47. American Rhythm: Learn How To Be A Better Speaker With Reese Witherspoon

Welcome to the Influency Podcast. I'm Hadar. This is episode number 47. Today we are going to dive deep into a fun intonation practice with Reese Witherspoon. Hey, how are you doing? I hope you are well. Thank you so much for tuning in for another episode of the Influency Podcast. And today we are going to do one of my favorite things to do in the whole world, which is to dissect and dismantle a speech. And the reason why I love doing that is because you get to understand so much about the language and about your native language when you really listen closely to how people talk and what they choose to stress and how they do it and how they build up that tension that we love so much when listening to people speak and how they pause and where they pause and how long the pause is. Now, these things, we don't usually pay attention to them. We just listen to people and we're like, oh, I like them or I don't like them. Ooh, they get me to listen or they make me feel so bored. What is it about people that makes them these engaging, interesting people? What makes a speech good? What gets you to listen? What persuades you? I mean, these are questions that you need to ask yourself if you want to become a better speaker. Because to become a better speaker, it's not enough to learn techniques and just practice. You really need to understand what it is that you like about other people. And it's not just this general, ooh, she's good, or, ooh, he's amazing. But it's the specifics that you pay attention to that changes the entire picture about how you perceive public speaking and how you speak in public. And public speaking is not just giving a TED Talk, okay? It's speaking up at work. It's talking to a group of kids in school. That's public speaking. We want to be engaging speakers everywhere because when we are, then it makes us feel worthwhile. This is why we're here on this planet. If I may get a little spiritual here, I mean, that's our purpose here. Not to make money or to be published, but to influence people on a daily basis with our words and compassion and emotions, that we need our voice to express those. And if we don't know how to use our voice to express that, then we are really stealing from the experience of other people. The experience of other people, of us, if that makes sense. Anyway, so what I love doing, and I used to do that in school when I was in acting school, which significantly influenced how my English is today. The stuff that I did back then was so useful and powerful that I carry it with me till today. And this is why I love doing it in my courses and lessons and videos, because I know that sometimes that's how you get things. And that's what I'm gonna do today. So today I'm sharing with you the audio of a video episode where I took Reese Witherspoon's speech in Glamour's woman of the year award ceremony, and I broke it down mainly in terms of rhythm and intonation. Now, to make it easier on you, I created a script, like a visual script, where all my notes are there with intonation patterns and the reduced words, the stressed words. So I kind of like, visually wrote it for you to understand what it is that I'm talking about. So go download the script to make this work more powerful. So the link is in the show notes. Go get it. And let's listen to the speech analysis.

Hey, guys, it's Hadar. And this is the accents way. And today we're going to talk about American rhythm. We already said that American rhythm is derived from the content of which means words that are stressed are usually longer and higher in pitch. For example, content words like verbs, nouns, adjectives, and adverbs in comparison to words that are less stressed, that are shorter and lower in pitch and softer. And these are function words like on and at, could, what should am is are fur of this. Now, if in your language, you have specific stress patterns, meaning maybe you stress every other word, or maybe you only stress things at the beginning and drop at the end. This is a challenge for you, and this is why you need to change your mindset and start recognizing the words that you want to stress. And these are the words that you.

Want to go for.

And by go for, I mean prolong the main vowel in them and raise the pitch for them. And to demonstrate this idea of American intonation and rhythm even further, I chose to analyze with you this wonderful speech by Reese Witherspoon. Let's take a look. What do we do now?

Seriously? I'm not kidding. Go back and watch any movie and you will see this.

What do we do now? Here she's talking about the fact that almost in every movie, there is a point where the woman turns to the man, asking, what do we do now? Okay, so let's analyze this question for a sec. What do we do now? The two words that stick out the most are what and now. And then we also have do what do we do now? What do we do now? So we have what that is really high in pitch. Notice that she's not pushing her voice to say the what and the now. She just goes high in pitch.

What do we do now?

Right now, of course she's exaggerating, and I'm not expecting it to go this high in pitch.

What do we do now?

But just try to get the essence of the way she stresses things.

What do we do now?

So what do we. The we. The The The. It's not. What do we. What do we. What do we. The we is not reduced. But she's saying it really, really quickly. What do we do? Right. She's not going higher in pitch, but it's longer. Da da da da da da da da da da. It's not. What do we do now? Da da da da da.

What do we do now? What do we do now?

So if you don't want to exaggerate it so much, you can just ask.

What do we do now? What do we do now? What do we do now?

Right now is really long. What is kind of long do is right there in the middle. Ta da da da da. But the do we is short and somewhat reduced.

What do we do now?

Let's look at the next sentence. What do we do now?

Seriously, I'm not kidding. Go back and watch any movie and you will see the.

Seriously, I'm not kidding. Go back and watch any movie. Seriously, not kidding. Any movie. These are the stress words. Seriously, not kidding. Any movie. Seriously, I'm not kidding. Go back and watch any movie. So she really slows down hitting those stressed words. And this is not too speechy. That's how people actually speak. Right? It's a comment that she's adding. It's not planned, I think, right? Seriously, I'm not kidding. Seriously. That's higher in pitch. The C, which is the primary stress, is longer than the rest of the syllables. Ta da da da. And I'm not kidding. Both the not and the kidding are stressed. Kidding is a little more stress than not. So it's going to be a little higher in pitch. Seriously, I'm not kidding. Go back and watch. Go back and watch. Go back and watch. Go back, watch. These are three content words, but they're not as stressed. They're not reduced. So we don't reduce the vowel there to a schwa, but they're said quickly and softly and with very little effort. Go back and watch any movie. Right? Slow, slow. Go back and watch any movie. I'm not pushing it. I'm not stressing it. I'm not necessarily saying it a lot louder. It's just slower. Go back and watch any movie. And it's the distinction between the fast part and the slow part that makes it different, that helps it stick out. So it's not just about saying it slowly or strongly or higher in pitch. It's also about what I did just before, which is I kind of, like reduced it or she did.

Watch any movie. And you will see this line over and over again.

You're going to see it now. And you will see this line over and over again. And you will see this line over and over again. And you will see this line. So first of all, listen to the melody. Every syllable has a different note. And you will see this line. And you will. She didn't reduce it to yol. And you will see this line. But it's said quickly and effortlessly. And you will see this line. Line is longer. Over and over again. Right. Again. Is reduced over and over again. Because it's not about the repetition. It's about how it happens every single time. This is why she chooses to stress over and over, over and over again. And you will see this line over and over again. You're gonna see it now. You're gonna see it now. You're gonna see it now. Now. She's not saying you're gonna see it now. You're gonna. You're gonna. She's not just reducing it. She's going higher in pitch. But in this case, that doesn't mean that it's stressed. This is a common pattern where a sentence starts with higher notes. You're gonna see it now. But see is the word that sticks out that is longer. You're gonna see it now. You're gonna see it now. See it. It's reduced, right? It's not. See it. See it. You're gonna see it now. You're gonna see it now. I'm always playing with my head voice and my chest voice. I'm going up. I'm not pushing my voice. You're gonna see it now, right? I'm not using more energy to stress. I'm just raising my pitch slightly. And if you're not comfortable with going really high in pitch because you go really high in pitch when you really want to stress something, you can go a little lower in pitch or you can just prolong the word. You're going to see it now. You're going to see it now. And that's also okay. But it is different than you are going to see it now. You are going to see it now or you're going to see it now? Right, you're going to see it now. That's the rhythm, that's the melody, and that's the feel of American English. Let's skip to the end of the speech.

Ladies and gentlemen, I think we are in a cultural crisis.

Ladies and gentlemen, I think we are in a cultural crisis. Now, again, look at this constant distinction between the fast and the slow, the reduced and the stressed, Ladies and gentlemen. Right, that's not that important, obviously. She's talking to the ladies and the gentlemen in the audience. Ladies and gentlemen, I think we are. I think we are thinking stress. It's a little longer. I is a bit more reduced. I think we are in a cultural crisis. Right, so she slows down on the two words. Cultural crisis. I think we are in a cultural crisis. Right, when you really want to stress your point, slow down towards the end of the point and then prolong the words that you are stressing. I think we are think is also stressed. So the words are prolonged, but also the pace slows down towards the end. Ladies and gentlemen, I think we are in a cultural crisis.

In every field, in every industry.

In every field in every industry. Now, notice the word in turns into a schwa. She's reducing it in an in every field. So in is reduced, every is a little longer. And field. That's a stress word. This word is higher in pitch and longer in every field in every industry. In every field. She places it here in every industry. So industry is a little higher in pitch. It's a little longer. Because she's starting to build up her argument in every field in every industry. And again, she slows down to get her point across to indicate that it's an important part, like I just did now, it's an important part. You slow down when you reach the important part.

Women are underrepresented and underpaid in leadership positions.

Women are underrepresented and underpaid in leadership positions. So a lot of words are stressed here. Women underrepresented, Underpaid leadership positions.

Right?

This is an important sentence.

So more words are naturally going to be stressed. But here I really want you to see how they come across in comparison to the function words that barely get noticed. Women are underrepresented. Women are. Women are. It's not. Women are underrepresented. Women are underrepresented, underrepresented. And even in the word underrepresented, there is a distinction between the more important and the Less important. Under is less important. Underrepresented. And then the ze is the primary source. So it's going to be higher in pitch and longer than the rest. Women are underrepresented and underpaid and then in leadership positions. So in is really, really short and reduced. It feels like it's part of the word leadership. Leadership. In leadership. In leadership. So you go from the N to the L. You connect them in leadership positions. Notice there is no O in the word positions. In leadership positions.

And the reason we're all talking about it tonight and the reason we're all.

Talking about it tonight, that Right. And the reason reason is higher in pitch and longer. And the reason we' we're all. We're all. It's not we are all we are turns into we're. And it's low in pitch and soft and quick. We're all. And then we connect it to all. So eventually what you get is we raw. We raw. We're all. It's not even we. It's like we're all. Right, we're all. And the reason we're all talking about it tonight. Talking about it tonight. The talking is important to so that's going to be the peak in terms of the pitch. Talking about it tonight. So talking and tonight are important about it is less important. So it's going to be fast and short and kind of reduced. Talking about it tonight. Talking about it it's not talking about it. Talking about it tonight.

Under 5% of CEOs of Fortune 500 companies are women.

Under 5% of CEOs of fortune 500 companies are women. So there are the stressed words, there are the reduced words, there are the stressed words. And among them, there are words that are more stressed and less stressed. So let's look into it. Under 5%, that's stress because it's slower and higher in pitch. Under 5% of CEOs. That's also stressed, but is reduced under that's also reduced under 5% of CEOs. Notice that in the word CEO the stress falls on the last letter. CEO. CEO under 5% of CEOs of Fortune 500 companies. Right. These are all content words, but they're less important.

Right?

So here there are no reductions, but you need to practice saying it quickly. Fortune 500 companies. And again, connected speech is important because it feels like it's one big word. Fortune 500 companies. Fortune 500 companies. The secret to getting it right is to really soften your consonants. Say your consonants really softly. Don't push every consonant Fortune 500. No, say these consonants softly. Don't push your voice and say it softly. Fortune 500 companies. Fortune 500 companies. And if it's difficult, say it 50 times in a row. Fortune 500 companies. And it doesn't matter that you need to be saying this phrase properly or not. When you practice something that is challenging and you manage to master it, you improve a little more. You are able to do other things that are also challenging, okay? So even if you're saying to yourself, I don't need this speech, I don't need this phrase, this is not a good practice. Then forget about these bad voices in your head. Just practice it. Because every time you practice something and you improve in it, you improve in English as well.

So Fortune 500 companies are women.

Under 5% of CEOs of Fortune 500 companies are women. So it's not our women. It's not super stressed. Okay? That's how she manages to get to her point nicely. Are women are women.

Only 19% of Congress is women.

Only 19% of Congress Is women. Ta da tara tata. Ta tara Tatara. Right? Short, long, short, long. Only 19%. So this is stress. It's longer. Deliberately longer. Of Congress. Of Congress. To Tata. Right? It's not of congress. The con is the primary stress. It's one syllable. It doesn't have the same length as of. There's also one syllable because of is reduced and it's not important. So it's pronounced quickly. Of congress is women is women. Right. And again, notice what she does. It's not of congress is women. Not everything is connected. It is. There is a mini break. Of congress is women. Right? Like a mini clap right there in the middle. Only 19% of Congress is women. These are the phrases. It's kind of like a mental break that you're taking, allowing you to speed up. In the next race. Only 19% of Congress is women.

No wonder we don't have the health care we deserve.

No wonder we don't have. That's like a common intonation pattern of this particular phrase. No wonder you're tired. You haven't been getting enough sleep. No wonder she's acting out. She's been eating candies all afternoon. No wonder we don't have. Wonder is the stressed words. We don't have. We don't have is reduced.

The health care we deserve.

The health care we deserve. The health care we deserve. The health care we deserve. Right? So health care is important, and we deserve is a little less, although it's important. So we deserve Is Pronounced fully. It is not reduced, but it's lower in pitch. The health care we deserve. Notice how people speak around you. This is a very common speech pattern. No wonder we don't have the health care we deserve.

Or paid family leave. Or public access to early childhood education.

Or paid family leave. Or public access to early childhood education. So she's listing things, and every time she lists something else, it is going to be higher in pitch. No wonder we don't have the health care we deserve. Or paid family leave. Or public access to early childhood education. Or public access. Right. Again, she's building it up. Health care we deserve, Paid family leave, public access to early childhood education. And then she keeps going down in her low tone, in her lower range. Right. In her chest voice or paid axis. Right. So this perception of women only talking up here is not right. They go to their head voice. And men as well, by the way, it's not just women. They go to head voice when they stress words in parts of the sentence. And then parts of the sentence are also really, really low in pitch. And we need to balance between the highs and the low, the head voice and the chest voice, the long and the short, the fast and the slow.

And that really worries me.

And that really worries me. And that and that and that. That's reduced and that's short. And that going down. Really stressed. The word really is usually stressed. Really worries me. But whatever comes after is usually more stress. And that really worries me. And pronunciation aside, that really worries me, too. Okay, this was an example of how you can take a speech and interview a TED Talk that you like and analyze it according to the things we learned. I hope that this video helped you notice these things a little more. Things that your brain usually filters out, things like rhythm, pitch difference, voice difference, length and pace. So a good way to practice is to take a text, underline the stressed words, cross out the reduced words, and try to imitate what you're hearing, knowing what words you're going for. And by going for, I mean going higher in pitch, prolonging them and reducing, so softening and going lower in pitch for everything else that is not stressed. Okay, that's it. Thank you so much for watching. Now let me know in the comments below what is the most important thing that you've learned about American intonation or rhythm in this video? And also tell me what you think about the content of the speech that we analyzed. Have a wonderful week full of music and melody and rhythm, and I will see you next week in the next video. Bye.