Part 2 of the previous post
SPEAKING SEDUCTIVELY :
By David Tian
Continuing with the series on vocal tonality, let’s look at another common and crippling problem with speech.
Many people tend to speak too fast in social situations, mainly because they are nervous and care too much about what other people think of them. This fast speech makes them seem not only nervous, but also lacking in confidence, and creates the impression that what they have to say is unimportant.
Slowly does it
A smooth and slow tonality is not only seductive; it also commands authority.
To develop this, it is best to use a recorder or computer microphone. Sit up straight, take a deep breath, and repeat the following:
‘From this moment onwards, I will speak slower and smoother and try not to cram too many words into one breath just because I have lots of ideas in my head and want to get them all out and am afraid that if I speak too slowly with lots of pauses, people may lose their attention when really, it is best to speak slowly and smoothly.’
Now listen to the recording of yourself. Very likely, enunciating a run-on sentence like this one caused you to mumble and speak very quickly for fear of losing your breath.
Repeat the run-on sentence, but this time, ensure that you pronounce every consonant clearly, take painfully long pauses every few words, make your pace exaggeratedly slow, and take deep breaths between phrases.
Begin to speed up your pace while maintaining clear enunciation and pausing between phrases.
Continue to practise this exercise. The tempo should be slow and the timbre smooth.
Even after you’ve practiced this tonality on your own, once you get back into social situations, your speech will probably speed up again. So be sure to monitor your tonality constantly until it becomes second nature, which could take a few months.
Just like with any new skill, it will take some getting used to. You may think that you are boring people, but you aren’t. Keep at it. The social pay-off is huge.
Adapted from The New Paper, Sunday 26 January 2009
