卡耐基演講·五、使聲音更有力、更富彈性

當我們把自己的思想同聽眾進行溝通的時候，要利用我們的整個的發(fā)音器官和身體的其他部分。我們會聳肩、揮動手臂、皺眉、增大音量、改變音調(diào)，根據(jù)場合與題材或快或慢。不過最好要明白，這都是效果而不是原因。音調(diào)的轉(zhuǎn)變調(diào)節(jié)，其實是受到了我們精神和情緒狀態(tài)的影響。這就是在演講前，一定要了解并對題目產(chǎn)生濃厚興趣的緣故。同時，這也是為什么我們要熱切地與聽眾談論題目的緣故。When we are really communicating our ideas to our listeners we are making use of many elements of vocal and physical variety. We shrug our shoulders, move our arms, wrinkle our brows, increase our volume, change pitch and inflection, and talk fast or slow as the occasion and the material may dictate. It is well to remember that all these are effects and not causes. The so-called variables, or modulations of tone. are under the direct influence of our mental and emotional state. That is why it is so important that we have a topic we know and a topic we are excited about when we go before an audience. That is why we must be so eager to share that topic with our listeners.

隨著年齡的增長，多數(shù)人都失去年幼時的純真和自然，我們不知不覺地落入固定的身體和聲音溝通的模式中。說話越來越?jīng)]有生氣，也越來越不肯使用手勢，更不去抑揚頓挫地變換音量的高低。一句話，我們失去了存在于真正的交談里的鮮活和自然。也許我們養(yǎng)成了說話太快或太慢的習慣，同時在遣詞造句方面，一不小心就散亂無序。我一再強調(diào)要自然，說不定你誤以為我會寬恕拙劣的遣詞造句，或單調(diào)無聊的表達方式。恰恰相反，我要的是自然，是把自己的理念完整地全神投入地表達出來。另一方面，好的演講家絕不肯承認自己已經(jīng)不能再吸收新的詞匯，再無法豐富意象和措辭，或再無法變化表達的形式，或再不能增強表達的效力。這些都是有志于精益求精的人尋求自我磨煉的礪石。Since most of us lose the spontaneity and naturalness of youth as we grow older, we tend to slip into a definite mold of physical and vocal communication. We find ourselves less ready to use gestures and animation; we rarely raise or lower our voices from one pitch to another, In short, we lose the freshness and spontaneity of true conversation. We may get into the habit of talking too slowly or too rapidly, and our diction, unless carefully watched, tends to become ragged and careless. In this book you have been repeatedly told to act natural, and you may suppose that I therefore condone poor diction or monotonous delivery provided it is natural. On the contrary, I say that we should be natural in the sense that we express our ideas and express them with spirit. On the other hand, every good speaker will not accept himself as incapable of improvement in breadth of vocabulary, richness of imagery and diction, and variety and force of expression. These are areas in which everyone interested in self-improvement will seek to improve.

你最好借助錄音機等設備測試一下自己的音量、音調(diào)的變化和速度。請朋友評價一下也很有用，如果有專家指點更好。不過，這些都是把聽眾除外的練習，因此要想象自己是在聽眾面前講演，這樣的練習會更有效。當你站在聽眾面前，就要把自己專注于講演中，集中精力對聽眾形成心理與感情上的沖擊，那么你可以講得比聽眾從書本上感受到的更強勁、更有力。It is an excellent idea to evaluate oneself in terms of volume, pitch variation, and pace. This can be done with the aid of a tape recorder. On the other hand, it would be useful to have friends help you make this evaluation. If it is possible to secure expert advice, so much the better. It should be remembered, however, that these are areas for practice away from the audience. To concern yourself with technique when you are before an audience will prove fatal to effectiveness. Once there, pour yourself into your talk, concentrate your whole being on making a mental and emotional impact on your audience, and nine chances out of ten you will speak with more emphasis and force than you could ever get from books.