[apodildNoli]

This coming Saturday (6th) I'm doing a speech to some 200+ people ... in Japanese!
I entered a draft speech before Christmas and then by some ******* luck I got through to the contest. Only 15 people in my whole prefecture get a place and lucky old me got one.

Since I got back to Japan in early January I've been working on this every night and now I have just two days left to finally memorise it all and 'perform' it.
I can almost memorise all of it, but I know I'm just gonna forget a load of it on stage.
What's worse is that I have a really bad Japanese accent (thanks to the area I've lived in for almost 2 years) as well as bad intonation and on top of all that a bad memory. I've spent a long time with my Japanese teachers trying to tone down my accent and get everything right but I'm still very nervous just being on the stage in front of so many people!

Can anyone give any good advice for nerves?

On a side note I got my exam results back for the 'Japanese Language Proficiency Test' this week and I passed. Woo!

[MightyMasd]

Practice is the only way for me... do you have a friend you can give the speech to?

Is it easier for you to read things in English and translate in your head, or can you read kana proficiently enough if you get stuck?

[SarkisPioute]

I used to take Xanex when i had to give important, room filled speeches. It doesn't help with memorization, or with overcoming the language barrier... but it will certainly have an effect on your worry. If it is not something you have ever taken, just see if you can get a small RX and then split the pills in half. No worries after that.

[apodildNoli]

I used to take Xanex when i had to give important, room filled speeches. It doesn't help with memorization, or with overcoming the language barrier... but it will certainly have an effect on your worry. If it is not something you have ever taken, just see if you can get a small RX and then split the pills in half. No worries after that.

What is that? Is that a particular product? I don't know if they would sell it here but I can look for something similar - what is the main drug used?

Dolfan - it's all written in Kana / Kanji. I'm saying it to a Japanese audience so any kind of translation isn't necessary to do in my head, it's just a matter of remembering the paragraph order and some sentences.

[Shiplyopidomi]

Ginjarou, is there going to be a stage and a spotlight type of thing going on? If so have the spotlight man hit you in the eyes somewhat, that way you can't see the people too well.[thumbup] Also, serious this time, If you drink alcohol normally, then just take one shot, ONE, about 20 to 30 minutes before, it will relax you without making you stupid.

[apodildNoli]

Ginjarou, is there going to be a stage and a spotlight type of thing going on? If so have the spotlight man hit you in the eyes somewhat, that way you can't see the people too well.[thumbup] Also, serious this time, If you drink alcohol normally, then just take one shot, ONE, about 20 to 30 minutes before, it will relax you without making you stupid.

I've been told there is a lot of lighting so it's hard to see people, but seeing the people doesn't bother me - it's just the possibility of screwing up on stage.
Of course I would take alcohol before I go on, but I have to be there very early and have to sit and watch all the others before me in the front row - it'll be too obvious.
Or maybe I could put some vodka in a bottle of coke

[Indessasp]

Wear a top hat, monocle, walk out with a fancy cane and right before giving the speech say "My word!" in a really generic british accent. That way you don't have to worry about your accent- it'll all be part of the act


As for actual advice, don't look at the audience. You can fake eye contact by looking at the back wall. Concentrate hard enough on trying to remember should be all the destraction you need though- 頑張TTE!

[apodildNoli]

Wear a top hat, monocle, walk out with a fancy cane and right before giving the speech say "My word!" in a really generic british accent. That way you don't have to worry about your accent- it'll all be part of the act

Haha, I wish that were so but I have a bad Japanese accent!
all my particles have high intonations when they should be flat - but I can hardly be blamed when this is the only place I've lived in here. I do mention that I have bad 'ibaraki-ben' in my speech so hopefully that'll take the heat off the judges.

On the bright side - a mate of mine did this 2 years ago and came 6th and won a Nintendo Wii
I think top prize is like 100,000 yen

[SarkisPioute]

xanex is an anti anxiety medication... and i swear, one of it's potential uses is as a preventative for stage fright.

anyway, here is it's wiki page, with chemical name, 10 zillion words on uses/history and every name it has ever been released under. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xanex

This will take all the fear (considerable amount) out and make you less likely to skitz and forget your lines. As to learning the speech and correct accents... i got nothing for you :/

[Shipsyspeepay]

haha good advice so far!

I took a few pretty intense public speaking classes, and I think it might help you to compose yourself if you get flustered or off track. Take a few seconds to re-orient (pun) and jump back into it - NO RAMBLING!!!

[apodildNoli]

haha good advice so far!

I took a few pretty intense public speaking classes, and I think it might help you to compose yourself if you get flustered or off track. Take a few seconds to re-orient (pun) and jump back into it - NO RAMBLING!!!

agreed - although I can't ramble because if I go off track that I have no idea what to say (my Japanese isn't that good to save myself).
I also found that I have to speak VERY slowly or risk mumbling horribly.
Some people may think I sound dumb for speaking slow but it's either that or not being able to understand a word I say.

[Shipsyspeepay]

xanex is an anti anxiety medication... and i swear, one of it's potential uses is as a preventative for stage fright.

anyway, here is it's wiki page, with chemical name, 10 zillion words on uses/history and every name it has ever been released under. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xanex

This will take all the fear (considerable amount) out and make you less likely to skitz and forget your lines. As to learning the speech and correct accents... i got nothing for you :/

If it's your first time taking anti-anxiety meds, I wouldn't do it right before something that's important. Maybe later so you know specifically how you react to it - or under the supervision of a health professional

[SarkisPioute]

If it's your first time taking anti-anxiety meds, I wouldn't do it right before something that's important. Maybe later so you know specifically how you react to it - or under the supervision of a health professional

well, he has 2 days, he could try it out 1st... but a half a .25mg pill isn't gonna be too much. For me personally, I would take a full .25mg. (.25mg is lowest dose, 2mg highest)

.25 mg amount should be just enough to take the edge off your nervousness without making you drowsy.


On a side note, you could pronounce all the R sounds in the speech as L's, just to eff with them.

[jstizzle]

In my speech class I was always told to bring a bottle of water with you and hide it behind the podium. That way if you get stuck or have a sudden brainfart, you can use that moment to mentally take a step back and take a sip of water without looking like you've lost control of the situation. It also helps drymouth if you get that before speeches

[gunhijala]

What works for me is to purposely speak slowly. Try listening to someone else do it sometime, it doesn't sound as dumb as you might think. Sounds WAY better than when you rush through. It comes across as you being calm. (at least in english).

Also, if you have any friends in the crowd, just act as though the whole speech is just a conversation with them. Should help you relax, and if you put that extra bit of personality into the speech you'll sound more natural and people will pay more attention.

[Juersdodfs]

Instead of taking the ***** way out taking pills like Zeddoo suggest, just do it like a man and get it done

[apodildNoli]

I had my year 6 class just before lunch and for the first few minutes I read my speech to them (and their home room teacher).
They seemed to enjoy it and fully understood the meaning of it. There were also points where they would all laugh (as expected) but this also gave me time to take a quick think about what was next as well as laugh along with them (thus making it more light-hearted).

I did slip up at one or two points but it wasn't anything major - some bits I can't pronounce properly and end up just mumbling out the line but that should be ok after a few more goes.

[AmfitNom]

Instead of taking the ***** way out taking pills like Zeddoo suggest, just do it like a man and get it done

A real man would take pills, get drunk and get it done.

[Juersdodfs]

A real man would take pills, get drunk and get it done.

Haha only if he is absolutely wasted

[apodildNoli]

Today I practised in front of my playschool (kindergarten) teachers, my main primary school teachers and also my 1st years (6-7 year olds).

Obviously it was easiest doing in front of the young kids because who cares what they think about me. I'm used to making a clown out of myself during English class anyway.
It was hardest to the teachers at my primary school as they are my superiors. The playschool staff are much more laid back and friendly.

It's not so much about forgetting things anymore, it's just that I speak too fast to start with and then realise and slow down.