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Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey begins her speech by humorously acknowledging that she never went to
college which makes the audience feel at ease. She makes the message relevant by
congratulating the graduates and encouraging them. She builds up her source credibility by
presenting her professional background, media experience, charitable activities, and life events.
She is an excellent impromptu speaker she speaks fluently, has a pleasant intonation, looks at the
audience, and addresses it spontaneously.
Her thesis is that the true success and happiness are achieved when the personality is
aligned with the soul. Her relevance statement reflects the fact that the graduates are coming into
a world that requires conscious, purposeful people. She introduces three ideas: listen to the inner
voice, failure is a teacher, and life is a school.
Oprah’s vocal characteristics include loudness, appropriate modulation of voice, and
enthusiasm. Her eye contact is good especially during transition from one idea to the other. She
speaks well, has a good command of the language and does not have any problems with
grammar and pronunciation. As for non-fluencies, she uses very few of them, and they are in the
excellent range.
Oprah says that we are here on earth “to be all that we are capable of being as human
beings.” Once a reporter said to her, ‘You really haven’t changed; you’ve just become more of
yourself.”
Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey begins her speech by humorously acknowledging that she never went to
college which makes the audience feel at ease. She makes the message relevant by
congratulating the graduates and encouraging them. She builds up her source credibility by
presenting her professional background, media experience, charitable activities, and life events.
She is an excellent impromptu speaker she speaks fluently, has a pleasant intonation, looks at the
audience, and addresses it spontaneously.
Her thesis is that the true success and happiness are achieved when the personality is
aligned with the soul. Her relevance statement reflects the fact that the graduates are coming into
a world that requires conscious, purposeful people. She introduces three ideas: listen to the inner
voice, failure is a teacher, and life is a school.
Oprah’s vocal characteristics include loudness, appropriate modulation of voice, and
enthusiasm. Her eye contact is good especially during transition from one idea to the other. She
speaks well, has a good command of the language and does not have any problems with
grammar and pronunciation. As for non-fluencies, she uses very few of them, and they are in the
excellent range.
Oprah says that we are here on earth “to be all that we are capable of being as human
beings.” Once a reporter said to her, ‘You really haven’t changed; you’ve just become more of
yourself.”
