Short History of

Public Speaking
Christine Diane Galvan, CSPE,
LPT
Instructress
The most well-known public
speaking traditions come from the
West, specifically from the Greco-
Roman tradition.

The Greeks studied the art of rhetoric

on the island of Sicily, and it began
with a practical need.
Their government had been
overthrown, a new democracy
was formed, and the Greek courts
were filled with clashing property
claims.
Corax – teacher of rhetoric
Tisias – Corax’s student

Helped citizens when it came to

speaking persuasively in courts of
law, and this led to the expansion of
the teaching of rhetoric to mainland
Greece.
 According to Corax, a basic speech has 3
parts:

1. Introduction
2. Evidence
3. Conclusion

This simple organization of speeches has

endured throughout the ages.
 Protagoras
The father of debate
Had his students argue for and against
issues of the day to sharpen their
reasoning skills and appreciate
different sides of an issue.
 Aristotle
 Famous Greek philosopher
 Also known as the father of modern
communication
 Wrote a treatise entitled “Rhetoric”
 Where he discussed the use of logos (logical
argument), pathos (emotional argument) and ethos
(the speaker’s character and credibility), in the use
of persuasive speaking.
 Demosthenes
 Famous orator in Ancient Greece
 In the beginning, he had many flaws when it same
to public speaking, chief among them were his
stammer and weak voice
 However, he practiced declaiming on the seashore
with pebbles in his mouth, walking up and downhill
while reciting
 His speeches were known for their deliberation and
forethought
 Cicero
 Most famous Roman orator
 His eloquence was described a “resistless
torrent”
 He was a statesman who argued that the
teaching of rhetoric should be considered
as art form and that this could be useful in
“all practical and public affairs”
He believed that in order to prepare a
speech, one should first think of one’s
listeners and their interests, and to use
certain strategies, such as humor,
questions, etc. to engage the audience
 Quintilian
A roman lawyer and educator
Forwarded the idea that
public speaker should be
ethical
 It is interesting to note that during these
times, women were not allowed to speak
publicly in these countries, and that for along
time, this was true for women in other areas
of the world.

However, during pre-colonial times, the

Philippines was one of the few places that
allowed women to speak in public for the
purpose of presiding over religious rituals.
 These women were known as
“babaylans” priestesses of the
community, and along with the warriors
of the community, the “mandirigma”,
they were the leaders of pre-colonial
Philippines.
 Although most of the babaylan were
women, babaylan priests also existed,
wearing feminine clothing and
adopting a feminized role in the
Philippine society.
 The Philippines actually has its own tradition
of public speaking. It is called different word in
different regions in the Philippines.

“Karagatan” is said to be a game wherein

young men and women duel with each other
using words when it comes to talking about love,
while the “Huwego de Prenda” is a game used
to entertain guests and the bereaved family
during wakes.
 During the American period, the
more widely known Balagtasan
was also staged, and order to honor
Francisco Balagtas, a well-known
Filipino poet.
Balagtasan
 Is like an ordinary debate, except that one has to
reason and argue in verse.
 Two master poets are assigned to defend the pros
and cons of an issue, and a board of judges sits to
determine the winner.
 At first, this whole enterprises was scripted and
staged, but thereafter, they were made in a more
impromptu manner.
 When the Americans brought public education in the
Philippines, they also brought their public speaking
traditions along with them.

 The Americans wanted to distinguish themselves from the

Spanish colonizers by using the medium of the English
language, which has its own peculiarities and forms,
foremost among them is the dictum to be straightforward.

 It
is anchored on the public speaking tradition founded on
Western Civilization which is based on the Greek and
Roman traditions.
 In this manner, the Filipino public
speaking tradition brings with it the
flamboyant, poetic manner that
flourished under Spanish colonization
and the simpler, methodical public
speaking traditions of the West.
QUI
Z
1. According to Corax, what are the 3 parts of a speech?
2. According to Aristotle, what components make a speech
persuasive? Explain these in your own words.
3. Why does Cicero believe you should use strategies to engage
the audience? Do you agree? Why or why not?
4. What is Balagtasan? Why is it the most well-known Filipino
public speaking tradition?
5. What do you think is the most important component that makes
a speech persuasive? Why do you say so?
6. What surprised you the most when you read the history? Why
were you surprised?
7. What is the difference between Western and Filipino public
speaking tradition?