Of all of the facets of public speaking, perhaps nothing carries as great an impact for the listener as the speaker’s choice of words. The composition of the English language, and its blending throughout the years with the tongues of the foreigners who came to English lands and called them home, is such that there is an almost unlimited wealth of choices for the savvy speaker. The end result is a vast array of possibilities for expression; however, it is vitally important that the speaker choose their words wisely, utilizing only those that are most appropriate.

The English language is considered to be one of the simplest and the most complex languages for the student to master. It has no consistent conjugation of verbs or changes in inflection to significantly change the meaning of its words. Despite its apparent simplicity, however, English is one of the most varied languages in the world, particularly in the United States. Why? Because from the moment the first settlers stepped onto American soil their language ceased to be pure. They were forced to incorporate the terms used by the Native Americans to describe many of their experiences in the new world, because they simply didn’t exist in Mother England. Words such as papoose, moccasin and maize are as common and every day to students of public speaking in the US as baby, shoe and corn.

After the French conquered England in 1066 English and Norman-French were spoken side by side. Again, the co-existence of the two cultures led to a blended tongue that incorporated a number of words from each language-often offering similar words for objects or emotions that would eventually grow and evolve into their own entity. For example, the French word adoration was referred to often in terms of worship; however, following its incorporation into the English tongue it was shifted to refer to an interpersonal emotion that was more intense than simple affection.

Although these signified two of the first major blendings of other tongues with the English language, they were by no means the last. The vast numbers of immigrants that flocked to America’s golden shores brought hundreds, if not thousands, of tongues with them. This is still apparent in many parts of the country, such as the German that can still be heard on the main streets of Wisconsin or the Creole French spoken in the bayous of Louisiana.

Before stepping in front of a crowd it is important that the student of public speaking be familiar with those words which comprise the whole of the composition of the English language and understand their subtle differences among their listening audience. The use of words in French, German, Native American, Polish, Gaelic and any of the other multitudes of languages and dialects that have found a home in the English language can serve to make a speech more effective and more meaningful; however, if used incorrectly they serve only to make the speaker sound like a fool.

Words in a foreign tongue, when mispronounced or misused in front of an audience, will certainly create a memorable (albeit negative) impression. Once an audience has labeled a speaker a fool he has effectively lost their attention, and any message he hoped to convey will be lost entirely. Therefore, it is vital that before using a word a speaker be aware of all of its meanings and possible subtleties.

This is especially true when speaking in front of a native audience, as words may have a different meaning following their incorporation into the English language than they do in their original tongue. One only has to go to England and have someone ask if they would like to put their luggage in the boot to understand the ways that words, and the composition of the English language, can change between cultures, resulting in a vastly different interpretation that could equal potential quicksand for the inexperienced student of public speaking.

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