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monde dane

~ My passport is American, my wife is Japanese and my thoughts are undocumented. If you read between the blog lines, who knows what you might learn.

monde dane

Tag Archives: EZ OBAMA

OBAMA-SPEAK

26 Monday Oct 2009

Posted by danedegenhardt in Uncategorized

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Alphacat, EZ OBAMA, I have a Dream, Martin Lurther King Jr., Obama, Yann Couedor

oBAMA nOBEL

Petar Pismestrovic - Kleine Zeitung, Austria - Click to purchase

Barack Obama is a good public speaker.  His fans praise him for it and his critics attack him for it.  A lot of people question his politics, some question his place of birth, but no one questions his ability to charm an audience with his smooth voice and rhythmic phrasing. The New York Times reports that people who barely understand a word of English buy recordings of his speeches to play as BGM!

So, just what is it about his speech pattern that makes it so listenable?  A search of the internet produces thousands of analyses of the content of his speeches, but very little that comment on the way he speaks.

One Christian blogger claims he speaks with a cadence (rhythm) like that used to read passages of the Holy Bible.  Another authority says he uses a style that is common among African Americans.  Both may be true.  I listened to Obama’s Inaugural Speech back-to-back with Martin Luther King’s I Have a Dream speech and I could hear some definite similarities. Many of them are are both black and Biblical, but others are not so easily categorized.

– Repeats the same word or phrase often

– Highlights words by stretching them longer or with higher pitch

– Goes up or down at the end of each phrase

– Changes the speed of phrases – slow>>fast or fast>>slow

– Changes the length of phrases

– Uses parallel structure

– Stops for dramatic effect

This is a very simple and incomplete analysis, but it may be enough for you to get the idea.

All of these techniques give their speech a rhythm, make it musical. But the music is different; King croons lyrically, Obama is more staccato and sometimes sounds almost like he’s rapping.

Martin Luther King, Jr. by Yann Couedor

Martin Luther King, Jr. by Yann Couedor

Why does this mean anything to you, unless you are a linguist?  Well, if you want to better understand, speak or simply enjoy spoken English, you can learn a lot from these eloquent speakers.

Sometimes the best way to tell how a celebrity sounds the way he does is to listen to a good impersonator mimic his style. Imitators have to find the speaker’s strongest characteristics and exaggerate them — highlight them just like the artist did in the caricture at the top of this article. Amplifying the speech traits makes them immediately recognizable to the audience. Watch and listen how brilliantly Iman Crosson, as Alphacat, recreates the Obama style.

Now, click here for my standard phrase formatted version of Obama’s announcement after receiving the Nobel Peace Prize.  It is not nearly as dramatic as some of his other speeches, but it has the distinct advantage of being short – just 861 words.

The best way to learn from this is to take the following steps.

1 – Copy and paste your own copy and print it.

2 – Click here to listen to this speech.

3 – Write a slash (/) every place he pauses or stops.

As you do this you will see how he uses regular and irregular phrasing stops to build a rhythmic pattern and to stress key words and ideas.

© Dane Degenhardt, Monde Dane, 2009. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Dane Degenhardt and Monde Dane with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

EZ OBAMA 9

02 Monday Feb 2009

Posted by danedegenhardt in EZ OBAMA, Uncategorized

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EZ OBAMA

Barack Obama’s Inaugural Address.

Installments: 1…2…3…4…5…6…7…8…9

obama-family1Photo: Boston.com

This is the last installment of EZ OBAMA. I hope it has helped you understand the important things the man had to say.  And, I hope you now appreciate that you know enough English to get by without a translation.

Translating is sometimes a necessary evil, but it’s like watching a movie in English while reading the subtitles in your own language — you hear the English, but you understand only the subtitles.

Often, if you apply what you already know, you can understand even better without it. You know 85 to 90 per cent of the vocabulary already – use that to figure out the remaining 10 to 15 per cent.

As I prepare similar EZ English material for my students, I will post it here, so please stop by once in a while.

And next time anyone asks you if you can understand Obama’s English, you can proudly answer, “Y e s   w e   c a n !” (click for video)


washington_crossing_the_delawareWashington Crossing the Delaware – Christmas, 1776 (Emanuel Leutze 1851)

[New York Times V I D E O ]

OTHER THAN INSTALLMENT ONE, THE CONTENTS OF THIS POST HAVE  BEEN REMOVED FOR REASONS OF COPYRIGHT PROTECTION

TO RECEIVE A COPY OF THE COMPLETE EZ OBAMA MATERIAL, PLEASE  SUBMIT A REQUEST IN THE COMMENTS SECTION OR FOR JAPANESE CLICK HERE.

EZ OBAMAは9回に分けて掲載しましたが、1回目を除いて著作権保護のためにブログから移動させました。 フルコピーをご希望の方はコメント欄からお申し込みください。

こちらの(CLICK HERE)からでしたら、日本語でお申し込みいただけます。


© Dane Degenhardt, Monde Dane, 2009


IMAGINE OBAMA

01 Sunday Feb 2009

Posted by danedegenhardt in EZ OBAMA, Uncategorized

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EZ OBAMA, Imagine, Obama

Even while watching the Inauguration live on TV I was already looking forward to the Youtube remixes.  Half dazed with sleep (it was 2AM here in Tokyo), I listened to Obama’s words, reconstrucing them into a funky MTV remix a la Will i. am.  Today, after nearly two weeks, I was somewhat disappointed by the number and quality of Youtube offerings.

There was only one that I felt was good enough to post here.  I know, it’s a bit schmaltzy, but it’ll have to do till the real thing comes along. Anyway, it has some nice images that give a face to the words.

W H O O P S !!!  S O R R Y – It looks like the guy who put this up forgot to get (buy) permission from Yoko.

I’ll look for another (authorized) Youtube offering to post. Hope to have one  up ASAP.  — DD 2/4/09

EZ OBAMA 8

31 Saturday Jan 2009

Posted by danedegenhardt in EZ OBAMA, Uncategorized

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EZ OBAMA

Barack Obama’s Inaugural Address

Installments: 1…2…3…4…5…6…7…8…9

obama-crowdsPhoto: Boston.com

[New York Times V I D E O ]

OTHER THAN INSTALLMENT ONE, THE CONTENTS OF THIS POST HAVE  BEEN REMOVED FOR REASONS OF COPYRIGHT PROTECTION

TO RECEIVE A COPY OF THE COMPLETE EZ OBAMA MATERIAL, PLEASE  SUBMIT A REQUEST IN THE COMMENTS SECTION OR FOR JAPANESE CLICK HERE.

EZ OBAMAは9回に分けて掲載しましたが、1回目を除いて著作権保護のためにブログから移動させました。 フルコピーをご希望の方はコメント欄からお申し込みください。

こちらの(CLICK HERE)からでしたら、日本語でお申し込みいただけます。

© Dane Degenhardt, monde dane, 2009

EZ OBAMA 7

29 Thursday Jan 2009

Posted by danedegenhardt in EZ OBAMA, Uncategorized

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EZ OBAMA

Barack Obama’s Inaugural Address

Installments: 1…2…3…4…5…6…7…8…9

bostoncom2Photo: Boston.com

[New York Times V I D E O ]

OTHER THAN INSTALLMENT ONE, THE CONTENTS OF THIS POST HAVE  BEEN REMOVED FOR REASONS OF COPYRIGHT PROTECTION.

TO RECEIVE A COPY OF THE COMPLETE EZ OBAMA MATERIAL, PLEASE  SUBMIT A REQUEST IN THE COMMENTS SECTION OR FOR JAPANESE CLICK HERE.

EZ OBAMAは9回に分けて掲載しましたが、1回目を除いて著作権保護のためにブログから移動させました。 フルコピーをご希望の方はコメント欄からお申し込みください。

こちらの(CLICK HERE)からでしたら、日本語でお申し込みいただけます。

© Dane Degenhardt, monde dane, 2009

EZ OBAMA 6

28 Wednesday Jan 2009

Posted by danedegenhardt in EZ OBAMA, Uncategorized

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EZ OBAMA

Barack Obama’s Inaugural Address

Installments: 1…2…3…4…5…6…7…8…9

bostoncom1Photo: Boston.com

[New York Times V I D E O ]

OTHER THAN INSTALLMENT ONE, THE CONTENTS OF THIS POST HAVE  BEEN REMOVED FOR REASONS OF COPYRIGHT PROTECTION.

TO RECEIVE A COPY OF THE COMPLETE EZ OBAMA MATERIAL, PLEASE  SUBMIT A REQUEST IN THE COMMENTS SECTION OR FOR JAPANESE CLICK HERE.

EZ OBAMAは9回に分けて掲載しましたが、1回目を除いて著作権保護のためにブログから移動させました。 フルコピーをご希望の方はコメント欄からお申し込みください。

こちらの(CLICK HERE)からでしたら、日本語でお申し込みいただけます。

© Dane Degenhardt, monde dane, 2009

EZ OBAMA 5

28 Wednesday Jan 2009

Posted by danedegenhardt in EZ OBAMA, Uncategorized

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EZ OBAMA, for Japanese Students, Inaugural address

Barack Obama’s Inaugural Address

Installments: 1…2…3…4…5…6…7…8…9

us_presidential_inauguration_2005

[New York Times V I D E O ]

OTHER THAN INSTALLMENT ONE, THE CONTENTS OF THIS POST HAVE  BEEN REMOVED FOR REASONS OF COPYRIGHT PROTECTION.

TO RECEIVE A COPY OF THE COMPLETE EZ OBAMA MATERIAL, PLEASE  SUBMIT A REQUEST IN THE COMMENTS SECTION OR FOR JAPANESE CLICK HERE.

EZ OBAMAは9回に分けて掲載しましたが、1回目を除いて著作権保護のためにブログから移動させました。 フルコピーをご希望の方はコメント欄からお申し込みください。

こちらの(CLICK HERE)からでしたら、日本語でお申し込みいただけます。

EZ OBAMA 4

27 Tuesday Jan 2009

Posted by danedegenhardt in EZ OBAMA, Uncategorized

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EZ OBAMA, for Japanese Students, Inaugural address

Barack Obama’s Inaugural Address

Installments: 1…2…3…4…5…6…7…8…9

446151602[New York Times V I D E O ]

OTHER THAN INSTALLMENT ONE, THE CONTENTS OF THIS POST HAVE  BEEN REMOVED FOR REASONS OF COPYRIGHT PROTECTION.

TO RECEIVE A COPY OF THE COMPLETE EZ OBAMA MATERIAL, PLEASE  SUBMIT A REQUEST IN THE COMMENTS SECTION OR FOR JAPANESE CLICK HERE.

EZ OBAMAは9回に分けて掲載しましたが、1回目を除いて著作権保護のためにブログから移動させました。 フルコピーをご希望の方はコメント欄からお申し込みください。

こちらの(CLICK HERE)からでしたら、日本語でお申し込みいただけます。

© Dane Degenhardt, Monde Dane, 2009

EZ OBAMA 3

26 Monday Jan 2009

Posted by danedegenhardt in EZ OBAMA, Uncategorized

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EZ OBAMA, Inaugural address

Barack Obama’s Inaugural Address

Installments: 1…2…3…4…5…6…7…8…9

3r3715016476

[New York Times V I D E O ]

[GO TO…. PICK YOURSELF UP]


OTHER THAN INSTALLMENT ONE, THE CONTENTS OF THIS POST HAVE  BEEN REMOVED FOR REASONS OF COPYRIGHT PROTECTION.

TO RECEIVE A COPY OF THE COMPLETE EZ OBAMA MATERIAL, PLEASE  SUBMIT A REQUEST IN THE COMMENTS SECTION OR FOR JAPANESE CLICK HERE.
© Dane Degenhardt, Monde Dane, 2009

PICK YOURSELF UP

26 Monday Jan 2009

Posted by danedegenhardt in EZ OBAMA, Uncategorized

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EZ OBAMA, movies, MUSIC, PICK YOURSELF UP

“Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off and begin again the remaking of America.” – Barack Obama January 20, 2009

In his inaugural address, President Obama urges Americans to improve the economy by taking positive action.  Is it a coincidence that he uses a quaint expression from a depression era song?  Take a look at this clip of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers in the 1936 musical comedy, Swing Time.

“Pick yourself up; dust yourself off; start all over again.”

[Full lyrics]

Wanna see what a little practice can do?

Here’s a more recent version of the tune by that sexy Canadian Jazz singer, Diana Krall.

Pick Yourself Up – Words by Dorothy Fields, Music by Jerome Kern

for the 1936 RKO musical comedy Swing Time.

swing-time

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© Dane Degenhardt, Monde Dane, 2009. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Dane Degenhardt and Monde Dane with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

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