Effective Speaking
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CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY .t BOUGHT WITH THE INCOME OF THE SAGE ENDOWMENT FUND GIVEN IN 1 89 1 BY HENRY WILLIAMS SAGE Cornell University Library PN4121.P548 1908 Effective speakin 3 1924 030 976 744 olin Cornell University Library The original of this book is in the Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924030976744 EFFECTIVE SPEAKING AN EXPOSITION OF THE LAWS OF EFFECTIVENESS IN THE CHOICE OF MATERIAL IN SPEECH, WITH EXAMPLES AND EXERCISES BY ARTHUR EDWARD PHILLIPS Author ol "The Tone System'*; Director, Department of Public Speaking, the Theological Seminary of the Evangelical Lutheran Church at Chicago; Principal, Phillips School of Oratory, Chicago CHICAGO THE NEWTON COMPANY 1931 COPYMGHT, 1908 BY ARTHUR EDWARD PHILLIPS All rights reserved TO MY WIFE THIS BOOK IB LOVINGLY DEDICATED : PREFACE At the risk of being thought egotistical, I have deemed it wise to set down a plain unvarnished tale of the making of this volume. About fifteen years ago, when I first began to teach the Art of Expression, I found a constant demand for instruction in Public Speaking. The student would ask, "Can you give me some definite steps which, if followed, would lead to confidence and power when I seek to per- suade or convince ? Are there any laws or rules that would be direct, practical helps ?" And I found myself compelled to admit that I knew of very few; that all the writers on Ehetoric, from Aristotle down, also the authorities on Logic and Argumentation, failed right here. True, there were many isolated aids, but nothing like a well-ordered, practical system was to be found. In fact, there was more than a half truth in the couplet "All a rhetorician's rules Teach him but to name his tools." These conditions in respect to the field of Public Speak- ing constantly forced themselves upon me. I kept asking myself, is it possible that a department of such vast im- portance; as that of social, business and professional speech must rely for its effectiveness almost solely on impulse? 5 6 PEEFACE Can it be that success in attaining one's end must be looked upon as mainly a matter of chance? And this in the face of order and system in almost every other depart- ment of human endeavor? I could not believe it. And so resolved to devote a goodly portion of my time to the careful study and investigation of the whole problem of effectiveness in speaking. With a few interruptions, I have devoted about half my time to this investigation for fifteen years, and, at last, feel prepared to declare authori- tatively that effective speaking is based on laws, that these laws permit of practical application, and that in this work is now formulated a method by which any one, with a reasonable amount of faithful study and practice, can feel sure he is moving along right lines and can markedly increase his speaking power. Investigation Deductive and Inductive. My method of investigation was both deductive and inductive. I began a restudy of the representative works on speaking and rhetoric. This investigation included, among others, the works of Aristotle, Quintilian, Cicero, Whately, Camp- bell, Blair, Hill, Genung, Bautain, Karnes. This careful restudy led me to the conclusion that little that was new had been added to Aristotle, and that while Aristotle was masterly in his analysis, he failed to present a construct- ive system that could oe of daily use to the twentieth cen- tury speaker. Analysis of Master Speeches. Coincident with this study of the great rhetorical authorities, I began a systematic examination of the speeches of master speakers of all ages and all countries—orators of the bar, of the pulpit, of the deliberative assembly, orators of agitation and re- — PREFACE 7 form, orators of the lyceum. Also I included in my task a careful study of the master speakers in epic, novel and drama, including Shakespeare, Milton, Homer, Hugo, Dante. All of these were carefully examined with regard to what they could teach as to effectiveness in speech what, if anything, there seemed to be agreement upon. Study of Contemporary Speaking. Besides these inves- tigations, I carried my study into the field of practi- cal modern life. Three speakers talk to the same audi- ence. Only one succeeds. Why? Three salesmen seek to sell the same article. Why does salesman B make sales where the others could not? Two teachers talk on the same topic—one attains a result, the other fails. Wherein is the difference? Why does one speaker tire, the other interest ? Constantly I made studies of actual speaking in modern life. Psychological Research. Further, I carried the study into the field of Psychology. What are the laws of impres- sion, if any ? Could Psychology say why one thing would likely be remembered, why another thing would not ? Why one statement would sway an audience, why another would not? How far did the latest psychic discoveries furnish reliable conclusions in respect to different methods in argu- mentation, in choice of material, in expression? All this was carefully studied and noted. Conclusions Drawn. These various lines of investigation completed, a tabulation and comparison of the results showed such marked agreement as to force upon me cer- tain conclusions which warrant the term authoritative. In every field of investigation it was found that certain laws unquestionably governed effectiveness, and that while g PBEFACE there might be infinite variety in the adaptation to given ends, it was a variety within a unity. The Constructive Problem. The constructive problem then presented itself. How could these laws be formu- lated into a working system that would proceed in logical, natural sequence, and that could be applied with reason- able facility. In other words, how could there be formed an art of speaking that could be acquired with a fair de- gree of ease, and also, while insisting on fundamentals, would give free play to the individuality. Here much reflection and experiment were necessary. Finally, how- ever, a series of steps was devised which met these de- mands. The Especial Value of the Work. This, then, in brief, is the story of this work. The book presents in a prac- ticable way the essentials of effectiveness in all depart- ments of speaking, whether it be impressiveness, entertain- ment, convincingness, persuasion. Instead of allowing blind impulse to govern, this volume trains tae judgment in the use of the great psychological principles that gov- ern success in speech. Also, it offers a logical way to effective Extemporaneous Speaking. The book is in no sense experimental. All has been suc- cessfully taught by the author in his public and private work and has been applied by the student and the man of affairs with equally satisfactory results. In substance the book is the transference to the printed page of the methods of the author's class room which have achieved success. It is a writer's and speaker's workshop. While the preparation of this work has been essentially personal, special thanks are given to Mr. Edgar Newton PEEEACE Phillips for his many valuable criticisms and other prac- tical help, and also a word of appreciation is due that great body of students whose oratorical difficulties have been the author's spur. It will be observed that this volume does not discuss effectiveness in respect to Delivery. Voice, Action and Expression have been treated in the author's work, "The Tone System," and will be discussed further in volumes to follow. Akthde B. Phillips. Chicago, November, 1908. CONTENTS CHAPTER. pAGB. I. The Importance op Effective Speaking 13 II. The General Ends 17 III. The Principle op Reference to Experience 28 IV. Eeference to Experience and the General Ends. 37 V. Action and the Impelling Motives 48 VI. Entertainment and the Factors op Interesting- NESS 63 VII. Cumulation >. ' 79 VIII. Assertions and the Pour Forms op Support 88 IX. Restatement 91 X. Restatement (Continued) 97 XI. General Illustration 104 XII. General Illustration (Continued) 114 XIII. Specific Instance 121 XrV. Specific Instance (Continued) 128 XV. Testimony 134 XVI. Additional Remarks on the Four Forms of Sup- port v.- 141 XVTI. The Statement op Aim and the Central Idea 146 XVTII. The Central Idea (Continued) 153 XIX. The Sub-Ideas 165 XX. The Introduction and the Conclusion 172 XXI. Oratorical Style 181 XXII. Self Questioning 202 XXIII. Beading 207 XXIV. The After-Dinner Speech 214 XXV. Summary 219 Outline for Speech 222 Outline op Principles 223 Exercises 227 List op Studies 291 Questions 301 ! EFFECTIVE SPEAKING. CHAPTEK I. THB IMPORTANCE OF EFFECTIVE SPEAKING. When we realize that speech, spoken and written, is the medium by which men must convey their ideas; that it is the only vehicle for communicating truth; that society, individually and collectively, every moment may be swayed and molded by it; that it is, in fact, the very foundation of intellectual and moral progress, the question of its effectiveness is seen to be of vital moment. The question becomes of even greater concern when we consider how much of speech fails of its purpose. The teacher seeks to impart his knowledge, and discovers that the pupils do not comprehend; the preacher discourses patiently to his congregation, but fails to influence; the lawyer talks earnestly to the jury, but loses his case; the salesman dilates upon his wares, but makes no sales; the father talks to the son, but secures no reform; the poli- tician harangues the crowd, but fails of election. And this, though the teacher has important history to impart, the preacher golden truths, the lawyer unquestioned facts, the salesman excellent wares, the father good counsel, the politician a just policy ! All fail In the course of the author's professional duties a great number of speeches have come into his hands for criti- 13 14 EFFECTIVE SPEAKING cism, from students of law schools, theological seminaries, and universities; from lawyers, preachers and political speakers, and with careful regard for the truth it must be said that a large percentage evince little or no apprecia- tion of the principles that govern effectiveness in speaking.