Speak With Distinction: The Classic Skinner Method To Speech On The Stage Download Free (EPUB, PDF)
(Applause Acting Series). Widely recognized as the most complete and rigorous text of its kind since it was first published in 1942, Speak With Distinction is an invaluable resource. It presents a comprehensive study of the sounds of Spoken English in their most important phonetic environments. This most recent revision also adds much material for comparisons of speech sounds; suggestions for accurate, efficient and conversational ways of combining the sounds into connected utterance; indications that foster a working knowledge of two dialects of speech (General American and what Mrs. Skinner called Good Speech for classic and elevated texts); and beginning material to show application of the principles of Good Speech to well-written texts. Some important additions to the book are the extensive Glossary and Index, abundant guides to pronunciations, new sections featuring such details as the complete "Ask-List" of words, a program for the elimination of glottal attacks of vowel and dipthong sounds, greatly expanded practice material of phrases and sentences, and an updated Chart showing several levels of phonetic transcription and spelling equivalents in current usage. Speak With Distinction can be used in several ways: as a primary educational textbook for both the beginning and advanced actor; as a supplementary textbook for teachers and students who have their own methods and agenda for study; and as a reference book for teachers, speech coaches and directors.
Paperback: 406 pages
Publisher: Applause Theatre Book Publishers; Revised edition (1990)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1557830479
ISBN-13: 978-1557830470
Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 1 x 9.4 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (44 customer reviews)
Best Sellers Rank: #26,747 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #12 in Books > Arts & Photography > Music > Instruments > Voice #19 in Books > Arts & Photography > Performing Arts > Theater > Acting & Auditioning #23 in Books > Reference > Words, Language & Grammar > Speech
I am a theater student at Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle, Washington. This book is required in my speech class and it is amazing. This book teaches one the fundamentals of how to read and write in phonetics. It also has many pages full of drills one can use to perfect their speech. Easy to follow and a handy book to use.
This is a great book for the speech student, although I would not rely on it for vocal production. That was never the intension of this text. Skinner has made the understanding of the International Phonetic Alphabet accessable to the average speaker and the experienced actor alike. The text consists of a very,very basic breakdown for the creation of each phonome and some great practice sentences, but very little is said or done about creation of sound, connection of voice to breath, resonation and everything else which helps to create proper phonation and pitch range and the portions on the difference between broad, narrow, and very narrow transcription are not put together well and difficult to understand. The above are mentioned in passing and never delved into, so the student has little to go on. It is not that she says anything "wrong" about phonation, it's just passed over very quickly. A good text for the academic linguistic or accent and dialect teacher but not for the actor without the guidence of an instructor.
This book is understandable and well-organized. I am international and people had a hard time understanding my English. After studying this book thoroughly with assistance from my great tutor, my spoken English has dramatically improved! People do not ask me to repeat my words any more.This book made readers understand how to pronounce all the vowels and consonants in scientific way! Please read and you will like it.
This book is a must have for anyone who wants to increase their voice skills. this is a textbook for my vocal production and audition class. it's necessary for actors to pronounce words correctly. for the everyday person, we must be understood. this book teaches the international phonetic alphabet that covers all the possible sounds spoken in the american language. it is a how to manual that guides you through each sound. this book is invaluable to anyone that wants to improve one's voice. there are plenty drills and exercises in the book for one to practice. the coolest thing about this method is that it teaches you exactly where to place your tongue to make the appropriate sounds. i don't know you but that is very useful. in schools we were taught to imitate and mimic through repeatition. i find it much more easier to learn voice when one know how sounds are produce instead of trial and error. this is a classic book for anyone to get because we all communicate. my teacher and i'm sure many others, call this the bible of voice training. anyone that requires voice for their livelihood must get this book, especially a hypnotherapist or a presenter.
I was thrilled to discover that "Speak with Distinction" had been reprinted and was available. My copy, acquired when I was a student of Edith's at Carnegie Tech, and is little more than bound together mimeographed pages, was barely useable. At Elocution Solution we find it an invaluable resourse when working on voice and speech improvement with actors and other professional voice users. Edith was a master at providing detailed decriptions for the production of speech sounds, with extensive practice materials. Although it focuses on speech for classical theater, e.g. lack of postvocalic r's, it is also useful for acquiring general American speech.
A classic for English-speaking actors, this book is full of wonderful diction exercises. It's a great way to wake up a lazy tongue! I used the book with my speech therapist when I was trying to improve my diction for singing. I was amazed at how helpful the exercises are. Many of them are designed to repeat troublesome letter combinations over and over. Two years after I first encountered this book, I receive regular comments on my clear diction. :)
This book is a MUST have for any actor or public speaker. It goes over the phonetic alphabet and teaches you how to say all the vowels and consonants spot on. It helps you shape your mouth and your tongue for proper sounds. It teaches you how to write and read phonetics. If you want to speak well or use a dialect well, this book is needed. This book should be in every actors home! NO EXCUSES! Amazing. Written by the one and only Edith Skinner. Look her up if you do not know her. OWN THIS BOOK!
For students around the world, Edith Skinner's Speak With Distinction is the absolute authoritative text on American spoken English for the stage. Some may find it a bit dated in some of the choices and others will respect her standards. The language evolves and I am sure that a new edition will be written by the editors to reflect that. But those are insignificant compared with the incredible precision that Skinner offers for learning creation of the phonemes of the International Phonetic Alphabet. I use it all the time.
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