Speech Vocab.

Boards: Two Dimensional visual aids used by the Informative Category.

Break: If a student is selected to proceed to the final round they “Break”

Category: there are thirteen categories for speech. A student can specialize in one category in which they compete or they can double enter.

Creative Ex.: Short for Creative Expression is a work of fiction that is written and performed by the student.

Disco: Discussion

Double Enter: When a student enters a tournament in more than one category.

Double Final: When a student breaks finals in two categories.

Ex. (Ex. Reading or Ex. Speaking): Extemporaneous

Finals: Final rounds are composed of the top 6-7 students in each category.

Info.: Informative is an informational speech category.

Interp. (Short for Interpretation): any category which requires dramatization of a fictional work - ie acting.

• Light Interp: Humorous, Humorous Duo, Storytelling

• Heavy Interp: Prose, Poetry, Drama, Ex. Reading.

• PA (Short for Public Address) - any category which is a straight format speech written by and given by the student.

Judge: a qualified adult who is paid to critique competitors and rank them in order of placement in each round.

• Invitational: tournaments do not require state certified judges. Each team is responsible for hiring a judge per 6 competitors for each invitational they attend. It is the responsibility of the head coach of each team to make sure their judges are qualified.

• Sections and State tournaments use state certified judges who have been trained and tested by the MSHSL.

Manipulative: Three dimensional visual aid used by the competitors in the Informative Category.

Meld: Preliminary Round scores that are added together

O.O.: Original Oratory is a persuasive speech category

Reciprocals: a tie breaking strategy for students in the same category who receive the same meld score.

Round: Refers to the random grouping of students in a category that compete against each other in a room and are judged by a common judge.

Speaker Points : Percentages added together - a tie breaking strategy for students in the same category who receive the same meld score.

Speech Clap: In order to make award ceremonies shorter in length, when 6-2nd place are announced in each category the audience will issue one clap for each competitor announced. Then for the champion in each category, the audience stands and applauds.

Tab Room: The room where competitor scores are tabulated at a tournament

Talk to a Wall: To prepare for their rounds, students will often face a wall or a locker bank and give their speech. This allows them to focus on the speech and also to hear their voices bounced back to them.

Team Sweeps: at the end of each award ceremony, trophies are awarded to teams with the highest number of competitor points.