Is Elocution Relevant?

Elocution? That`s a bit old-fashioned, isn`t it? Do people actually WANT that stuff? How now, brown cow... that sort of thing?

Yes, it seems, they do. I suspect it rose in popularity with the release of `The King`s Speech` but people have always been self-conscious about their voices. How many times have you heard someone say they hate hearing their voice played back to them because `it doesn`t sound like me`? The thing is, it *does* sound like you, in all likelihood, but it is the you that others hear, and if you want to change that, why not?

Your voice is vital in making first impressions, and people make a lot of assumptions based on what they hear. Shy or confident? Calm and professional or a bit clueless? Dull or fun? Cruel or kind?

The most traditional form of elocution is the Henry Higgins `rain in Spain` approach. The tutor diagnoses the student`s accent and prescribes sets of exercises in order to neutralise vowel and consonant sounds to a Received Pronunciation. Emphasis is placed on tongue and mouth position and the placement of different sounds. This tends to be popular with non-native speakers, whose first priority is to be clearly understood. `But why would they want to get rid of their lovely accents?` people ask. `It`s who they *are*, isn`t it?`. Well, consider this... If you decide to learn a new language, let`s say Russian, do you want to speak Russian in the accent you use for your own language, or do you want to sound as Russian as possible? If you have a passion for languages, or if you`re planning to live or work in that country, I suspect it`s the latter.

Native speakers have rather different reasons for turning to elocution classes. Sometimes it`s a clarity issue. However, more often than not, it`s something about the way people speak rather than specific pronunciation problems. The voice is an instrument that can be incredibly expressive and flexible, but like any instrument, it requires a bit of coaxing and practice. Elocution lessons can increase confidence, particularly in children. Often people who are uncomfortable with the sound of their voice will mumble. As a result, people may stop listening to them, and they may stop putting themselves forward. Helping people to find clearer or more expressive ways of talking can suddenly unlock an interest in poetry, drama or public speaking. It could change both work and social relationships, both by changing the way the speaker feels about him/herself and by altering the way other people perceive them.

Elocution isn`t about producing a world of 1950s BBC accent-ed clones. It`s about giving people vocal confidence and freedom. How NOW, Brown Cow?