英语文体学-Chapter-8-The-English-of-Public-Speech

WANGYao@SDUTEnglishStylisticsChapter8TheEnglishofPublicSpeechContents8.1ScopeofPublicSpeech8.2ASampleTextforAnalysis8.3GeneralFeaturesofPublicSpeech8.4StylisticFeaturesofPublicSpeech8.1ScopeofPublicSpeechPublicspeechcoversafairlylargerange.Sofarasthefieldisconcerned,1)therearespeecheslikethebusinessmanagerexplainingnextyear’sbudget,theteacherlecturinginaclassroom;2)therearespeechesonquestionsoffact,valueandpolicy;3)therearespeechesonspecialoccasions:speechesofintroduction,ofpresentationetc.Sofarasthefunctionaltenorisconcerned,thereareinformativespeecheslike1);therearepersuasivespeecheslike2);andemotivespeecheslike3).Sofarasthepersonaltenorisconcerned,the1)kindofspeechescanbeformalorlessformalorinformal;the2)kindismostlyformal,andthe3)kindvariesindegreeofformality.8.1ScopeofPublicSpeechSofarasthemodeisconcerned,thereareimpromptuspeeches(speechesmadeonthespot),extemporaneousspeeches(speecheswithasetofbriefnotesoranoutlinetojogthememory),speechesfromreciting,andspeechesfromamanuscript;butmanyofthespeechesarewrittentobespokenbeforeanaudience.8.1ScopeofPublicSpeech8.1ScopeofPublicSpeechOfallaspectsofpublicspeaking,persuasionisthemostcomplexanddifficult.Itsjobistochangetheaudience’s.Itsgoalmaybetodefend,torefute,tosell,ortoinspire.Soundertheheadingofpublicspeech,weshallmainlydiscusspersuasivespeeches.8.2ASampleTextforAnalysisWinstonChurchillonMay13,1940intheHouseofCommons8.3GeneralFeaturesofPublicSpeechMostpersuasivespeechesarethespeakingofwhatiswrittentobespokentoanaudience,usuallyonaformaloccasion.Sotheypresentfeaturesofformalwrittenlanguagewhileexhibitingcharacteristicsofthespoken.8.3GeneralFeaturesofPublicSpeechPublicspeechesaresimilartodailyconversation.Theaddresserhastotailorhis/hermessagetotheaddresseeandadapttotheaddressee’sfeedback,andbothpublicspeechesanddailyconversationmakefulluseofprosodicandparalinguisticfeaturesforexpression.PublicspeakingisalsodifferentfromdailyconversationItconcentratesononetopicwithhighlystructuredformatandmoreformallanguage,andmakesamoreeffectivewayofdelivery.8.3GeneralFeaturesofPublicSpeechPublicspeakingshowsthecharacteristicsofthewrittenmodeItshighlylogicalorganizationofthoughts,closely-knitstructureandformallanguage.ItdiffersfromthewrittenmodeThelatterdoesnothavetoandcannotadapttoreaders’immediatefeedbackorrelyonskillfulvocaldelivery.8.4StylisticFeaturesofPublicSpeech8.4.1GrammaticalFeatures8.4.2LexicalFeatures8.4.3PhonologicalFeatures8.4.4SemanticFeatures8.4.1GrammaticalFeatures8.4.1.1VariationinsentencelengthItssentencesvarymuchinlength.Thelongestsentencecanhas74wordsandtheshortest4words.Suchsharpvariationinlengthreflectstheemotionalstateofmindofthespeakerandhis/herefforttoevokeanactiveresponsefromtheaudience.8.4.1GrammaticalFeatures8.4.1.2VarioussentencetypesAspublicspeechesareintendedtoinform,topersuade,andtoappeal,mostsentencesarestatements;occasionalquestionsareused.PresidentNixononFeb211972madehishistoricvisittoChinaWhatlegacyshallweleaveourchildren?Aretheydestinedtodieforthehatredswhichhaveplaguedtheoldworld,oraretheydestinedtolivebecausewehadthevisiontobuildanewworld?8.4.1.2VarioussentencetypesCommandscanbemany,oftenintroducebylet,asisshowninMartinLutherKing’s“IHaveaDream”.GobacktoMississippi.GobacktoAlabama,gobacktoSouthCarolina,gobacktoGeorgia,gobacktoLouisiana,gobacktotheslumsandghettosofournortherncities,knowingthatsomehowthissituationcanandwillbechanged.Letusnotwallowinthevalleyofdespair.8.4.1.2VarioussentencetypesVocativesofageneraltypesuchas“myfellowcitizens”,“myfriends”,areusedtoaddatouchofintimacytotheaddresser-addresseerelationship.8.4.1.3Morecomplex-lookinggroupstructuresNominalgroupscanbecomplex-lookingwithpostmodificationtobeaccurateandeasytoprocessofphrase,relativeclause(relativepronounnotomitted)(p.126)Verbalgroupslackofcontractions,passivestructures8.4.2LexicalFeatures8.4.2.1UsingaccurateandclearwordInordertobeaccurateandclearinmeaning,successfulspeakerstendtochooseconcrete,familiarwordsEvenwhenabstractorunfamiliarwords,suchastechnicalterms,areunavoidable,thespeakerissupposedtokeepthemtoaminimumandclearlydefinethem.Therearegenerallynowordsvagueinmeaning.8.4.2LexicalFeatures8.4.2.1UsingaccurateandclearwordOneofthemostinterestingfeaturesof“IHaveaDream”speechisKing’suseoflanguagetomaketheabstractprinciplesofLibertyandEqualityclearandcompelling.Throughoutthespeech,Kingreliesonfamiliarandconcretewords.E.g.P.1278.4.2.2AdaptationofwordingtoparticularaudienceThespeakerinclineshis/herlanguagetowardthelessformal,lessrigidwaysofspeaking,makingreferencetohim/herself,introducinghumor,askingfordirectresponse,orusingsomecolloquialitemsoridioms,evensomedialectwords.aBlackspeakerawomanspeakerUSPresidentBushinhiscampaignatTexas8.4.2LexicalFeatures8.4.2.3LessuseofphrasalverbsThisissharplycontrastedwithcasualspeechinwhichphrasalverbscanbefoundeverywhere8.4.2LexicalFeatures8.4.3PhonologicalFeaturesInasense,thesuccessofanaddressdependslargelyonhowthespeakercontrolshis/hervoice.Theaspectsofvoicetocontrolarevolume,pi