***If You Hail from New Jersey or New York, How's Your Diction?

By Nancy Daniels, The Official Guide to Public Speaking
The official guide to Public Speaking

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You know what this article is not about? Nasality. I know, New Yorkers, you have heard it over and over again. Have you ever considered how fast you talk, however?

While there is much to be said about diminishing, lessening or even eliminating nasality, one of the greatest problems for New Yorkers is their speed. Aside from the fact that you drive fast as we do here in South Jersey, you also talk at 100 mph! Add that to the nasality issue and it may be more than difficult for others to understand you.

Yes, other New Yorkers catch your drift because they are good at listening at top speed. Their mothers, fathers, teachers, and store clerks also spoke fast so they learned to listen fast. The difficulty is for those who do not hail from New York or New Jersey. They have difficulty keeping up with you. Add your speed to excessive nasality and your message is not being heard.

Because of the amount of audio and video on our computers, business today is being conducted globally from Texas to Taiwan to Tripoli; and, it is more important than ever to be understood when you speak.

Recently I heard a young man giving a video presentation and English was not his 1st language. After about 40 seconds of trying to translate his English into mine, I gave up and found another website offering a similar program. That young man lost potential business from me.

While English obviously is your 1st language, your speed, coupled with nasality, may make your diction near to impossible to understand for those in whom English is not their 1st language.

Learn to speak slower (and I don’t mean for you to speak too slowly). If you can change your speed from 100 mph to 80, you will be amazed at how much more distinct your diction will be. You will still be speeding but you will be much easier to understand.

The best way to do this is to listen to a book on audio and follow along with the professional reader out loud. You must record yourself doing this because you will think that you are speaking too slowly. Trust me, when you play it back, you will be surprised at how much better you sound.

Your diction decides whether others will understand you or not. If you speak too fast, then the chances are good that you are not being understood. Make the change; you will be glad you did.