What Differentiates the After-Dinner Speech From All Others?
While the after-dinner speech is as old as mankind, this type of oratory became most popular in England in the early 1900’s. Although its purpose was originally intended to be a light-hearted speech after the evening meal, the after-dinner speech today is often given after a business lunch or even after a breakfast meeting. The after-dinner speech is unlike the informative or persuasive speech or presentation because it is meant to be entertaining and requires a different tone of voice. In many cases, the after-dinner is often given by a comedian because laughter is important for this type of delivery. You need not be a comedian, however, to give a dynamic after-dinner speech. The most important aspect of the after-dinner speech is to entertain. Your audience is not there to learn or to be persuaded. Your audience wants something lighthearted and not heavy, argumentative, or technical in nature. If you have a tendency towards seriousness in your presentation, you must ‘lighten up.’ Tha
