"A Course of Lectures" Thomas Sheridan

A Response by Sara McCord

1-18-00

"Words are no essential part of language...they cannot possibly effect all the purposes of social communication."

In saying the above, it is evident that Thomas Sheridan was familiar with the importance of non-verbal communication. In all aspects of communication, it is important to remember that one cannot effectively get a point across without deriving assistance from outward expressions of emotion, and other nonverbal cues that integrate the audience into the purpose of the message.

No audience can remain interested, or even inspired, by a speaker that uses only words. It is when we draw from several aspects of communication that our message is received and understood. The three parts of non-verbal communication that I will cover in this response include the usage of emotion and signals, and the importance of correct interpretation.

When we think of man, his intellect is only a part of his being. Sheridan states "He (man) is not wholly made up of intellect...passions make up his frame." When we think of the best lecture or speech that we ever heard, we probably do not remember the mere content of the subject. No, we think of how it made us feel.

Did it inspire us? Did it make us laugh? Did it make us cry? The content of the lecture could only take us as deep as our emotions would follow. Without the laughter, anger, sadness,

or joy, it leaves us with words. Surely there are times when we must endure a lecture solely for the purpose of information, but that is not what Sheridan was referring to when he spoke of the importance of emotions in communication.

Sheridan also indicates the strong need for "signs" in communication. "Would he, (the speaker), in the least affect us, or gain any credit, if he used no other signs but words?" If a speaker were giving an inspirational speech about drunk driving, we would deem them heartless if they were able to rattle off heart-wrenching statistics without even the slightest hint of sadness. We would also be confused if a

speaker told a joke and then burst out crying. These "signs of emotion" are essential in illustrating a message. There are certain signals that we send when making a point. For instance, in the movie "French Kiss", Kevin Cline was trying to explain to Meg Ryan about the complications of French women. He stated

that when they pout, they're being seductive. Also, when they are happy, they're really sad. Ryan explodes with, "I don't get this, use the corresponding face with the corresponding emotion!"

In that one line, she states how we all respond to non-verbal clues. If we hear a sad story, we cry. If we hear a joke, we laugh. We use "the corresponding face with the corresponding emotion." It's how we instinctively respond to communication. Although a few centuries older, Sheridan agrees with Meg Ryan

when he says "All of our affections and emotions are so distinctly characterized that they cannot be mistaken."

Speech professors agree that signs and the correct timing of the usage of emotion are essential for public speaking and communication.

If we were to approach an audience and be unable to use words, would it be possible to get a message across? The answer,

according to Sheridan, is "yes." He asked the question in his lecture, "Without language, what do we have?" in an effort to help us realize that non-verbal communication is vital. We are creatures of passion and emotion, not merely driven by intellect alone.

Sheridan makes his point time and time again that communication without expressing the God-given passions we possess is foolishness. He even refers to what I will call the "animal theory" in proving the effectiveness of displaying emotion. In a large portion of his lecture, Sheridan brings to light the

way that animals are able to communicate. Although they better understand their own species, it is not difficult to interpret the meaning behind some signals.

For instance, we would know danger was ahead with the sound of a roaring lion. We would be soothed with the cooing of a dove. We would also recognize the mother bear's protective instinct when defending her cubs. If animals can understand these signals with each other, then it is strongly indicative that

humans can do likewise.

It has been commonly said that dogs are "a man's best friend." If you have ever observed a caring dog-owner, it is obvious that they can communicate even though, to date, no incident of a talking dog has ever been recorded. When they growl, they are

defending. When they howl, they are upset. When their tail wags, they are happy. It is so easy to understand and pick up on these cues, even though dogs are not familiar with the English language.

Is it possible to experience the same identification on the human level? Absolutely. For instance, if your spouse came up to you with eyes blazing with tears and slapped you hard, you would, (hopefully), not take that as a sign to want to snuggle. Although no words were spoken, the message was as loud as if they said, "I am so mad at you and you are in big trouble!" Humans have the ability to use tears, laughter, voice inflection, and tone to indicate what they are trying to express verbally. In reality, non-verbal hints are picked up more quickly than words can ever be spoken.

That being said, it is important to give the CORRECT non-verbal signals. How often do we misunderstand someone by merely their look or posture?

As important as it is to be well versed in vocabulary and intellectual content, it is just as important that unspoken hints are done with care when sending a message. We would be baffled by someone that spoke of confidence, but kept their eyes to the ground. In order to defray from misunderstanding, we must keep in mind what our voice, hands, and gestures are saying to our audience.

Rhetoric is, essentially, only effective if it draws into light more tools of communication than words. This point is what Thomas Sheridan consistently made in his "Course of Lectures on

Elocution." In order to express, we cannot repress our nature to be emotional and use those passions to drive our point.