Ah Counter Role
Why do we do the Ah counter role?
- Because the best speakers have this mastered. They sound better because they don't have many filler words. It is usually so subtle we don't even notice, we just get the sense that they speak better.
- A lot of times, when you use filler words tells you something about your anxiety when speaking.
Important parts of the Ah counter role
- This is a great opportunity for combining reports. A person who uses a lot of filler words doesn't need to know exactly how many. “Bill, you used a lot of filler words” is better than "Bill, 17 'ums', 13 'ahs', 6 'you knows' ...".
- Even better is to combine even more: "Bill, Phil and Jane: you all were in the 'a lot of filler words' category".
- In contrast, people who generally use few or who are working on eliminating filler words may benefit from knowing specifics.
- Use common sense for the AH counter
- Does the overused word actually detract from the flow of the speech? Filler sounds like 'ah' and 'um' always detract but overused words only sometimes detract.
- If a person overuses a particular word several times (in other words, they personally overuse it) it's usually good to point out. It may not be a bad pattern of speech but a person may still want to work on it and often they do not know that they are using it.
- The next level in the Ah counter roll is to note the situation in which someone uses filler words and include that in your report. In general these are:
- Less structured speech types, like table topics and evaluations.
- When someone moves from a memorized to a not-memorized part of their speech.
What can we do to avoid UMs and AHs?
- The most likely time you will um is when you start. Memorize your opening. I usually encourage people after they have been Toastmasters a while to not memorize your entire speech. You should still memorize the important parts, like the opening, transitions and ending. Then they will be familiar landmarks to you.
- The second most likely time you will um is when you are moving from the part you memorized to un-scripted content. You can practice limiting yourself to certain words to start those sentences. My list of those are 'I', 'You', 'We', 'There' ("there is something about..."), 'People' ("people strive to..."). This makes you start the sentence forcefully.
- In a similar vein, looking up synonyms helps. If your speech is about patience, what are some synonyms for the word 'patience'? Also, what are some examples and metaphors for patience? Having these words and situations means that you are less likely to stumble on a word.
- Another time you will um is when you lose your place. If this happens, finish your thought and then pause to re-group. When you stop mid-thought is when you um.
Pay attention to why you um. For example, for some people always start with 'um' or 'ah' or 'and'. Making a statement without them feels odd. That tells you something about yourself. That something will be different for each person.
Another example: some people will use a lot of "right?" or "yes?" as if they are seeking the audience's approval for each statement they make.
I use 'so' a lot. It was my way of saying "I actually have a logical sequence that connects parts A and B that I can't go into here but I want you to understand that I have that, if needed". It's good that I have that but for a high-level speech the 'so' is a distraction.
Ah counter feedback makes you aware of these things. Doing so will not only help your speaking but also your presentation as a whole.
