The ABC's of great communication by Jason Bermingham

The ABC's of great communication by Jason Bermingham

If somebody tells you to "stick a cork (põe uma rolha) in it", don't take it as a compliment.
The expression "stick a cork in it" is just another way of saying "shut up." But there is one case in which stiching a cork in your mouth has its bennefits.
This technique can strengthen (reforçar/melhorar) your communication skills by improving your articulation.
What do I mean by articulation?
Pay attention to how Tv host (apresentador de televisão) Ryan Seacrest talks during an episode of American Idol. It sounds like he's pronouncing ev-ery syl-la-ble of ev-ery word.

People don't talk this way in real life, but TV and radio personalites depend on clean articulation - speaking slowly and deliberately - to get their messages across (para comunicar-se efetivamente).

Author and voice-over (locutor/narrador) actor James Alburg teaches a good way to improve articulation in his book The Art of Voice Acting, and variations of this technique have been around ever since the Greek orator Demosthenes put pebbles (pedrinhas de rio) in his mouth to improve his own communication skills.

Here's how it works: stick a cork between your front teeth as if it were a cigar. Don't have a cork? Use your thumb. Now, read a passage of text out loud. Read slowly and pronounce ev-ery syl-la-ble. Really work your mouth. When you're done (quando você estiver terminado) remove the cork and read the passage again. Do the words sound clearer and easier to understand?

Of course, there is such a thing as too much articulation. Your goal (objetivo/meta) shouldn't be sound like Ryan Seacrest on American Idol. After all, if you're not as good looking as Ryan is, people will just think you're crazy. But you don't have to be on TV or radio to get a message across. Practice the cork technique and your audience will understand what you have to say.

Teacher Marcius