Interpretive Toolbox: Verbal techniques, Part 1.

This blog post is continuing the series on Interpretive methods and techniques. The first layered zone was planned techniques, followed by subtle techniques. This blog will focus on the verbal zone of interpretive techniques and methods for better interpretive experiences. Verbal layer interpretive techniques make up the largest category of interpretive techniques and methods, and they will be broken into parts rather than have a mammoth sized blog that exhaustively describes each technique. These techniques are easily used in verbal exchanges with visitors, but can also be be planned for readable text or exhibit displays and even active methods types.  Verbal techniques help bring visitors to understand the message of the program - "selling them" on your "product". As with all things verbal, how you say something is as important as what you say.

Start with the basics: introduce yourself. This ties into rapport from the previous layer and it is a great way to start. Long ago, a wise public speaker and educator taught me that having a professional opening or introduction should never begin "OK" or "alright". It is a mental crutch, as if you are psyching yourself up into a task. Start with a loud enough to hear "Good morning" or other similar beginning. Do not immediately jump into the material as people will not be ready for you to being with content that quickly. Visitors are expecting some sort of introduction for them to realize the program is beginning, to end whatever they were doing (socializing, reading, browsing the bookstore, etc) and settle and then focus on you, the guide, so you cannot start with critical information until everyone is settled upon you. Identify who you are and what you do at your workplace and what you intend to do (conduct a tour, bring you to the event area, pass out materials, etc). Be loud, clear, and concise with your introduction. I like to bring up safety concerns right away after introducing myself because it gives a sense of security that the interpreter has already reviewed the safety concerns and brings up what to think about before getting started.

The following list are the first twenty techniques and methods of verbal interaction with the visitors. Making a program interactive is better for the visitors, even though they may not necessarily be doing anything but speaking with you or others, so that they are not left to be a passive part of a program. Some techniques are more active than others, while some maybe difficult to use because it takes some skill to weave into a program. Others are so simple that you might not think of them as a technique but when used for your purposes and used with enough other techniques can make a compelling program.

Allegory - Use of symbols to tell a story that illustrates a larger, historical story or a hidden meaning. Its use is similar to metaphors in that you can use metaphors to make an allegorical situation or take a real situation and make it into a allegory, or even a moral-to-the-story. Aesop's Fables are generally allegorical; classic stories such as the Tortoise and the Hare teach a moral or could be used as reference to historical characters.

Alliteration - The use of words with the same letter or sound for effect. This technique can also be used effectively in a written form. An example of this is the old rhyme of Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.

Ascribing human-like qualities to
non-human things, eh? This lunch
bag is disappointed.  

Analogy - At a basic level an analogy is a comparison of two things, usually explaining one using the other. This is a tremendously deep topic that can be delving into off topic depth (see that analogy?). Since it is such a large topic, being brief will allow you to find your own way of handling analogies. Sometimes keeping them simple can make them more comprehensible. Remember similes? Similes use "like" or "as" to make comparisons.

Anecdote- A short story that connects the material. It is usually insightful or humorous, but helps highlight a part of the narrative. Funny story: It took me an embarrassing amount of time to try and define anecdote and come up with an anecdotal story.

Anthropomorphism - Giving human qualities to non-human things. Animals that talk and rocks that walk and time that flies are examples of anthropomorphism. This technique works well with children but not exclusively.

Aphorism - Pithy statements that are short and to the point. "The pen is mightier than the sword". It is best to use sparingly, since they often border on cliche.

Balance of Opinions - This a technique is core to creating audience based connections because everyone has an opinion and not everyone makes the same conclusions or draws the same meanings. so explore differing viewpoints within the content and within the visiting public. Not quite on a conflicting level, but showing multiple perspectives to show that the events, people, objects, and other details are not all perceived the same way or any one narrative dominated.

Before and After - This is a classic method that looks at before an event or circumstance and how consequences changed after. This can apply to landscape, places, and people. This technique can be used with a chronological framework since before comes before and after discusses what was the results and further how those results affect the now.

Cacophony - The use of harsh sounding words to create an effect. This can also be further emphasized by the interpreter when spoken aloud. Emphasizing a crack or a crunch by use of the voice in creating a realistic sound can help bring the visitors into a program.

What a character!

Cause and Effect- Like Before and After but can deal with roots and causes rather than a circumstances or situations and how the actions created consequences and results.

Characterization - Creating a character. A little different than Living History and first person because it is a more general concept. Living History and first person portrayals are characterizations but not all characterizations are Living History since they can be other things like birds, rocks, tree, or other objects. This technique is useful with children because it is done all the time with singing birds and dancing animals in cartoons and such.

Chronology- A method of arranging material from beginning to the end. This technique works well in conjunction with Before and After and Cause and Effect. The sequence of events is its own story and framework for telling a story. It's simple but effective for people to follow.

Commentary- An expression of your own personal opinion. This helps separate the interpreter from the material, especially when the material gets controversial. It can be used to help explain the reasons for why things happened they way they did. It also makes you more than the 'teacher' because you react to the material as well. Personally, I like using asides and commentary to also give a different perspective using a Balance of Opinion technique.

Compare and Contrast- Another old school style analytical technique. This technique can be done together or separate such as just contrasting or just comparing. It is simple but effective; there is a reason why you did so much of this during school!

Conflict- Conflict involves two or more opposing view points. Conflict can be civil or can be aggressive; everything from an argument to full-scale war. Using conflict can be a great asset to create narrative because conflict is drama! Explaining the conflict and hinting at the resolution can bait a visiting crowd with anticipation.

Conjecture- This is a conclusion based on guesses and logical deduction. It can be used to allude to the future and to the events or reasons for your program.

Context- Context sets the situation or event in place with larger circumstances. It explains that people, objects, events, and decisions were not in a vacuum, but are a result of the cumulative effects of everything leading up to that point. On the opposite side, having things out of context robs the program of a lot of meaning. What was going on at the time and how did that influence the decisions about the content of the program? With historical interpretation, context can be everything.

Contrived Situation- Also called hypotheticals, this technique takes the amassed body of knowledge and changes variables to test with the visitors what they think would be the result for a point. Hypothetically speaking, the interpreter could pose nearly any situation based on what they had shared so far and fish for guesses as to what might have changed. One popular example is "What if the South won the Civil War?"

Conversation- Also called discussion, this technique breaks down the teacher/student barrier and all have an equal chance at contributing. This is a favorite technique that has the favor with audience focused interpretation. Basically discuss the topic or program with the other visitors and give and receive feedback. One drawback to having a conversation is that if the program is about something visitors know very little about, it is hard to have an informed conversation about it. If you spoke with a scientist that wanted to have a conversation about applied thermodynamics, how much good input would you be able to give in this hypothetical case?

Critique- a style of analysis that evaluates some aspects and posits how or what could be done better or how a visitor would do something. This technique will be often used near the end of the program, if not actually in the conclusion, since it needs material to work with in order to be effective. For example, demonstrate something and ask the audience what they would do differently.

This is only part of the verbal styled techniques more are going to follow. If I'm feeling ambitious I will release them over the course of September since there are so many of them and doing a monthly blog would stretch out these techniques unnecessarily. So stay tuned for further parts to this series.

Post Script: I relied on Handles: A Compendium of Interpretive Techniques to Help Visitors Grasp Resource Meanings by Peggy Ann Scherbaum for ideas and material to share.