Miss Charisma 2008
Posted on November 18, 2008
Good morning, Speech Fans! I’ve been noticing more than a few of you schlumping about Broad Street and through the hallways, puling your shoulders forward to ward off the cold, shortening the muscles in the back of your neck when you get tense or scared, holding on to your belly and–need I say it?–your–ahem–sphincter! Tune in to this week’s webisode and take a tip or two from Nitro! You, too, could become Miss Charisma!
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It’s Time to VOTE!
Posted on November 4, 2008
Good morning, Speech Fans! This is not just another Tuesday. Today is perhaps the most important election in our country’s history! So Nitro and I, as well as the rest of the crew, are taking the day off to volunteer at the polls and VOTE! Don’t be deterred by long lines–JUST STAND THERE! They’ll get to ya. Rest assured, teachers, professors and employers all pretty much agree there’s nothing more important today than casting your vote.
So tune in next week, all you Diva devotees, because we have a very important Tune-up in store for you. (BTW, if you happen to catch Nitro in a dress, give me a heads-up, will ya’?)
See ya’ then, Speech Fans!
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The Doctor Is In
Posted on October 28, 2008
Good morning, Speech Fans! It’s that time again–it’s Tuesday morning and the Two-Minute Tune-Ups are up and running once more!
This morning’s tune-up is all about the schwa, the most commonly uttered vowel in our American dialect. It’s a little neutral sound–a bit like a grunt. The articulators are easy and relaxed. Many little words contain schwas–for instance: “the,” “on,” and “of,” to name only a few. And, of course, the smallest word in the English language, “a.” Never say “ey!” It’s too artificial! The article “a” is always a schwa. Always use “uh.” when saying “a.”)
People are sometimes surprised to discover that a schwa is actually good for speech! If we didn’t use schwas, people would find our speech very tiresome indeed, as you will observe in our speech-challenged patient, Danny.
On the other hand, too many schwas–that is, a lack of articulation–can make you sound like you have a mouth full of marbles, and the Diva will never tolerate that!
Embrace the schwa! The schwa brings music and rhythm to your speech! Save the articulated vowels for the really important syllables! The Diva says, “Sound like an American! Schwa it up!”
Until next week, Speech Fans!
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Let Me Hear Your Body Talk!
Posted on October 20, 2008
Say, Speech Fans! Are they really listening to you? The audience, I mean. Or are you flapping your gums and getting nowhere? Are you a just talking head? Check out this week’s webisode and work it with Nitro as he takes speech fans for a ride on the Zoo-Whoa-Shaw ladder. Let me hear your bodies talk, Speech Fans!
(Special thanks to resonating and vibrant Speech Fans Carl Clemons-Hopkins, Shane Donovan, Meg Hubbarth, Haley McCormick, Dan O’Neil, Serena Pomerantz, and Ed Renninger.)
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Plump Your Pats!
Posted on October 14, 2008
Good morning, Speech Fans! Nitro and I have hit the streets of South Philly, in search of the “Plump Pat.” Now, mind you, South Philly natives aren’t the only ones who use the “flat pat” sound for words like ham, bank, basket and bad. All across the country, folks are eating “he-am” for Easter, and saying, “Thenks, Mom! Pi-ess the yi-emms!”
Save and savor the English language, Speech Fans, and plump your pats!
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Wheeeeee! It’s Lee!
Posted on September 29, 2008
Good morning, Speech Fans! It’s Tuesday again, and time for another two-minute tune-up. The Speech Diva and Nitro are cutting the rug in this week’s episode–check it out!
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The Five Front Vowels
Posted on September 23, 2008
Good Morning, Speech fans! It’s another webisode of the Speech Diva’s Tuesday Morning Two-minute Tune-ups! Nitro is up to his tricks, as usual. Check it out!
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Two-Minute Tune Ups: New Episode!
Posted on September 16, 2008
A new season of Two Minute Tune-Ups is underway, as the Speechdiva searches for a new assistant.
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Episode Two: The Liquid U
Posted on February 20, 2008
You asked for it and you got it - more Two Minute Tune-Ups! Richard Cerato is our guest in this week’s webisode. Stay tuned!
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D’Arcy on the Webb
Posted on February 12, 2008
The Speech Diva’s Tuesday Morning Two-Minute Tune-Ups is my first venture into the world of blog, or rather “vlog” posting. I’m kind of giddy about it it. So is Kyra. If it hadn’t been for ace speech student and teaching assistant Kyra Bromberg gently pushing me in front of that camera lens, I probably would have sat about thinking what a great idea a speech vlog is, and how somebody else should do it. So I owe a debt of thanks to Kyra for that, and to my eldest son, Alex Gilbert, for the sweetest Christmas gift ever–a domain name.
I hope my current sophomore students will use Two-Minute Tune-Ups to reinforce what’s happening in class. And maybe former students will check in from time to time for a mini refresher lesson on the valuable concepts they learned in speech in years past, which sometimes tend to fall by the wayside when focusing on intention and authenticity.
Let us know what you think. But please, remember what Thumper’s mother said: “If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.”
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