ORAL EXPRESSION (LECTURE)

Oral expression is one of the language skills that human beings need to communicate. With
written expression and gestural expression, they constitute all the unique and exclusive codes
of our species which allow us to understand each other and to live in society.
Oral expression includes a series of techniques that require physical and cognitive skills. This
means that for oral communication to exist, the existence, in the first place, of the proper
functioning of certain organs and parts of the human body is necessary.
The most important are the larynx, the vocal cords, the tongue and the mouth and the
respiratory system, which provide us with the air necessary to emit sounds. On the other
hand, it is necessary to learn common codes, which come from the language.
Language learning is also given by learning to read and write, as well as, later, by
understanding the meaning of these words to give correct and meaningful use, a complex
process that almost begins from birth and is perfected over the years.
While all human beings can speak, not all do so with the same level of skill or complexity. Oral
expression itself requires elements that go beyond linguistic aspects alone - where cultural,
social and personality aspects come into play in order to be able to make sense of what is said.
This is what we call efficiency in oral expression, which is accompanied, as we have already
mentioned, by a series of qualities that we will explain below. But first, it is necessary to
indicate which elements must exist for oral communication to take place.
Essential aspects of oral expression
• A morphologically healthy individual who can produce sounds correctly
• Minimum knowledge of vocabulary and its correct use in the basic structuring of ideas
(syntax)
• Ability to make sense of spoken words (semantics)
• Phonological signs common and shared with the interlocutor

The qualities of oral expression are voice, diction, fluency, volume, rhythm, clarity, coherence,
emotion, vocabulary and message structure.

- Voice

It is the aptitude of the individual to be able to emit sounds through the mouth. Many parts of
the body, such as the larynx, vocal cords, tongue, facial muscles, jaw and lips are involved in
the emission of the voice. Above all, the brain that activates the process so that the person can
convert his ideas or feelings into words that the interlocutor can hear, interpret and
understand.

- Diction

This is the correct pronunciation of words. To obtain good diction, correct articulation is
necessary, that is, the movement of the lips, tongue, teeth and palate is specific to the
pronunciation of each vowel, consonant, syllable and word.

- Fluidity

It is the ability to pronounce words without stumbling, without interruptions and pausing in
the places necessary for the interlocutor to correctly understand the idea expressed. In this
aspect, speech speed is fundamental. It shouldn't be too fast to get past the words, or so slow
that it interferes with the general understanding of the idea or bores the audience.

- Volume
It is the intensity that is given to the voice when speaking. The more or less volume of the
voice will be determined, among other things, by the characteristics of the room (if it is very
high, if it is very large, if it is very noisy) and the number of people to whom the speaker
speaks.
Talking to a person is not the same as talking to a crowded auditorium. A handful of attentive
students are not spoken to with the same volume in a classroom, rather than a large group of
people in a street meeting.

- Rhythm

As in a dance, oral communication must have a rhythm and cadence that helps achieve the
stated goal. If you speak very quickly and without pausing, the listener will have to put extra
effort into trying to understand what is being said and he may get tired or give up. If, on the
contrary, you speak very slowly, the listener can also get lost or bored, which costs him to join
the ideas and to understand the whole. The rhythm should have a cadence and change
depending on the purpose and content of the message. These changes help maintain the
interest of the audience.

- Clarity

It has something to do with the accuracy of what is spoken, without going through the bush,
without dwelling on details that are not important or that do not contribute anything to the
central idea of the speech.
It also has something to do with the correct selection of words depending on the audience. It is
necessary to deal with common cultural codes, which are commonly said to "speak the same
language". For example, a doctor in nuclear physics will have to adapt his speech when
explaining his experiments to primary school children.

- Consistency

Oral expression must have a logical order where there is a main idea around which the speech
revolves.
Avoid jumping from topic to topic constantly, as you risk losing the original idea. From this
main idea, secondary ideas will be published.

- Emotion

This is one of the great advantages of speaking over writing. It is the ability of the speaker to
impress on his words the emotion indicated in each case. This will be very useful for
understanding and showing empathy.

- Vocabulary

The more the speaker speaks, the more effective his message will be. However, a publicly
understandable lexicon should always be used. Vocabulary richness and the use of synonyms
are skills acquired through constant reading.

- Structure of the message

Before you start speaking, you need to be clear about the idea you want to convey. For this,
the lecturer can rely on written material. Drifting is not recommended. Language should be
simple and direct, designed to meet a specific purpose.