Manipulating Meaning through Speech

Words have meaning and when spoken the meaning of words can change.
Public speakers, actors and individuals speaking socially all manipulate the
sound of their voice in order to communicate feelings, attitudes and ideas.
The way something is spoken will impact how it is received by the listener.

Consider how clarity, emphasis, fluency, pace, pitch, projection, and tone
of speech impacts people listening. The following activity explores ‘ways of
speaking’. Through completing this task you will learn about the speech
techniques and choices available to you. These can become a part of your
persuasion toolkit.

Ways of Speaking Bingo

View the ‘To Be or Not to Be’ sketch act from Shakespeare Live. These
actors intentionally use their voice in different ways. These different
choices create different meanings. Identify how each person used their
voice and why, placing their name in the appropriate box below.

Paapa Essiedu, Tim Minchin, Benedict Cumberbatch, Harriet Walter, David Tennant, Rory Kinnear, Ian McKellen, Judi Dench, King Chales

Whose use of slow pace, clarity and clam Whose use of emphasis on the final words and
emphasis of a short word invites thoughtfulness? raising pitch makes us wonder?

Whose use of playful pitch and a questioning Whose use of a drop in pitch and landing
tone creates humour and emphasises choice? emphasis creates certainty?

Whose use of sharp articulation emphasises the Whose use of increasing pace, rising pitch
negative connotation suggesting hopelessness? and loud exclamation exaggerates?

Whose use of calm, soft tone and smooth flowing Whose use of elongated speech creates pause
speech invites confidence and believability? and focus?

Whose use of articulatied consonants and elongated vowels emphasises the repetition and
gives importance to the second point?