Understanding Public Speaking A Learner's Guide to Persuasive Oratory

Public speaking is a much coveted yet difficult art. This book illustrates the use of various linguistic devices and persuasive strategies with examples from the speeches of powerful orators in history. It systematically draws on the various approaches to public speaking and persuasive discourse to present new insights and techniques. The volume: Critically examines strategies of persuasive oratory. Draws on extensive investigation of a corpus of famous public speeches in history. Focuses on the needs of those who want to brush up their public speaking skills. The volume will be a key reference for aspiring civil servants, lawyers, business and corporate professionals, and politicians. It will be of great interest to scholars of linguistics, and political and business communication.

Preface. Acknowledgements. 1. Introduction 2. Theoretical Perspectives on Speech-Based Persuasion 3. Classical Theories of Public Speaking 4. Tropes and Figures of Speech in Persuasive Oratory 5. Words and Sentences in Public Speech 6. Structure of aPublic Speech 7. Connecting with the Audience 8. Introducing the Central Issue 9. Strategies of Elaboration and Amplification 10. Construction of Persuasive Discourse 11. Concluding a Public Speech 12. Delivery of a Speech 13. Conclusion

Braj Mohan is an assistant professor in the Department of Linguistics and Contemporary English at the English and Foreign Languages University, Lucknow Campus. He has a PhD in Linguistics and specializes in Pragmatics and Sociolinguistics. Hehas published numerous articles in the area of persuasive oratory and political rhetoric.