Chapter 12: Using language
Which of the following is a technique that creates rhythm in a speech?
Parallelism
Which words distinguish a simile from a metaphor?
Like As
Joyce, a college student, used the words "dudes" and "you guys" when addressing her school's faculty about her concerns. Which are true of these word choices?
She did not use language that was appropriate to the occasion. She did not use language appropriate to the audience.
What is the best way to develop a personal speaking style that is clear, vivid, and appropriate?
Read and listen to effective speakers and blend their techniques with your own language style.
When instructing her local Girl Scout Brownie troop, which consisted of seven- and eight-year-olds, Sadie discussed balancing the group's bank account and making sure their acquisitions were all clearly indicated. What language guideline did she violate?
Language must be appropriate to the audience.
Words that refer to which of the following are considered concrete words?
People Things Places
Gary is assigned to speak at his school about the 1986 disaster in which the Challenger space shuttle exploded, so he watches the speech President Reagan gave after the tragedy. What are the best ways for Gary to use that speech to ensure his own language will be appropriate to the speaker?
Try to adapt President Reagan's clarity, blending it with his own style. Study President Reagan's techniques for achieving vividness
Which guideline did Henry violate when he chose to make several off-color jokes during his speech welcoming new employees to the company?
Use language appropriate to the occasion.
A word's literal meaning (without emotional associations)
denotative
Cambrianne tells Juan about her new dog, a canine named Skippy. Discussing her new pet, Cambrianne is using the ______ meaning of the word dog.
denotative
True or false: Audiences expect speakers to use inclusive language.
true
Using a similar arrangement for a series of related words to create rhythm and enhance meaning is known as
parallelism.
How does rhythm help create more vivid speeches?
It reinforces and enhances the impact of the speaker's words.
Which of the following is the most likely to weaken the credibility of a speaker?
Using language inaccurately
Which of the following statements about the relationship between rhythm and meaning is true?
Rhythm enhances the meaning of language.
Which of the following are used to create rhythm in a speech?
Arrangement of words Choice of words
True or false: It is safe to assume that if the meaning of a word is clear to you, it will be clear to your audience.
False
True or false: The word waitress is an inclusive term.
False
In her speech, Vanessa stated, "It is important that leaders are not overly autonomous or merely satisficing when using a combinatorial rather than positional decision-making process." What mistake did she make in her language choice?
She did not emphasize clear, familiar language.
To make your speech clear and understandable, use words with which the audience will be
familiar.
To avoid clutter, speakers should eliminate
redundant adjectives and adverbs.
Using the same words to start a series of successive sentences is a rhythmic technique known as
repetition.
Which of the following is a method for reducing verbal clutter in a speech?
Record the speech and listen to it for wasted or distracting words that can be removed.
What guideline for using language effectively did Deshari violate when she used basketball terms such as "zone defense" and "pick and roll" to discuss her ideas to her speech class?
She did not use language appropriate to the audience.
In her speech paying tribute to her aunt, Julia said, "The sadness of her youth led to the youthfulness of her old age." What method was she using to establish rhythm?
Antithesis
In the Gettysburg Address, Abraham Lincoln said, "The world will little note, nor long remember, what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here." What method for creating rhythm did he use?
Antithesis
Which of the following is the primary guideline violated by the statement, "Due to the fact that the ideas were reviewed by those who hoped to be empowered by the process of voting, the final analysis would be worthy"
Eliminate clutter.
What method of creating imagery did Jeremy use when he said, "The elderly woman's fingers were thin, gnarled branches, twisting oddly from the stem of her palms."
Metaphor
Which of the following is an example of the use of pluralization to avoid use of the generic "he"?
When public speakers use inclusive language, they show respect to all groups.
Devin is writing a speech for science class about the Cretaceous period, and he wants to give his audience vivid mental images of the specific sights, sounds, and smells of the time period. To do so, Devin should use
concrete words.
Consider the vague statement, "The guy said your vehicle would be ready in a while after a small problem is fixed." Which of the following revisions puts this sentence in the most concrete terms?
"Pete said your truck will be ready at 3 p.m. He needs to replace a cracked hose in the cooling system."
Galena is giving a speech on a play she recently saw, and she wants to use concrete language to help her listeners feel like they are watching the play with her. Which of the following examples best accomplishes this goal?
"The murmurs of the audience quiet as the room dims, and a spotlight illuminates a tall, brown-haired man in a business suit."
What method for creating rhythm did Mildred use in her presentation when she said, "Your boat must be ready to launch immediately, stem, sail, and stern"?
Alliteration
What guidelines for effective language use did Renee violate when she said, "Tell your insurance agent about any construction done to your home so he can adjust your policy"?
Avoid generic "he." Avoid stereotyping jobs by gender.
Which of the following are techniques for ensuring language is appropriate to an audience that is not very familiar with the subject of your speech?
Avoid profanity and off-color remarks. Use plain language.
If a label used in your speech to identify a group has been called out as offensive by members of the group in question, how should you revise the speech to be more inclusive?
Consult members of the group and ask what name they prefer.
Which of the following are benefits of using repetition to create rhythm?
Creating a strong emotional effect Unifying a sequence of ideas Emphasizing a single idea by stating it more than once
Ben is giving a speech in his chemistry class in which he describes a recent experiment he conducted. Which of the following language should he use in his speech?
Technical language
Which of the following is a good rule of thumb to follow when considering whether language is appropriate to an audience?
When in doubt—don't.
Stacy uses slang and abstract words during her everyday speech, but during her speech on a recent change to her state's tax laws, she uses her own developed style that avoids both of these things. By using her own developed style, Stacy is using language that is
appropriate for the speaker.
Which of the following are alternatives to the use of the generic "he"?
They He or she
Why is it important to avoid clichéd similes, such as "busy as a bee," when giving a speech?
They make the speaker appear dull, and they bore the audience.
True or false: Including rhythm and vivid imagery in your speech will make it more interesting for your listeners.
True
Which of the following is likely to engage the audience's five senses?
vivid imagery
What method of creating rhythm did Miguel employ when he said, "In Venice and Paris, in London and Berlin, all of Europe watched with anticipation."
Parallelism
Which of the following words is an example of stereotyping jobs by gender?
Salesman
Which of the following is an example of a metaphor?
The earth is a blue marble spinning in space.
Which of the following rhythmic techniques most often relies upon stating in close succession a series of different words that share an initial consonant sound?
Alliteration
Which of the following guidelines for language use does this violate? "Someone who wants to travel the world could apply for a job as a stewardess."
Avoid stereotyping jobs by gender.
During his speech, Tim said, "Tell your veterinarian about any sudden changes in your animal. He needs to know all the details before he can make a diagnosis." Which guideline for effective language did he violate?
Avoid the generic use of "he."
What principle of language use did Jeri violate when she said to her class, "Man continues to enjoy his place in the universe"?
Avoid using "man" when referring to both men and women.
Why is it important for speakers to use clear language?
Because audiences must be able to understand ideas immediately. Because you can't assume that a word familiar to the speaker is familiar to the audience. Because audiences can't take the time to look up an unfamiliar word.
For which of the following topics would a speaker be most likely to emphasize poetic language to evoke emotion rather than simple, straightforward language?
Giving a toast at a friend's wedding
Which aspect of United States society does inclusive speech reflect?
Growing respect for diversity
During his speech, Ari quoted article 1, section 9, of the U.S. Constitution to his class without further explanation: "The privilege of the writ ofhabeas corpus shall not be suspended, unless when in cases of rebellion or invasion the public safety may require it. No bill of attainder or ex post facto law shall be passed." In what ways did Ari not follow rules of good language?
He did not use words likely to be familiar to the audience. He did not use language clearly.
Which of the following is true of the connotative meaning of a word?
It will be different for different people.
Which of the following should be avoided in an inclusive speech?
Jokes making fun of someone's gender Assumptions based on common stereotypes
what is the primary difference between metaphors and similes?
Metaphors make implicit comparisons, whereas similes make explicit comparisons.
Which of the following should be avoided in order to improve the clarity of a speech?
Obscure technical terms
Bill Clinton once said, "Somewhere at this very moment a child is being born in America. Let it be our cause to give that child a happy home, a healthy family, and a hopeful future." Which methods for creating rhythm did he use in the second sentence?
Parallelism Alliteration
Maria is giving a speech on inexpensive vacationing to a group of seniors and says the following: "A rad place to find cheap flights is on Web sites like Kayak or Orbitz. There y'all can easily compare different flights from different carriers. Be sure to look out for deals on first class, too. They're still loads more expensive than coach, but YOLO, right?" Which of the following did Maria do in her speech?
She failed to use appropriate language.
In her speech, Helen said, "When the firemen got to the burning home, the flames were leaping 10 feet above the roof." What language error did Helen make
She stereotyped all firefighters as men.
To ensure that your speech uses language appropriately, you should make sure it is appropriate to which of the following?
The speaker The topic The audience The occasion
Which of the following statements are true concerning the use of rhythm in a speech?
There are four basic stylistic devices that speakers use to improve their rhythm. Rhythm can enhance the impact of the speaker's words.
Which of the following sentences is an example of antithesis?
These martyrs died so that we may live.
Which of the following is the best way to revise the sentence "We need the best man for the job" to use inclusive language?
We need the best person for the job.
Which of the following questions would be the most likely to improve the accuracy of the language used in a speech?
What exactly do I mean? What am I really trying to say?
Tanya, a web development expert, is preparing to give a speech at a conference on the future of Internet technologies. Knowing that some of the attendees would have very little experience in Web development, she decided to use plain language rather than complicated technical jargon. In this case, Tanya made her speech appropriate to the
audience.
Jess is the coach of a youth basketball team, and she gave several speeches to her team during a recent game. When she described how to run a certain play, she used plain and direct language. When she wanted to motivate her team to play to the best of their abilities, she used elevated language filled with metaphors and alliteration. In this example, Jess was using language that is appropriate to the
topic
A speech that places the audience in the middle of an experience and stirs up an emotional response can be described as
vivid.
The best time to search for and eliminate clutter from a speech is
while you are writing your outlines.
Hilario includes the following passage in a speech on his recent visit to a national park: "Even though it was the height of summer, I felt cool standing in the dappled shade beneath the ancient trees. All around me I could hear the chirp of small birds and the rustle of leaves stirred by a breeze." By including this passage, Hilario has created a
word pic
Marcee will be speaking about a trip she took to Africa to help build wells in villages with limited access to clean water. Marcee wants to use vivid language in order to move her audience emotionally. Which of the following is her best option?
Detailed descriptions of how the villagers reacted to the new wells
Thomas is giving a keynote speech at a formal convention of highly respected medical researchers. Which of the following greetings would be the most appropriate to the occasion?
Distinguished guests:
Which of the following is the primary guideline violated by the statement, "Due to the fact that the ideas were reviewed by those who hoped to be empowered by the process of voting, the final analysis would be worthy"?
Eliminate clutter.
Which of the following best describes inclusive language?
Language that does not stereotype or demean people on the basis of gender, age, race, and other factors.
What method for making a speech more vivid did Sylvia use when she said, "His nose was sharp and pointed like a knife."
Simile
The speech excerpt, "If you want to produce a prevalent brownie, you must use superseding chocolate," illustrates which of the following?
The language is not used accurately.
Erin is preparing a speech that includes discussion of the expected effects of a policy proposal on members of a specific ethnic group. Which term should she apply to the group?
The term used by members of the group
What guideline for effective language did Joni follow when she said, "All the performers in the show were little transgender"?
Use names that groups use to identify themselves.
What guideline for effective language did Kathy violate when in 2018 she referred to her cousin, who cannot walk and thus uses a wheelchair, as "handicapped" rather than "disabled"?
Use names that groups use to identify themselves.
Listening to effective speakers and blending their techniques into your own personal style is a good way of ensuring your language is
appropriate to the speaker.
Words that refer to tangible objects are ______ words, while ______ words are used to refer to concepts or ideas.
concrete; abstract
The meaning of a word that elicits an emotional response from a listener is the word's ______ meaning.
connotative
Imagery makes speech-language vivid because it
creates word pictures that let you experience concepts and ideas by appealing to the five senses.
