10.1 What Language Is and Does
Lana Iapicco and Marie Torres
10.1 What Language Is and Does
The Power of Language in Public Speaking
Language is not an accessory to your speech; it is its foundation. Treating language as an afterthought overlooks its complexity and central role in communication. This chapter explores how language functions in public speaking, the standards it should meet, and how intentional language choices can strengthen a message.
Public speaking requires deliberate adjustments to language. Spoken language differs from written language in several important ways. It tends to be more repetitive, frequently uses personal pronouns, and is supported by gestures, vocal inflection, facial expressions, and other nonverbal behaviors. Spoken language also allows for more emotional, conversational, and informal expression.
Consider the word blue. Scientifically, it refers to a particular range of visible light. However, people may also associate the word with sadness, political affiliation, or a musical tradition. These examples illustrate two types of meaning:
- : The literal or dictionary definition of a word.
- : The emotional, personal, social, or cultural associations connected to a word.
Understanding both types of meaning is essential for effective communication. Language shapes how people think, express themselves, and connect with others. It is deeply personal, but it can also be used to influence, persuade, frame, or manipulate an audience’s understanding.
For example, a phrase such as “revenue enhancement” may be used instead of “tax increase” to soften the emotional effect of the message. Expressions that substitute a less direct or less troubling phrase for another are called . Euphemisms can sometimes make difficult subjects easier to discuss, but they may also hide meaning or mislead an audience. Ethical speakers must consider how their word choices affect clarity and perception.
Language also evolves over time. Words may acquire new meanings or lose older ones. For example, pretty once commonly meant clever or skillful, while prevent once meant to precede or come before. These changes help explain why older works, including Shakespeare’s plays, can be challenging for contemporary audiences to interpret.
Advertisers understand the persuasive power of language. They may sell “homes” rather than “houses” or use product names designed to create feelings of happiness, security, comfort, or belonging. Such choices influence how audiences perceive products, services, and ideas.
Public speakers must recognize that words do more than communicate information. Language can shape attitudes, create emotional responses, establish relationships, and influence decisions.
Ethical and effective public-speaking language should meet four important standards:
- Clear: The language should be understandable and precise.
- Effective: The language should support the speaker’s purpose and help communicate the intended message.
- Appropriate: The language should fit the audience, occasion, topic, and speaking context.
- Elegant: The language should be vivid, memorable, and thoughtfully expressed without becoming unnecessarily complicated.
These standards can guide your choices as you develop your voice and style as a speaker.
Licenses and Attribution
CC Licensed Content, Original
Speech Communication was created by Lana Iapicco and Marie Torres. Independently created original and AI-assisted content developed specifically for this book is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.
This educational material includes content generated or revised with the assistance of large language models. Lana Iapicco and Marie Torres reviewed, edited, and take responsibility for the final published content.
CC Licensed Content, Previously Shared
What Language Is and Does
“What Language Is and Does” by Douglas Marshall, James Yeargain, June Pulliam, Sara Kim, and Victoria VanNest, published in It’s About Them: Public Speaking in the 21st Century by LOUIS: The Louisiana Library Network, was adapted for this section.
The source material is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. The material was revised, reorganized, expanded, updated, and supplemented with original and AI-assisted content for this edition.
Adapted portions derived from this source, including revisions to those portions, are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Independently created portions developed specifically for Speech Communication are licensed under the book’s Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.
Other Licensed Content Included
Two People Communicating with Sign Language
Photograph by SHVETS production, available through Pexels.
Terms of use: Pexels License.
Changes: The photograph was resized, and its alternative text and caption were revised for this edition.
Other Content Included
The Art of Public Speaking
Lucas, S. E. (2023). The art of public speaking (13th ed.). McGraw Hill.
This source informed the discussion of denotative and connotative meaning, word choice, clarity, audience awareness, and the persuasive power of language. The publication remains subject to the rights of its author and publisher and is not included under the Creative Commons licenses applied to Speech Communication.
A Speaker’s Guidebook
O’Hair, D., Stewart, R., & Rubenstein, H. (2022). A speaker’s guidebook (8th ed.). Bedford/St. Martin’s.
This source informed the discussion of spoken language, audience-centered communication, clarity, appropriateness, and effective language choices. The publication remains subject to the rights of its authors and publisher and is not included under the Creative Commons licenses applied to Speech Communication.
Stand Up, Speak Out
OpenStax. (2020). Stand up, speak out: The practice and ethics of public speaking. Rice University.
This resource informed the discussion of language, meaning, euphemisms, ethical word choice, audience interpretation, and effective public-speaking style. It remains subject to the license and attribution information provided by OpenStax.
The Challenge of Effective Speaking
Verderber, R. F., Verderber, K. S., & Sellnow, D. D. (2023). The challenge of effective speaking (18th ed.). Cengage Learning.
This source informed the discussion of language functions, denotation, connotation, audience adaptation, persuasive wording, clarity, and appropriateness. The publication remains subject to the rights of its authors and publisher and is not included under the Creative Commons licenses applied to Speech Communication.
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the objective or literal meaning shared by most people using the word
the subjective or personal meaning the word evokes in people together or individually
language devices often used to make something unpleasant sound more tolerable
