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I learned a system for speaking articulately
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I learned a system for speaking articulately

How to Speak with Greater Exactness and Clarity

Understanding the Journey to Articulacy

  • The speaker introduces a seven-stage journey aimed at improving speech clarity, focusing on three main problems affecting articulation.
  • Identifies "dead phrases" as overused expressions that lack impact, such as "spill the beans" and "secret sauce," which hinder effective communication.
  • Rule #1: Articulacy improves through conscious word selection; hastily using ready-made phrases dulls sentences, akin to assembling an Ikea table without creativity.

Expanding Vocabulary for Better Expression

  • Discusses the concept of a "surface lexicon," which consists of 500 to 1500 commonly used words, versus a deeper lexicon containing 20,000 to 35,000 recognized words.
  • Emphasizes that articulate speakers use ordinary words effectively; expanding vocabulary is not about complexity but about variety and precision in word choice.
  • Rule #2: Effortless articulacy is limited by the size of one's surface lexicon; exposure to new language is essential for growth.

Retaining Thoughts for Deeper Communication

  • The third problem discussed is thought retention; struggling to hold thoughts leads to superficial speech.
  • Rule #3: Engaging deeply with thoughts enhances verbal depth; articulate speakers can peel away layers of meaning in their discussions.

Analyzing Language Inputs

  • The speaker reflects on personal experiences with substandard speech and investigates how language inputs affect articulation quality.
  • Realization occurs that poor language sources contribute significantly to ineffective speaking habits; self-assessment of language exposure begins.
  • Introduces Rule #4: The quality of your speech reflects your language environment—books, videos, and music shape linguistic patterns unconsciously.

Maintaining a Healthy Lexicon

  • Highlights how daily exposure limits vocabulary size due to reliance on frequently used words from low-quality inputs.
  • Describes the importance of actively expanding one’s surface lexicon through reading and creative word usage; this prevents lexical contraction over time.

Understanding Articulacy in Speech

The Impact of Social Media on Attention

  • The constant fragmentation of attention due to social media leads to challenges in focusing on substantial content. Starting with a structured list can help mitigate this issue.

Learning Through Poetry

  • Reading poetry aloud enhances understanding of rhythm and cadence, which are essential for articulacy. True articulacy is not merely about memorizing vocabulary but involves the fluidity of words within sentences.

Overcoming Dead Phrases

  • Dead phrases are difficult to eliminate from speech because they engage familiar muscle patterns in the mouth. Changing these ingrained habits requires conscious effort, akin to altering pre-cut lines on cardboard.

Enhancing Word Choice Awareness

  • The final five minutes should focus on consciously attuning to word choice while consuming audio content. This practice helps differentiate between intelligence (knowledge conveyed) and eloquence (the aesthetic quality of language).

Tools for Improving Articulacy

  • A tool called "nounce" allows users to create a personal word bank, facilitating the retrieval and use of new vocabulary in conversation. It also features a library of renowned speakers for learning purposes.

Reducing Dependence on Automatic Speech

Understanding Mental Anesthesia

  • Reducing reliance on dead phrases is crucial as they can lead to mental anesthesia, where speech becomes automatic and lacks thoughtful engagement.

Consciousness in Sentence Construction

  • Increasing consciousness per sentence involves recognizing that familiar phrases require less thought, leading to less vibrant communication. Each sentence should be filled with intentionality.

Strategies for Thoughtful Responses

  • To enhance articulate responses, one should repeat questions or topics aloud before answering. This practice warms up the conscious mind and encourages deeper reflection.

The Role of Pausing and Intellectual Humility

Importance of Pausing Before Speaking

  • Pausing before speaking allows for conscious selection of words, which is vital for articulacy. Great communicators often find their opinions through careful consideration at the beginning of their statements.

Embracing Speaking Weaknesses

Articulating Limitations: The Power of Intellectual Humility

The Challenge of Answering Difficult Questions

  • Orson candidly expresses uncertainty about his answer, indicating a need for reflection before responding. This highlights the importance of taking time to think through complex questions rather than rushing to provide an answer.

The Sixth Rule of Articulacy

  • Effective communication involves acknowledging one's limitations. This admission can often be the most articulate response, showcasing a level of confidence that many lack. Understanding this principle can take years for some individuals to internalize.

Cultivating Intellectual Humility

  • Embracing intellectual humility allows individuals to communicate more effectively. Recognizing and admitting one’s weaknesses in communication can lead to greater self-assurance and clarity in expression.

Identifying Communication Insecurities

  • It is crucial to identify personal communication insecurities. For instance, the speaker acknowledges needing time to process information before delivering articulate responses, which enhances the quality of their communication.

Strategies for Communicating Weaknesses

  • Once insecurities are identified, finding appropriate phrases to express these weaknesses is essential. Phrases like "give me a moment to process that" can empower speakers by providing them with the verbal tools needed for confident communication.

Enhancing Assertiveness in Communication

Playlists: Communication 🗣️
Video description

Join BetterSpeak: https://www.betterspeakpro.com This video details the stages of articulate speech that I underwent in learning to improve my communication. We discuss how to avoid dead phrases, small surface lexicons, and poor thought retention. I share details about an epiphany moment and how our language is a product of our inputs. Third, how one can begin to change the way they speak with the 3x5 language diet, increasing their consciousness per sentence, and cultivating intellectual humility. If you're wanting to learn how to speak more articulately and satisfactorily, how to become well-spoken, how to speak assertively, I do believe this video will help you achieve those ends. My Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/joseph_tsar_ 0:00 Intro 0:25 Overusing dead phrases 1:28 Small surface lexicon 3:08 Thought retention 4:07 Speech as a product of inputs 6:32 The 3x5 Language Diet 9:15 Nounce 10:20 Increasing consciousness per sentence 13:25 Intellectual humility RESOURCES: Dead Phrases List: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1beuA9QvZlgVksAGxpy4a6_4Xg-fAuaxewEhLVaXs3YE/edit?usp=sharing Readers List for Articulate Speaking: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1DgbRwcxc7GMrw1qPWeH_cbsZNMQAomBw_cCBmUy0L6U/edit?usp=sharing Diagnosing Your Language Inputs Worksheet: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1xJ0JhNvfpTDLcM332tIHVyvNWKdbVEN3PqVDFZX4C_Q/edit?usp=sharing Poems for Cultivating Articulate Speech: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1UnpbuEr-evbiTaBt7qUw5BMfkpOQG7a8W8SFrrm6RRw/edit?usp=sharing Poetry Spotify Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/76bD0NQl4PPgoF0QipbDrB?si=0aed834cd57f4d11 Articulate & Eloquent Wordsmiths: https://docs.google.com/document/d/14mWq7033nWWOwKKIiyC-P99KcfdHN6hb2i4Um0Nj7VA/edit?usp=sharing Phrases for Cultivating Intellectual Humility: https://docs.google.com/document/d/154kSQZdXJ4DnTyJVJeFeJGz9yPmzPAI1IExH9zczsa0/edit?usp=sharing Thank you for watching - means the world!