Assignment 6: Learn to do Radio Announcing
In this assignment, you will learn how to deliver a radio script using Standard American Broadcast dialect.
Important note: As you know, students in our class come from all over the Caribbean, and we even have some people from Stateside. This means we have a range of dialects in the class, and some of you have anxiety around dialect issues.
I want to alleviate this by reminding you that there is no such thing as proper English. If your speech can be understood by those in the community you wish to communicate with, it's proper. Broadcast English is nothing more than a convention that allows an English speaker from Liverpool, England, an English speaker from Kingston Jamaica, and an English speaker from the Ozark mountains of Tennessee (all places with heavy regional dialects) to understand one another.
Secondly, you need to know that I will be assessing your progress by judging you not against some standard of perfect Broadcast English, but comparing your performance before these exercises to your performance after doing them. This means that if you ave ten trouble spots and get this number down to three, you will be judged as doing "better" than someone who began with two trouble spots before the exercises and remains at two afterwards. Are we clear on this?
This assignment has three steps:
1. Click on "Practice American Broadcast Exercises
for Speakers with West Indian Dialects" We'll be going over these
exercises in class to help you isolate any trouble areas.
2. Click on "Sample Radio Script." This is
the script that we'll use to record your voice, so rehearse with it.
3. In class, we'll record your voice with the Sample script both before and
after we practice in class, so you can see your improvement.
Practice Exercises for West Indian Dialect Modification
FOR PRACTICING “TH” AS IN “THUNDER” (Beware the “t” sound)
Thor is the God of thunder.
Thieves are thankless thugs who deserve our wrath
Nothing is worth thousands of deaths*Tip: As you do these exercises, put your finger in front of your lips. The "th" sound requires you to touch your tongue to your fingers, while the "t" sound does not. If your finger is wet, you are making the "th" sound!
FOR PRACTICING “TH” AS IN “BROTHER”(Beware the “d” sound”)
My other brother is also a father.
I want another mother.
My father sings soothing songs.*Tip: As you do these exercises, put your finger in front of your lips.While not as exagerated as the "th" in "thunder," the "th" in "brother" also requires you to get your finger wet.
FOR PRACTICING “ER/IR/UR” as in “VIRGIN”(Beware the “aw” sound)
A virgin birth is one that doesn’t hurt.
It is her turn to work.
To litter is to besmirch the earth’s surface.
FOR PRACTICING “AR” AS IN “STAR” (Beware the “ah” sound)
Arsonists are not argumentative.
Artists must often starve.
It is hard to articulate while breathing artificial oxygen.
FOR PRACTICING “ING” (Beware of the “in” sound)
I enjoy swimming, eating, and dancing.
There is nothing quite like talking.
Hello, this is __________________________ and you are listening to FM 303.3, the voice of the Virgin Islands. Today’s top story: Mothers, fathers, sisters and brothers gathered together for the Virgin Islands’ first annual Fall Hunting and Deep Water Fishing Competition. In a surprising turn of events, the daughters garnered the highest scores in hunting, winning first prize and shaking up the competition. Expedition organizer Arnold Arson argues that brothers, fathers and mothers need to sharpen their skills by next year in order to regain the respect of their daughters.
Materials in MS Word Format:
Click here to download a copy of the Dialect Practice Sheet
Click here to download a copy of the radio script
Course
Syllabus | Assignments
Famous Speeches |Dialect
Modification Tips
PowerPoint Tips |Outlining
Tips | Research Tips
Conducting
Surveys |Viewpoints
|Persuasive Speaking |Evaluation
Sheets