Hands-free narration of this study — good for the car.
Synopsis
This section explains how sounds and speech are physically produced — by the abdominal, diaphragm and chest muscles pushing air through the vocal chords, and by the tongue, mouth and nasal passages shaping that sound into words. It teaches correct breathing: filling the whole chest, letting the diaphragm and abdomen do the work rather than straining the throat, and offers two exercises — lying down with a book on the abdomen, and rapid panting like a dog — to build diaphragm control, backed by a quotation from Evangelism warning that the strain should fall on the abdomen, not the throat, to prevent disease. It then addresses speaking clearly: many speakers have 'lazy mouths,' rush their words, and lose their listeners; exercises given include opening the mouth wide on vowel sounds, holding fingers between the teeth while reciting the alphabet, reading Scripture aloud daily, and recording oneself to self-correct. Finally it calls for good, pure language, free of crude or offensive speech, citing 1 Corinthians 1:21 that God has chosen the 'foolishness of preaching' to save believers, so speakers must be fit channels for His word.
Key points
- Speech is produced by three actions: the diaphragm/abdominal/chest muscles, the vocal chords, and the tongue/mouth/nasal passages.
- Correct breathing uses the diaphragm and abdomen, not the throat, preventing soreness and disease.
- Practical exercises (book-on-abdomen, panting, wide-mouth vowels, finger-between-teeth alphabet, recording oneself) build a trained voice.
- Many speakers fail because they speak too fast with lazy mouths, cutting words off and losing listeners.
- Speech must also be pure and correct in language, since God has chosen preaching to save believers (1 Cor. 1:21).
Key texts
- 1 Corinthians 1:21
- Titus 2:8
From the course book
Developing the Speaking Voice · pp. 11-14 (reader pages 11-14) · Open the reader
- “To ensure correct delivery in reading and speaking, see that the abdominal muscles have full play in breathing and that the respiratory organs are unrestricted. Let the strain come on the muscles of the abdomen, rather than on those of the throat.” (p. 12)
- “By earnest effort we are to obtain a fitness for speaking. This fitness includes uttering every syllable clearly, placing the force and the emphasis where they belong. Speak slowly.” (p. 12)
- “The workman for God should make earnest efforts to become representative of Christ, discarding all un-comely gestures and uncouth speech.” (p. 13)
Put it into practice
- Practice the book-on-abdomen breathing exercise for five minutes daily until breathing correctly becomes natural.
- Read a passage of Scripture aloud every day, pronouncing each word clearly and slowly.
- Record yourself preaching or speaking, then play it back and correct what you hear.
- Comprehension
1. Name the three physical actions the course says together produce speech.
- Comprehension
2. What happens physically when a person breathes in correctly, according to the course?
- Comprehension
3. Describe the book-on-abdomen breathing exercise.
- Scripture
4. What warning does the quotation from Evangelism, p. 669 give about where 'strain' should fall in speaking?
- Comprehension
5. Why does the course say many speakers lose their listeners' interest?
- Doctrinal Clarity
6. How does the exercise of reciting the alphabet with fingers between the teeth train the tongue?
- Doctrinal Clarity
7. Why does the course recommend recording yourself speaking or preaching?
- Contrast
8. Contrast a speaker who breathes shallowly with one who breathes using the diaphragm.
- Scripture
9. Read 1 Corinthians 1:21. Why does the course connect this text to good language in preaching?
- Application
10. Which single voice exercise from this section will you begin practicing this week, and why?