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CHAPTER 8 VERBAL STYLE
CHAPTER 8 SUMMARY
Chapter 8 explains why in a public speaking situation, when we expect people to remember our
words and take them seriously, we need to spend time thinking about them and choosing them.
Excellent speakers start by ensuring their language is concrete, vivid, and respectful. The
arrangement of words (figures) and the turns of phrases (tropes) are described. The importance of
making appropriate choices to the audience, occasion, and topic is presented, as is taking
responsibility for words that can sometimes be hurtful or offensive.
CHAPTER 8 OUTLINE
I. Introduction: What is style, and why does it matter?
A. Word choices to achieve goals of speech
1. Are stylistic techniques
1. Different choices convey different impressions
C. Need right verbal style for topic and occasion
II. Characteristics of effective style
A. Language matters
1. Define character of ideas for audience
2. Interesting, compelling, and convincing
3. Speaking in images (Remix)
B. Concrete and lively language
1. Dry speech usually = abstract and theoretical
2. Use detailed, 3-D, persuasive visual language
3. Appropriate but still not everyday speech
4. Interesting and lively = easier to remember
C. Respectful language
1. Off-color language
a. Avoid in vast majority of cases
b. Don’t know which words will undermine credibility
c. Model how people should speak in public
III. Classifying verbal style: Figures and tropes
A. Figure = ear-catching change in structure of sentence or phrase
B. Trope = figure of speech with new meaning for word or concept
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1. Common metaphors = trope
2. Dead metaphors (foot of mountain, leg of chair)
IV. Figures
A. Highlight important content
1. Too frequent = distraction from content
B. Figures of repetition
1. Create structure, lend emphasis, and make words more memorable.
2. Repeat words, phrases, sounds at beginning, middle, and/or end of sentences
4. Progression
a. Repetition to create sense of movement
b. Usually leave most important term until end
c. Build to word/point want audience to remember
C. Figures of contrast
1. Choice and arrangement of words for clear and memorable contrast
2. Antithesis
a. Sentence with two contrasting or opposing parts
b. AB-BA structure
c. More difficult to construct, but memorable (e.g., ad jingles)
D. Example of repetition and contrast: Gettysburg Address (Try It)
V. Tropes
A. Message other than usual meaning
1. Server purpose
2. Understandable to audience
3. Being more charismatic (Remix)
B. Tropes of comparison
1. Metaphor
a. Word or phrase applied to something in way that is not literally true
i. Comparison without “like” or “as”
b. Invite listener to transfer meaning
ii. Not too strange or obscure
iii. Try It! Design a metaphor that is appropriate for the topic of your next speech
2. Simile
a. Explicit comparison that uses “like” or “as” to connect two things
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1. Substitute part or property of whole for the whole
2. Kind of shorthand
3. Direct listener attention in some way
D. Tropes of exaggeration
1. Ironic overstatement and understatement
2. Hyperbole = extreme overstatement that is obviously not true
3. Litotes = exaggerated understatement that is obviously not true
1. Giving human qualities to abstract or inanimate object
2. Shift from actual speaker to imaginary one
VI. Matching style to topic and occasion
A. Simple style for simple speech
1. More emotional speech = more elaborate style
B. Fit style to occasion and audience
C. Little novelty in figures goes a long way
READING TARGET FOR CHAPTER 8
This is the instructor-assigned goal for students to consider in their writing, discussion, and individual
reflections:
Read the chapter to understand the choices that you have as a speaker and to make deliberate
selections that will enhance your goal for the speech.
LEARNING ACTIVITIES FOR CHAPTER 8
General strategies and techniques
Use the Questions for Review and Questions for Discussion at the end of Chapter 8 as prompts
for writing or discussion (in class, online, before and after class).
Use the Try It activities in the chapter as the basis for points of discussion, in-class activities, or
assigned work outside of class.
Chapter learning objective: Justify the importance of language that is concrete,
lively, and respectful
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Many different ways. Ask students to write down three different ways of saying “I know a lot
about this topic.” After hearing several of them, ask the audience to imagine the effect that the
different styles have on an audience.
Different styles. Form small groups, and assign a different style (informative, playful, serious,
sarcastic) to each group. Ask the group to create two to three sentences about a topic such as
college success skills to demonstrate that style for the rest of the class. Discuss the different
goals that a speech with each style can have.
Degrees of concreteness. Ask students to translate abstract thoughts into more concrete and
descriptive words so that the audience would develop a mental image. Some thoughts could be
“girls” instead of “men” and “women” for adults. How might those terms detract from a
speech? Can you imagine a speech in which they would help achieve the speech’s goal?
Racist language. Ask students to reflect (in writing or with a partner) about their reaction to the
speaker when they have been the target of racist language, individually or as a member of a
stereotyped group. Note the distracting nature of such language and how it can impede the goal
of speech.
Chapter learning objective: Differentiate figures and tropes
Self-inventory (writing or discussion). Review the definition of figures (ear-catching structure of a
phrase or sentence) and tropes (non-usual meaning, used for effect). Ask students to think of a
past speech they have given (or even an everyday conversation). Do they tend to use one or the
other more often? If not, which one do they think would be easier to intentionally add to their
Chapter learning objective: Explain the figures of repetition and contrast, and
construct your own
Powerful effect of repetition. Play a media clip from the Martin Luther King Jr. speech known as
the “I Have a Dream” speech (such as the sample section in the text) that demonstrates
repetition so that students can hear the effect it has on the delivery of an idea.
Progression as speech structure. Ask students to think of a topic idea that could be developed
using one of the progressions listed in the text by assigning to a small group of students each
progression type (e.g., bad to worse to worst, low to middle to high, local to state to federal,
minutes to hours to days, great to greater to greatest).
Antithesis scale. As the textbook describes, you can create antithesis by thinking of an idea that
is crucial to your argument or point. Draw a line with an arrow in the middle, write the idea
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(word or short phrase) on one side, and identify the opposite on the other side of the arrow.
Then play around with the words to construct phrases that emphasize the difference. A sample
topic could be food’s effect on health and productivity (nutrient-dense food powers a rich and
full life, but empty junk food will drain your energy and vitality).
Try It (recognizing figures of repetition and contrast). Find the figures of repetition and contrast
in President Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, included in the text. Ask students to compare the
figures that they found and to explain the power of the figures.
Chapter learning objective: Explain the tropes of comparison, substitution,
exaggeration, and voice, and construct your own
Mingling with tropes. Place six large pieces of paper around the room, each listing a different
trope (metaphor, simile, metonymy, personification, understatement, overstatement). First, tell
students to work together to remember and write the definition of the trope at the top of the
which will be more effective for your purpose, and write a short explanation of why one will be
better than the other.
Personal favorite. Ask students to identify their personal favorite trope. Which ones do they
tend to use? Which ones do they notice other speakers using?
Chapter learning objective: Employ principles for matching verbal style to the topic
and the occasion
Imagine the effect. Ask students to generate hypothetical scenarios of a speech using
inappropriate style (i.e., inappropriate to the occasion, topic, or audience). After hearing
several of these, brainstorm a list of check and balances—what can students do to make sure
that they do not use an inappropriate style?
MINDTAP AND CENGAGE RESOURCES FOR CHAPTER 8
Chapter 8 support materials in MindTap include the following:
Quiz questions that reinforce student learning and understanding
Observe—Watch a speech to gain insights into public speaking concepts.
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GLOSSARY OF TERMS FOR CHAPTER 8
Antithesis: figure of contrast that has two opposing or contrasting parts
Double-reverse antithesis: reverse order of key words that creates the opposite meaning, using an
AB-BA structure
Figures: ear catching changes in the structure of a phrase or sentence
Grammatical repetition: figure that uses the same grammatical structure for a series of phrases
or sentences
Hyperbole (trope of exaggeration): overstatement that is obviously not true
Litotes (trope of exaggeration): understatement that is out of proportion with the facts
Simile (trope of comparison): explicit comparison between two things, using “like” or “as” to
connect them
Style: word choices and the use of language to achieve the goals of your speech
Tropes: words or phrases presented to convey a meaning other than the usual literal meaning
