On a solemn Monday morning, when an earnest speaker tries to put a message across to a 500-strong audience, there is almost pin-drop silence. With dust-laden beams of light pouring in through the windows, the whole scenery seems like a sermon in a church – lifeless, one-sided and as regular as the news. While all would have to agree that the issues and matters spoken of hold great importance in our lives, it would be extremely rare for everyone to honestly admit that the speeches generate a lot of interest among the listeners. After having given up trying to catch the meaning of words travelling to my ears (if the A.V. Squad and the speaker’s voice permits), I have taken to mentally nodding off on these occasions. That is till I discovered a new and much more rewarding game – of watching the audience.
    People who do not have a good command of the language spoken (and are proud of the fact), or cannot comprehend what they will call ‘SAT’ words, simply stare blankly at the speaker or slip in to dream-land and start shifting in their places. Some others, who do manage to get the gist of the material, put on a bored expression accompanied with fit-a-football-in-my-mouth yawns and P.T. Drill-like flailing of the arms. Still others who can clearly keep track of what’s being said, wear an expression of superiority and great intellect on their faces, and from time to time either lick their lips or gently shake their head up and down as a gesture of approval. Some who would like to claim recognition as cultured and knowledgeable people, change the setting of their facial muscles at regular intervals, irrespective of the nuances of the speech. Last Monday, I was quite concerned for a friend of mine who, suddenly having found something he strongly objected to, began to shake his head like a pendulum gone astray. It seemed that his neck just might snap.
    This shows that public speaking is a special form of communication. It does not depend on how many ‘SAT’ words you use or how expressive and confident you are, but on whether your audience understands what you say.