper insight into the meaning. It allows you to discern subtleties and patterns that create a richer reading experience.

In short, parts of speech provide the essential nuts and bolts of language. Mastering them is key to improving English skills. Keep reading to learn about common challenges and how my course can help.

Here are some common problems English learners often have with parts of speech:

Some parts of speech are easily mixed up, like adjectives and adverbs. For example, learners often struggle to know when to use "quick" or "quickly." Using the wrong one changes the sentence's meaning.

Without knowing parts of speech, it's easy to use grammar the wrong way and make sentences sound awkward. You might use adjectives instead of adverbs, or put verbs in the wrong form, or mix up prepositions. This grammar confusion makes writing hard to understand.

Understanding how parts of speech connect in a sentence can be tricky. If you don't know the role each one plays, it's hard to make sentences that flow well. Knowing definitions isn't enough - you need to see how nouns, verbs, and adjectives fit together.

Many grammar rules for parts of speech must be memorized. It's not intuitive for learners when to use "a" or "an" based on the next word's sound. Or why verbs change form for third-person. Or irregular plural nouns. Learning these quirks takes repetition.

Even when you know parts of speech, some errors keep happening in speech and writing. Each language has tricky spots. Spanish speakers may mess up verb tenses, while Chinese speakers mix up prepositions. These mistakes continue until noticed and fixed.

These problems can hide your bigger ideas. That's why truly understanding parts of speech is so important for clear English communication.

Studies in language acquisition and learning show the importance of understanding the parts of speech.

For example, a 2016 study published in the Journal of Writing Research looked at writing samples from both native English speakers and English language learners (Crossley & McNamara, 2016).

The researchers found that ELL students often lacked grammatical cohesion in their writing compared to native speakers.

Their essays tended to jump around randomly between ideas without proper transitions.

The authors concluded from the study that understanding how the parts of speech work together in a sentence is key to improving overall cohesion and writing quality.

Their instruction focused specifically on how conjunctions and transition words can help English learners properly connect ideas and write more smoothly flowing texts.

This study clearly shows the value of really understanding the parts of speech for English learners.

A deeper knowledge, not just of definitions and rules, but of how parts of speech function together to create coherent and readable sentences is a huge benefit when you want to speak and write fluent English.

Learning a new language involves developing new connections in the brain . At first, it takes a lot of effort for English learners to understand and use grammar properly.

Parts of speech like nouns, verbs, and adjectives provide an easy framework to organize words and sentences. With practice, these categories become automatic patterns the brain can access more smoothly.

For example, recognizing “book” as a noun quickly tells the brain it needs a verb to make a sentence. This basic knowledge allows the brain to search through the category of verbs when looking for a word, which then frees up energy for more complex writing tasks.

In this way, mastering the fundamentals of parts of speech makes using English more fluent and natural. The brain can rely on these building blocks to comprehend and communicate ideas better.

When you start to express longer and more advanced ideas in your writing, your brain will be able to think in patterns. Rather than just staring at a blank page, it can think in terms of subjects, verbs, and objects, rather than creating from scratch over and over.

These patterns help the brain create more easily with less effort.

So learning parts of speech helps create stronger pathways in the brain for understanding English. They provide beginner scaffolds that, with time, support fluency and confidence using the language.

My online English course about the parts of speech breaks down parts of speech into bite-sized lessons so you can master English grammar. Here’s what the course provides:

Video lessons with explanations on each part of speech: I explain the role of each one and how to use them properly.

Plenty of relevant examples: You’ll see parts of speech used in different sentences and scenarios that are relevant to your real life so you can understand them more easily.

Purposefully designed exercises and quizzes: I’ve personally designed a “Guided Practice” and a “Free Practice” exercise at the end of the lesson to help you actually absorb and learn the information.

It’s one thing to just watch a video lesson in a course. It’s another thing to actually process the information so you can use it later. That’s what these exercises do.

End of lesson quiz: After you’ve completed both of the practice exercises, you’ll take a quiz to make sure you’ve mastered all the information before moving on to the next lesson. The goal is always for you to actually learn the information, not just see it once in a video.

The course curriculum is designed to help both intermediate and advanced English learners fill in any gaps in their grammar knowledge.

By the end, you’ll have a solid grasp of English parts of speech and the confidence to speak and write accurately.

Parts of speech are the building blocks that allow us to use language. Without them, we can’t construct proper sentences or communicate ideas effectively.

If you feel unsure about parts of speech, it will hold back your English abilities. Use my course to master nouns, verbs, adjectives, and more, unlocking the door to writing, reading, and speaking English confidently.

Check out the course today and take your grammar knowledge to the next level.

Lucas Weaver founded The Weaver School in 2016. He's passionate about using the latest learnings in neuroscience and education to create the best language learning experience possible for our students, so they can quickly build effective language learning habits that will last for years. Lucas is a graduate of Texas A&M University and after 7 years of living in the Netherlands, he is currently traveling through Southeast Asia while learning their languages along the way.

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13.2 Using Language Effectively

Learning objectives.

Explain what it means to use appropriate language.
Explain what is meant by vivid language.
Define inclusive language and explain why using it is important for public speakers.
Explain the importance of using familiar language in public speaking.

Kimba Howard – megaphone – CC BY 2.0.

Use Appropriate Language

Appropriate for the Speaker

One of the first questions to ask yourself is whether the language you plan on using in a speech fits with your own speaking pattern. Not all language choices are appropriate for all speakers. The language you select should be suitable for you, not someone else. If you’re a first-year college student, there’s no need to force yourself to sound like an astrophysicist even if you are giving a speech on new planets. One of the biggest mistakes novice speakers make is thinking that they have to use million-dollar words because it makes them sound smarter. Actually, million-dollar words don’t tend to function well in oral communication to begin with, so using them will probably make you uncomfortable as a speaker. Also, it may be difficult for you or the audience to understand the nuances of meaning when you use such words, so using them can increase the risk of denotative or connotative misunderstandings.

Appropriate for the Audience

The second aspect of appropriateness asks whether the language you are choosing is appropriate for your specific audience. Let’s say that you’re an engineering student. If you’re giving a presentation in an engineering class, you can use language that other engineering students will know. On the other hand, if you use that engineering vocabulary in a public speaking class, many audience members will not understand you. As another example, if you are speaking about the Great Depression to an audience of young adults, you can’t assume they will know the meaning of terms like “New Deal” and “WPA,” which would be familiar to an audience of senior citizens. In other chapters of this book, we have explained the importance of audience analysis; once again, audience analysis is a key factor in choosing the language to use in a speech.

Appropriate for the Context

The next question about appropriateness is whether the language you will use is suitable or fitting for the context itself. The language you may employ if you’re addressing a student assembly in a high school auditorium will differ from the language you would use at a business meeting in a hotel ballroom. If you’re giving a speech at an outdoor rally, you cannot use the same language you would use in a classroom. Recall that the speaking context includes the occasion, the time of day, the mood of the audience, and other factors in addition to the physical location. Take the entire speaking context into consideration when you make the language choices for your speech.

Appropriate for the Topic

The fourth and final question about the appropriateness of language involves whether the language is appropriate for your specific topic. If you are speaking about the early years of The Walt Disney Company, would you want to refer to Walt Disney as a “thaumaturgic” individual (i.e., one who works wonders or miracles)? While the word “thaumaturgic” may be accurate, is it the most appropriate for the topic at hand? As another example, if your speech topic is the dual residence model of string theory, it makes sense to expect that you will use more sophisticated language than if your topic was a basic introduction to the physics of, say, sound or light waves.

Use Vivid Language

Imagery is the use of language to represent objects, actions, or ideas. The goal of imagery is to help an audience member create a mental picture of what a speaker is saying. A speaker who uses imagery successfully will tap into one or more of the audience’s five basic senses (hearing, taste, touch, smell, and sight). Three common tools of imagery are concreteness, simile, and metaphor.

Concreteness

When we use language that is concrete , we attempt to help our audiences see specific realities or actual instances instead of abstract theories and ideas. The goal of concreteness is to help you, as a speaker, show your audience something instead of just telling them. Imagine you’ve decided to give a speech on the importance of freedom. You could easily stand up and talk about the philosophical work of Rudolf Steiner, who divided the ideas of freedom into freedom of thought and freedom of action. If you’re like us, even reading that sentence can make you want to go to sleep. Instead of defining what those terms mean and discussing the philosophical merits of Steiner, you could use real examples where people’s freedom to think or freedom to behave has been stifled. For example, you could talk about how Afghani women under Taliban rule have been denied access to education, and how those seeking education have risked public flogging and even execution (Iacopino & Rasekh, 1998). You could further illustrate how Afghani women under the Taliban are forced to adhere to rigid interpretations of Islamic law that functionally limit their behavior. As illustrations of the two freedoms discussed by Steiner, these examples make things more concrete for audience members and thus easier to remember. Ultimately, the goal of concreteness is to show an audience something instead of talking about it abstractly.

The thunderous applause was like a party among the gods.
After the revelation, she was as angry as a raccoon caught in a cage.
Love is like a battlefield.

When we look at these two examples, you’ll see that two words have been italicized: “like” and “as.” All similes contain either “like” or “as” within the comparison. Speakers use similes to help an audience understand a specific characteristic being described within the speech. In the first example, we are connecting the type of applause being heard to something supernatural, so we can imagine that the applause was huge and enormous. Now think how you would envision the event if the simile likened the applause to a mime convention—your mental picture changes dramatically, doesn’t it?

To effectively use similes within your speech, first look for instances where you may already be finding yourself using the words “like” or “as”—for example, “his breath smelled like a fishing boat on a hot summer day.” Second, when you find situations where you are comparing two things using “like” or “as,” examine what it is that you are actually comparing. For example, maybe you’re comparing someone’s breath to the odor of a fishing vessel. Lastly, once you see what two ideas you are comparing, check the mental picture for yourself. Are you getting the kind of mental image you desire? Is the image too strong? Is the image too weak? You can always alter the image to make it stronger or weaker depending on what your aim is.

Love is a battlefield .
Upon hearing the charges, the accused clammed up and refused to speak without a lawyer.
Every year a new crop of activists are born .

In these examples, the comparison word has been italicized. Let’s think through each of these examples. In the first one, the comparison is the same as one of our simile examples except that the word “like” is omitted—instead of being like a battlefield, the metaphor states that love is a battlefield, and it is understood that the speaker does not mean the comparison literally. In the second example, the accused “clams up,” which means that the accused refused to talk in the same way a clam’s shell is closed. In the third example, we refer to activists as “crops” that arise anew with each growing season, and we use “born” figuratively to indicate that they come into being—even though it is understood that they are not newborn infants at the time when they become activists.

To use a metaphor effectively, first determine what you are trying to describe. For example, maybe you are talking about a college catalog that offers a wide variety of courses. Second, identify what it is that you want to say about the object you are trying to describe. Depending on whether you want your audience to think of the catalog as good or bad, you’ll use different words to describe it. Lastly, identify the other object you want to compare the first one to, which should mirror the intentions in the second step. Let’s look at two possible metaphors:

Students groped their way through the maze of courses in the catalog.
Students feasted on the abundance of courses in the catalog.

While both of these examples evoke comparisons with the course catalog, the first example is clearly more negative and the second is more positive.

One mistake people often make in using metaphors is to make two incompatible comparisons in the same sentence or line of thought. Here is an example:

“That’s awfully thin gruel for the right wing to hang their hats on” (Nordquist, 2009).

Our second guideline for effective language in a speech is to use rhythm. When most people think of rhythm, they immediately think about music. What they may not realize is that language is inherently musical; at least it can be. Rhythm refers to the patterned, recurring variance of elements of sound or speech. Whether someone is striking a drum with a stick or standing in front of a group speaking, rhythm is an important aspect of human communication. Think about your favorite public speaker. If you analyze his or her speaking pattern, you’ll notice that there is a certain cadence to the speech. While much of this cadence is a result of the nonverbal components of speaking, some of the cadence comes from the language that is chosen as well. Let’s examine four types of rhythmic language: parallelism, repetition, alliteration, and assonance.

Parallelism

“Give me liberty or I’d rather die.”
“Give me liberty or give me death.”

Technically, you’re saying the same thing in both, but the second one has better rhythm, and this rhythm comes from the parallel construction of “give me.” The lack of parallelism in the first example makes the sentence sound disjointed and ineffective.

As we mentioned earlier in this chapter, one of the major differences between oral and written language is the use of repetition . Because speeches are communicated orally, audience members need to hear the core of the message repeated consistently. Repetition as a linguistic device is designed to help audiences become familiar with a short piece of the speech as they hear it over and over again. By repeating a phrase during a speech, you create a specific rhythm. Probably the most famous and memorable use of repetition within a speech is Martin Luther King Jr.’s use of “I have a dream” in his speech at the Lincoln Memorial on August 1963 during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. In that speech, Martin Luther King Jr. repeated the phrase “I have a dream” eight times to great effect.

Alliteration

Another type of rhythmic language is alliteration , or repeating two or more words in a series that begin with the same consonant. In the Harry Potter novel series, the author uses alliteration to name the four wizards who founded Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry: Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw, and Salazar Slytherin. There are two basic types of alliteration: immediate juxtaposition and nonimmediate juxtaposition. Immediate juxtaposition occurs when the consonants clearly follow one after the other—as we see in the Harry Potter example. Nonimmediate juxtaposition occurs when the consonants are repeated in nonadjacent words (e.g., “It is the p oison that we must p urge from our p olitics, the wall that we must tear down before the hour grows too late”) (Obama, 2008). Sometimes you can actually use examples of both immediate and nonimmediate juxtaposition within a single speech. The following example is from Bill Clinton’s acceptance speech at the 1992 Democratic National Convention: “Somewhere at this very moment, a child is b eing b orn in America. Let it be our cause to give that child a h appy h ome, a h ealthy family, and a h opeful future” (Clinton, 2005).

Assonance is similar to alliteration, but instead of relying on consonants, assonance gets its rhythm from repeating the same vowel sounds with different consonants in the stressed syllables. The phrase “how now brown cow,” which elocution students traditionally used to learn to pronounce rounded vowel sounds, is an example of assonance. While rhymes like “free as a breeze,” “mad as a hatter,” and “no pain, no gain” are examples of assonance, speakers should be wary of relying on assonance because when it is overused it can quickly turn into bad poetry.

Use Inclusive Language

Language can either inspire your listeners or turn them off very quickly. One of the fastest ways to alienate an audience is through the use of noninclusive language. Inclusive language is language that avoids placing any one group of people above or below other groups while speaking. Let’s look at some common problem areas related to language about gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and disabilities.

Gender-Specific Language

The first common form of noninclusive language is language that privileges one of the sexes over the other. There are three common problem areas that speakers run into while speaking: using “he” as generic, using “man” to mean all humans, and gender typing jobs.

Generic “He”

The generic “he” happens when a speaker labels all people within a group as “he” when in reality there is a mixed sex group involved. Consider the statement, “Every morning when an officer of the law puts on his badge, he risks his life to serve and protect his fellow citizens.” In this case, we have a police officer that is labeled as male four different times in one sentence. Obviously, both male and female police officers risk their lives when they put on their badges. A better way to word the sentence would be, “Every morning when officers of the law put on their badges, they risk their lives to serve and protect their fellow citizens.” Notice that in the better sentence, we made the subject plural (“officers”) and used neutral pronouns (“they” and “their”) to avoid the generic “he.”

Use of “Man”

Traditionally, speakers of English have used terms like “man,” “mankind,” and (in casual contexts) “guys” when referring to both females and males. In the second half of the twentieth century, as society became more aware of gender bias in language, organizations like the National Council of Teachers of English developed guidelines for nonsexist language (National Council of Teachers of English, 2002). For example, instead of using the word “man,” you could refer to the “human race.” Instead of saying, “hey, guys,” you could say, “OK, everyone.” By using gender-fair language you will be able to convey your meaning just as well, and you won’t risk alienating half of your audience.

Gender-Typed Jobs

The last common area where speakers get into trouble with gender and language has to do with job titles. It is not unusual for people to assume, for example, that doctors are male and nurses are female. As a result, they may say “she is a woman doctor” or “he is a male nurse” when mentioning someone’s occupation, perhaps not realizing that the statements “she is a doctor” and “he is a nurse” already inform the listener as to the sex of the person holding that job. Speakers sometimes also use a gender-specific pronoun to refer to an occupation that has both males and females. Table 13.1 “Gender Type Jobs” lists some common gender-specific jobs titles along with more inclusive versions of those job titles.

Table 13.1 Gender Type Jobs


Policeman	Police officer
Businessman	Businessperson
Fireman	Firefighter
Stewardess	Flight attendant
Waiters	Wait staff / servers
Mailman	Letter carrier / postal worker
Barmaid	Bartender

Ethnic Identity

Another type of inclusive language relates to the categories used to highlight an individual’s ethnic identity. Ethnic identity refers to a group an individual identifies with based on a common culture. For example, within the United States we have numerous ethnic groups, including Italian Americans, Irish Americans, Japanese Americans, Vietnamese Americans, Cuban Americans, and Mexican Americans. As with the earlier example of “male nurse,” avoid statements such as “The committee is made up of four women and a Vietnamese man.” Instead, say, “The committee is made up of four women and a man” or, if race and ethnicity are central to the discussion, “The committee is made up of three European American women, an Israeli American woman, a Brazilian American woman, and a Vietnamese American man.” In recent years, there has been a trend toward steering inclusive language away from broad terms like “Asians” and “Hispanics” because these terms are not considered precise labels for the groups they actually represent. If you want to be safe, the best thing you can do is ask a couple of people who belong to an ethnic group how they prefer to label themselves.

Sexual Orientation

Another area that can cause some problems is referred to as heterosexism. Heterosexism occurs when a speaker presumes that everyone in an audience is heterosexual or that opposite-sex relationships are the only norm. For example, a speaker might begin a speech by saying, “I am going to talk about the legal obligations you will have with your future husband or wife.” While this speech starts with the notion that everyone plans on getting married, which isn’t the case, it also assumes that everyone will label their significant others as either “husbands” or “wives.” Although some members of the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender/transexual community will use these terms, others prefer for more gender neutral terms like “spouse” and “partner.” Moreover, legal obligations for same-sex couples may be very different from those for heterosexual couples. Notice also that we have used the phrase “members of the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender/transexual community” instead of the more clinical-sounding term “homosexual.”

The last category of exclusive versus inclusive language that causes problems for some speakers relates to individuals with physical or mental disabilities. Table 13.2 “Inclusive Language for Disabilities” provides some other examples of exclusive versus inclusive language.

Table 13.2 Inclusive Language for Disabilities


Handicapped People	People with disabilities
Insane Person	Person with a psychiatric disability (or label the psychiatric diagnosis, e.g. “person with schizophrenia”)
Person in a wheelchair	Person who uses a wheelchair
Crippled	Person with a physical disability
Special needs program	Accessible needs program
Mentally retarded	Person with an intellectual disability

Use Familiar Language

Key Takeaways

Using appropriate language means that a speaker’s language is suitable or fitting for themselves, as the speaker; our audience; the speaking context; and the speech itself.
Vivid language helps listeners create mental images. It involves both imagery (e.g., concreteness, simile, and metaphor) and rhythm (e.g., parallelism, repetition, alliteration, and assonance).
Inclusive language avoids placing any one group of people above or below other groups while speaking. As such, speakers need to think about how they refer to various groups within society.
Using familiar language is important for a speaker because familiar language will make a speaker more comfortable, which will improve audience perceptions of the speech.
Watch the news and find an example of someone using inappropriate language. Why did the speaker use inappropriate language? How could the speaker have prevented the use of inappropriate language?
Watch a presidential press conference or a political speech. Identify the uses of imagery and rhythm. How did the imagery and rhythm help the speech? Can you think of other ways the speaker could have used imagery and rhythm?
Why is inclusive language important? Write down the various groups you belong to in life; how would you want these groups to be referred to by a speaker? Share your list with a friend or classmate and see if that person reaches the same conclusions you do. If there are differences in your perceptions, why do you think those differences are present?

Clinton, W. J. (2005). My life . New York, NY: Vintage Books, p. 421.

Iacopino, V., & Rasekh, Z. (1998). The Taliban’s war on women: A health and human rights crisis in Afghanistan . Boston, MA: Physicians for Human Rights.

National Council of Teachers of English (2002). Guidelines for gender-fair use of language . Retrieved from http://www.ncte.org/positions/statements/genderfairuseoflang .

Nordquist, R. (2009). Mixed metaphor . Retrieved from About.com at http://grammar.about.com/od/mo/g/mixmetterm.htm

Obama, B. (2008, January 20). The great need of the hour. Remarks delivered at Ebenezer Baptist Church, Atlanta. Retrieved from http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2008/01/the_great_need_of_the_hour.html

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Connected Speech In English: What It Is And How To Learn It

Published on, june 10, 2024, july 16, 2024, this article may contain affiliate links.

Speaking English is hard because we often don’t say words like we should. Here’s how to understand connected speech and how to speak naturally yourself.

Connected Speech In English: What It Is And How To Learn It

Maybe you’ve been studying English for a while now and gotten pretty good.

Perhaps you’ve learned all those pesky irregular verbs, you feel comfortable using the past perfect continuous tense in context, and maybe you even know the difference between “who” and “whom” .

But even with all your actual knowledge of English and your ability to use it correctly, you may not sound natural when you speak.

Natural spoken English comes down to more than just pronunciation and speaking fluently . It requires using connected speech .

I consider connected speech to be a fairly advanced language learning topic. If you’re still at the intermediate level, I wouldn't focus on this; I’d leave it for later. And if you’re a beginner, it’s definitely not the right lesson for you right now.

But if you’ve got quite a good grasp of the language and you’re really now trying to polish up your speaking skills, you might be at the right level to try to think about connected speech.

In this article, I’ll explain what connected speech is along with some real-world examples of it. Then I’ll suggest some activities that you can do to work on and practise your connected speech.

What is connected speech in English?

The first thing to understand about speaking English naturally is that it is very different from speaking English clearly.

In English, words bump into each other. We reduce words when we’re speaking, contract them, and then mash them together.

That’s what connected speech is: it’s continuous spoken language like you’d hear in a normal conversation. It’s called connected speech because the words are all connected, with sounds from one running into the next.

Examples and types of connected speech

There are five types of connected speech: Catenation (or linking), Intrusion , Elision , Assimilation and Geminates .

Don't worry about the names. Let me give you some examples.

1. Catenation or linking

Catenation happens when a consonant sound at the end of one word gets attached to the first vowel sound at the beginning of the following word.

For example, when native speakers say “an apple” you’ll usually hear them say, “anapple”. The “n” in “an” gets joined with the “a” sound in “apple” and it becomes almost like a single word.

In some cases, the sound of the consonant sound changes when it’s linked. For example, if I were to say “that orange” you would probably hear me change the final consonant “t” sound to a “d” sound as in “thadorange”.

Here are some other examples:

“trip over” often sounds like “tripover”
“hang out” often sounds like “hangout”
“clean up” often sounds like “cleanup”

2. Intrusion

Intrusion happens when an extra sound squishes in between two words. The intruding sound is often a “j”, “w”, or “r”.

For example, we often say:

“he asked” more like “heyasked”
“do it” more like “dewit”
“there is” more like “therris”

Elision happens when the last sound of a word disappears. This often happens with “t” and “d” sounds. For example:

“next door” often gets shortened to “nexdoor”
“most common” often gets shortened to “moscommon”

4. Assimilation

Assimilation happens when sounds blend together to make an entirely new sound. Some examples include:

“don’t you” getting blended into “don-chu”
“meet you” getting blended into “mee-chu”
“did you” getting blended into “di-djew”

5. Geminates

Geminates are a doubled or long consonant sound. In connected speech, when a first word ends with the same consonant sound that the next word begins with, we often put the sounds together and elongate them. For example:

“single ladies” turns into “single-adies”
“social life” turns into “social-ife”

Notice that in none of these cases does the spelling actually change. It’s just the sounds that change when we say them.

Is connected speech important?

Yes and no.

I like to think of learning connected speech in two halves: understanding it when you hear it, and recreating it when you’re speaking yourself.

Understanding connected speech when it’s used is extremely important. This is how native English speakers really talk. If you can’t understand English as it’s really spoken, you’re not really able to use the language.

So listening to connected speech and being able to parse it into meaning is very important.

Producing connected speech isn’t very important. Native speakers don’t need you to use connected speech to understand you. If you speak English clearly, carefully enunciating each syllable, you may sound a bit unnatural, but you’ll certainly be understood.

So being able to use connected speech yourself doesn’t have to be a priority.

How can you improve your connected speech?

You can get better both at understanding connected speech when it’s spoken by others and using it yourself. Here are some ways you can train yourself on it.

Listen as frequently as possible

The way that we get better at understanding native speakers is by listening to them . So listen to native speakers as frequently as possible.

At higher levels, listen to different accents: American, British, Australian , and others. This will help you understand people using a range of different accents.

You can also use music to help you learn English. Music and songs are very helpful for connected speech.

Use transcripts or subtitles as you listen

One of the most difficult things to do when we’re new to a language is figure out where one word ends and another starts.

A great exercise for this is listening to a native speaker while you also read what they’re saying.

There are a few ways you can do this. You could listen to someone read an audiobook while you read the book itself. You could watch a show on Netflix or a YouTube video with the subtitles on .

And, of course, you could listen to an English podcast while reading the transcript of that podcast. ( Leonardo English conveniently provides transcripts to members for the English Learning for Curious Minds podcast for exactly this reason.)

Shadowing and recording yourself

Those are great for listening, but what about speaking?

Shadowing is the ideal exercise for practising connected speech. In shadowing, you mimic or imitate the sounds that you hear as you hear them. So you practise saying full sentences exactly like a native speaker.

This helps you see how native speakers really pronounce sentences—connected speech included.

Recording yourself speaking is another activity that has similar benefits. It lets you listen and see how the way you say a sentence might be different from a native speaker so you can correct yourself or make changes.

Have conversations

Speaking naturally is really only a skill you can develop through practice.

So practise speaking!

Find an online English conversation partner , join an English community, or find other ways of speaking English regularly . That’s how you’ll get better at speaking in general and also at using connected speech in particular.

Use podcasts to improve your connected speech

Here’s how you can make the best use of English podcasts like English Learning for Curious Minds to work on understanding and using connected speech.

First, listen for understanding. The first time you listen to an episode, just try to grasp what’s going on. Try to pick out the general story or the main ideas. You can slow the episode to 0.75x or 0.5x if you need to.
Next, listen for pronunciation. Choose a part of the episode (or the whole episode if you like) and notice places where the speaker uses connected speech. Reading while you listen may help you identify particular instances of connected speech.
Finally, shadow part of the episode. Now work on your speaking skills by shadowing part of the episode. It doesn’t have to be long—just a couple of minutes. Try to imitate the person speaking as closely as possible. Here’s our guide on Shadowing in English —you can find detailed instructions there.
Challenge yourself by getting faster. If that feels easy or comfortable, make it harder by doing all that on a faster speed setting, or turn it back to 1x if you were doing it more slowly beforehand.

This process will help you understand spoken English even when the words are mashed together. It will also help you get used to speaking more naturally in English yourself.

Speaking naturally will come with time

To wrap up this article, I want to stress that connected speech is about practice, not memorisation .

Earlier, I gave some names for different groups of connected speech sound changes—catenation, assimilation, and so on. I did that for your interest, but I don’t recommend trying to memorise them or learn those names by heart unless you’re a linguist.

You certainly don’t need to know what “elision” means to speak naturally. Most native speakers wouldn’t have any idea what that word means.

Instead of learning that linguistic theory, just practise using English. Listen to it and speak it. Connected speech will come naturally to you as you use English more.

Indeed, let’s remember that the reason connected speech happens is that it’s an easier way to speak.

When you are singing Beyonce’s Single Ladies , it would feel really weird to clearly pronounce “single” separately from “ladies”. It’s much more natural to jam the words together into “Singl-adies”

Similarly, it’s much harder to say “that orange” than it is to say “thadorange”. As soon as you’re saying those words together, you’ll probably find your mouth making the connected speech sounds automatically.

That’s important to remember: connected speech doesn’t happen randomly. It happens because it’s actually easier to say the words in that way.

So yes, learn what connected speech is. Practise listening to native speakers so you can understand them even when they speak at a normal pace and words jam together. Do your regular speaking activities.

But then relax. Natural, connected speech will come.

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Independence Day 2024 speech: Best short, long speech ideas on 15th August for kids and students

Celebrate independence day 2024 with engaging independence day 2024 speeches in english for kids and students. explore ideas for both short and long speeches, highlighting india's 78 years of freedom and the legacy of its freedom fighters..

Independence Day 2024 speeches: Independence Day is a special occasion that brings people across India together to celebrate freedom and honour the sacrifices made by our freedom fighters . As we approach August 15, 2024, marking the 78th Independence Day, it's a time to reflect on our journey from colonial rule to becoming a proud, independent nation. This year, let’s focus on crafting memorable and meaningful speeches that capture the spirit of this significant day. Whether you’re preparing a speech for school or a community event, having a well-thought-out Independence Day 2024 speech can help convey your respect and patriotism . In this guide, we'll provide ideas and tips for delivering the best speech, whether it's short or long, in English or Hindi, to make your Independence Day celebration truly special.

As India gets ready to celebrate its 78th Independence Day on August 15, it’s important to honour the courage, dedication, and sacrifices of our armed forces and freedom fighters . If you’re writing a speech for Independence Day (Swatantrata Diwas 2024), here are some tips and ideas:

Independence Day 2024 Speech: Tips and Ideas:

Keep your speech short and simple so kids can easily remember it.

Verify all historical facts in your speech.
Help kids practice their speeches.
Practice in full uniform before the actual speech at school or college.
Avoid using difficult words in the speech.
Skip overly complicated or lengthy facts.

Speech on Independence Day 2024: Step-by-Step Guide

Giving a heartfelt Independence Day speech is a great way to show your love, gratitude, and admiration for our national heroes. Here’s how you can craft a memorable speech for August 15:

1. Start with Gratitude:

Begin your speech by expressing thanks to everyone, especially the Indian soldiers who have served the country.

2. Historical Context and Freedom Struggle:

Briefly recount India's struggle for independence and the sacrifices made by freedom fighters.
Highlight key leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Bhagat Singh, and Sardar Patel, who played major roles in the freedom movement.
Share stories of courage and resilience from the struggle to inspire your audience.

3. Progress and Achievements:

Talk about India's progress since gaining independence, including advancements in technology, science, space exploration, and economic growth.
Mention achievements in sports, arts, literature, and entertainment that have earned global recognition for India.
Highlight India's democratic framework and its status as the world's largest electorate, stressing the power of collective decision-making.

4. Diversity and Unity:

Highlight India’s rich cultural, linguistic, and religious diversity as a strength and a source of unity.
Celebrate the harmonious coexistence of different communities and the vibrant festivals, traditions, and languages.
Stress the importance of respecting and preserving this diversity while working together for national progress.

5. Challenges and Opportunities:

Acknowledge current challenges such as poverty, inequality, environmental issues, and healthcare.
Discuss government initiatives like "Make in India," "Swachh Bharat Abhiyan," and "Digital India" aimed at tackling these challenges.
Encourage citizens to actively participate in efforts to improve society.

6. Youth and the Future:

Recognise the role of youth as key drivers of India's progress and development.
Inspire young people to pursue education, innovation, and entrepreneurship as means for nation-building.
Urge the youth to be responsible citizens engaged in community service and social change.

7. Call to Action and Unity:

Call for unity and cooperation among all parts of society, transcending differences for the greater good.
Encourage citizens to uphold democratic values, secularism, and social justice.
Stress the importance of active civic engagement, responsible voting, and community involvement.

8. Hope and Aspirations:

Conclude on a hopeful note, expressing optimism for a bright future and a prosperous India.
Quote inspirational figures or lines from Indian literature to leave a lasting impact.
Invite the audience to join in making the dream of a strong, united, and progressive India a reality.

Best Independence Day Speech sample in English

Good morning everyone!

Respected teachers and dear friends,

Today, we come together to celebrate the joyful occasion of Independence Day on August 15. Congratulations to all on this special day. I am grateful for the chance to address you all today.

As we all know, August 15 is a day of honour and pride for every Indian. Our brave revolutionaries and freedom fighters sacrificed their lives to free our nation from British rule.

We are incredibly fortunate to have had such courageous leaders who not only liberated our country from British oppression but also paved the way for future generations. Thanks to them, we are free today and continue to reach new achievements and heights.

From 1947 to 2024, our nation has progressed in every field. Every day, we add a new chapter to our history in areas like sports, education, technology, and military strength. Our military power is now so impressive that it stands as a model for other nations, and no country dares to challenge India directly.

Young minds, you are the architects of India's future. Embrace education, foster innovation, and cultivate empathy. Let us work together to build a nation where every citizen enjoys dignity, equality, and opportunity.

On this auspicious day, let us renew our commitment to the ideals of our freedom fighters. Let us uphold the unity, integrity, and diversity of our nation. Let us strive to make India a global leader, a land of prosperity and harmony.

In the end, I just want to say, that freedom is priceless, and our soldiers are incredibly brave, continuously protecting our borders from threats. We must always value and preserve this freedom with our hearts and minds.

That’s all I have to say. Jai Hind!

10-line Independence Day speech

Good morning all,

India gained independence from British rule on August 15, 1947.
The Indian Independence Act was passed by the British Parliament, granting India dominion status.
Mahatma Gandhi led the non-violent freedom struggle against British colonial rule.
Other key leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Patel, and Subhash Chandra Bose played crucial roles.
The partition of India into India and Pakistan took place simultaneously.
The first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, hoisted the Indian flag at the Red Fort.
Independence Day is celebrated with flag-hoisting ceremonies, parades, and cultural programs.
It's a day to remember the sacrifices of freedom fighters and honor India's unity.
The day also reflects on challenges and aspirations for the future of India.
Independence Day reinforces the spirit of patriotism and love for the nation.

Independence Day Speech for Students

Good morning to our esteemed guests, respected teachers, and dear friends,

Today, we gather to celebrate India's Independence Day. I am truly honored to share my thoughts on this special occasion. I am very grateful to my teacher for giving me this opportunity to speak on our country's Independence Day.

On this day, India gained freedom from British rule through peaceful and nonviolent movements. The British ruled over us for 200 years, coming to India for trade but instead exploiting our nation and its people. Our ancestors fought hard for many years before India achieved independence on August 15, 1947.

This day is a reminder of the sacrifices made by our freedom fighters who fought for our country's freedom. It is a day to honor those who gave their lives so India could become an independent nation. We must pledge to stay devoted and committed to our country today.

In closing, I pay my respects to those brave souls with a quote from Sarojini Naidu:

“A country’s greatness lies in its undying ideal of love and sacrifice that inspire the mothers of the race.”

Jai Hind, Jai Bharat.

Short and simple Independence Day Speech

Good morning to respected Sir/Madam and everyone present here,

Today, we come together to honour the bravery of our freedom fighters on Independence Day. This day is not just a date on the calendar; it symbolizes India’s courage, resilience, and unbreakable spirit.

Independence Day is celebrated on August 15 each year, marking the day India gained freedom from British rule through nonviolent protests and civil disobedience.

The struggle for independence began during World War I, led by Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi.

From 1857 to 1947, our history is filled with revolutions and the sacrifices of great leaders and freedom fighters.

The Indian Independence Bill was introduced in the British House of Commons on July 4, 1947, and was passed within two weeks, ending over 200 years of British rule on August 15, 1947.

This Bill led to the creation of India and Pakistan as separate nations.

August 15 reminds us of the immense sacrifices made by our freedom fighters, including Mahatma Gandhi, Bhagat Singh, Chandra Sekhar Azad, and many others, known and unknown, who fought to free India from British colonial rule.

Our freedom fighters dreamed of an independent India, and their dreams became a reality. Remember, never stop dreaming, as dreams are what keep us alive.

On this Independence Day, let us promise to protect our country by upholding unity, helping others, and continuing our education. I will conclude my speech with these lines:

"Freedom in mind, faith in words. Pride in our hearts, memories in our souls. Let’s salute the nation on Independence Day!"

Bharat Mata ki Jai. Vande Mataram. Jai Hind.

Independence Day Speech for Kids

Good morning and Happy Independence Day to my respected teachers and dear friends!

Today, we are celebrating our 78th Independence Day, and we should be very proud to be part of a free nation where we have the freedom to speak our minds and live our lives as we choose.

India was ruled by the British for nearly 200 years. Thanks to the brave efforts of our freedom fighters, we gained independence on August 15, 1947. On this special day, our national flag was raised at the Red Fort in Delhi by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.

Since then, we have celebrated Independence Day every year in schools, colleges, and government offices.

So, on this Independence Day, let’s promise ourselves to always protect our country by fostering friendship, helping others, and continuing our education.

Once again, I wish you all a Happy Independence Day. Let’s work together to build a wonderful nation!

Independence Day Speech in Hindi | स्वतंत्रता दिवस पर भाषण

माननीय अध्यापक गण, अतिथि, अभिभावक और मेरे प्यारे दोस्तों,

जैसा कि आप सभी जानते हैं, आज हम स्वतंत्रता दिवस के अवसर पर एकत्रित हुए हैं। आज हम स्वतंत्रता दिवस की 78वीं वर्षगांठ मना रहे हैं।

स्वतंत्रता दिवस हमारे लिए एक खास दिन है जब भारत ने ब्रिटिश शासन से आज़ादी प्राप्त की थी।

स्वतंत्रता संग्राम की शुरुआत तब हुई जब एक ब्रिटिश अधिकारी ने भारतीय क्रांतिकारी मंगल पांडे को गोली मारी। 1857 से 1947 तक चले इस संघर्ष के बाद, 15 अगस्त 1947 को भारत ने अंग्रेजों के राज से स्वतंत्रता प्राप्त की।

स्वतंत्रता दिलाने में महात्मा गांधी, मंगल पांडे, बाल गंगाधर तिलक, सुभाष चंद्र बोस, पंडित नेहरू, लाला लाजपत राय, और खुदीराम बोस जैसे स्वतंत्रता सेनानियों का बड़ा योगदान है।

इस स्वतंत्रता दिवस पर, मैं सभी स्वतंत्रता सेनानियों को श्रद्धांजलि अर्पित करता हूँ जिन्होंने भारत को आज़ाद करने का सपना देखा और इसके लिए अपने प्राणों की आहुति दी, ताकि हम एक स्वतंत्र भारत में जी सकें।

आइए हम सभी मिलकर एक ऐसे भारत का निर्माण करें, जहां हर नागरिक को समान अवसर मिले, जहां कोई भूखा न सोए, जहां शिक्षा और स्वास्थ्य सभी के अधिकार हों। हमें अपने देश की संस्कृति और विरासत को संजोना होगा और साथ ही आधुनिकता को भी अपनाना होगा।

युवा पीढ़ी के रूप में, हमारे कंधों पर देश का भविष्य है। हमें शिक्षित, कर्तव्यनिष्ठ और देशभक्त बनना होगा। हमें अपने देश की सेवा करने के लिए आगे आना होगा।

मैं अपने भाषण को यह कहकर समाप्त करना चाहूंगा कि हमें एक सच्चे राष्ट्रभक्त की तरह देश को एक बेहतर जगह बनाने में योगदान देना चाहिए। धन्यवाद!

जय हिंद!भारत माता की जय!

Note: You can customize this speech further by adding specific examples of India's achievements, challenges, or your personal aspirations for the country.

Bhupinder Singh serves as a Principal Executive in Content Management, specializing in SEO content related to trending financial news, net worth of celebrities, historic events, and art and culture. His passion for cricket shines through in his work and personal interests. In his free time, Bhupinder enjoys discussing cricket legends like MS Dhoni and Sachin Tendulkar, as well as following the IPL.

Not just India: 5 other Countries celebrating Independence Day on August 15th

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Speech Writing /

Speech On Spirituality in English for School Students

Updated on
Aug 10, 2024

In a world often characterised by noise and chaos, spirituality offers a quiet retreat for the soul. It is a journey inward, a quest for meaning, connection, and purpose. This blog is your compass as you navigate the vast expanse of spirituality through a speech on spirituality. Whether you are a seasoned seeker or just beginning your exploration, you will find insights, inspiration, and practical guidance to enrich your spiritual path. Let’s embark on this transformative journey together.

5 Minute Speech on Spirituality

‘Good morning, respected teachers and dear friends. Today, I am delighted to share with you some thoughts on a profound and essential aspect of our lives—spirituality. Spirituality is often defined in various ways, depending on personal beliefs and cultural contexts. At its core, spirituality is about seeking a deeper connection with something greater than ourselves, which could be a higher power, nature, or the universe. It transcends religious affiliations and is about finding purpose, meaning, and peace in our lives. It’s an inward journey that fosters self-awareness, compassion, and a sense of unity with the world around us.

Why is spirituality important? In our fast-paced, technology-driven world, we often find ourselves overwhelmed by stress, anxiety, and a sense of emptiness. Spirituality offers a sanctuary from this chaos. It provides us with a sense of purpose and helps us navigate life’s challenges with resilience and grace. Engaging in spiritual practices can lead to improved mental and emotional well-being, fostering a sense of inner peace and contentment. It also provides a framework for making ethical decisions and leading a life that is in harmony with our deepest values and beliefs.

Living a spiritual life doesn’t mean retreating from the world; rather, it involves integrating spiritual principles into our daily existence. It means being mindful of our actions, cultivating compassion for others, and striving to live authentically. A spiritual life is characterized by a commitment to personal growth, self-reflection, and an ongoing quest for understanding. It encourages us to look beyond the material aspects of life and to focus on the experiences and relationships that bring true happiness and fulfilment.

To help us on this path, we can focus on the five C’s of spirituality: connection, compassion, commitment, consciousness, and celebration. The first C, connection, emphasizes the importance of building and maintaining relationships—with ourselves, others, and the universe. By nurturing these connections, we can experience a profound sense of belonging and interconnectedness. This can be achieved through practices like meditation, prayer, or spending time in nature. Connection helps us to feel grounded and supported, and it reminds us that we are part of a larger whole.

Compassion, the second C, involves empathy and kindness towards others and ourselves. It’s about understanding the struggles and suffering of others and responding with a genuine desire to help. Cultivating compassion can transform our relationships and communities, creating a more harmonious and loving environment. When we approach others with compassion, we foster a sense of unity and reduce feelings of isolation and division. Compassion also extends to self-compassion, where we treat ourselves with the same kindness and understanding that we offer to others.

The third C, commitment, refers to our dedication to our spiritual practices and values. It requires discipline and perseverance to stay true to our spiritual path, even when faced with challenges or distractions. This commitment can be strengthened through regular rituals, such as meditation, journaling, or attending spiritual gatherings. Commitment is about making a conscious choice to prioritize our spiritual growth and to remain steadfast in our pursuit of a meaningful and purposeful life. It involves setting intentions and goals that align with our values and working diligently to achieve them.

Consciousness, the fourth C, is about raising our awareness and being present in the moment. It involves mindful living, where we pay attention to our thoughts, feelings, and actions without judgment. This heightened awareness allows us to make more informed and intentional choices, leading to a more fulfilling and authentic life. Consciousness encourages us to live in the present moment and to appreciate the beauty and richness of our experiences. It helps us to break free from the patterns of automatic thinking and behaviour that can limit our potential and to embrace a more expansive and enlightened perspective.

Finally, celebration, the fifth C, is about recognizing and honouring the beauty and wonder of life. It’s about finding joy in the simple moments and expressing gratitude for the blessings we have. Celebrating life’s milestones and everyday experiences can foster a positive outlook and enhance our spiritual well-being. Celebration reminds us to take time to appreciate the good things in our lives and to acknowledge our achievements and progress. It helps us to cultivate a sense of joy and contentment, even in the face of challenges and difficulties.

Spirituality is a deeply personal and transformative journey that offers us a sense of purpose, connection, and inner peace. By embracing the five C’s of spirituality—connection, compassion, commitment, consciousness, and celebration—we can cultivate a more meaningful and fulfilling life.

Let us all strive to integrate these principles into our daily lives, fostering a world filled with love, understanding, and harmony. Spirituality invites us to explore the depths of our being, to connect with the essence of who we are, and to live in alignment with our highest values and aspirations. It calls us to be mindful, compassionate, and committed, and to celebrate the beauty and wonder of life.

Also Read: Speech on Corruption in Business and Corporate Practices

YouTube Video: Spirituality an Inspiring Speech

Source: S&T Nation

Ans: Spirituality can promote close family and friendship bonds and help people cope with physical or emotional pain and other life stressors. It can also offer people a strong sense of community, particularly for those who are part of a spiritual group or community.

Ans: Spiritual well-being is the ability to establish meaning and find purpose in our lives through the fusion of art, nature, and/or a sense of connection beyond the self. It can benefit our overall well-being by cultivating both our sense of inner understanding and our sense of place.

Ans: It encourages people to have better relationships with themselves, others, and the unknown. Spirituality can help you deal with stress by giving you a sense of peace, purpose, and forgiveness. It often becomes more important in times of emotional stress or illness. Positive impacts of spirituality.

Aayushi Vardhan

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19 Facts About Tim Walz, Harris’s Pick for Vice President

Mr. Walz, the governor of Minnesota, worked as a high school social studies teacher and football coach, served in the Army National Guard and chooses Diet Mountain Dew over alcohol.

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Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota, in a gray T-shirt and baseball cap, speaks at a Kamala Harris event in St. Paul, Minn., last month.

By Simon J. Levien and Maggie Astor

Published Aug. 6, 2024 Updated Aug. 9, 2024

Until recently, Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota was a virtual unknown outside of the Midwest, even among Democrats. But his stock rose fast in the days after President Biden withdrew from the race, clearing a path for Ms. Harris to replace him and pick Mr. Walz as her No. 2.

Here’s a closer look at the Democrats’ new choice for vice president.

1. He is a (very recent) social media darling . Mr. Walz has enjoyed a groundswell of support online from users commenting on his Midwestern “dad vibes” and appealing ordinariness.

2. He started the whole “weird” thing. It was Mr. Walz who labeled former President Donald J. Trump and his running mate, Senator JD Vance of Ohio, “weird” on cable television just a couple of weeks ago. The description soon became a Democratic talking point.

3. He named a highway after Prince and signed the bill in purple ink. “I think we can lay to rest that this is the coolest bill signing we’ll ever do,” he said as he put his name on legislation declaring a stretch of Highway 5 the “Prince Rogers Nelson Memorial Highway” after the musician who had lived in Minnesota.

4. He reminds you of your high school history teacher for a reason. Mr. Walz taught high school social studies and geography — first in Alliance, Neb., and then in Mankato, Minn. — before entering politics.

5. He taught in China in 1989 and speaks some Mandarin. He went to China for a year after graduating from college and taught English there through a program affiliated with Harvard University.

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10 Line Speech On Importance Of English. The English language is crucial to our daily lives. The third most widely spoken language worldwide is English. Since English is widely used worldwide, it has been designated as an international language. The use of computers in today's offices, businesses, and other settings mean that all work is done ...
Importance Of English Language Essay
Answer 2: Yes, it does. It is because English is the official language of 53 countries and we use it as a lingua franca (a mutually known language) by people from all over the world. This means that studying English can help us have a conversation with people on a global level. Share with friends.
The Importance of English in Today's World
6 reasons why English is the most valuable language you can learn in 2020 (and beyond) Knowing English will allow you to be part of a global conversation in so many ways. Below are just five of the reasons learning English could change your life for the better. 1. English is the dominant language in academia.
The Importance of English: 11 Reasons to Learn the Language
When you are studying English, you will come across the different types used around the world. When you know the history of English as it is used in a certain country, the similarities and differences between, say, Australian and New Zealand English make much more sense. 3. English Opens Up New Career Opportunities.
Importance of the English Language
A look at the importance of English in India and the world. A language is a systematic means of communication by the use of sounds or conventional symbols. It is the code we all use to express ourselves and communicate to others. It is a communication by word of mouth. It is the mental faculty or power of vocal communication.
6 Reasons Why Knowing English Is Important in Today's World
4. English Is Useful for International Travel. Having a good understanding of communicating in English makes it easier to travel around the globe. Because it is the main international common language for foreigners, knowing English makes it easy to get assistance and help in many parts of the world.
2 Minute Speech On The Importance Of The English Language In English
2 Minute Speech On The Importance Of The English Language In English. Good morning everyone present here, today I am going to give a speech on the importance of the English language. Our primary means of communication, language is how we convey our ideas to others. The secondary function of language is to express someone's feelings, attitudes ...
The power of language: How words shape people, culture
Language can play a big role in how we and others perceive the world, and linguists work to discover what words and phrases can influence us, unknowingly. New Stanford research shows that ...
13 Speeches in English for Listening and Speaking Practice
She also gives the basic definitions of important terms in the speech itself. This speech is perfect for English listening and speaking practice because it is so short but also full of useful information. It is also a good example of the standard American English accent. 4. Gender Equality Speech by Emma Watson.
PRDV008: The Importance of Language
The first important element of language is clarity, or the use of language to make sure the audience understands a speaker's ideas in the way the speaker intended. While language, or verbal communication, is only one channel we can use to transmit information, it is a channel that can lend itself to numerous problems.
Famous English Speeches and Their Importance
Famous English speeches have played an instrumental role in shaping history, influencing language, and inspiring generations. Their enduring importance lies not just in their historical significance but also in their continued relevance and ability to resonate across time and cultures. As we continue to study and draw inspiration from these ...
Public Speaking in English: 10 Essential Tips to Present with ...
2. Speak directly from your thoughts. It is always much more interesting to hear someone creating sentences as they speak rather than reading something written in advance. Unless you are a brilliant actor, it is very hard to read a text in a natural way.
1 Minute Speech on English Language In English
1 Minute Speech on English Language In English. Respected Principal, teachers and my dear friends, a wonderful morning to all of you. Today on this special occasion, I would like to speak some words on the topic- English Language. English is the language of England, a European country. Although natively spoken only in England, English has ...
Speech on importance of english language for students
In this video you you will see a speech on importance to english language. This video will help you if you want know how to present a speech.Thanks for watch...
Why learning the parts of Speech in English is essential for reaching
Studies in language acquisition and learning show the importance of understanding the parts of speech. For example, a 2016 study published in the Journal of Writing Research looked at writing samples from both native English speakers and English language learners (Crossley & McNamara, 2016).
13.2 Using Language Effectively
Imagery is the use of language to represent objects, actions, or ideas. The goal of imagery is to help an audience member create a mental picture of what a speaker is saying. A speaker who uses imagery successfully will tap into one or more of the audience's five basic senses (hearing, taste, touch, smell, and sight).
Connected Speech In English: What It Is And How To Learn It
5. Geminates. Geminates are a doubled or long consonant sound. In connected speech, when a first word ends with the same consonant sound that the next word begins with, we often put the sounds together and elongate them. For example: "single ladies" turns into "single-adies". "social life" turns into "social-ife".
78th Independence Day speech ideas in English for kids and students
Independence Day 2024 Speech: Tips and Ideas: Keep your speech short and simple so kids can easily remember it. Verify all historical facts in your speech. Help kids practice their speeches. Practice in full uniform before the actual speech at school or college. Avoid using difficult words in the speech. Skip overly complicated or lengthy facts.
Is the Articulatory Trajectory of Changing Syllables Important for
Speaking involves the production of complex motor sequences mainly consisting of changing articulatory movements. These alternating articulatory movements are known to be produced at relatively fast speaking rates, achieving the production of 6.6 syllables per second in adult speakers (Coupé et al., 2019).However, some speech sequences reach faster rates than others for a number of reasons ...
Speech On Spirituality in English for School Students
Farewell Speech for Colleague in English Shiva Tyagi; Jun 12, 2024; Best Speech on Corruption in Politics in English for Students Bhumika Sharma; May 31, 2024; Vote of Thanks Speech for Students in English Bhumika Sharma; Jun 3, 2024; 5 minute Speech on Cultural Diversity for School Students Deepika Joshi; Feb 1, 2024
19 Facts About Tim Walz, Harris's Pick for Vice President
4. He reminds you of your high school history teacher for a reason. Mr. Walz taught high school social studies and geography — first in Alliance, Neb., and then in Mankato, Minn. — before ...

Speech on the Importance of English Language

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Frequently Asked Questions on the Importance of English Language

Speech on the Importance of Learning English

How did English become a global language?

What is the importance of learning English?

List some advantages of the English language.

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Importance of the English Language

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PRDV008: Preparing and Delivering Presentations

Oral versus Written Language

Basic Functions of Language

Denotative Meaning

Connotative Meaning

Twelve Ways Oral and Written Language Differ

Key Takeaways

Using Language Effectively

Use Appropriate Language

Appropriate for the Speaker

Appropriate for the Audience

Appropriate for the Context

Appropriate for the Topic

Use Vivid Language

Concreteness

Parallelism

Alliteration

Use Inclusive Language

Gender-Specific Language

Generic "He"

Use of "Man"

Gender-Typed Jobs

Ethnic Identity

Sexual Orientation

Use Familiar Language

Six Elements of Language

Obscure Language/Jargon

Famous English Speeches and Their Importance

The Timeless Influence of Oratory

The Power of Churchill’s Words

Context and Content

Impact and Legacy

Martin Luther King Jr.’s Dream

The Eloquence of Elizabeth I

John F. Kennedy’s Call to Action

Nelson Mandela’s Defiant Stand

Barack Obama’s Message of Hope

Chris Manning: How computers are learning to understand language