Dear reader, Herbert Gardner observed, “Once you get people laughing, they’re listening, and you can tell them almost anything.” Meaning, humour humanises speakers. Then, the best humourists don’t scout for gales of laughter in old and tired jokes. In lieu, they work on wiring wit into speeches. Such speakers are acutely aware that humour relaxes audiences. Through humongous humour, speakers deeply depict that they’re in control. Smiling and laughing together unite the audience. It creates a conducive atmosphere for the collective conscience to listen and laugh. So, seasoned speakers establish robust rapport with audiences through the wise use of humour.
In Speak Like a Star, Sarah Adhiambo and David Grey argue that humour lowers defences and creates a sure sense of shared insight. When you hammer humour, you make the audience more attentive and receptive. They tilt to your train of thought. Largely, humour should rhyme with the rhythm of the message and the audience. So, a quip about daily life, a clever analogy, or a funny anecdote can work wonders. 𝖲adly, s𝗈𝗆𝖾 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗇𝗄 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝗀𝗋𝖾𝖺𝗍 𝗌𝖾𝗇𝗌𝖾 𝗈𝖿 𝗁𝗎𝗆𝗈𝗎𝗋, 𝗅𝗂𝗄𝖾 𝗀𝗈𝗈𝖽 𝗌𝗉𝖾𝖺𝗄𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗌𝗄𝗂𝗅𝗅𝗌, 𝗆𝗎𝗌𝗍 𝖻𝖾 𝗂𝗇𝗇𝖺𝗍𝖾. 𝖸𝖾𝗍, 𝖻𝗈𝗍𝗁 𝖺𝗋𝖾 stupendous 𝗌𝗄𝗂𝗅𝗅𝗌 acquired 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗁𝗈𝗇𝖾𝖽. 𝖧𝗈𝗐? By being witty and funny. By buying 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗅𝗂𝗌𝗍𝖾𝗇ing 𝗍𝗈 𝗍𝖺𝗉𝖾𝗌 𝗈𝖿 𝖿𝖺𝗏𝗈𝗎𝗋𝗂𝗍𝖾 𝖼𝗈𝗆𝗂𝖼s. By keeping 𝖺 𝗇𝗈𝗍𝖾𝖻𝗈𝗈𝗄 𝗈𝖿 hilarious 𝗅𝗂𝗇𝖾𝗌 𝖺𝗇𝖽 scintillating 𝗌𝗍𝗈𝗋𝗂𝖾𝗌. 𝖬𝗈𝗌𝗍 𝗂𝗆𝗉𝗈𝗋𝗍𝖺𝗇𝗍𝗅𝗒, 𝗅𝖾𝖺𝗋𝗇 𝗍𝗈 𝗉𝗅𝖺𝗒 𝗐𝗂𝗍𝗁 techniques such as surprise, similes, 𝗋𝖾𝗉𝖾𝗍𝗂𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗇, personification, 𝖾𝗑𝖺𝗀𝗀𝖾𝗋𝖺𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗇, et cetera.
Likewise, make wise use of poetic licence to humanise and humourise speeches. 𝖧𝗈𝗐? 𝖡𝗒 𝗉𝗎𝗍𝗍𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗒𝗈𝗎𝗋𝗌𝖾𝗅𝖿 therein. 𝖡𝗒 𝗐𝖾𝗇𝖽𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝗐𝖺𝗒, 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝗐𝗂𝗅𝗅 𝖽𝗂𝗌𝖼𝗈𝗏𝖾𝗋 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝗒𝗈𝗎𝗋 𝗐𝗈𝗋𝗌𝗍 𝗉𝗋𝖾𝖽𝗂𝖼𝖺𝗆𝖾𝗇𝗍𝗌 𝖼𝖺𝗇 be 𝖻𝖾𝗌𝗍 𝗌𝗈𝗎𝗋𝖼𝖾𝗌 𝗈𝖿 𝗁𝗎𝗆𝗈𝗎𝗋. 𝖬𝖾𝖺𝗇𝗂𝗇𝗀, d𝗈𝗍𝖾 𝗈𝗇 𝖺𝗇𝖾𝖼𝖽𝗈𝗍𝖾𝗌 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗌𝗍𝗈𝗋𝗂𝖾𝗌. For you’re the safest target of humour. So, show them your weaknesses and admit your feelings. Tell tales by making fun of yourself. Search for shared experiences. Show them that you’re one of them. Or that you understand them.
Why use humour
𝖠𝖼𝗍𝗎𝖺𝗅𝗅𝗒, 𝗁𝗎𝗆𝗈𝗎𝗋 𝗈𝖿𝖿𝖾𝗋𝗌 𝖺𝗇𝗈𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗋 𝗐𝖺𝗒 𝗈𝖿 𝗏𝖺𝗋𝗒𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗉𝖺𝖼𝖾 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗆𝗈𝗈𝖽 𝗈𝖿 speeches. I𝗇 𝐸𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑦 𝐷𝑎𝑦 𝑆𝑝𝑒𝑎𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑂𝑐𝑐𝑎𝑠𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑠, 𝖲𝗎𝗌𝖺𝗇 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝖤𝗅𝖺𝗂𝗇𝖾 𝖯𝖺𝗋𝗍𝗇𝗈𝗐 𝖼𝗈𝗇𝗍𝖾𝗇𝖽, humour 𝗉𝗎𝗍𝗌 𝗅𝗂𝗌𝗍𝖾𝗇𝖾𝗋𝗌 𝖺𝗍 𝖾𝖺𝗌𝖾. 𝖨𝗍 𝖻𝗎𝗂𝗅𝖽𝗌 𝗋𝖾𝖼𝖾𝗉𝗍𝗂𝗏𝗂𝗍𝗒. 𝖨𝗍 𝗋𝖾𝗅𝖺𝗑𝖾𝗌 𝗌𝗉𝖾𝖺𝗄𝖾𝗋s. No wonder, 𝗌𝗉𝖾𝖺𝗄𝖾𝗋𝗌 𝗌𝗁𝗈𝗎𝗅𝖽 𝗅𝖾𝖺𝗏𝖾𝗇 𝗌𝗉𝖾𝖾𝖼𝗁𝖾𝗌 𝗐𝗂𝗍𝗁 heaps of 𝗅𝖺𝗎𝗀𝗁𝗍𝖾𝗋. For 𝗆𝖾𝗌𝗌𝖺𝗀𝖾𝗌 shouldn’t c𝗈𝗆𝖾 𝗈𝗎𝗍 𝖽𝗋𝗒 𝗅𝗂𝗄𝖾 gust of 𝖽𝗎𝗌𝗍. Ideally, lack of humour causes the 𝖺𝗎𝖽𝗂𝖾𝗇𝖼𝖾 to 𝗌𝗐𝗂𝗍𝖼𝗁 𝗈𝖿𝖿, s𝗅𝖾𝖾𝗉, yawn, become bored, look dead, or 𝖽𝗋𝗂𝖿𝗍 𝗂𝗇 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗈𝗎𝗍 𝗈𝖿 attention and 𝖼𝗈𝗇𝖼𝖾𝗇𝗍𝗋𝖺𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗇.
So, know in your nous, 𝗁𝗎𝗆𝗈𝗎𝗋 𝗂𝗌 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗌𝗁𝗈𝗋𝗍𝖾𝗌𝗍 𝖽𝗂𝗌𝗍𝖺𝗇𝖼𝖾 𝖻𝖾𝗍𝗐𝖾𝖾𝗇 𝗉𝖾𝗈𝗉𝗅𝖾. Mostly, 𝗁𝗎𝗆𝗈𝗎𝗋 𝖺𝗌𝗌𝗂𝗌𝗍𝗌 speakers 𝗍𝗈 𝖼𝗈𝗇𝗇𝖾𝖼𝗍 𝗐𝗂𝗍𝗁 𝖺𝗎𝖽𝗂𝖾𝗇𝖼𝖾s. 𝖭𝗈 𝗐𝗈𝗇𝖽𝖾𝗋, it should never miss in speakers’ 𝗍𝗈𝗈𝗅 𝖻𝗈𝗑. 𝖥𝗈𝗋 𝗂t’s a 𝗎𝗇𝗂𝗊𝗎𝖾 𝗍𝖾𝖼𝗁𝗇𝗂𝗊𝗎𝖾 used to enhance mastery, m𝖾𝗌𝗌𝖺𝗀𝖾s and delivery. So, fit 𝗋𝖾𝗅𝖾𝗏𝖺𝗇𝗍 𝗁𝗎𝗇𝗄𝗌 𝗈𝖿 𝗁𝗎𝗆𝗈𝗎𝗋 𝗂𝗇𝗍𝗈 pep talks. Largely, t𝗁𝖾 𝗆𝖾𝗌𝗌𝖺𝗀𝖾 𝗂𝗌 𝗉𝗋𝗂𝗆𝖺𝗋𝗒. 𝖦𝖾𝗍 𝗍𝗁𝖾 loud 𝗅𝖺𝗎𝗀𝗁𝗍𝖾𝗋 𝗂𝖿 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝖼𝖺𝗇, but don’t force stuff. Advisedly, 𝗐𝗁𝖾𝗇 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝖼𝗋𝖺𝖼𝗄 𝖺 𝗃𝗈𝗄𝖾, 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝗁𝖺𝗏𝖾 𝗍𝗈 𝖻𝖾 𝗌𝗎𝗋𝖾 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝗂𝗍 isn’t 𝗈𝖿𝖿𝖾𝗇𝗌𝗂𝗏𝖾 or obscene.
𝖳𝗁𝖾𝗇, let it agree with 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗍𝗈𝗉𝗂𝖼. It shouldn’t 𝖻𝖾 𝗌𝗍𝖺𝗅𝖾. Or a 𝗃𝗈𝗄𝖾 d𝖾𝗆𝖾𝖺𝗇ing 𝗉𝖾𝗈𝗉𝗅𝖾 𝖿𝗋𝗈𝗆 𝖺 𝗉𝖺𝗋𝗍𝗂𝖼𝗎𝗅𝖺𝗋 𝗉𝗋𝗈𝖿𝖾𝗌𝗌𝗂𝗈𝗇, 𝗍𝗋𝗂𝖻𝖾, 𝗋𝖾𝗀𝗂𝗈𝗇, 𝗋𝖾𝗅𝗂𝗀𝗂𝗈𝗇, 𝖺𝗀𝖾-𝗀𝗋𝗈𝗎𝗉. 𝖡𝖾 𝗐𝗂𝗌𝖾, 𝗇𝗈𝗍 𝗈𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗋𝗐𝗂𝗌𝖾. Be 𝗌𝖾𝗇𝗌𝗂𝗍𝗂𝗏𝖾 and intelligent. In How to Be an Effective Speaker, Christiana Stuart contends that audiences vary emotionally. Therefore, jokes that tickled an audience elsewhere may not raise a titter on another. Even when the joke or jest is just spot on, you may ruin its import through incorrect timing, emphasising a wrong word, or so. Or worse still, getting the punch line muddled up in the mud of poor delivery. Then, you may be a proficient jest-teller within your group of friends, but it takes great wit and talent to liven speeches with gales of good laughter.
So, d𝗂𝗀 𝖽𝖾𝖾𝗉 to reach rich vaults of 𝗌𝗉𝗈𝗇𝗍𝖺𝗇𝖾𝗈𝗎𝗌 𝗁𝗎𝗆𝗈𝗎𝗋. Above all, humour should never outshine content. For 𝗌𝗈𝗆𝖾 𝗌𝗉𝖾𝖺𝗄𝖾𝗋𝗌 (𝖽𝖾)𝗏𝗈𝗂𝖽 𝗈𝖿 cogent 𝖼𝗈𝗇𝗍𝖾𝗇𝗍 𝗁𝗂𝖽𝖾 𝖻𝖾𝗁𝗂𝗇𝖽 humongous 𝗁𝗎𝗆𝗈𝗎𝗋. Loud la𝗎𝗀𝗁𝗍𝖾𝗋 lie to them that they’re really 𝖽𝖾𝗅𝗂𝗏𝖾𝗋𝗂𝗇𝗀. Such 𝗌𝗉𝖾𝖺𝗄𝖾𝗋s should pose and pause the quality question: Once 𝖾𝗆𝗈𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗇𝗌 𝖺𝗋𝖾 𝖽𝖾𝖺𝖽, 𝗐𝗁𝖺𝗍 do the 𝖺𝗎𝖽𝗂𝖾𝗇𝖼𝖾 𝗍𝖺𝗄𝖾 𝗁𝗈𝗆𝖾? 𝖥𝗈𝗋 𝗂𝗇 𝖺 𝖼𝖾𝗋𝗍𝖺𝗂𝗇 girls’ 𝗌𝖼𝗁𝗈𝗈𝗅, 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖯𝗋𝗂𝗇𝖼𝗂𝗉𝖺𝗅 𝖺𝗌𝗄𝖾𝖽 giggling girls 𝗐𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗒 𝗀𝖺𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗋𝖾𝖽 𝖿𝗋𝗈𝗆 𝖺 𝖼𝖾𝗋𝗍𝖺𝗂𝗇 hilarious speaker. 𝖮𝗇𝖾 sincere one 𝗌𝖺𝗂𝖽, “𝖳𝗁𝖺𝗇𝗄 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝗆𝗈𝗆. 𝖳𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝗌𝗉𝖾𝖺𝗄𝖾𝗋 𝗐𝖺𝗌 𝗌𝗈 𝖿𝗎𝗇𝗇𝗒. 𝖧𝖾 tickled our ribs a lot. 𝖨 𝗃𝗈𝗍𝗍𝖾𝖽 𝖽𝗈𝗐𝗇 𝖺 𝗅𝗈𝗍 𝗈𝖿 𝗃𝗈𝗄𝖾𝗌 𝖨 𝗐𝗂𝗅𝗅 𝖻𝖾 𝗎𝗌𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗍𝗈 amaze and amuse 𝖿𝗋𝗂𝖾𝗇𝖽𝗌.” 𝖸𝗈𝗎 𝗆𝖺𝗒 𝗌𝖺𝗒 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗅𝖺𝗌𝗌 𝗐𝖺𝗌 𝗆𝖺𝗇𝗇𝖾𝗋𝗅𝖾𝗌𝗌, 𝖻𝗎𝗍 𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗋𝖾 𝗂𝗌 𝖺 𝗅𝗈𝗍 𝗈𝖿 𝗌𝖾𝗇𝗌𝖾 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝗈𝗈𝗓𝖾𝖽 𝖿𝗋𝗈𝗆 𝗁𝖾𝗋 𝖼𝖺𝗇𝖽𝗈𝗎𝗋 on 𝗁𝗎𝗆𝗈𝗎𝗋.
In a nutshell, 𝖺 𝖼𝖾𝗋𝗍𝖺𝗂𝗇 𝗌𝖺𝗀𝖾 𝗌𝖺𝗂𝖽 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝗁𝗎𝗆𝗈𝗎𝗋 𝗂𝗌 𝖺 𝗀𝖾𝗇𝗍𝗅𝖾 𝗐𝖺𝗒 𝗈𝖿 𝖺𝖼𝗄𝗇𝗈𝗐𝗅𝖾𝖽𝗀𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗁𝗎𝗆𝖺𝗇 𝗐𝖾𝖺𝗄𝗇𝖾𝗌𝗌𝖾𝗌. 𝖧𝗎𝗆𝗈𝗎𝗋 𝗂𝗌 𝖺 𝗐𝖺𝗒 𝗈𝖿 𝗌𝖺𝗒𝗂𝗇𝗀 “𝖨’𝗆 𝗈𝗄𝖺𝗒 𝗒𝖾𝗍 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝖺𝗋𝖾 𝗇𝗈𝗍 𝗈𝗄𝖺𝗒, 𝖻𝗎𝗍 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝗂𝗌 𝗈𝗄𝖺𝗒, 𝗁𝖾 𝗅𝗈𝗏𝖾𝗌 𝗎𝗌 𝖺𝗇𝗒𝗐𝖺𝗒.” 𝖧𝗎𝗆𝗈𝗎𝗋 𝗈𝗇𝗅𝗒 𝖻𝖾𝖼𝗈𝗆𝖾𝗌 effusive and 𝖾𝖿𝖿𝖾𝖼𝗍𝗂𝗏𝖾 𝗐𝗁𝖾𝗇 𝗉𝖾𝗈𝗉𝗅𝖾 𝖺𝗋𝖾 𝗐𝗂𝗅𝗅𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗍𝗈 𝖺𝖼𝗄𝗇𝗈𝗐𝗅𝖾𝖽𝗀𝖾 𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗂𝗋 𝗐𝖾𝖺𝗄𝗇𝖾𝗌𝗌𝖾𝗌 quite inhere A better writer or orator can 𝖾𝗆𝗉𝗅𝗈𝗒 𝗁𝗎𝗆𝗈𝗎𝗋 𝗍𝗈 𝗅𝖺𝗎𝗀𝗁 𝖺𝗍 𝗁𝗎𝗆𝖺𝗇 𝗐𝖾𝖺𝗄𝗇𝖾𝗌𝗌𝖾𝗌 𝗐𝗂𝗍𝗁 𝖺𝗇 𝖺𝗂𝗆 𝗈𝖿 𝗂𝗇𝗃𝖾𝖼𝗍𝗂𝗇𝗀 change in 𝖺 certain 𝗌𝗂𝖼𝗄 𝗌𝗈𝖼𝗂𝖾𝗍𝗒. For h𝗎𝗆𝗈𝗎𝗋 𝗀𝗂𝗏𝖾𝗌 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖺𝗎𝖽𝗂𝖾𝗇𝖼𝖾 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖼𝖺𝗉𝖺𝖼𝗂𝗍𝗒 𝗍𝗈 swallow 𝖻𝗂𝗍𝗍𝖾𝗋 𝗍𝗋𝗎𝗍𝗁s.
READ ALSO: How to effectively use a microphone in public speaking
Finally, 𝗁𝗎𝗆𝗈𝗎𝗋 𝗌𝗈𝖿𝗍𝖾𝗇𝗌 hard hearts. 𝖧𝗎𝗆𝗈𝗎𝗋 𝗆𝖺𝗄𝖾𝗌 𝗉𝖾𝗈𝗉𝗅𝖾 𝗐𝖾𝖺𝗋 𝗆𝗂𝗅𝖾-𝗐𝗂𝖽𝖾 𝗌𝗆𝗂𝗅𝖾𝗌. People can 𝗀𝗋𝗂𝗇, 𝗀𝗂𝗀𝗀𝗅𝖾 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗅𝖺𝗎𝗀𝗁 loud. 𝖧𝗎𝗆𝗈𝗎𝗋 𝖻𝗋𝖾𝖺𝗄𝗌 𝗍𝖾𝗇𝗌𝗂𝗈𝗇 in 𝗌𝖾𝗌𝗌𝗂𝗈𝗇. 𝖧𝗎𝗆𝗈𝗎𝗋 𝗅𝗎𝖻𝗋𝗂𝖼𝖺𝗍𝖾𝗌 𝗆𝖾𝗌𝗌𝖺𝗀𝖾𝗌. 𝖧𝗎𝗆𝗈𝗎𝗋 𝗆𝖺𝗄𝖾𝗌 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖺𝗎𝖽𝗂𝖾𝗇𝖼𝖾 𝗍𝗈 𝖼𝗈𝗇𝗇𝖾𝖼𝗍 with 𝗆𝖾𝗌𝗌𝖺𝗀𝖾s and 𝗆𝖾𝗌𝗌𝖾𝗇𝗀𝖾𝗋s. 𝖧𝗎𝗆𝗈𝗎𝗋 𝖺𝗅𝗅𝗈𝗐𝗌 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖺𝗎𝖽𝗂𝖾𝗇𝖼𝖾 𝗍𝗈 𝗍𝖺𝗅𝗄 𝖻𝖺𝖼𝗄 by 𝗉𝗋𝗈𝗏𝗂𝖽ing 𝗂𝗇𝗌𝗍𝖺𝗇𝗍 𝖿𝖾𝖾𝖽𝖻𝖺𝖼𝗄. 𝖧𝗎𝗆𝗈𝗎𝗋 𝗋𝖺𝗂𝗌𝖾𝗌 𝖺 𝖽𝖾𝖺𝖽 𝖺𝗎𝖽𝗂𝖾𝗇𝖼𝖾. Humour 𝗋𝖾𝖼𝗁𝖺𝗋𝗀𝖾𝗌 𝖽𝖾𝖺𝖽 𝖻𝖺𝗍𝗍𝖾𝗋𝗂𝖾𝗌. 𝖧𝗎𝗆𝗈𝗎𝗋 is 𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗋𝖺𝗉𝖾𝗎𝗍𝗂𝖼. Humour is a s𝗍𝗋𝖾𝗌𝗌-𝖻𝗎𝗌𝗍𝖾𝗋.
By Victor Ochieng’
Victor Ochieng’ trains people on the art and science of Public Speaking. vochieng.90@gmail.com. 0704420232
You can also follow our social media pages on Twitter: Education News KE and Facebook: Education News Newspaper for timely updates.
>>> Click here to stay up-to-date with trending regional stories
>>> Click here to read more informed opinions on the country’s education landscape
