Page 300 - Essentials of Human Communication

Three Types of Informative Speeches 279

SpeeCh AnnotAtionS And QueStionS
We have cell phones. When I was growing up, we were just still using If the speaker had chosen to use visual aids, what types would have been
landlines and long distance charges applied, which don’t anymore. Now cell useful? This particular speech assignment did not call for citing research.
phones, we can talk internationally. We couldn’t even talk internationally
on our landlines many, many years ago. We now have something called If it had, what types of research might the speaker have used? Here the
teleconferencing. In other words, you can be sitting here in this classroom, speaker introduces the element of cultural differences in a neat transition
studying, and someone from Australia could be in the same classroom with from the discussion of changing communication technology to culture.
you, and you can be discussing things and learning together.
Our communicating world is shrinking, but with new communications,
we also have to realize that there are cultural differences.
We have to learn whether it is proper to speak or not to speak. In this cul- The distinction between individualist and collectivist cultures is made clear
ture, speaking is fine. In Asian cultures, you need to listen first. In our culture, with a simple example contrasting the cultures of the United States and Asia.
we’re more individualism. In other words, if you make a mistake, you’re If this were a longer speech what other examples might have been used to
responsible for it. But on the other hand, if you live in a collective culture, emphasize this distinction?
such as our Asian counterparts, their thinking is different. They work as a
group. If you make a mistake, the whole group makes a mistake. So it’s really How would you describe the speaker’s delivery style? Would this be effective
important that we learn that cultural differences can make the difference in your class? What can you learn from this model?
between communication skills that you’re learning are going to be effective
or not.
You have to realize that just because we’re allowed to speak in our culture How would you describe the speaker’s adherence to the suggestions for
doesn’t necessarily mean that you can speak in another. Remember, once the informative speaking: Focus on the audience? Limiting the amount of
words are out there, you can’t go stop, come back. They’re out there for the information? Adjustment of the level of complexity? Relating new
whole world, and it isn’t just our little world or the neighborhood that I grew information to old?
up in. It’s the world. We’re talking Sweden, Australia, the Congo, South America.
Those words that you spoke that you thought were just for you to hear are no
longer your words. They’re out there. You can’t say come back. I made a
mistake.
Before you press that send button on your Facebook page, or before you The speaker uses repetition in making the point that communication is irre-
press any send button or even talk in teleconferencing, you have to make versible and unerasable in this technological world. In what other ways
sure that what you’re saying is not going to be offensive to someone else. might this point have been made?
Again, once it’s said, there are no do overs. And what you can say may be
very offensive to someone else. So, again, in our culture, in our communica-
tion, those are the things that we have to remember. There are no do overs.
There are no stop, come back moments
And in conclusion, we have different forms of communication. It isn’t just Lots of speakers announce their conclusion with the word “conclusion”. What
me talking to you face to face. It’s Facebook. It’s Skype. It’s mass media. There other ways might be used to signal that you’re going into your
are different platforms. We’ve got Facebook. I’ve got a general account. I can conclusion?
Skype. I can talk to someone on a cell phone. I can e-mail them on my
computer. Those weren’t available several years ago, and I suspect as time
progresses that our platforms are going to be changing.
Technology’s going to allow us to even further communicate with those Here the speaker provides a kind of motivation—to learn more about com-
people that we were unable to do so even ten years ago. We live in a shrink- munication and especially the cultural implications. If this speech were given
ing world, and because the world is shrinking, it is important to realize that in your class, what would you say in motivating your classmates to learn
what we here in the United States may think is normal, someone in Asia may more about communication and culture?
find very offensive. So the bottom line is communication is really important,
but it’s also an awareness.
It’s a challenge to each student every day that when we learn to commu- Here it’s clear that the speaker is providing crisp closure to her speech. What
nicate, we communicate on a level that is both effective and not offensive, would you say in closing?
and with that, I thank you.

support Instead of simply listing your main points, you should instead flesh them out
and make them memorable, interesting, and, most of all, clear. In a speech of description you
do this by using a variety of materials that amplify and support your main ideas. Because
you are giving a speech of description, give extra consideration to the variety of description
you might use in your supporting materials: examples, illustrations, testimony, numerical
data, and presentation aids.