User:Candles and candy/publicspeakingpage
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Public speaking (also called oratory or oration) is the process or act of performing a speech to a live audience. Public speaking is commonly understood as formal, face-to-face speaking of a single person to a group of listeners.[1] Traditionally, public speaking is considered to be apart of the art of persuasion. The act can accomplish particular purposes including to inform, to persuade, and to entertain. Additionally, differing methods, structures, and rules can be utilized according to the speaking situation.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/81/Cicero_Denounces_Catiline_in_the_Roman_Senate_by_Cesare_Maccari_-_3.jpg/640px-Cicero_Denounces_Catiline_in_the_Roman_Senate_by_Cesare_Maccari_-_3.jpg)
Cicero Denounces Catiline (1889), fresco by Cesare Maccari
Public speaking developed in Rome, Greece, and Latin America. Prominent thinkers in these countries influenced the development and evolutionary history of public speaking. This art form has also been impacted by the contributions of women. Currently, technology continues to transform the art of public speaking through new available technology such as videoconferencing, multimedia presentations, and other nontraditional forms.