Talks on Talking   By: Grenville Kleiser (1868-1953)

by

GRENVILLE KLEISER

Formerly Instructor in Public Speaking at Yale Divinity School, Yale University; author of "How to Speak in Public," "How to Develop Power and Personality in Speaking," "How to Develop Self Confidence in Speech and Manner," "How to Argue and Win," "How to Read and Declaim," "Complete Guide to Public Speaking,"; etc.

Copyright, 1916, by Funk. & Wagnalls Company (Printed in the United States of America) Published, September, 1916 Copyright under the articles of the Copyright Convention of the Pan American Republics and the United States, August 11, 1910

CONTENTS

PAGE

THE ART OF TALKING 1

TYPES OF TALKERS 11

TALKERS AND TALKING 18

PHRASES FOR TALKERS 25

THE SPEAKING VOICE 34

HOW TO TELL A STORY 44

TALKING IN SALESMANSHIP 56

MEN AND MANNERISMS 63

HOW TO SPEAK IN PUBLIC 70

PRACTICAL HINTS FOR SPEAKERS 84

THE DRAMATIC ELEMENT IN SPEAKING 87

CONVERSATION AND PUBLIC SPEAKING 94

A TALK TO PREACHERS 100

CARE OF THE SPEAKER'S THROAT 108

DON'TS FOR PUBLIC SPEAKERS 116

DO'S FOR PUBLIC SPEAKERS 118

POINTS FOR SPEAKERS 120

THE BIBLE ON SPEECH 122

THOUGHTS ON TALKING 123

PREFACE

Good conversation implies naturalness, spontaneity, and sincerity of utterance. It is not advisable, therefore, to lay down arbitrary rules to govern talking, but it is believed that the suggestions offered here will contribute to the general elevation and improvement of daily speech.

Considering the large number of persons who are obliged to talk in social, business, and public life, the subject of correct speech should receive more serious consideration than is usually given to it. It is earnestly hoped that this volume will be of practical value to those who are desirous of developing and improving their conversational powers.

Appreciative thanks are expressed to the Editors of the Homiletic Review for permission to reprint some of the extracts.

GRENVILLE KLEISER.

NEW YORK CITY, MAY, 1916.

Boys flying kites haul in their white wing'd birds: You can't do that way when you're flying words. "Careful with fire," is good advice we know; "Careful with words," is ten times doubly so. Thoughts unexpress'd may sometimes fall back dead, But God Himself can't kill them once they're said!

Will Carleton.

The first duty of a man is to speak; that is his chief business in this world; and talk, which is the harmonious speech of two or more, is by far the most accessible of pleasures. It costs nothing; it is all profit; it completes our education; it founds and fosters our friendships; and it is by talk alone that we learn our period and ourselves.

Robert Louis Stevenson.

Vociferated logic kills me quite; A noisy man is always in the right I twirl my thumbs, fall back into my chair, Fix on the wainscot a distressful stare; And when I hope his blunders all are out, Reply discreetly, "To be sure no doubt!"

Anon.

TALKS ON TALKING

THE ART OF TALKING

The charm of conversation chiefly depends upon the adaptability of the participants. It is a great accomplishment to be able to enter gently and agreeably into the moods of others, and to give way to them with grace and readiness.