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History of Public Speaking

The document summarizes the history of public speaking traditions from ancient Greece to the Philippines. It discusses how the Greeks on Sicily developed rhetoric to help citizens in courts, establishing the basic 3-part structure of introductions, evidence, and conclusions. It then outlines key figures like Aristotle, Cicero, and Demosthenes and their contributions. The document also notes that women were typically excluded from public speaking historically but the Philippines had female "babaylans". It concludes by explaining how American and Filipino traditions blended public speaking styles.

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Christine Diane
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3K views21 pages

History of Public Speaking

The document summarizes the history of public speaking traditions from ancient Greece to the Philippines. It discusses how the Greeks on Sicily developed rhetoric to help citizens in courts, establishing the basic 3-part structure of introductions, evidence, and conclusions. It then outlines key figures like Aristotle, Cicero, and Demosthenes and their contributions. The document also notes that women were typically excluded from public speaking historically but the Philippines had female "babaylans". It concludes by explaining how American and Filipino traditions blended public speaking styles.

Uploaded by

Christine Diane
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Short History

of Public
Speaking
Christine Diane Galvan,
CSPE, LPT
Instructress
The most well-known public
speaking traditions come from
the West, specifically from the
Greco-Roman tradition.

The Greeks studied the art of


rhetoric on the island of Sicily,
and it began with a practical
need.
Their government had
been overthrown, a new
democracy was formed,
and the Greek courts were
filled with clashing
property claims.
Corax – teacher of rhetoric
Tisias – Corax’s student

Helped citizens when it came


to speaking persuasively in
courts of law, and this led to
the expansion of the teaching
of rhetoric to mainland
Greece.
 According to Corax, a basic speech
has 3 parts:

1. Introduction
2. Evidence
3. Conclusion

This simple organization of


speeches has endured throughout
the ages.
Protagoras
The father of debate
Had his students argue for
and against issues of the day
to sharpen their reasoning
skills and appreciate different
sides of an issue.
Aristotle
 Famous Greek philosopher
 Also known as the father of modern
communication
 Wrote a treatise entitled “Rhetoric”
 Where he discussed the use of logos
(logical argument), pathos (emotional
argument) and ethos (the speaker’s
character and credibility), in the use of
persuasive speaking.
Demosthenes
 Famous orator in Ancient Greece
 In the beginning, he had many flaws when
it same to public speaking, chief among
them were his stammer and weak voice
 However, he practiced declaiming on the
seashore with pebbles in his mouth,
walking up and downhill while reciting
 His speeches were known for their
deliberation and forethought
Cicero
 Most famous Roman orator
 His eloquence was described a
“resistless torrent”
 He was a statesman who argued
that the teaching of rhetoric
should be considered as art form
and that this could be useful in “all
practical and public affairs”
He believed that in order to
prepare a speech, one should
first think of one’s listeners
and their interests, and to use
certain strategies, such as
humor, questions, etc. to
engage the audience
Quintilian
A roman lawyer and
educator
Forwarded the idea that
public speaker should
be ethical
It is interesting to note that
during these times, women were
not allowed to speak publicly in
these countries, and that for along
time, this was true for women in
other areas of the world.

However, during pre-colonial


times, the Philippines was one of
the few places that allowed women
to speak in public for the purpose of
presiding over religious rituals.
These women were known as
“babaylans” priestesses of the
community, and along with the
warriors of the community, the
“mandirigma”, they were the
leaders of pre-colonial
Philippines.
Although most of the
babaylan were women,
babaylan priests also existed,
wearing feminine clothing and
adopting a feminized role in the
Philippine society.
The Philippines actually has its own
tradition of public speaking. It is called
different word in different regions in
the Philippines.

“Karagatan” is said to be a game


wherein young men and women duel
with each other using words when it
comes to talking about love, while the
“Huwego de Prenda” is a game used
to entertain guests and the bereaved
family during wakes.
During the American
period, the more widely
known Balagtasan was
also staged, and order to
honor Francisco Balagtas,
a well-known Filipino poet.
Balagtasan
 Islike an ordinary debate, except that
one has to reason and argue in verse.
 Two master poets are assigned to
defend the pros and cons of an issue,
and a board of judges sits to determine
the winner.
 At first, this whole enterprises was
scripted and staged, but thereafter, they
were made in a more impromptu
manner.
 When the Americans brought public education
in the Philippines, they also brought their
public speaking traditions along with them.

 The Americans wanted to distinguish


themselves from the Spanish colonizers by
using the medium of the English language,
which has its own peculiarities and forms,
foremost among them is the dictum to be
straightforward.

 Itis anchored on the public speaking tradition


founded on Western Civilization which is
based on the Greek and Roman traditions.
In this manner, the Filipino
public speaking tradition brings
with it the flamboyant, poetic
manner that flourished under
Spanish colonization and the
simpler, methodical public
speaking traditions of the West.
QUI
Z
1. According to Corax, what are the 3 parts of a
speech?
2. According to Aristotle, what components make a
speech persuasive? Explain these in your own words.
3. Why does Cicero believe you should use
strategies to engage the audience? Do you agree?
Why or why not?
4. What is Balagtasan? Why is it the most well-
known Filipino public speaking tradition?
5. What do you think is the most important
component that makes a speech persuasive? Why
do you say so?
6. What surprised you the most when you read the
history? Why were you surprised?
7. What is the difference between Western and
Filipino public speaking tradition?

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