ENGLISH LANGUAGE

BY
SIR EZRONI SAMWEL
MAY OUR ALMIGHT LORD JESUS LEAD
US THROUGHOUT OUR LESSON.

AMEN.
WELCOME
TOPIC 2: USING APPROPRIATE
LANGUAGE CONTENT AND
STYLE IN SPEAKING
 01. Participating in debates

A debate is a formal discussion

during which people take sides to
express their views or opinions in
support or opposition to a given
subject.
 Debate cont.…….

A debate therefore is inevitable

every time people are faced with a
controversial issue or subject.
 Debate cont.…….

In other words, debate can be

defined as a confrontation between
two teams or individuals of
argumentative skills within clearly
described rules.
 Debate cont.…….

It is thus a way for those who hold

opposing views on a particular issue
to discuss their differences without
resorting to insults, emotional
appeals or perceptional biases.
 NECESSARY ISSUES TO CONDUCT A DEBATE

a)Selection of a debate topic (motion).

• A debate topic is a statement of judgment that
identifies the central issue in controversy. It is
the one in which the two teams of the debate
confront each other in front of the judge.
 Necessary issues cont.……

However, a debate topic is also

called
Motion/proposition/resolution
 Necessary issues cont.……
Note: In order to set a best topic, consider the
following criteria.
i.It must be focused on one single idea.
ii.It must be expressed in affirmative
sentence.
iii. It must be controversial to allow the
arguments for and against the topic be
balanced.
iv. It must be suitable for participants
in terms of interest and difficulty.
Note:
A debate can only take place when
the issue in question can either be
supported or opposed.
 The following are examples of clear debate topics:

Urban life is better than rural life.

Education is better than money.
Men are stronger than women
Money is the source of all enmities
in the world.
Boarding schools are better than
day schools
b. Reading widely on the subject matter (topic).

Before one can participate in a debate, it is

important to first read widely on the subject
of discussion.
Remember, proper preparation prepares
proper performance.
 c. Taking position
Debaters are supposed to take position whether
choosing to support the motion or to oppose it (if
not assigned the side before). Those who will choose
to support the topic will belong to the angle called
proposer side while those who will go against the
motion will be to the side called opposer side.
d. Selection of the speakers and motion mover

Speakers are selected to make two teams of

main speakers thus one team of main speakers
from proposer side and another team of
opposer side. The two teams will have almost
three, six or any number of main speakers
regarding the available number of debate
participants and time.
The only rule to be considered
when selecting the main speakers is
that the number in the list of both
teams must be equal, for example 5
to 5 or any but equal.
On the other side, a motion mover is
selected to move the motion. Moving
a motion means to explain the
meaning of the motion without
supporting or opposing it.
e. The chairperson calls upon a
speaker from either side to debate
on the motion: here each speaker is
allocated the same amount of time.
f. The chairperson or the judge check
a list of the points presented by either
side.
This is to enable the him or her to
make decision; on which side has
won, based on their argument.
 MEMBERS OF THE DEBATE

In an academic debate, there are

number of the participants
involved and each has a specific
role to play. These are as follows:
i. The chairperson of the debate
This is the boss who is in charge of the
debate. It is the chairperson who
describes the resolutions, schedules,
composition of teams, speaking times and
procedural regulations for the debate.
During debate, the chairperson’s
decision on the matter; shall be final
where any dispute arises regarding the
interpretation of the rules or
regulations.
ii. A motion mover

This has the duty to move the motion.

Moving a motion means to explain the
meaning of the motion without
supporting or opposing it.
It is the role of the motion mover to
describe the motion grammatically and
semantically. He/she will tell word class
of each word forming the motion,
meaning of individual words and the
meaning of the motion in full.
iii. The secretaries
These are the ones who record the
points of the two teams and they are
the ones to read them aloud soon as
both the main speakers and the
audiences have already participated.
However, a debate has a minimum of two
secretaries of which one lists the points by
proposers and the other of the opposers.
During debate session, secretaries should
sit apart at several different locations in
the debate room.
iv. Time keeper

His or her function is to time all

speeches, indicate to the debaters
during their addresses how much
speaking time and allow extra time for
interruptions.
 v. The main speakers of both sides (principal
speakers)

These are the two confronting teams or

groups in debate. They are; the
affirmative team which support the
motion (topic) and the negative team to
oppose it.
The affirmative team member must
speak first and its speech is designed to
convince the judge and the audience in
general that the claim made by the
debate topic is true.
After the affirmative team member
has spoken, it is the turn of the
negative team member to speak.
The negative team’s speech, on the other
hand is designed to attack and prove the
arguments of the affirmative team wrong
with evidence.
vi. The mass (audience)
This is the general audience who
participates in a debate of which some
can be proposing the motion while
others may be opposing it.
The mass are therefore free to give
additional points, contributions, and
helping answers, to ask questions to the
principal speakers and or to criticize
speakers when not right on certain issue
or point.
 vii. Grammarian
This is the person in command of correction
of all ungrammatical structures like
sentences. His/her duties are to collect and
then correct all wrongly formed sentences
spoken by debaters from the beginning unto
the end of the debate session.
The corrections are done to ensure that
debate participants move out with the
knowledge of language use concerning
the mistakes or errors they do as far as
the language in use is concerned.
 SPEAKING IN DEBATE
a)Firstly, the speaker has to; first of all,
greet the audience of the debate
starting from the highest to the lowest
rank.
The speaker must greet the debaters
starting from the chairperson, the
secretary, motion mover, grammarian,
time keeper, the main speakers of both
sides and the general mass.
b) Secondly, the speaker has to
introduce him or herself by
names.
c) Thirdly, the speaker also has to
declare whether he/she supports
the motion.
d) Fourthly, the speaker has to restate
or mention the motion he/she is about
to whether propose or oppose.
e) Fifthly, the speaker has to present
his points in turn; with explanations,
examples and evidences, one before
the next.
 Note
The speaker has to address all his
points to the chairperson not to
other speakers.
a)Six, he speaker should conclude
his/her speech. This is done by
giving thanks to the members.
 MANNER OF SPEAKING IN DEBATE

The speaker of the debate should

speak in the following manner.
i.Use clear and audible voice
and good speaking speed that
is neither too fast nor too slow.
ii. Give point by point
explanations of his/her ideas
rather than long explanations.

iii. Use examples and

evidences to substantiate each
statement he/she makes.
iv. Use short sentences to
ensure that listeners
understand easily the points
he/she explains.
 DEBATE RULES
•  

The rules designed to create a fair

ground for debate participants are as
follows:
i.Each team of the debate must get
equal, fair and uninterrupted speech
time.
ii. Debaters should always
conduct themselves with dignity
towards other debaters.
iii. Debate secretary must be
impartial; not affiliated to either
of the teams.
iv. Debaters should not make any
personal comments about other
debaters. Obscenity and blasphemy
have no room in the debate.
v. Debaters must not read their
speeches (as a manuscript) though
they may make reasonable
reference to notes or read
quotations.
vi. Debaters may introduce any
visual aids or real evidence they
desire during a debate, but such
evidence should also be available to
be used by their opponents.
 ADVANTAGES OF DEBATE

a)Debate develop courage

b)Debate provides preparation for
effective participation in a democratic
society.
c)Debate offers preparation for
leadership
d) Debate develops critical listening
e) Debate enhances good note taking
skills
f) Debate encourages effective speech
composition and delivery.
g) Debate develops the ability to make
prompt and analytical responses.
Look at two samples of written
debates below.
 RURAL LIFE IS BETTER THAN URBAN LIFE

Thank you chair person, secretary,

time keeper, principal speakers of
both sides, and all the members of
the debate.
My name is Magrath Thomas, am
here to propose the motion which
states that “Rural life is better than
urban life”. It is true that rural life is
better than town life because of the
following points:
First, living in town is not easy
because life has become more
expensive. You can’t live in town
without money, but in village you can
survive because life is relatively
cheap.
Second, in the village people eat fresh food,
which they grow themselves. People in the
village can also slaughter animals and get
meat. They also enjoy lots of fruits. Hunger
is forgotten in villages thus why rural
people are stronger and healthier to urban
ones.
Third, people who live in the rural
areas are very important to our
economy because they are the
producer of food which is highly
needed in town.
Fourth, rural life is simple. Families
stay close together and care more
for each other. Also, natural
resources such as rivers, hills,
mountains are plenty in the village.
Fifth, people who are living in rural
areas are safe from criminal cases
or activities which are more likely to
happen in town than in the villages,
like Panya road in Dar es Salaam
city.
Finally, I would like to thank you
all for your attention.

Good afternoon!
 RURAL LIFE IS BETTER THAN URBAN LIFE

Thank you chair person, secretary,

time keeper, principal speakers of
both sides, and all the members of
the debate.
My name is Abdul Hamis, am here to
oppose the motion which states that
“Rural life is better than urban life”.
In fact, the motion is totally wrong
because urban or town life is better
than rural life. This is due to the
following points:
First, most cities have better
transport facilities compared to the
rural areas. In urban areas there are
lots of cars, buses and train which
make transport easier.
For example, presence of Mwendo
Kasi buses in Dar es Salaam has
made people to enjoy a more
comfortable life compared to those
living in rural areas where even
Daladala vehicles are sometimes
absent or normally out of service
because of frequently repair.
Second, in urban areas there are
more opportunities for people to
develop in their lives and make
money. People can even be food
venders and earn a living.
Third, adults and children who live in
the city have access to good education
and good health because there are
better and many schools and hospitals
in urban than in rural areas. On top of
that, we can all agree that even
facilities and officials in these centers
are highly concentrated and improved
in town than village areas.
Fourth, living in town gives opportunity for one
to meet and mingle with different people and
learn a lot from one another. As a result, urban
people’s mind and view of life and the world
changes to see things in a different perspective
rather than rural people who are normally
conservative or unchanging with their
environment and life in general.
Fifth, in town almost all houses have
electricity which allows people to use
electronic faculties such as TV, fridges,
washing machines, irons and many others.
Most of rural areas don’t have electricity
especially in developing countries
including Tanzania.
Conclusively, I would like to
appreciate your positive attention
throughout my speech and, so then, in
regard to worthiness of town life, am
calling upon you all to shift from rural
to urban since people do enjoy life
there than rural dwellers.
Goodbye for now
C u Sun