TheJakartaPost
Please Update your browser
Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.
Speaking in sound bites
The virtues of keeping conversation short and to the point
Change Size
The virtues of keeping conversation short and to the point.
Being married to a former CBS war correspondent, living in the United States and watching American television programming for more than a decade has taught me one thing: to speak in sound bites when the occasion calls for it.
Unfortunately, the occasions are more frequent than I’d like, because people are increasingly losing the ability to remain focused on content unless the pertinent point is delivered within the first 15 seconds (or less) of opening one’s mouth. Just take a look at any US news or pseudo-news program and you will see what I mean.
The phenomenon of speaking in short sentences, some say, is an effect of the rapid growth of satellite and cable TV channels, the 24-hour news cycle and the all-around jostling of TV programs vying for an audience. Further encouraging communication in very succinct messages is the advent of social media, such as Facebook and Twitter, and their availability in mobile format. The problem, however, is making those short sentences carry cogent and to-the-point content. Perhaps in text messaging, status updates and tweets, bad spelling is acceptable, but with sound bites every word must count.
Speaking in sound bites is, I have learned, quite an art form. It is not a matter of simply excising words from complete sentences or speaking like an auctioneer to cram in as many words as possible in under 15 seconds. Rather, it is the ability to craft short sentences that pack the most punch.
An excellent example is the Colbert Report television show, a satirical spin-off from the Daily Show with Jon Stewart. Stephen Colbert, the star of the show, takes on the role of a neo-conservative political and media pundit and executes his monologues with ingenious flare for the absurd. Pay close attention to what he says and how concisely he says it and it becomes apparent that from start to finish, the half-hour show is not only hilarious and clever, but is a prime exhibit of streaming sound bites.
Unfortunately, unlike Stephen Colbert, we regular mortals do not have an army of writers helping us to speak in sound bites so flawlessly. So it is a matter of practicing (out loud) and expanding our vocabulary to enable the use of fewer words to convey more meaning. It also helps to craft messages that are witty, pithy or both.
Some may wonder why people not in the public spotlight would want to speak in sound bites. Well, with the ubiquity of the mass and social media today, some scholars contend that people now have a harder time concentrating for extended periods, because they are so used to communicating or paying attention in short bursts. Look around and see how many people are multitasking with their mobile phones, iPods and laptops.
Mobile devices alone carry the enormous temptation of easy accessibility. Whether chatting on the phone or checking incoming emails or messages while doing something else, access is ever present. Combine such distractions with driving and you have a potentially fatal situation that has prompted some countries to enact laws against texting while driving.
The point of many studies on media, technology and attention span is that, to some degree, the way information is delivered (i.e., in short sound bites interspersed with many commercial breaks) coupled with multiple simultaneously accessible media platforms has fostered shorter attention spans. Although driving while texting and its dire consequences is an extreme example of the potential dangers, there are many other situations that are more benign, but irritating nonetheless.
My friend, Liz, for example, is a constant multitasker. With Liz it is hard to sustain a long conversation without frequent interruptions: She takes a phone call, checks incoming mobile emails or replies to a text message. Even sitting down to watch television, she usually fiddles with her laptop as well. So with Liz, I have adopted sound-bite speak, because I know I will lose her attention if I rattle on for more than 15 seconds at a time.
Speaking in sound bites is not only useful when trying to communicate with friends with a short attention span, it is also practical when I need to get my point across in very short order. Whether I’m pitching a proposal to a prospective investor, speaking with a student when I only have five minutes or cold networking at an event, speaking in sound bites can effectively convey my point when time and attention spans are limited. It is even useful when I see my husband’s eyes glaze over when I start on about details in my academic field.
In short, I have found that speaking in sound bites is helpful, although I am not sure whether the phenomenon is uniquely American. As an Indonesian, I know, though, that prior to marrying an American and living in the States, my speech pattern in English — from accent and intonation to rhythm and vocabulary — was decidedly British. I must have slowly converted to American speech over the years even though my American friends still hear the Brit in me.
However, after getting used to the fast-paced, sound-bite-ridden US radio and TV programming — be it half-hour comedies, hour-long series or fiery talk shows — watching and listening to foreign programs like the BBC really makes me wish they can hurry things along!
