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Powerless versus Powerful Speech

Disclaimers

Expressions that ask listener to show understanding

  • immediately takes away from credibility of the speaker

Examples:

  • "This may sound a little out of the ordinary, but..."
  • "I'm no expert, of course..."

Tag Questions

Powerful Speakers

"A declarative statement without the assumption that the statement will be believed by the receiver"

Example:

  • Ending a statement with "don't you think?"

Powerless Speech

  • Convey confidence
  • Messages are accepted much easier
  • Are much more assertive
  • Are perceived as more attractive and competent

"Constellation of characteristics that may suggest to a message receiver that the communicator is less than powerful or is not so confident."

Hedges

Powerful Speech

Reduces the assertiveness and confidence of the speaker's message

Examples:

  • "Sort of"
  • "Kind of"
  • "I guess"

Characterized by the absence of the features listed previously.

  • No hesitation forms
  • No hedges
  • No tag questions
  • No disclaimers

Hesitation Forms

Show a lack of certainty and/or confidence.

Examples:

  • "Uh" or "uhm"
  • "well you know"

Tips

Effects of Powerless Speech

  • Avoid non-fluencies
  • Speak concisely and directly
  • Accommodate to audience language style
  • Non-verbal expressions

References

  • Speaker's message is much less effective
  • Communicate uncertainty or lack of confidence
  • Speaker may be perceived as:
  • non-credible
  • unintelligent
  • not knowledgeable
  • Distracts audience members from the nature of the message.

Petruskinha. (2007, March 1). George Bush IndianTreaty Room [Video file]. Retrieved from www.youtube.com/watch?v=iEuXc5gGtBg

Oscar Garcia. (2014, January 9). Wolf of Wall Street- Leonardo DiCaprio Speech- HD [Video file]. Retrieved from www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9GR6wvoPOY

Perloff, R.M. (2014). The Dynamics of Persuasion: Communication and attitudes in the 21st century. New York, NY: Routledge

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