A Word Regarding Words

Grammar and vocabulary are, unexpectedly, crucial to a successful speech. But you can get away with a very limited range of words and still deliver an oration with all the power, fire, and emotional grandeur of an MLK speech — or the simple, yet raucous, taboo questioning nature of comedian Sarah Silverman.

Words are the atoms of the molecules that are sentences. They are the sprinkles on the cake of rhetoric. And other aphorisms.

When preparing your speech, a few things to consider with regards to words:

1. Your audience. Speak to their level — but, and this is very important, don't dumb down your language just for the sake of hitting the lowest common denominator. Challenge your audience with your words. On the other hand, don't bludgeon them with words they simply cannot know, nor use words that do not serve them.
2. Your own tolerance. Don't try to put in 'big' words for the sake of making your speech sound 'important.' Try new words; keep a thesaurus nearby. But don't force words in where they don't work for you as the speaker.
3. Flow. If, during your draft writing (and you are writing out your speech, correct?), you find chunky, too short, too long, or bumpy sentences, take the time to explore how another word might fit better to make the sentence flow. And further on, consider how the flow of the sentences all work together. A single replacement word can make the world of difference to an entire paragraph.
4. Repetition. Don't overly-repeat the same word. Unless... you mean to repeat that same word for the sake of emphasis. Even then, look both at the impact of using the same word three times in quick succession compared to three synonyms of a word in quick succession. Maybe words that rhyme would work better, or word that share fluid assonance.
5. Impact and Nuance. We're often taught to keep words 'small' — small, as in both short length and common in understanding. Yet in English, we have a rich dictionary of words to choose from. Rather than use a word based on simple elements like length or commonality, use the most fitting word for the meaning you intend to convey. "Very big," for example, is far better to be replaced by a word like "massive," or "gargantuan." The latter words have far more impact and imagery compared to "big," "very big," or "really big."

We haven't even touched on the structure of sentences. Just keeping word choice in mind will often drive the use of grammar. So keep words in mind at all time.

Words. They make a difference.