How do I become well-spoken?

Question

Be specific please. "Reading" is not helpful.

Answer 1

read

Answer 2

try contacting an elocution teacher  or speech therapist as it may also be the way you move your tongue and mouth

also by reading it doesn't always help with pronunciation as many words have silent letters

ie knife

    comb

    night  

Answer 3

Well, reading is one way to help, but to be more specific, try one of these programs / books:

http://www.amazon.com/Speaking-Clearly-I...

http://www.amazon.com/Lessons-Elocution-...

http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Idiots-Gu...

Also, I would suggest investing in a small hand-held tape recorder. This can have many uses, as speech is learned through - you guessed it - hearing.

Find someone you know who you feel is well-spoken. Ask them if it is ok for you to record a conversation with them. Let them do most of the talking. Later, listen to the tape and try to find out what it is that makes them pleasant to listen to. Is it the tone of their voice, the volume, the speed with which they speak, or is it simply their extensive vocabulary?

Once you pinpoint what you need to work on, work on it daily  -practice speaking into the recorder. (i.e. If you talk too fast, concentrate on slowing down when speaking, even if you feel you are talking to slow.) Listen to yourself, see what still needs work. Repeat, etc...

The knowledge and vocabulary that are a big part of being well-spoken, are invariably found in books. So, you will probably have to broaden your reading horizens, and read several types of books. Read them aloud. Record yourself reading them. Play them back often.

These are all techniques that helped me in a communications class I took in college. You would be surprised at how much just hearing myself on tape helped me realize what I needed to work on.

  

Answer 4

You cannot become well spoken....you either have it or not....try being a vampire- that would be a more realiostic goal 4 ya....

Answer 5

One way might be to hang around with people you consider to be 'well-spoken' ... hearing and seeing others act this way seems like an easier method of becoming well-spoken rather than just reading about it...

good luck finding your well-spoken inspiration!  =)

Answer 6

By speaking well.

Answer 7

Sorry, reading and conversing with people is what will help you most.

Reading because you can see in print what language looks like and how it is used well. You can learn about adverbs and other forms of speech that you rarely run across in spoken language. It increases your vocabulary-a distinct sign of a well-read and -spoken person.

Conversing, so you can learn to be a confident speaker and learn listening skills.

You might take a "Speech" class in college which will help you to talk to small groups and correct any stumbling  like, uhhmm, er, or  "stage-fright." Even audition for a local play or comdey routine.

The best advice I have is to research and write  a very short 3-4 sentence "speech" and practice it in the mirror until you are flawless. Then invite your closest friend or parent to sit quietly and listen to you give it. Be as perfect as possible.Do NOT stop and start. JUST GO!

Let them praise you and even give you gentle advice.

Repeat this situation with larger and less involved groups until you can speak comfortably to anyone.

At parties,  practice speaking with everyone. Even if it is to say "hello, who is that man over there. PRACTICE LISTENING. Often the most wonderful people, the memorable people at parties are the ones who LISTEN while others talk (babble.)

Talk to everyone-but not about your life-ask them about theirs, and be interested and open, and ask questions. LISTEN TO THE ANSWERS.

What a great goal to have!

Good luck.

Answer 8

It's a paradox, but I think that the best way to learn to use our own language is to study another language.

I'm old enough to remember when "grammar" was taught, and we were expected to be able to analyse the way a sentence was put together. That was a real help. When you know how to take something apart, you're better at being able to put another one together.

But even then, there was a lot they missed because it's easy to forget about what's obvious to oneself. Studying another language improves a person's ability to understand the way the first language is put together.

Listen to good models.  The British Broadcasting Corporation still uses (I hope!) "the Queen's English". PBS in the US is similar, but not consistently. The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation is ***ed. Because they don't want to sound "elitist", they end up sounding not only ignorant, but "stubborn stupid." Audiorecordings (e.g. "Books on Tape") are a good example of clear speaking.

Of course, reading is good. Not all printed material is worthwhile, of course. As a rule of thumb, I'd avoid anything written after 1950, and I'd suggest reading poetry out loud. Or some of the great speeches (the "Gettysburg Address" comes to mind.) Read the "Declaration of Independence" out loud, and try to listen to how you sound, and what you're saying.

People from many walks of life have told me that "Toastmasters" is a club that has helped them become more confident when speaking in public.

I'm delighted that someone realizes that speaking well is at least as useful as basic personal hygiene!

Answer 9

Why is "reading" not helpful?  It's helped me a lot.  I used to read all the time.  Now that I have this darned computer I don't read as much and my vocabulary is suffering.  It's a good idea, it will help.  You just have to keep at it.  And make sure you look up words you come across that you don't know.

Answer 10

read,educate yourself, take a speech class, join toastmasters, attend a seminar featuring a motivational speaker!

get out of the ghetto!

Answer 11

I would look up a new word in the dictionary every day and learn its meaning.  This way you will be expanding your vocabulary.  It's easy to do and only takes a few minutes out of your day.

Answer 12

well.....having conversations with older  more mature people helps, but what works for me is singing music with lyrics that are more advance and smarter (not soulja boy). sing by your self and talk to people who are interesting.

Answer 13

Depends where you are, if you live in the USA then you are on a hiding to nothing.