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The Power Of Your Speaking Voice-how Good Diction Helps - Education - Nairaland

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The Power Of Your Speaking Voice-how Good Diction Helps by shaneroberts26: 3:12pm On Oct 09, 2013
This article is for people that have interest in sounding articulate alongside those that have speech impediment.Y'all can thank me later. cool



What did you say? Will you repeat that please? Did you say...? Would you please speak a little louder? I didn't understand what you just said. Could you speak up, please?

These questions all refer to one thing - poor diction when speaking. One of the biggest frustrations in communication is the inablility to understand what a person is saying. This can even lead to a heated argument, family disputes and lovers quarrels.

Many of us fall into the "I can't understand you", or poor diction category. But all it takes is a change of habit to learn how to clean up your diction and sound more professional.


Additional benefits of speaking clearly


The dictionary defines diction as the degree of clarity and distinctness of pronunciation in speech.

Speaking clearly improves the sound of your voice, giving you a more successful vocal image. As you speak with confidence and credibility you become you make a lasting and positive impression. This forms trust.

It seems that we become complacent with our speaking voice. We don't think much about it. And because we are so used to our own sound, what we hear as we speak seems to be correct to us. But what we hear and what the listener hears are two different sounds. As we speak, we are hearing the sound which is vibrating and resonating between the bony surfaces of our head and face. The listener is hearing the projected sound. This sound can be quite a schock to us the first time we hear it on a recording. I know I was quite disappointed the first time I heard my true speaking voice.

Adding another advantage we have over the listener is the "image" of the words which travel through our thought process. Others can't read our minds and can only communicate through our words.

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When you were in grade school and just a kid, you were taught how to make vowel sounds. You were also taught how to articulate consonants. By being specific with these sounds, you learned that you could easily be understood.

It may be time to pump more energy into your voice by reviewing some of the basics of good speaking. Do you remember the famous actor, Richard Burton? He was known for executing perfect diction. If you can imitate his sound (somewhat), you will find that he used his lips to form beautiful, clear and resonant speech.

He was the master of consonant placement. And as brilliant as he was with the spoken word, he continued to practice and always warmed up his voice before acting on stage.









Teaching a child to pronounce the letter "r"


Teaching a child to pronounce the letter "r"
Source: Audrey Hunt aka vocalcoachPhoto




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Excercises for consonant placement and successful diction


The following excercises may help you with your consonant placement. They excercise your muscles for speech:

Bilabial - sounds made with the two lips together.
•ME MAY MY MO MU - PE PAY PY PO PU - BE BAY BY BO BU- WE WAY WY WO WU

Sometimes we mumble and fail to pronounce our words properly because we don't know how to position our tongue and teeth. While speaking the above bilabial exercise, pay attention to how the tongue is positioned in the mouth. There is little movement except for the U (oo), where the tongue pulls back a little.

Labiodental - upper teeth on lower lip.
•FE FAY FY FO FU - VE VAY VY VO VU

Linguadental - tongue between teeth.
•THE THAY THY THO THU

Lingua alveolar - tongue tip against upper teeth. Avoid attacking the T by bringing the teeth together so that they touch. The t sound is initiated with the tongue contacting the gumline which meets the upper teeth.
•TEE TAY TY TO TU - DEE DAY DY DO DU - NEE NAY NY NO NU - LEE LAY LY LO LU

Lingua alveorlar - tongue tip positioned against lower teeth.
•SEE SAY SY SO SU - ZEE ZAY ZY ZO ZU

Lingua palatal - tongue is against the roof of the mouth (hard palate)
•CHE CHAY CHY CHO CHU - JE JAY JY JO JU - SHE SHAY SHY SHO SHU - RE RAY RY RO RU

Lingua velar - tongue against the soft palate or uvula.
•KE KAY KY KO KU - GE GAY GY GO GU

Glottal - layrnx or voice box.
•HE HAY HY HO HOO

Practice these diction exercises for a few minutes each day to get the best results. After a time, your pronounciation will become natural sounding. Another suggestion, is to list words with these sounds in them. Record your voice now and then to help you follow and recognize your improvement.






Common mistakes in pronounciation


The way you pronounciate your words is a major factor in influencing people. People who mispronounce words are often unfairly judged. Take a look at the following list of mistakes made in pronounciation.
•Leaving off the end of the "ing" words as in thing, wearing, loving, wanting, singing.
•Word and slang misuse ("he goes" instead of "he said".)
•Eliminate the words (goin', comin', gonna, shoulda, woulda) in your speech permanantely.
•Kill the filler words (like, you know, um, er) which can be annoying.





Tip to bring energy to your voice


I have used this exercise for years with immediate results. If your speech is lazy, tired or monotonous, try running in place as you speak an easy song or phrase. Example: Row, row, row your boat, gently down the stream, merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily, life is but a dream.

Try it all in one breath, speaking clearly and not rushing the words. Keep the volume and pitch up.



Exercises for specific speech problems


Here are some exercises to help you if your pitch is too high or too low. And if your tones are monotonous and boring they will add color to your speech.
•The siren excercise - begin on a low tone, using the vowel "ee" and slide up to a high tone and back down again. ( you will sound like a siren). This will introduce you to a variety of areas and colors for speaking. If you speak with a high sound, lower your pitch and if you use a low sound or monotone, experiement with different pitches. Recording your vocal changes will help tremendously.
•Practice the following vowel exercises. Say the vowel sounds in progression as you drop your jaw farther for each vowel sound. You may feel as though you are exaggerating and you should. - EE IH EH AH AW UH O OO.
•If you want to get rid of a nasal sound - drop your jaw and exaggerate chewing the tones on YA YOO YE.
•My favorite exercise is this one. Look in the mirror and say "hello" to yourself using lots of energy. You will most likely smile, and that's great. Now, saying only good things to yourself keep talking. Nothing negative must be spoken. Talk to yourself like you're talking to your best friend. Keep the dialogue going for at least 1 full minute. In the beginning it may be difficult, but with time and consistency it will become easy.

You deserve to be dressed in a powerful, confident voice. You deserve to be listened to, and you certainly deserve to be understood.



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Source-http://vocalcoach.hubpages.com/hub/How-to-Clean-Up-Your-Diction-Starting-Now

1 Like 1 Share

Re: The Power Of Your Speaking Voice-how Good Diction Helps by braine(m): 3:17pm On Oct 09, 2013
Thanks OP
Re: The Power Of Your Speaking Voice-how Good Diction Helps by shaneroberts26: 3:23pm On Oct 09, 2013
braine: Thanks OP
Your handle alone shows your character.This is for people that cherish knowledge and self improvmnt programs like myself.Ma pleasure
Re: The Power Of Your Speaking Voice-how Good Diction Helps by kester113(m): 4:27pm On Sep 01, 2016
Thanks @ Op...I Av Always Wanted To Learn This.Nice Article

1 Like

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