RATE OF SPEECH

Speaking is characterized by

variations in speed.

RATE OF SPEECH

• Depends on the thought you are expressing• A reflection on the speaker’s mood• May vary from time to time and from

passage to passage

VARIATIONS IN SPEED

• Projects characteristics such as calmness, acceptance of others, and formalitySLOW

• Projects an image of dullness, listlessness, apathy, laziness, and sometimes lack of intelligenceTOO SLOW

• Projects animation, enthusiasm, excitement and informalityFAST

• Suggests nervousness, tension, anxiety, or a flighty personalityTOO FAST

TWO FACTORS INFLUENCING DIFFERENCES OF RATE

QUANTITY PAUSE

Quantity in Speech Rate

• This is the length of time that is spent in the actual utterance of vowel sounds within words and the duration varies according to the mood and sentiment being expressed.

• If you are happy, joyful, excited or in a hurry, you will probably speak faster than is usual, pronouncing the vowel tones in shorter duration because of the gaiety of the mood.

• If you are sad, heavy of heart, deeply serious or in a reflective mood, your speech tends to be slow, taking more time in prolonging the vowels within the words.

Effects of Using the Wrong Rate of Speech

Listeners get bored too easily listening to

a very slow pace.

Listeners get strained too much and get tired listening to a very fast

speaker.

PAUSE• The length of time spent in silence

between words and particularly between phrases

• May range from a slight hesitation to a longer pause or silence

• May be made not only between words and phrases but also during vocalization

Uses of Pauses

Build up suspense and emphasize the word or sentence

that follows

Gives listeners time to assimilate

the word particularly for

dramatic effects

Increase the impact of feeling

projected

Breaks the continuity of

thought making the listeners bored