Wyoming democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Wyoming Co., Pa.) 1867-1940, 1867-10-16
SPEAK DISTINCTLY.

No nation exccs our own in the talking,
faculty, not even the voluble Frenchman,
and among no other people eau so many
persons be found who think themselves
qualified, and who really possess some, to
"speak in meeting" We have larger
number than any other people of those
who can speak in public inteIligently.--
But the great deficiency with the majority
of them is that they do not speak intelli-
glbly. They do not articulate distinctly
or make themselves heard as they should,
nor as they intend. How often is the lis
tener annoyed by the habit which minis
tiers, lawyers. and stump orators have, of
either suddenly dropping the voice near
or Mt the close of sentence, so that the
final ntterance becomes quite impossible of
apprehension. You want to hear what
the man is going to say, but you fail, be
cause he don't say it-at least for your
ear 1t is one of the most provoking
things in the world-and gives one much
the same sensation, as it would to lose a
choice morsel, the best of the feast, by
having it slip away from your lips just as
your mouth was all made rp for 1t. Pub.
tic speakers should correct this vicious
trick Of suddenly reducing their intelligi
bic utterances to inarticulate sounds
Some evidently resort to the practice with
the idea OF giving added force, solcmnity
or emphasis to what they say, but tlieY
overdo it So completely as to destroy the
effect Of all tina. has preceded the attempt
to give an effective finish.
Another habit, even worse, is that of
mumbling instead of articuIrting, slurring
over words, giving the vowels only half
their requisite volume and time and end
ing in a confused rumble of consonant
sounds. This is peculiarly fault OF Eng
lish orators. Not dozen of the talking
members of Parliament speak with such
distinctness as to be heard by person at
distance of fifty feet. Speaking of this
tue Pail Nal Gazette says: "The ordiLa-
ry English orator cannot be understood
simply because he mumbles instead of ar
ticulating his syllables distinctly. Having
got language overfowing with consonants
he intensifies the evil by cultivaiing
habit Of not opening or closing his lips
with that decision and completeness with
out which no language whatever can be
properly spoken. Our American public
speakers are amenable to the same criti-
cism. 1t is fault that might be easily
corrected, and for the comfort of the hear
ers, and the effectiveness of the speech it
should be. 1t is the same thing that
makes the majority of men such poor
readers of their OWE language The frs:,
second aud final exhouation, which we
would give to children Learning to read
aloud, would "articulate, articulate
distinctly" This is not as some suppose
incompatible with rapidity OF speech -
Some of the most rapid of public speak
ers are those whose speech is most distinct
ly audible and most easily understood
We have heard Rufas Choate utter as ma.
ny words per minute as most, orators
would be able to speak in three minutes,
and continue this rapid speech for hours,
yet not word or syllable, would be lost.
Every one was completely .articulated and
reached the ear without difficulty. Moth
ing would lead mo,e directly and positive
ly to improve the character of American
public speaking, than for orators to be
constantly mindful Of the rule-speak
plainly. articulate fully and distinctly
Jersey City Joarnai. -...s.