以肯尼迪和哈里森的就是演讲为例——分析演讲的策略与艺术

1、本 科 毕 业 论 文以肯尼迪和哈里森的就是演讲为例分析演讲的策略与艺术学 院 专 业 英语年 级 2008级学 号 姓 名 指 导 教 师 成 绩二一二年五月12A Study of Kennedy's and Harrison's Inaugural Speeches From the strategy and the art of public speakingSupervisorA Thesis Submitted inPartial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree ofB. A. in EnglishSCH

2、OOL OF FOREIGN LANGUAGESSOUTHWEST UNIVERSITYMay, 2012AcknowledgementsMany people have made invaluable contributions, both directly and indirectly to my research. I would like to express my gratitude to all those who helped me during the writing of the thesis. Firstly, I would like to express my warm

3、est gratitude to Professor *, my supervisor, for his instructive suggestions and valuable comments on the writing of this thesis. Secondly, I was indebted to all the teachers in the School of Foreign Languages who taught and helped me in the past four years. Besides, my thanks would go to my beloved

4、 family for their loving considerations and great confidence in me all through these days. And I wish to thank all my fellow classmates who gave me help and time in listening to me and helping me work out my problems during the difficult course of the thesis.At last, I would like to extend my heartf

5、elt gratitude to the author whose words I have cited or quoted, and to the scholars upon whose ideas I have freely drawn. ContentsAcknowledgementsiAbstractiii摘 要iv. Introduction1A.The power of public speaking1B.Research Design2II. The Theory in Public Speaking2ADefinitions2B. The Speech Process3III.

6、 The Analysis of Kennedy's and Harrison's Speeches4A. An Introduction to Kennedy's Inaugural speech4B. An Introduction to Harrison's Inaugural speech6C. Studies of the American Presidential Inaugural Speech7. Conclusion8Works Cited12A Study of Kennedy's and Harrison's Inaugur

7、al Speeches From the strategy and the art of public speakingAbstract Public speech is an important and universal social activity. In the special context, the speaker declares opinions, expresses emotions, inspires and influences the audience, in order to achieve the good purposes. For the important

8、role of public speech in the western society and the mode the America selects its president, almost every American president is good at the public speech. Presidents know how to use this special propaganda way public speaking, to establish the friendly relationship with hearers and propagandize thei

9、r political views. This paper analyzes Kennedy's and Harrison's Inaugural Speeches from the strategy and the art of public speaking. First, the author makes an introduction to public speaking and basic elements. Then, the author makes a brief introduction respectively to Kennedys and Harriso

10、n's Inaugural Speeches and finds the success and failure aspect. At the same time, we can learn to how to make an excellent speech. At last, making a conclusion and giving suggestion.Key Words： public speaking, Kennedy, Harrison, the strategy and the art 以肯尼迪和哈里森的就是演讲为例分析演讲的策略与艺术摘 要演讲是一种重要的、普遍的社

11、会实践活动。在特定的语境中，演讲者面对广大听众发表意见、抒发情感、启迪和感染听众，以求达到最佳效果并实现其目的。由于演讲在西方社会生活中的重要作用以及美国总统的选举方式，致使每一届的美国总统几乎都擅长演讲。总统们懂得如何运用演讲这一特殊的宣传方式，达到与听众建立良好的关系、宣传政治观点和主张的目的。肯尼迪总统的就职演讲曾被认为是一场成功的演讲，而哈克森总统的就职演讲被认为是一场失败的演讲。本文通过对比两位总统的就职演讲来分析演讲的策略与艺术。首先作者引入演讲的概念及要素，然后分别对肯尼迪总统和哈克森总统的就职演讲做简要概述，然后从中发现他们的成功和失败之处，同时也让我们学会如何做一次好的演讲，

12、应该从哪些方面加以注意，最后进行总结及给予建议。 关键词：演讲；肯尼迪；哈克森；策略与艺术. IntroductionA. The power of public speakingPublic speaking has a long history, which can date back to the ancient Greece. Today it is so popular that it can be found everywhere. As a sub-genre of public speech, political speech plays a considerable role

13、 in society. It is an essential tool for the political leaders to carry out their work. The inaugural speech, as a typical example of the political speech, is addressed every four years by all the American presidents before they take office. Though it is not required by the Constitution, it has alre

14、ady become a tradition for the newly elected president to give an inaugural speech since the first president George Washington. Inaugurals mark the end of the election campaign and the beginning of a new administration. In the inaugural speech, the newly elected president presents situations at home

15、 and abroad, analyses them, puts forward fundamental political principles and policies for the next four years, sets the objectives for the new government, promises a bright future to the public, projects America's place in the world, recalls the past achievements and traditional values and inco

16、rporates them into what he calls on American citizens to do. With the contents of the inaugural speech so comprehensive and time-related, the form so carefully trimmed, and the role it plays so influential, it attracts the interest of scholars in various fields, such as history, politics, literature

17、, linguistics and so on. Throughout history people have used public speaking as a vital means of communication. What the Greek leader Pericles said more than 2,500 years ago is still true today: "One who forms a judgment on any point but cannot explain" It clearly "might as well never

18、 have thought at all on the subject" Public speaking, as its name implies, is a way of making your ideas publicof sharing with other people and of influencing other people.In short, the need for Chinese students to have effective skills of English public speaking will only grow in future years.

19、 Not only will these skills be crucial to your personal success as you work and live in a world shaped by globalization, they will be vital to China's success a it competes with other nations of the world in the 21st century.B. Research DesignResearch Questions: This thesis will try to answer th

20、e following questions: What the strategy and the art of public speaking we can learn from Kennedy's and Harrison's inaugural speeches? Then I continue data collection that to find out the Kennedys and Harrison's inaugural speeches, and analysis basic skills on public speaking according s

21、ome references. Thus, after I know the outline of thesis, I do it step by step. First, I will introduce the basic elements in public speaking, and find out what we should pay attention to. Second, comparing the inaugural speeches and learning something from them. At the same time, I find the reason

22、that Kennedy's successful speech. At last, make a conclusion.II. The Theory in Public SpeakingADefinitionsPublic speaking is simply a presentation of a speaker's ideas to a target group of audiences to facilitate mutual understanding and appreciation. Stephen Lucus saw public speaking as a w

23、ay of making ideas public of sharing with other people and of influencing other people. Wikipedia provides a clearer definition of public speaking ass a process of speaking to a group of people in a structured, deliberate manner intended to inform, influence, and entertain the listeners. Public spea

24、king is the process of speaking to a group of people in a structured, deliberate manner intended to inform, influence, or entertain the listeners. It is closely allied to "presenting", although the latter has more of a commercial connotation.Public speaking, in its professional sense, is a

25、 planned process to skillfully deliver a contextualized message by a trained speaker to an intended group of audiences for a planned purpose or planned purposes. This definition emphasizes the situation, the manner of delivery is to be motivating, the speaker should be well prepared, the target audi

26、ences should be analyzed, and the speaker's purposes are to be accomplished. B. The Speech Process As you begin your first speeches, you may find it helpful to understand what occurs when one person talks to another. Regardless of the kind of speech communication involved, there are seven elemen

27、ts-speaker, message, channel, listener, feedback, interference, and situation. Here we shall focus on how these elements interact when a public speaker addresses an audience.Speaker: Speech communication begins with a speaker. Your success as a speaker depends on youyour personal credibility, your k

28、nowledge of the subject, your preparation of the speech, your manner of speaking, your sensitivity to the audience and the occasion. But successful speaking also requires enthusiasm. You can't expect people to be interested in what you say unless you are interested yourself.Message: The message

29、is whatever a speaker communicates to someone else. Your goal in public speaking is to have your intended message be the message that is actually communicated. Achieving this depends both on what you say and on how you say it.Channel: The channel is the means by which a message is communicated. Publ

30、ic speakers may use one or more of several channels, each of which will affect the message received by the audience.Listener: The listener is the person who receives the communicated message. Without a listener, there is no speech.Feedback: Feedback refers to the messagesusually nonverbalthat are se

31、nt from a listener to a speaker. Do listeners lean forward in their seats, as if paying close attention? Do they applaud in approval? Do they laugh at your jokes? Do they have quizzical looks on their faces? Do they shuffle their feet and gaze at the clock? As a speaker, you need to be alert to thes

32、e reactions and adjust your message accordingly.Interference: Interference is anything that impedes the communication of a message. In public speaking there are two kinds of interference. One is external to the audiencetraffic outside the building, people conversing in the hall, a room that is stifl

33、ing hot or freezing cold. Any of these can distract listeners from what a speaker is saying. As a speaker, you must try to hold your listeners' attention despite these kinds of interference. Situation: The situation is the time and place in which speech communication occurs. Certain situationsfu

34、nerals, weddings, graduation ceremoniesrequire certain kinds of speeches. Physical setting is also important. It makes a great deal of difference whether a speech is presented indoors or out, to a densely packed crowd or to a handful of scattered souls. When you adjust to the situation of a public s

35、peech, you are only doing on a large scale what you do every day in conversation.III. The Analysis of Kennedy's and Harrison's SpeechesA. An Introduction to Kennedy's Inaugural speech The inauguration of John F. Kennedy as the 35th President of the United States was held on January 20, 1

36、961. The inauguration marked the commencement of the term of John F. Kennedy as President and Lyndon B. Johnson as Vice President. Kennedy was sworn in by Chief Justice of the United States Earl Warren, and Johnson was sworn in by Sam Rayburn, the Speaker of the House of Representatives. On John F.

37、Kennedys inauguration day, January 20, 1961, a snowstorm created chaos in Washington, almost canceling the inaugural parade. For those who made it to the inauguration, the day was anything but smooth. The U.S. Army was put in charge of clearing the streets and former president Herbert Hoover missed

38、the swearing-in ceremony because he couldn't fly into Washington. When the ceremony eventually started, a lectern caught fire during the invocation, and Vice President Lyndon Johnson fumbled his words during his swearing-in. The oath of office was administered by Chief Justice Earl Warren and Ro

39、bert Frost read one of his poems at the ceremony. Kennedys uplifting inaugural address, remembered by most historians as one of the best in the history of the United States, challenged Americans to serve their country at a time when the Cold War was stirring overseas and the civil rights struggle, i

40、n addition to other kinds of social reform, was growing at home. The inaugural address was extremely well received. The visual experience and impact of the turnover from Eisenhower to Kennedy was very striking. Kennedy's election marked many firsts for the United States. At 43, Kennedy was the y

41、oungest president to be elected. Kennedy was also the first, and to this date, the only Catholic elected as commander-in-chief and he brought a sense of excitement among American Catholics. By a strange twist of fate, in replacing Eisenhower, then 70, the youngest elected president replaced the olde

42、st president to serve at that time .In addition, Kennedy was the first person born in the 20th century to have served as American president. Kennedy ascended the White House at a time of great economic prosperity, but his presidency wasn't without its challenges. He had to deal with the Cuban Mi

43、ssile Crisis and growing racial tensions that would eventually turn very violent. Kennedy's inaugural address was the fourth-shortest inaugural address ever delivered, taking 13 minutes 59 seconds from first word to last word. The speech emphasized several themes: regular public service, which w

44、as later realized through the administration's Peace Corps effort, cooperation with Latin America, under the umbrella of what Kennedy referred to as "a new Alliance for Progress", and an increased emphasis on manned space exploration, culminating in landing of humans on the Moon initia

45、ted later in Kennedy's presidency. The youthful and refreshing energy found in John F. Kennedys speech is extremely evident throughout. The goals he illustrates appeal to strong emotion and effectively make a connection with everyday Americans. Kennedy begins by talking about all that he has to

46、deal with as president and as a global icon striving for peace. He says, "I do not shrink from this responsibility - I welcome it," near the end of the speech, showing his persistence as a leader. He allows listeners to hear the strength of this determination in his words. He shares his en

47、ergy with the people, stating that the goals of a better world require that effort is given by everyone. His ultimate goal of peace between opposing forces is shown through his idea to, "bring the absolute power to destroy other nations under the absolute control of all nations." He stands

48、 strongly before those who are scared and tries to prove to the public that someone is out there who is not afraid to negotiate for peace. Calling people into action makes up a lot of his speech. He wants citizens ask themselves how they can help out the situation. He firstly says what not to do, an

49、d then he tells America what should be done. He lists many ideas together when it's necessary, for example, when he comments on the common struggle of mankind as the struggle against, "tyranny, poverty, disease, and war itself." B. An Introduction to Harrison's Inaugural speech Wil

50、liam Henry Harrison, who served the shortest presidential term, gave the longest inaugural address. Harrison was inaugurated on March 4, 1841, on a cold, wet day and, refusing to wear a hat or coat, caught cold. He then attended three inaugural balls in the evening. Harrison's "Tippecanoe&q

51、uot; ball was held at the District's Carusi's Saloon with approximately 1,000 people paying ten dollars each to attend. The president's cold lingered and then turned more serious. On April 4, 1841, he succumbed to pneumonia, becoming the first president to die in office. He delivered the

52、 worst inaugural address in history on March 4, 1841. No question about it. Most historians would give this unfortunate public speaking to an unfortunate president, William Henry Harrison. This, due to the fact he served less than one month in office. William Henry Harrison accomplished little, if n

53、ot anything at all. In Harrison's inaugural address to the nation, he insisted on delivering his inaugural address outdoors on a brisk March with wind, blowing against sleet and rain, mixed with snow, in the inner harbor in Baltimore, without a hat, gloves, nor an overcoat and at the age of 68 (

54、 the oldest man before Ronald Reagan ). Sometime later, Harrison was caught in a downpour while out strolling about and returned to the White House drenched. Harrison later came down with a cold, then Pneumonia. He later called his physician, DR. Thomas Miller and said, " I am ill, very ill muc

55、h more so than they think me." William Henry Harrison died shortly after. Thus, making it impossible to hold Harrison accountable to be the worst president to hold the post; never giving him the chance to ever serve the American public. C. Studies of the American Presidential Inaugural Speech F

56、irst, we count the number of words in the address. This is a very raw analysis, yet it can determine whether the address is way too long or short. The longest presidential address numbered 8,445 words and was delivered by William Henry Harrison. The president's speech was so long that it might h

57、ave contributed to his early death from pneumonia one month after the speech. John F. Kennedy gave one of the excellent inaugural addresses in history with beautiful short wordsThen, we analyze the issues the newly elected president outlined in the address. The president needs to mention all importa

58、nt issues facing America at the moment. Determine whether these issues are primarily foreign or domestic. He should also reflect upon his election promises. The president, being the most important person in the country, should also show leadership, courage and an ability to reach across the isle and

59、 reconcile with his political opponents. At last, we analyze the rhetoric. The president's inaugural address must be articulate, intellectually charged, stirring and at the same time clear and unsophisticated, so every citizen, irrespective of his education, should understand it. In addition, the president should also deliver the speech with a confident and optimistic voice. Look for cadence and parallelisms in the words chosen. Kennedy uses many metaph