Many people have the challenge of expressing themselves, that is, expressing exactly what they have in mind. In this article, we will discuss in detail how to be articulate and speak eloquently.
Being articulate is beyond just words. Articulation means being able to make your points using the right words your listeners can understand, and at a pace they can flow easily with. It involves gestures, diction, and thought processes that coherently convey what you have in mind. Articulation enables you to express your ideas, feelings, and opinions effectively. So, let’s get down to improving our speaking in its entirety. We will examine various points to improve our articulation and eloquence, and to refine our speeches.
Firstly, before embarking on a journey of self-improvement, do an analysis of what needs to be improved. Analyse how your sentence sounds. You can do this by audio or videorecording yourself speaking for a few minutes. Listen to your voice while identifying what sounds right or not to you – if you swallow some parts of your sentences or use long sentences, if there are many filler words in them, if you speak too fast or too slow, etc. This is an extremely important process that helps to narrow the focus to essential aspects. It serves as a physician’s diagnosis before medication is prescribed.
Secondly, to improve articulation and eloquence, the right speed is paramount. Although one does have to speak at a snail pace, rushing your words makes you sound inarticulate. It is important to strike a balance between fast and slow and stay in the middle. If you speak too slowly, your listeners’ attention will be lost; speak too quickly, and you will make lots of mistakes and confuse your listeners. Always aim to maintain moderate speed.
Thirdly, pause at intervals. This is an effective technique to help you sound more articulate when speaking. Pause as if you want to take a breath after a couple of sentences. This protects you from sounding breathless and rushed. It is also a very effective tool because it helps you gather your thoughts and keeps your speech right on track. Pausing also comes in handy when you want to veer off to another point, emphasise a point, or express a feeling while speaking.
Additionally, use short sentences. When a sentence is short, it is easier to grasp. Long sentences are harder to comprehend. Although they may be appropriate in a written piece, they do not have the same effect for in verbal communication. If your sentences are drawn out and long, they can make what you’re trying to say sound incoherent. Use short sentences to express points although there is no harm in embellishing your speech with a few moderately long sentences to spice it up a little.
Again, avoid speaking in a monotonous manner. When people listen to monotonous speeches, the word that comes to mind is ‘boring’. When speaking, it is important to vary your voice projection, rhythm, and pitch. The ability to raise and lower your tone depending on the emotions your words evoke is key in captivating your audience. Speaking in a single tone without changing your tone here and there is a recipe for incoherent communication. It makes your speech sound flat and uninteresting. Break the monotonous voice if you want to pass your points articulately.
Another thing to do is to enunciate your words clearly and properly. For many people, the last sound of their words usually gets lost in their speech. It’s very common to hear people mumble the last part of their sentences or words. This can make an overall speech sound weak. Ensure you enunciate the final part of your words clearly. Pronounce your words accurately, and if you don’t know the right pronunciation of a word you want to use, use a synonym.
Also, avoid filler words. A lot of people tend to use fillers when they are nervous or at a loss of words to capture their thoughts, and others have formed the habit of including them in every sentence. These include words like ‘uh’, ‘ehm’, ‘you know’, and ‘basically’. The solution to avoiding filler words is to improve your vocabulary and your confidence. Recollecting your thoughts before you start speaking, pausing between sentences, and using shorter sentences also work. Consciously begin to drop these filler expressions from your vocabulary. It won’t be easy, but you can succeed in consciously purging them from your speech.
Moreover, speak to and with your audience. Who are your listeners? Will they understand your points as stated, or do you need to convey your points differently? Articulation begins with the ability to say what the other person understands. Adjusting your choice of words to fit your audience is important if you want them to understand you. The way and manner you speak in an office setting shouldn’t be the same when speaking to a group of 10-year-olds. Use appropriate level vocabulary for your audience, with your pitch and intonation tailored to suit your audience.
Importantly, work on your self-confidence. Confidence matters a lot when it comes to being articulate. Confidence in yourself helps you speak eloquently. It helps your words flow smoothly and sounds more convincing.
Not to be ignored is the need to round off audibly. When rounding off, don’t trail off. How you conclude your speech is just as important as how you started it. Start articulately to capture attention. Finish strongly to sustain the conviction.
In conclusion, learning proper articulation can help you to eradicate the struggle of speaking incoherently and embed your speech with eloquence. However, in refining and properly articulating/improving our speeches, it is important to analyse your speech, watch your speed, pause at intervals, use shorter sentences, avoid filler words or speaking in a monotonous manner, and speak to and with your audience with confidence. These will saturate your speech with eloquence and coherent articulation, sweet to the ears that listen to you. What is more, you can be sure of achieving your communication goal.