Vocal Qualities

A speaker's voice itself can communicate much to the audience. The proper use of volume, enunciation, and tone can ensure that the audience can hear, understand, and internalize what the speaker is saying. In addition, these aspects of delivery can contribute to the enjoyment of the audience. The speaker should ensure that vocal variety is used when giving a speech. The volume and tone should be fluctuated to reinforce what is said or to emphasize important information.

Volume

The first voice quality concern should be to ensure that the speaker is loud enough for the whole audience to hear clearly. However, the speaker should not appear to be shouting at the audience in order to accomplish this. If speaking too loud, the audience becomes uncomfortable and loses their attention to the ideas the speaker is trying to express. Instead, the speaker should focus on projecting his or her voice so the people in the back can hear, but audience members in the front will not feel like they are being yelled at. However, if the room is too large for the speaker's voice to project so that everyone can hear, there is little the speaker can do to compensate. Sometimes a microphone and sound system are needed to ensure proper volume. In this case, the speaker should make sure that the system has been checked to ensure that the system works properly and is not a distraction. The speaker should still be able to change the volume of his/her voice for emphasis when using a microphone. For example, the volume may be raised to express enthusiasm or importance, or lowered to convey seriousness or sadness.

Enunciation

Proper enunciation is important. The speaker should articulate words clearly so the audience can clearly understand what is being said. If unsure of the correct pronunciation, the speaker should look at the pronunciation key in the dictionary. Mispronouncing words lowers one's perceived credibility as a speaker. The speaker should also enunciate in such a way as to say the whole word. Sometimes people tend to drop the "g" off of words ending in "-ing." (i.e., "drinkin'," instead of drinking). Dialects can distract listeners from the content of the speech and affect their perception of credibility. It is important for speakers to know the audience, and to be aware of their own dialects. Speakers can train themselves to speak in a different dialect.

Tone

The voice tone of the speaker makes the presentation enjoyable for the audience to listen. When speaking in a monotone voice, listeners often become bored and stop paying attention. Using inflection in tone makes the speech more interesting. It is also helpful in sharing emotions to reinforce ideas. When using a conversational tone with the audience, speakers tend to engage them and put them at ease. This technique also makes the speaker more approachable and will encourage questions or discussion on the topic at the conclusion of the presentation.

ANKITA
PGDM-1ST SEM