Mind Your P’s and Q’s….and T’s and D’s and K’s

Here is my number one tip for more dynamic word use;

FINISH YOUR WORDS!

Many people have sloppy articulation, running words together, dropping the end of sentences, and leaving off entire syllables. In the land of theatre we call the habit of not finishing your words “dropping the line.”  The breath just trails off and the thought you were trying to communicate simple drifts away without making any impression on the listener. 

Not finishing your words has the following effects:

1: It signals to the hearer that you aren’t a person who follows through. If you’re too lazy to finish your statement, what will you finish? Imagine interviewing a prospective employee who can’t be bothered to finish their thought!
2: It gives the impression you don’t care about what you’re saying.   And if you, the speaker don’t care about what you’re saying, then why should I, the listener, care?
3: Miscommunication and Confusion . This is especially true when speaking on the phone where sloppy articulation is deadly. Whether you work in sales, costumer service or you’re doing a phone interview with a prospective employer, clear articulation is crucial.

So, how does one being to address the issue of crisp and clear pronounciation. Well, as it so happens I have a couple of exercises to help you out!

Try this:
Grab a book, a magazine, or read this blog out loud. Read slowly, thoughtfully, with good breath support. Stay on one word until you finish it. Don’t move on to the next word until you finish the current one, right down to the ‘t’, the ‘d’ or the ‘s’ (which in many instances, such as in bids, words or lousy, has a zzzz quality to it). Of course, you aren’t going to speak this way in everyday conversation, but the more you practice finishing your words, the more habitual it will become.

There is also the issue of intention.  Many a theatre student has been admonished to speak ‘through the line’ or ‘land the line.’  The idea is to bring energy, intention and focus to the words leaving your mouth; just as a speaker would want with any speech, sermon or address! 

Finishing the words that leave your mouth gives every syllable maximum impact and will make you a more dynamic and clear speaker!

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