What I learned from Toa Payoh (Thursday) about the rhythms of Chinese, English and other languages

I visited Toa Payoh club in Singapore. They meet on a Thursday, if you wish to go there.

Language
Language has a rhythm. Count the syllables in each word, and the number of words in a sentence. To be counted.

Sing-song languages include Welsh and Italian. Staccato languages include Japanese and Korean.

You may say the correct words in another language, or your own language, but to sound like a native speaker you need to copy the intonation. That is why it helps to listen to the country's speakers on radio, even if you cannot understand what they are saying. You will start to appreciate how they sound, how you should sound when you speak that language.

You will recognise a language even if you don't speak it. You will recognize the difference between a quick chat and slow, dignified, formal speech.

Language is like poetry. Each language has a different rhythm.

English
Most English prose is like Shakespeare's blank verse, with emphasis on the first syllable. In poetry this rhythm is called Trochee. Emphasis is on the first or only syllable. Good MORning.

In English the opposite emphasis, on the second syllable, is called Iambic. Say the sentence "I am ..." or  "A man ..." and you will hear that you skate over the first syllable.

Author
Angela Lansbury, CL, ACG.  

What I learned from Shell Singapore Toastmasters - The Shoe Speech

I was invited to a meeting at Shell on an island.
I like going to toastmasters meeting at community centres. I catch the MRT train. The MRT trains runs every three minutes. A community club is marked on maps.

When I heard the word island, I thought, islands are trouble. Islands have ferries.

Ferries have tickets.
I have been on small ferries to small islands, off the larger island of Singapore.
Ferries don't go in bad weather. Ferries are small and if you don't have the right ticket, somebody gets left behind. Ferries are infrequent. If you miss one, it's a long wait to the next one.

I had nothing better to do. So I went. That was a mistake. I had lots of better things to do. Listening to music. Sleeping. Anything is better than an entire day of non-stop stress.

The journey
I got lost on the way. I was wearing sandals so I could run.

I was not going to be late and miss the ferry. I left an hour extra, two hours, for a one hour journey.

I reached the MRT station and was told those four ominous words. You can't miss it. Meaning, they can't miss it, because they know it well, and won't bother to describe it properly, because they think you can't miss it. It was half way between the two stations.

I missed it. I walked for thirty minutes until I reached the next station. I spent fifteen minutes walking back, Then ten minutes along a narrow slip road. Then a queue of people for the pass onto the ferry. You have to leave your passport or ID.

Shoes
The man on the desk would not give me the ferry pass because I was wearing the wrong shoes.

I said, I can't go home to change. I live an hour away. A two hour round trip. I'll miss my ferry and my group organiser. We are a lunch time meeting.

I was wearing the wrong shoes. You have to wear closed shoes.
I asked,  Do you have any overshoes.
No.

Any spare shoes?
No.

My organiser has not yet arrived.

You have to watch a video.
I said, maybe she's watching the video. Can I go to the video area? Over there.

She wasn't there. But I watched the video. It says you must wear closed shoes.

She arrives. She has a pass, although she is wearing heels.

The visit organiser, call her Kate, turned up in high heeled shoes.

The man on the security desk called me over. He asked what size shoes I wore.

He was willing to lend me his shoes.

I took mine off.
I tried his on.
They were size eleven.
My sandals are a size too big, not 5 but six.
However, too small for him.
Never mind, he says.
I ll go barefoot until you come back I sit at my desk all day. How long will you be?
About two hours.

They called the ferry passengers.
A long walk.

We arrived at the island. Nobody to meet us. You can't leave the dock wihtout an escort. No reply from their phone.

When he turned up, very apologetically, at 2 pm. He'd been working, and his phone had been off.

I saw why, when we drove to the office block. We passed the huge cylinders of oil, bedecked with warning signs, hundreds of warning signs, in the parking area, on the road, on the stairs, on the sides of the petrol tanks: no naked lights, no phone phones. Imagine a spark from a phone, setting off a fire, with all that oil.

As we

The Moral
Check the dress code. Companies demanding closed showed should keep spare overshoes. Just as Evaluators saying the speaker would dress in a tie, should carry a tie to hand to the speaker.

The person supposed to collect us was not there to meet the seance ferry and not answering the phone. (I always ask for two phone contacts.)

We arrived at the meeting, no sign of lunch. I can't concentrate, it's 2 pm and I need food. I ask, do you have any food, anything to drink except water?

Oh, yes, we have boxes of packed lunches for you. We assumed you had eaten.

No, we didn't leave our bench seats. We could not walk off the pier. We had no escort. The restaurant is for staff only.

We ate lunch. I was allergic to everything, the shellfish, the pickles, I never eat noodles. I ate it all. If I dropped dead, I didn't care.

Speaker
Langeline gave a great evaluation of a speaker who got upset about the illness of his mother (and presumed death) - he was too overcome by emotion to reach the end of the sentence. We missed the first ferry

I am not sure whether it was the event which he recalled which was so upsetting, or the extra excitement of giving a speech which meant that he was overwrought. Probably some of both. What can you say? You will find your next speech easier for two reasons, it is not the ice breaker whose subject all about your life history. You are not performing a speech in front of others for the first time. You know which subject upset you and can avoid them.

Table Topics On The Signs Of The Zodiac

Problem What are the signs? What can you say about the signs of the zodiac. Answers' What are the signs? Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, Pig. Each year is associated with a zodiac animal. Story At Emmaus Toastmasters Club the table topics (impromptu speeches) were from subjects typed and hidden in Chinese New Year red packets on the table. 1 Rat: Since the days of the Pied Piper, rats have been unpopular. Blamed for spreading plague, and Weil's disease.Local authorities have schemes for catching them. You keep them at bag by sweeping up crumbs, keeping fruit in bowls on shelves above eye level. They squeeze through small holes into houses. Block the holes with wire wool. Better still, cement them up. Rats once inside a building can go from flat to flat through inner walls. The modern rat catchers put down poisoned bait, behind the removable skirting board, out of reach of family pets such as dogs, as well as crawling babies and toddlers. 2 Ox: Ah - oxtail soup, tongue. The ox pulls the car for the farmer. 3 Tiger: Tigers and lions look similar. Tigers have stripes. (Lions kill gazelles and humans in safari parks, and Las Vegas and zoos trainers, and a person posing for photos in Malaysia, and a Japanese tourist in South Africa got out of the car to be photographed next to a lion and its cubs. The American dentist who killed a lion in Africa was subject to a hate campaign.) The poem by Blake goes: Tiger, Tiger burning bright, in the forest of the night ... 4 Rabbit: So cute. Yet people eat rabbits. Famous book Watership Down features rabbits. Many fur hats, and collars and coats are rabbit skin, including some so-called fake fur. Provides foxes with lunch. 5 Dragon: Mythical creature. Maybe based on the Komodo dragon. Every child loves dragons. Easy to draw zig zags. Big bodies yet small heads, make you think that despite their size you can outwit them. History has taught us that we will survive them. George fought a dragon. Opportunity for a knight in shining armour to display his prowess. You are safe from protest by animal right campaigners. Maybe films should say, No dragon was mistreated in this film. 6 Snake: Skin makes lovely shoes and handbags and belts. Alerts you to earthquakes. Tempted Eve in the Garden of Eden. Lots of jokes feature Adam and Eve and the snake in conversation. You can remove the fangs for snakes dancing to music. Or gather the venom to create antidotes. Sheds its skin in Springtime. 7 Horse: Beat of burden. Was method of transport, as a solo rider, or horse and carriage in many centuries, before the train, car and plane. Loved by little girls. Offers speed, delivered post in Roman times. Famous horses in history included: Black Beauty; and horse in America given its own mausoleum after Civil War. Can stampede. the British love horses. The French eat them and the Chinese eat anything. Maybe the British won't eat horses because horses are so useful in agriculture. pulling the ploughs. 8 Goat: Provides milk and meat. Agile on hillsides unsuitable for grazing sheep. 9 Monkey: Amusing and agile swinging by tails. Likely to take your hat or camera and sandwich bag. Signs in Singapore warm you not to feed them. Otherwise they grab tourists' plastic bags and are angry if your bag doesn't contain food because they feel cheated. 10 Rooster: 11 Dog: Loyal friend, can protect you. Good sense of smell. Dogs have jobs. Guard dogs stop people entering. Sniff out drugs. Stop criminals from running away. Play fetch. Carry goods. Lead the blind. Rescue people in avalanches and earthquakes by locating them. Diagnose cancer. Smell smoke and hear burning and alert you to a fire. Growl at suspicious characters. Track missing children. Dogs can help trauma victims. Dogs are good listeners when you are giving speeches. They make you exercise, taking them for walks, and you might get to talk to other dog owners. 12 Pig. Cute and friendly. Eat anything. Forbidden in biblical times, no kosher, later the same rule was adopted by Muslims in halal food. Each year is associated with a zodiac animal.

Speakers Clubs I have attended including Singapore (50+), UK, Prague, Thailand, China

I am a member of two clubs in the UK and I have attended more than 50 in Singapore. Here's my alphabetical list by Country.

 CHINA (Club Meetings 7?) Shanghai

 CZECH REPUBLIC - Prague (2)

HONG KONG (2)

SINGAPORE (50+) Advancity AIA Barclays Braddell Heights Advanced Braddell Heights 1 Braddell Heights II Bukit Panjan Bilingual Emmaus TM Eurasian Association Filcom@Cairnhill Francophone Orange Tee Shell Toastmasters Club of Singapore (TMCS) Thomson TLCS (Tamil) Vietnam Toastmasters Club @ Cairnhill

THAILAND (1)

UK Harrovians HOD

USA Conference Las Vegas international convention (2011)

Member: Harrovians; HOD.

Participant:
Evaluation Contest;
Tall Tales Contest;
International Speech Contest.
Judge - numerous clubs and contests.
Chief Judge - Contest rules forbid judges from discussing or revealing where they were judges. As they say, and said in WW2: Loose lips sink ships. Contest Chair - HOD Tall Tales contest Glossary MRT - MRT means railway To find a club go to the website Toastmasters International Find A Club . Angela Lansbury, CL, ACG

What I learned at Thomson Toastmasters

The table topics (impromptu speeches) were Powerpoint Karaoke - with speakers taking the picture or caption of a series of slides on a topic chosen from half a dozen, such as adventure travel. The first would be an obvious phrase, an obvious quotation or proverb, then something totally unexpected, another picture, another quotations, finally Thank you.

Most people were given five slides on which to improvise a two minute speech. One person was given seven slides and he went over the time limit.

 The results were hilarious. One person was deadly serious, despite the absurd situations. Another kept appealing to the audience, "What does this mean?' and, "Do you know what this means?" and "neither do I!" The quotations came from Patton and Anne of Green Gables. I thought this would be a good way to practise topics in a workshop. Other people thought they would take the system back to their clubs.

 You need five or six topics and five slides for each. A little time for the research. But once you have created it you can do it again for the same club at one year intervals, or for different clubs.

My other idea for a workshop is that I will ask the audience to form into pairs. Each person will take part of themselves of their clothing or items nearby as a prop and subject for their speech one one of four themes.

For example, the objects could be: body parts and clothes a pony tail, a bald head; reading glasses; a hat; a tie, shoes. Nearby objects a briefcase, a rucksack, a desk, a practical chair, a screen, a flip chart.

Subjects could be: what you can do to solve a problem, my new year's resolution, celebrate differences, the right way to do it, expensive or cheap - which is best, how to improve what you have. They then get into pairs and take turns picking one of the questions and answering it using the prop. I was language evaluator and grammarian.

 My word of the day was Oxymoron. Positive words I liked included enchanting. Two negative phrases which I liked despite the negatives, because the emotions expressed was positive were: No worries. I don't give a damn.

 'I want to share with you' is a good opening, but not the second or third time from additional speakers.

 'In conclusion' signposts where you are going, helping the audience to follow, as well as keeping yourself on track and to time.

 Angela Lansbury, author and speaker.

Vietnam Toastmasters at Cairnhill Community Centre in Singapore on Saturday

Stairs and Lifts When we left Cairnhill Community Centre my friend L wanted to take the lift down stairs. I was surprised. It was a short staircase. And surely downhill takes left puff than climbing up? She said that walking down steps places greater pressure on your knees that walking up steps, a juddering effect, which has a bad effect, wearing out your joints over time. (I remember reading about this some time ago, but did not act on it. I must check out the links and read about it again. Meeting third Saturday in the month. Angela Lansbury, author and speaker.

What I learned from bilingual English and Malay toastmasters club which meets Saturdays

Nine Toastmasters clubs meets at Cairnhill Community Centre. The bilingual Malay and English club meets on Saturday afternoons. Malay Language The speakers and organisers made an extra effort to use lots of English because I was present and do not speak Malay. I can only think of three of four words: Malay - English makan - food terimah kasih - thank you (I should have said: "Thank you - terimah kasha - for speaking in English". I am reminded of the Malay for thank you when I hear the announcements on the train. Malay Speakers I was surprised to learn that my friend Rennie, who I think of as Indian, speaks Malay. He went to a school in Singapore where the pupils spoke Malay as a second language. It was a state school, what in English would be called a Council school, or in Singapore a neighbourhood school. I was under the impression that in Singapore you went to a school according to the language of your parents (Chinese, English, Tamil and so on). However, it seems that you might go the the nearest school, or maybe the nearest one with good teaching, good pupils and good results. Topics on Ghosts The table topics subject was ghost. How very different cultures are. In the UK except at Hallowe'en I have often been told at writing groups that British women's magazines, meaning their readers, and therefore their editors, like romance, but not ghosts. The opposite appears to apply in Malaysia. Ghosts are a popular feature of films made locally, and popular when produced by nearby countries such as Malaysia's neighbouring Thailand. The Chinese have a Hungry Ghost festival. The Malays culture, predominantly Muslim, seems to include traditional Ghosts of various names and personalities which are well known characters. I was asked to speak about the Ghost who grants money. Planned Speeches The first planned speech was about folding clothes. I have previously seen the clothes folding device, a board with two wings. I thought it would be useful to have a website and price mentioned. I bought the cheaper versions without the wings in two sizes. The speaker ran over time, which I often do, because she spent too much time expanding on the problem, so not enough time was left to spend on the solution. The next speaker gave a motivational speech. Although I had previously heard the topic, it was good to hear it again. Writing An Evaluation Her evaluator had written his evaluation neatly in a book with lined pages. He had three 'bullet point' good comments or commendations. Then one starred recommendation. (After that you summarise or repeat briefly the four points - ending with looking forward to your next speech or better still, other words to that effect.) Keeping everything in one notebook means you have a summary of your year and the speeches you have heard and the speakers you have met. Food Break The Malay toastmasters group had good food. I missed out on the chicken in the pot because I thought the pot contained water or coffee or a drink. I only realised it had contained chicken when I saw somebody else eating chicken. Next time I shall check every pot. We had proper sustaining protein. Chicken. Sliced boiled eggs. The ubiquitous (found everywhere) pasties stuffed with potato. healthy lettuce leaves under the egg. Meetings This club meets in Singapore at the Cairnhill Community Centre, on the third Saturday of the month, maybe more often. Check Find A Club. On my second visit, I remembered to use exit B to get to the side of the road opposite the Sheraton towers hotel which is the venue for another Toastmasters Club. Angela Lansbury, CL, ACG, author and speaker. Speech trainer. Mentor.

What I learned from Advancity Toastmasters - Monday Meeting

I was the Grammarian giving word of the day. I asked if there was a whiteboard. Yes. Unfortunately, nothing to write on it. Whiteboards, Flipcharts and Pens Even a meeting run by experienced toastmasters can be lacking in the basics. You must take your own print out of the word of the day, your own erasable marker for a whiteboard. Roles Come prepared with cards or props needed to do any role. They may decide somebody is absent, or somebody needs to do the role which you thought was yours. Advanced English Speakers And Foreigners and Singlish Prepare for a group with poor grasp of English who cannot deal with a complex advanced word or idea such as oxymoron. My word oxymoron was not used by anybody. A hard word to grasp when you can't see it written up. (On the other hand, a university group all looked it up on the internet on their smart phones and every speaker or functionary used it several times. The word and an example two or three times in speeches and roles. PRINTING I went home and printed the word. After a day's delay getting black ink for the printer. Why had the printer run out of ink? If it is not in use for a while the ink runs dry. The person in charge had let it run dry. If you are away from the office, no point in refilling it with expensive fresh ink if it will soon be left unused to run dry. Download a form for introductions and write an introduction to yourself to give to the Toastmaster Of The Evening. Angela Lansbury, CL, ACG

The Joys of A Party At Black Pepper Celebrating Steve Brewer's Successfully Becoming Distinguished Toastmaster

Steve Brewer celebrating his success.

What makes you attend a party, pull or push? I missed the Watford Speaker's Club Christmas Party. Was it because the dates clashed, or simply that I had so many parties, or that nobody phone me personally? Or was the clincher the fact that I already had two wine club parties and two Speakers' Club parties and had to miss the Writer's Circle party because it clashed with another party?

When I went to the party in January celebrating Steve Brewer's success I enjoyed it so much that I regretted not attending the Watford club party the previous December and vowed that I would join them next year. What was so good about the party for Steve Brewer? Every club or event succeeds because one or two or more people devote lots of time and effort into making the event happen. Instead of seeing organising as a chore, those in charge look forward to managing the details as a preview and extension of the joy of the occasion.

Whether you are arranging a party or a wedding or a funeral, what keeps you going is the desire to see friends or family, honour somebody and have a successful event including all the elements you feel are either necessary or pluses. Let's look at the elements of a successful celebration and speech: First pick a date which suits your VIP.

Venue and Date
Choose a date when it is celebration season, or a date when no rival events take place and restaurant prices are advantageous. January was a good date. No rival events claimed our time and money. Invitations Send out invitations. Note in the original invitation or a follow up personal note or phone call why the recipient will be welcome or why the VIP is a VIP.

Partymania shop, Hatch End. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright. 

Banners and Balloons
Ask the venue to provide banners and balloons or supply them and arrive early so they are up before the arrival of the most guests and the VIP. Opposite Black Pepper restaurant in Hatch End is a party shop called Party Mania. Another party shop is in Stanmore. You will find similar ones worldwide, and if not, there's always the web, so allow a month for anything you want to order on line, with delivery from China and the Far East to Europe or America and in the opposite direction.

(A club organiser might have a box of party ware. Harrovians club used to keep Xmas items from year to the next, including banners and a Santa Claus outfit. The trick is to keep a note of who took the goods home. One year it took a week or ringing around to find out who had the old Santa Claus outfit. Sometimes a hoarder has an attic and is keen to keep items to supply to numerous clubs of which they are a member. Other times nobody wants the clutter the responsibility and nuisance of storing and labelling and transporting back and forth. It's just a question of finding which committee member or person living near the club venue wants to take home the leftover banners, and whether they are willing and able to produce them at the next event.

 Venue and Decor Menu, food and drink

 Socialising and mixing Speeches
 All went well. (Another post in my travel blog features more on the restaurant.
 (This is a Draft - saved so as no to lose it. More text and photos to be added later.

Tall Tales Contest Highlights - including my singing Santa

Problem How to get silence when you start? Answer I got silence from the audience when I started the Tall Tales Contest at HOD Speakers' Club in London by pressing the ear of the Santa on the front of my red Xmas theme sweater. Santa continues dancing until you have everybody's attention. Then you press the ear again and it switches off. By now the whole audience is smiling and I'm beaming with delight at my success and their surprise. Story I'm been looking forward to using my dancing singing Santa for weeks, since I'd bought it in the St Luke's shop. Just the thing! I thought. On the right of the picture of our group you can see me wearing my red Santa sweater, which outclassed my Christmas cake hat which normally gets attention.

My joke opening for the tall tales contest was: "Welcome to the HOD Tall Tales Contest. I wondered why they hadn't chosen somebody taller to be contest chair of a tall tales contest, but perhaps they thought I would tell a tall tale about making myself taller." Lots For Speaking Position - Luck of the draw? We had already drawn lots for speakers, numbers on pieces of white paper. You draw lots so that you don't have the organisers favouring their friends with the preferred first and last spots. Some people like to be first; others like to be last. Others are sure they will win, or lose, or don't think the order of speaking makes any difference, or shrug, or are happy to oblige somebody who wants to swap. In the past I've been a secret swapper. The aim of the exercise is to keep everybody happy. So I allowed two speakers to swap numbered positions and speak in their preferred places. Yes, once I have given everybody an equal chance, I don't care if somebody who doesn't care swaps with somebody who does. I like to keep people happy and confident.

SPEAKER Sina Spoke on Nine Snakes Speaker Sina entertained us with a speech entitled Nine Snakes about climbing a mountain called Nine Snakes in Iran. He donned a backpack and stood with one foot on the table another on the chair. I thought this was very effective. Better than standing on a table, which makes everybody nervous in case he falls off. And keeps him in climbing mode. JUDGES I made the whole audience judges. That keeps the judges anonymous. Everybody gets practice at being judges, so you can call on them to be judges at the next contest. Here's the audience writing, whilst the next speaker Martin is waiting to be called. Martin Doe spoke on My Adventure In a Post Industrial World. He was on fine form and most amusing. The speech was very visual. He began at our meeting in Harrow, went to locations in the area, spoke to people, nearly got arrested, showed pictures of us on an electronic device, escaped, travelled back in time to now. His speech incorporated geography, history (time travel), and conflict, danger, an escape. However, I was confused as to whether he was in the past or the future. He was travelling in time to the future. But people were using bows and arrows. When we filled in time at the end of the meeting with interviews of the candidates I stuck to three simple questions: your speech; your work/day job; your hobby/what you do for fun. I then discovered that his speech was in the future when we ran out of power sources and had to go back to bows and arrows. Everybody who speaks gets a certificate of participation. Speaker Gill Ornstein on A Tall Tale of Tiles "This is a tongue-twister," I said. "I've been practising saying it all afternoon!" WINNERS The First Place winner was President Gill, with her speech, a story with three characters, herself, her husband, and the VIP man delivering large heavy tiles in a van which blocked their narrow street. I'd heard this speech before when she won with it at a humorous speech contest.

The Second Place Winner was Ade. His speech was entitled, 'Back To The ... Past'. He spoke about the future, and how phones might run our lives. His name is pronounced Add - ay, like advertisement and addition, (not aid).

The Third Place Winner was Robert Baker. His speech Shedding Light On Thomas and Rover featured Edison who invented the light bulb, on advice from his dog Rover, who understood human speech but, like all dogs, concealed the fact. However, equally memorable was his table topic. (At the end we had table topics with everybody telling a tall tale. To my surprise and delight, the speakers all found something to say about the first three simple subjects I chose, a problem with a dog, a house, or a bath. Robert's story was how, in a new house, the water was unexpectedly hot and he got into a boiling hot bath. He demonstrated the bath with two chairs which he lay across with his feet in the air, demonstrated how he had to support himself in the air on his elbows, then wiggled his ankle to show how he had to turn off the hot tap with his toes.

Our tally counters were Angela Hook and Oana (pronounced one-ah) Stroie. Timers were Dennis Newman and Bobbie Rutherford. They seem to enjoy their job. On the right of the picture is Angela Hook. I need an L after the name Angela on my badge; otherwise two of us with the same first name get muddled up. What did we learn from this contest? Commend Recommend Commend: You need to focus on one story and one prop so that at the end of the contest the judges have a clear memory of each speech and what it was about. Indra, our Chief Judge, had been in another club contest, and was able to be a judge because he was no longer competing. He said he had felt uncomfortable telling an untrue story about anything, including himself. (He had told a story from mythology.) An alternative to telling a story from mythology or the distant past (such as the creation of the earth, or what it was like to live in a cave, is to pick the future. I learned that a tall tales, although it seems absurd, contest is a lot of fun. TIMERS AND A TRICK In the group photo notice Robbie on the left of the photo, creating the illusion that his legs are half size by kneeling on his shoes.

AUTHOR Angela Lansbury PS If you ever come to London, England, you can visit Harrovians or HOD clubs in the suburbs of NW London. Several more clubs are in central London and around England and Ireland. If you visit Singapore there are about 350 clubs and when I am there I have a choice of half a dozen clubs within 20 miles most days except Sunday when there may be only one or two clubs, often a bilingual Tamil and English speaking club with speeches either all in English or in both languages.