Speech

Speech Study Guide

Similes are achieved by taking an idea the audience comprehends and comparing it with a new or unfamiliar idea to help an audience understand the new idea. These comparisons are comprised using words such as, “like” or “as.” Metaphors are like similes, in that they compare objects that the audience may think of as dissimilar. Unlike similes, the comparison is not so direct and does not use words such as, “like” or “as.” Instead of saying that one thing is like another, a metaphor says one thing is another. For example, a problem car is a lemon. Metaphors can be effective because they make abstract concepts more concrete, strengthen important points, and heighten emotions. Analogies are extended metaphors. At times a speaker may be able to develop a story from a metaphor that makes a concept more vivid. They can be effective for holding a speech together in a creative and vivid way. They are also useful to showcase similarities between a complex and unfamiliar concept with a familiar one. Alliteration is the repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words that are near one another. Tongue twisters use alliteration. When used sparingly, it can be an effective tool to get an audience’s attention and make the speech more memorable. Overuse will hurt the message of the speech because listeners may focus on the technique rather than the speech content. Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds in a phrase or phrases. Sometimes the words rhyme but this is not necessary. It can make a speech memorable when used sparingly. Onomatopoeia is the use of words that sound like the things they stand for. Basically, they are sound words, for example buzz, hiss, crack, or pop. These are sounds represented as words without mimicking the actual sound. Personification is attributing human qualities to a concept or an inanimate object. This can be anything from talking about a car as a trusted friend and companion or talking about flowers dancing on a lawn. Repetition is restating words, phrases, or sentences for emphasis. When a speaker wants to emphasize a certain point, they may choose repetition to draw the audience’s attention to the particular point. However, effective speakers will not use the same phrase or word but will instead use a variation of the phrase or word. Antithesis is the combination of contrasting ideas in the same sentence. For example, John F. Kennedy said, “Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country.” Likewise, astronaut Neil Armstrong used antithesis when he first stepped onto the moon and said, “One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” These statements or sentences, present contradictory ideas but serve as concluding remarks, which are often very memorable. Irony is a device that is typically used to highlight something absurd or a bitter disconnect between what is asserted and what is real; irony is a way to strongly imply a meaning that is opposite of what is stated. Oxymoron is used to combine seemingly contradictory expressions. This device might be used to emphasize the contract between two things or to give an amusing twist of meaning to phrases. Some have become so commonplace that their contradictory nature is no longer recognized, but accepted as truth; others however, still provoke thought or reinforce ideas.

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