From a scratch to a master in public speaking (part 3)

It is time to share my thoughts in the third part of the series "From a scratch to a master in public speaking". This article is more about useful tools you can implement in the main part of your speech.

Let's start with Aristotle's "modes for persuasion" - otherwise known as rhetorical appeals - are known by the names of ethos, pathos, and logos. They are means of persuading others to believe a particular point of view. They are often used in speech writing and advertising to persuade the audience. Before explanation what every each of them means let me quote Aristotel about how rhetoric works:

"Of the methods of persuasion furnished by the spoken word there are three kinds. The first kind depends on the personal character of the speaker [ethos]; the second on putting the audience into a certain frame of mind [pathos]; the third on the proof, or apparent proof, provided by the words of the speech itself [logos]. Persuasion is achieved by the speaker's personal character when the speech is so spoken as to make us think him credible."

An Ethos that Greek describes as a personal character is also commented as intelligence, morals. It is the speaker's credibility. People need to trust you and recognize you as someone who is well experienced in that topic and know definitely what is saying. A good example of ethos is: 

"If my years as a Marine taught me anything, it's that caution is the best policy in this sort of situation." 

Being a Marine here is getting the speaker's credibility and trustworthiness. 

Moving on to the next point- Pathos as an emotional and motivational influence on the audience. Pathos gains access to the emotions and deep-rooted beliefs of the audience to attract them to the topic. It often makes the audience feel as if they have a personal share in the information provided and is often the catalyst that puts them into action. 

"You will never be satisfied in life if you don't seize this opportunity. Do you want to live the rest of your life yearning to know what would have happened if you just jumped when you had the chance?” 

Surely a great part of the public will consider that sentence to compare to their lives and get even more interested later on. 

The last part of the Greek model is Logos that uses logic, reasoning, evidence, and facts to support an argument. Logos refers to a more rational side of the mind of the recipients and provides support for the topic. Logotype strategies can often be used to strengthen the impact of pathos on recipients. 

"The data is perfectly clear: this investment has consistently turned a profit year-over-year, even in spite of market declines in other areas." It is the ultimate fact that everyone considers as a truth. 

Right now move on to another good model to use in your speech. Martin Luther King at the March on Washington said: 

"I have a dream that one day [...] 

I have a dream that one day [...] 

I have a dream that one day [...]”

Here is nothing else like using anaphora as a great way to make a point on that sentence. Start your following sentences with exactly the same sequence of words to empower your message.

On the other hand, there is another way of using this tool. Barack Obama on New Hampshire Primary Speech said:

"It was a creed written into the founding documents that declared the destiny of a nation: Yes, we can. It was whispered by slaves and abolitionists as they blazed a trail towards freedom through the darkest of nights: Yes, we can. It was sung by immigrants as they struck out from distant shores and pioneers who pushed westward against an unforgiving wilderness: Yes, we can".

He repeated in every sentence, in the end, the same phrase: "Yes, we can". It called the epistrophe. As a previous one, it intensifies, even more, the meaning of this opinion. 

Finally and personally, in my opinion, the greatest symbol of a magnificent presentation is antithesis as a great way to lead into exactly how you want to define an idea or argument. Contrast is a very important stylistic choice to fully illustrate a concept. By explaining a concept, idea or argument with its opposite, you give your audience a 360 degree understanding of your point. By giving your audience a contrast with the opposite point of view, they have a better idea of the concept.

If you are having a tough time trying to decide how to use antithesis effectively, consider the main point you are trying to perform with your speech. What would the opposing point be? Use that as a springboard to begin pinning down details of contrast to give your speech stylistic form.

Thank you for going through this part. See you in the next one.