Becoming Articulate
Day by Day, Week by Week
How I’m Learning to Speak More Articulately
Inspired by Joseph Tsar's Video
"I learned a system for speaking articulately"
A step by step breakdown I found and am using to improve my speech, clarity and articulation.
Step 1: Recognize and Avoid Dead Phrases
Problem: Overuse of clichéd expressions that lack impact.
Solution: Practice conscious word selection to enhance sentence style and salability, avoid common prefabricated phrases.
Step 2: Expand Your Surface Lexicon
Problem: Limited active vocabulary restricts expressive potential.
Solution: Broaden vocabulary by intentionally exploring beyond top 500-1500 words. Think of vocabulary as a color palette; an artists blending of words which paint a vivid picture when used creatively.
Step 3: Improve Thought Retention
Problem: Difficulty in holding thoughts leads to superficial communication. Pay careful attention to what is being said and what is said. Regularly increase your conscious attention to one specific thing.
Solution: Read and practice unaided verbal summarization. Engage more deeply with trains of thought to enrich speech with additional depth and clarity.
Step 4: Speech as a Product of Inputs
Realization: The quality of language inputs (books, videos, conversations) directly affects the quality of ones speech.
Action: Choose to listen to higher quality materials, engage with time tested classics, ancient text, or foreign language. Audit language inputs regularly and seek out higher-quality sources to influence speech positively. Delete gutter culture, language, slang, attitude, and mannerisms with prejudice.
Step 5: The 3x5 Language Diet
Exercise: Spend 15 minutes a day (divided into three 5-minute sessions) on activities that enrich your language:
Reading: Choose material slightly above the current level to challenge comprehension and vocabulary.
Poetry: Read aloud to learn rhythm and cadence, enhancing the musicality and recall of your speech.
Listening: Focus on speakers word choice in podcasts or audiobooks, separate content and style in order to to appreciate the eloquence of the language elucidated.
Step 6: Increase Consciousness per Sentence
Strategy: Be mindful of each word chosen, avoiding automatic or standard phrases. Intentionally heighten awareness, then imagine and articulate multiple possible sentences.
Step 7: Cultivate Intellectual Humility
Approach: Identify limitations as opportunities by being open about the need for time to think or the lack of an immediate answer. This honesty can enhance credibility and relatability.
Video Creator’s Tools and Resources
Nounce: A tool designed by Joseph Tsar to help practice and integrate new words and phrases into everyday speech.
Worksheets and Lists: Joseph provides various resources, including lists of dead phrases, recommended readings, and exercises to diagnose language inputs(music, podcasts, books, media).
Becoming more articulate is not merely about using complex words or demonstrating vocabulary but about increasing the consciousness of word choice, expanding active vocabulary, and being honest with yourself about the whole creative process. By following these stages and incorporating the practices into my daily routine, I feel I can significantly improve my speech and writing articulation to become clearer in my communications, day by day, week by week.