How I Became More Articulate

Articulacy: the ability to express your ideas in the right words at the right time.

Being a more clear and effective communicator is something I’ve always been interested in. I’m a bit of an English nerd. Grammar, obscure words, writing. They’re all my jam. And oration is a bit of a lost art.

If you take the time to pay attention, the vast majority of people use a lot of filler words and sounds within their speech. And that’s okay. It’s easy, it’s casual. But in that fact, lies an easy way for anyone to stand out. Become a great speaker, and that can be the foundation of making you an incredibly charismatic and persuasive person.

So many arenas of life benefit from you being able to express yourself well—from networking and personal relationships to leadership and sales, gain the potential to connect deeply, influence positively, and achieve remarkable success.

Here are some steps to becoming more articulate:

Expand your surface lexicon

Each of us has a surface lexicon, and a deep lexicon.

Your surface lexicon consists of the words that you subconsciously default to and use in your every day life. On average, it contains around 1,500-300 words. Your deep lexicon are the words you recognize, but rarely use in your regular vocabulary. The average native English speaking adult has a deep lexicon of about 20,000-35,000 words.

Imagine this scenario:

Your buddy asks you, “How are you doing today?”

Your default response is probably, “I’m doing fine.”

Do you know the words stupendous? Ecstatic? Most likely. But they may not be a part of your surface lexicon.

A key thing to remember when learning to become more articulate is that the default way our brain wants us to say something is most likely not the best way to say it.

So, this begs the question. How do we access this deep lexicon more freely? One great way to is to practice repetition—the more you use a word, the higher it ranks in your lexicon.

A study from Yale found that it takes using a word 38 times for our brain to instinctively default to that word.

Giving yourself more time to access your deep lexicon

Do not be afraid to pause. Pausing gives you time to find the word you’re looking for, and can make your speech far more impactful.

Cut Down on your Filler Words

We’re all aware of how much we throw in filler words (”uh,” “ehm,” “like,” etc.) to fill the space between our thoughts. It’s worth noting that filler words are a natural part of language. The problem is when we use them as crutches when our mouth gets ahead of our mind.

Process the endings of your words. When I focus on this, it directs my attention onto the words themselves, making me choose my words more carefully.

Do not start with a filler. Often, when someone asks us a question we begin by saying “uhh.” Only begin speaking when you know what you want to say.

Stay Aware of your Language Inputs

Realize that the way you speak now is a result of all of your language inputs. If you constantly read and listen to sentences with slang, incorrect grammar, etc, you subconsciously adopt those language patterns, and the higher they rank in your surface lexicon. This is why so many great orators are voracious readers. Great words come from great works. Take inventory of all the sources of language you expose yourself to on a daily basis, and start to engage more with sources of articulate speech.

Tune your Vocal Instrument

Not only are your words of choice important, but the way you say those words can be just as essential. Your pitch, volume, speed, resonance, and other vocal qualities can make any sentence sound wildly different. Think of your words like notes in the music that is your speech. Create a harmonious melody that can be pleasant to listen to. Try reading poetry aloud. Poetry is a great way to see this, since you often have to speak with certain emphases in order to achieve the rhymes and maintain a good flow.

Investing in the journey toward greater articulacy is a gift that keeps on giving. As you navigate the realms of language, words cease to be mere tools; they become the palette with which you paint your thoughts and emotions, crafting narratives that resonate and inspire. Every word is a brushstroke, and every conversation, a masterpiece. Start on this path with the confidence that each step taken fuels your metamorphosis into an eloquent communicator, ready to leave an indelible mark on every arena of life you encounter. (See how articulate that was?)