CEREMONIAL SPEECHES
Ceremonial speeches, special types of short speeches on various social or ceremonial occasions, have three functions: (1) to explain a social world to listeners as in commencement addresses; (2) to display the speaker's eloquence as in entertaining speeches; and (3) to shape and share community ideals as in inaugurals and keynotes.
Common types of ceremonial speeches include: introductions, welcomes, farewells, award presentations, acceptances, thank-yous, toasts, after-dinner speeches, sermons, prayers, and ceremonial speeches such as tributes, keynotes, inaugurals, and commencement speeches.
14.1 INTRODUCTIONS
A speech of introduction precedes a public presentation.
A speech of welcome is in order if you are called on to provide greetings to a visitor to your organization, to new members, or to make your own remarks on joining a group.
14.3 FAREWELLS
A farewell speech may be saying farewell as you move on to another position or retire; or, you may be extending your group's farewell to a departing member.
14.4 AWARD PRESENTATIONS
When an individual or a group achieves some distinction, officials are usually called upon to give an award presentation--a commendation to the recipient.
14.5 ACCEPTANCES
A speech of acceptance normally follows an award presentation, an election victory, or a success.
14.6 THANK-YOUS
The speech of thank-you is your acknowledgment of services or aid given to you by others.
14.7 TOASTS
The toast is a recognition of or tribute to a person or a group, in which a short speech is given and a celebratory liquid is sipped.
14.8 AFTER-DINNER SPEECHES
Another speech frequently used at luncheons, dinners, and banquets is the after-dinner speech, whose purpose is usually to provide an entertaining or compelling message on a theme.
14.9 SERMONS
Religious services typically include some form of homiletics, or sermonizing, presented by a member of the clergy or of the congregation. An effective sermon has several characteristics: (1) unity, a sense of coherence around a theme; (2) memory, recalling the traditional beliefs of the religious community; (3) recognition, to enable members of the congregation to affirm their own faith; (4) identification, a sense of familiarity and relevance for the listeners; (5) anticipation, to sustain listener attention; and (6) intimacy, to create a personal relationship between the speaker and the listener.11
14.10 PRAYERS
14.11 COMMEMORATIVE SPEECHES
Eulogy. Think for example about the words of tribute you heard upon the death of England's Princess Diana. How did they affect you as a listener?
Keynote speech
Inaugural speech
Commencement address
14.12 LISTENING TO APPRECIATE
Many people are appreciative listeners. The popularity of poetry readings, books on tape, authors' book signings, networks like CNN which feature the spoken word, reflect the interest that many people have in language and style. For example, consider the use of language in CNN's Interactive Video Vault
http://www.cnn.com/video_vault/index.html
Understand the role of ceremonial speeches in public communication.
Recognize what constitutes an effective ceremonial speech, including introductions, welcomes, farewells, award presentations, acceptances, thank-yous, after-dinner speeches, sermons, prayers, and commemorative presentations.
Know how to prepare and present an effective ceremonial speech.
Know how to listen appreciatively to a ceremonial speech.
There are many types of ceremonial speeches: introductions, welcomes, farewells, award presentations, acceptances, thank-yous, toasts, after-dinner speeches, sermons, prayers, and commemorative speeches such as tributes, eulogies, keynotes, inaugurals, and commencement speeches.
Ceremonial presentations have three functions: to explain a social world to listeners, to display the speaker's eloquence, and to shape and share community ideals.
Public speakers should be able to develop and present such speeches, for they can be part of both career and social responsibilities.
When preparing a speech for a special occasion, analyze the expected audience carefully and adapt the speech specifically to those particular listeners.
A speech of introduction precedes a public presentation.
A speech of welcome is in order if you are called on to provide greetings to a visitor to your organization, to new members, or to make your own remarks on joining a group.
An award presentation is a commendation to a recipient of a citation or recognition.
In a farewell speech you may say good-bye as you move on to another position or retire, or extend your group's farewell to a departing member.
A speech of acceptance normally follows an award presentation, an election victory, or a success of some kind.
The speech of thank-you is your acknowledgment of services or aid given to you by others. It should include a tribute to those being recognized.
The toast is a recognition or tribute to a person or a group, in which a short speech is given and some liquid sipped as a means of acknowledging the recipient.
The after-dinner speech is frequently used at luncheons, dinners, and banquets. Its purpose is to provide an entertaining or compelling message on a theme.
The characteristics of an effective sermon are unity, memory, recognition, identification, anticipation, and intimacy.
Prayers are statements of faith and concern addressed to the congregation's God.
The purpose of a tribute is to deepen the appreciation and respect of the listeners for the person, persons, event, institution, or monument.
A eulogy is a tribute presented in recognition of an individual who has died.
A keynote speech usually serves as the central point of a conference or convention and typically is presented early in the proceedings to function as the "rallying cry" for those involved.
An inaugural speech, given when a new officeholder assumes responsibilities, is designed to set the tone for new beginnings.
A commencement address commemorates old experiences and new beginnings for members of a graduating class.
Being a receiver of ceremonial speeches, generally, takes the form of listening at the appreciative level.
speech of introduction
speech of welcome
farewell speech
award presentation
speech of acceptance
speech of thank-you
toast
after-dinner speech
homiletics
sermonizing
prayers
commemorative speeches
tribute
eulogy
keynote speech
inaugural speech
commencement address
http://www.latimes.com/HOME/NEWS/NATION/DIANA/times_greene906.htm
2. Historical and present day speeches can serve as models for your own speaking.
You can download free software (RealPlayer) to see and hear sound and video segments of speeches. This process will take some time, depending on your modem and computer. You will need to provide certain information about your computer's specifications to install the software. You can select the free software available.
Democratic Leadership Speeches
Historic Speeches Audio Archives
Historical Speeches (Voice of America)
Northwestern University's anthology of speech texts
Presidential Libraries
University of Maryland has an excellent index to speeches
The White House