Speaking Clearly [Paperback]

Jeffrey C. Hahner (Author), Martin A. Sokoloff (Author), Sandra L. Salisch (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 1996 | ISBN-10: 0070259194 | ISBN-13: 978-0070259195 | Edition: 5 Sub

A guide to speech and public speaking. Exercises and drills are presented in order of increasing difficulty to prevent students from beginning at an inappropriate level or from moving on too quickly. Ear training exercises allow students to monitor and correct their own sounds. It also covers foreign and ESL speech patterns and problems such as nervousness. In this edition, examples have been rewritten to focus on poular culture, student activites and anecdotes.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Jeffrey C. Hahner is an Associate Professor of Speech Communication Studies at Pace University in New York City. He earned his B.A. in Speech Science at Pace College, an M.A. in Speech Pathology and Audiology at New York University, and has had additional graduate studies at New York University. Among the courses he has taught at Pace are Public Speaking, Voice and Diction, Small Group Communication, Interpersonal Communication, and Intercultural Communication. In 1994 he received the Dyson College Dean’s Award for Teaching Excellence. In addition to teaching, he designs and conducts seminars, workshops, and courses for educational and corporate clients in the United States, Europe, and Southeast Asia.

Martin A. Sokoloff is a Licensed Psychologist and Speech and Language Pathologist, residing in Cape Cod, Massachusetts after having retired from Pace University in 1987. He is involved in several capacities with the Academy for Lifelong Learning, a program for elderly citizens at Cap Cod Community College, as well as community activities.

Sandra L. Salisch has been a licensed and certified Speech Language Pathologist for over twenty years. In her private practice she specializes in accent reduction and voice therapy. She has taught voice and diction for over 20 years at the university level, while teaching in an undergraduate Speech Pathology and Audiology training program. She has worked as a speech consultant in industry.

Product Details

• Paperback: 407 pages
• Publisher: Mcgraw-Hill College; 5 Sub edition (September 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0070259194
• ISBN-13: 978-0070259195
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 7.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,671,646 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

74 of 75 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great CDs for Practicing Diction, January 8, 2007

By 

Charlotte K. Howard - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

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This review is from: Speaking Clearly: Improving Voice and Diction with free Pronunciation CD-ROM (Paperback)

My speech was getting sloppy--wasn't enunciating clearly & my mouth felt lazy. So I bought this book & CD set. I play the CDs in my car while commuting to & from work, & I find they are wonderful. The exercises involve repeating words that are grouped by vowel & consonant sounds, then progressing to repeating phrases, then to repeating sentences. The pace is fast (so you don't lose interest), the sentences are pretty complex (so you have to be attentive & not lazy) and there are are several CDs too, (so you don't get bored). Doing the CD exercises has definitely helped remove the marbles from my mouth, and to iron out certain bad habits I was getting into pronunciation-wise. I'm sure the book is great too, though I haven't used it yet (I picked this package mainly for the CDs, as I'm forever buying "Improve Your Speech" books & not doing much with them). I'm a native English speaker, so I've no idea how helpful this set would be to someone who is switching from another language.

45 of 47 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Indispensable for speech therapists, March 19, 2003

By A Customer

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This review is from: Speaking Clearly: Improving Voice and Diction (Paperback)

Here is the clearest, must helpful book on articulation that I have ever read. Although the voice section is a bit weak, the diction section (4/5 of the book) contains clear placement information, common problems of misarticulation and solutions, and helpful drills. The judgment calls of the authors regarding standard and non-standard speech are astute. The authors know their material and can explain it clearly. A clearer, more informative text cannot be found. I only wish that they had either expanded the voice section or eliminated it and just accepted that this was a book on diction.

37 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Indespensible for actors and singers too, not just speech therapists!, November 13, 2005

By 

The Actor (Chicago) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Speaking Clearly: Improving Voice and Diction with free Pronunciation CD-ROM (Paperback)

I didn't realize before I used this book how many things I mispronounced, even though I am a native English speaker. This book really helped me work on many weaknesses in my diction. This belongs on the shelf of every actor and singer.

A reviewer recommended this book for speech therapists, but I would also recommend it for actors, singers, frequent public speakers, and for other people who use their voice professionally, and even for help with stuff like accent elimination.

This book also helped me learn IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet), which I've found to be a tremendously helpful tool.