speech mannerism definition

Mannerisms refer to distinctive behavioral traits or habits displayed by individuals while interacting with others or engaging in activities. They encompass the subtle nuances of body language, speech patterns, and gestures that can vary from person to person.

Mannerisms can be categorized into the following types:

Physical Mannerisms

Physical mannerisms are related to a person’s body movements, gestures, posture, and overall physical behavior. It includes actions such as hand gestures, facial expressions, walking style, or any repetitive physical habit that conveys unique personal characteristics or emotions.

Verbal Mannerisms

Verbal mannerisms involve the peculiar speech patterns, word choices, or vocal traits that are distinctive to an individual. These can include specific phrases, accents, speech tempo, or intonation patterns that make someone’s speech identifiable and unique.

Social Mannerisms

Social mannerisms pertain to the way people interact with others in social settings. This includes aspects such as politeness, etiquette, body language, how one makes eye contact, or the use of personal space, which can vary across cultures and individuals.

Habitual Mannerisms

Habitual mannerisms comprise the repetitive behavioral patterns or habits that individuals demonstrate due to personal preference, comfort, or as a result of certain conditions. These can include actions like tapping fingers, twirling hair, biting nails, or any other automatic and frequent gestures.

Mannerisms contribute to the uniqueness and individuality of a person, shaping how they are perceived and remembered by others. Understanding and recognizing mannerisms can provide insights into someone’s personality, cultural background, or emotional state during interactions.

Do You Have Any of These Distracting Mannerisms?

MANNERISM: a person’s particular way of talking or moving. -Merriam Webster Learner’s Dictionary

When we talk about mannerisms in public speaking we generally mean any kind of body language or movement that distracts from the speaker’s message. Most people have one or more mannerisms when they speak. These often become more noticeable when you are nervous. Here are some examples:

• Putting your hands in your pockets
• Touching your hair
• Pushing up your sleeves
• Touching a watch or piece of jewellery
• Rocking back and forth

The fastest way to find out what your mannerisms are is to record yourself and watch the video. Friends, colleagues and coaches may also be able to tell you if you have any mannerisms and if they find them distracting or not.

How can you stop using an unwanted mannerism?

1. Be aware

The first step in fixing any problem is acknowledging that you have one. Be conscious of it all the time when you are speaking – even if it’s not a presentation. It will become easier with time to remember to think about this. Whenever you find yourself doing it, consciously remind yourself to stop.

Continue filming yourself, whenever possible, to see if you improve. This will also serve as a constant reminder that you are working on eliminating this mannerism.

2. Focus only on the mannerism

“To do two things at once is to do neither.” – Publilius Syrus

If you are trying to improve too many speaking skills at once, you may not have much success. Eliminating distracting mannerisms is difficult. If you are thinking about too many other things when you are speaking, it will take you even longer to get rid of it. 

Try to set a aside a fixed period of time (e.g. 6 weeks or 5 presentations) to work on eliminating the mannerism. Afterwards, you can focus on another speaking skill, while continuing to be aware of the mannerism. After focusing on the mannerism for a long amount  of time, you will form a habit of thinking about it.

3. Ask for help

You don’t need to do this alone. Enlist the help of friends, family, colleagues and especially coaches to remind you if they see the mannerism.

You can also incentivise yourself to eliminate the mannerism. Just like a child who uses bad language has to put money in a ‘swear jar’, you can pay a fine when you or someone else catches you using the mannerism. Then when you have managed to eliminate the mannerism, you can use the money to treat yourself to a nice reward!

This is part of the Word Wednesday series, posts dedicated to improving your speaking vocabulary. Each Wednesday we will look at one word or expression by defining it and explaining how it applies to your presentations.

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Definition of mannerism noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

• nervous/odd/irritating mannerisms
• He has this irritating mannerism of constantly scratching his nose.
• He had been learning the great man's speeches and studying his mannerisms.
• mannerism of

Questions about grammar and vocabulary?

Find the answers with Practical English Usage online, your indispensable guide to problems in English.

• Mannerism [uncountable] a style in 16th century Italian art that did not show things in a natural way but made them look strange or out of their usual shape Topics Art c2

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7 DISTRACTING MANNERISMS: LEARNING WHAT NOT TO DO IN PUBLIC SPEAKING

by bsna | Jun 12, 2020 | Uncategorized

by bsna | Jun 12, 2020

“Fair or not, people make assumptions about your intelligence and education simply by the words you use.”   This line was made popular by Verbal Advantage, a company who produces audio vocabulary and communication improvement programs in its advertising. As a teacher of public speaking and communications, I would take this line even further and say that people make those same assumptions based on not only your word choice, but also how you deliver or present the words you choose.

One of the first questions I ask my students who take my public speaking classes is “What is public speaking?,”  and I receive all sorts of obvious answers except one…… That is every time we open our mouths, we are public speaking. This includes talking on the telephone or having a one-on-one conversation with a friend or colleague.  Over the life of the course I share many strategies and techniques to help my students become proficient and unafraid to present their thoughts and ideas in a manner that would leave their audience regardless of size assuming that he or she was indeed intelligent and educated.

In addition to teaching public speaking, I am also a radio talk show host and had the pleasure of interviewing the founder of Black Speakers Network, Mr. Brian J. Olds. During our conversation I shared with him concepts that I had learned and share with my students in my course. The concepts in and of themselves are not new, however, are defined in a very common sense way. While I wish I could take credit for creating them, I cannot and I have no problem with giving the proper credit where it is due. They are taken from one of the books that I use as a reference in my courses titled  LIFETIME CONVERSATION GUIDE: The Key to Success with People  by James K. Van Fleet.  I share the  Seven Distracting Mannerisms  and  Seven Important Don’ts to Remember  with you here in this blog post and encourage you to learn what  not  to do and stay away from when you are delivering a speech. Learning what not to do is just as important as learning what to do.

Seven Distracting Mannerisms

1.  The Dying Warrior.  In this position, the speaker leans heavily on the lectern. He wears an air of total exhaustion and never moves. All he needs to complete this picture is a feather drooping down over his forehead from an Indian headband. 

2.  The Fig Leaf  is favored by the speaker who has no lectern to lean on. He stands solidly with both hands clasped in front below the waist, feet 18 inches apart and completely immovable, his body solid as a rock. 

3.  The Walkie-Talkie  is a descriptive term in itself. This one is the pacer who never holds still for a single moment. Most  “walkie talkies”  seem to be would-be lawyers who imagine themselves pacing back and forth in front of the jury. 

4.  The Chained Elephant  stands with his weight first on one foot, then on the other. He goes nowhere, but constantly moves his feet in position, shuffling back and forth.

5.  The Change Counter  constantly counts the money in his pocket. Soon the audience hears only the jingle of coins rather than what he’s saying. 

6.  The Swordsman  works with a pointer and a chart. He has the bad habit of fighting imaginary duels with his pointer as if he were holding a sword. 

7.  The Baton Twirler  also uses a chart and a pointer, but he is more advanced in his techniques than the “swordsman.”  He uses his pointer as if he were entertaining the crowd at half time.

Seven Important Don’ts to Remember

1.  Don’t bluff.  Never bluff to cover up a lack of knowledge. If you don’t know the answer, say so. Then find the answer and let the person know as soon as you can.

2.  Don’t use profanity or obscenities . Not even a tiny “Damn!” or “Hell” is ever permissible. The moment you use profanity, you run the risk of losing the respect and attention of some of your listeners.

3.  Don’t use sarcasm or ridicule.  This is especially true if you have a captive audience. Your listeners will resent it if they can’t respond in the same sarcastic manner. If a person resents you, he won’t listen to you. 

4.  Don’t talk down to your listeners.  You might be smarter than your listeners, but only in one subject, and you selected that one. Never treat your listeners as ignorant people if you want them to keep listening to you. 

5.  Don’t lose your patience.  If a listener asks you to cover a point again, don’t get upset. His inability to understand might be your failure to explain it properly. Repeat the information or use a different approach to make your point clear to him. 

6.  Don’t hide behind the lectern.  You must be clearly visible to the audience. If the lectern doesn’t show you at least from the waist up, be brave and step out to the side.

7.  Don’t make excuses.  Don’t start off by saying,  “Ill-prepared as I am….I didn’t have a chance to go over this material…..I’m not really qualified to speak on this….. I wouldn’t be here, but…” I’ve heard these comments and so have you. You were turned off immediately, right? Well, if you use them, your listeners will be turned off too. Never apologize or make excuses. Only amateurs do that; professionals never do. Be a pro. 

Happy Speaking!!!

Marc Medley, Host The Reading Circle at Book Talk Radio Website:  http://thereadingcircle.ontrapages.com/ Twitter:  @readingcircle01

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Meaning of mannerism in English

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• as ye sow, so shall ye reap idiom
• attachment disorder
• humanization
• in someone's demeanour
• interaction
• provincialism
• provincialist
• abstract expressionism
• anti-modern
• anti-modernism
• expressionism
• expressionist
• expressionistic
• naturalistic
• romanticism
• screen printing

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Mannerism | american dictionary, examples of mannerism, translations of mannerism.

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good at thinking of and doing new and difficult things, especially things that will make money

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Annoying Speech Mannerisms

• March 25, 2013

Every speaker of a language has their own individual manner of speaking, and this extends beyond pronunciation to include word choice and syntax. Some features of an individual’s speech habits may be considered annoying to one’s interlocutors or audience, thus coming under the compass of what are called mannerisms. Of course, what one person regards as an annoying mannerism in another’s speech may be highly subjective and therefore not shared by all interlocutors or hearers. The frequency with which a mannerism tends to occur obviously has an impact on its assessment as annoying. In fact, any feature of speech that is highly repetitious is in itself liable to be perceived as a mannerism and evaluated accordingly as an annoying habit.

An example of the latter is the constant introduction at the beginning of practically every other utterance of the word look , which has the force of peremptoriness and condescension toward one’s interlocutor. This annoying habit can be heard with unfailing regularity in the responses of the NPR commentator Cokie Roberts on Monday broadcasts of the program “Morning Edition.” The fact that what follows this interjection is a string of commonplaces being paraded as insights does nothing to allay its noisome effect.

MICHAEL SHAPIRO

• March 25th, 2013
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man·ner·ism

Man•ner•ism.

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Synonyms of mannerism

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Thesaurus Definition of mannerism

Synonyms & Similar Words

• characteristic
• idiosyncrasy
• peculiarity
• eccentricity
• singularity
• individualism
• personality
• affectation
• abnormality
• predilection
• temperament
• individuality
• predisposition
• disposition
• inclination
• neuroticism

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun mannerism contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of mannerism are affectation , airs , air , and pose . While all these words mean "an adopted way of speaking or behaving," mannerism applies to an acquired eccentricity that has become a habit.

When would affectation be a good substitute for mannerism ?

In some situations, the words affectation and mannerism are roughly equivalent. However, affectation applies to a trick of speech or behavior that strikes the observer as insincere.

When can air be used instead of mannerism ?

The words air and mannerism can be used in similar contexts, but air may suggest natural acquirement through environment or way of life.

When could airs be used to replace mannerism ?

Although the words airs and mannerism have much in common, airs always implies artificiality and pretentiousness.

When is pose a more appropriate choice than mannerism ?

The words pose and mannerism are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, pose implies an attitude deliberately assumed in order to impress others.

Thesaurus Entries Near mannerism

Cite this entry.

“Mannerism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mannerism. Accessed 25 Jun. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on mannerism

Nglish: Translation of mannerism for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about mannerism

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165 Mannerisms That Will Bring Your Character to Life

You've likely heard the expression, "show, don't tell" when it comes to how to create a story and characters that readers will love. Unique traits, mannerisms, and characteristics play a large role in the process of showing who a character is and giving your reader clues about the character's personality without breaking the narration with writing that "tells" too much. So how do you use traits, mannerisms, and characteristics effectively? A lot of it has to do with simple observation.

The next time you are in a public place and can watch people without being noticed, try to find some traits, mannerisms, and characteristics that set them apart from each other. For example, if you see a couple talking and their arms are around each other lovingly, that immediately tells you about their relationship (that it's close). Alternately, if you see a couple and one has his/her arms crossed and won't make eye contact, that is a show of discomfort in the relationship. You can read all of these things simply by watching someone.

In the same sense, if you want to create a character who has social anxiety, instead of telling your readers about the issue, show them instead. Have your character stand in a corner at a party and look uncomfortable. Have him/her imbibing alcohol at a social event to try to feel more relaxed and comfortable around so many people. There are so many traits, mannerisms, and characteristics you can use to relay intimate details about your character without telling your reader more than you should.

With that in mind, here is a list of over 100 character traits and quirks to help you build characterization in your novel. Need more inspiration for your character? Try taking some of the mannerisms listed below and entering them into HubSpot's AI Paragraph Rewriter to generate even more ideas. It is definitely worth a try.

Someone who is lying or not telling the whole truth

• Blinks often
• Looks to the left often
• Changes tone of voice at odd points
• Pauses while speaking a lot
• Offers unnecessary details
• Rubbing nose
• Pointing a finger
• Body language doesn't match words spoken
• Sweats excessively
• Touches nose a lot

Someone who is scared, angry, nervous and/or has social anxiety

• Clenches jaw
• Swallows constantly
• Compulsively scratches nose
• Compulsively scratches nape of neck
• Arms crossed defensively
• Crosses arms while holding elbows
• Chain smokes
• Wear a sweater/jacket/coat at all times
• Chews on lips
• Chews on fingernails
• Can't eat around a stranger
• Always carries a gun
• Locked ankles
• Hands clasped behind back
• Constantly swallowing
• Nostrils flare
• Eyes that dart around a lot
• Flexing fingers
• Knees knocking
• Picks at cuticles and skin around the fingernails
• Paces back and forth
• Breathes heavily

Someone who is in love

• Whistles while walking
• Smiles a lot
• Holds significant other close
• Displays physical affection often with another
• Blushes a lot
• Fluttering eyelids
• Whispers into another's ear often
• Prolonged eye contact
• Wipes clammy hands
• Oblivious to everyone except one person
• Twirls hair absentmindedly while speaking to their beloved
• Is sleepless
• Loses appetite
• Enjoys sappy love songs played on the radio
• Wants to meet friends and family
• Calls their beloved first when there's bad news
• Constantly checks phone

Someone who is a musician

• Beats on surfaces with hands and/or fingers
• Talks about obscure music artists
• Seems to "zone out" when music is playing
• Points out when a song is off-key
• Closes eyes briefly when music is heard
• Hums/sings to self often
• Stops to listen to all street musicians

Someone who is confident

• Holds eye contact when interacting
• Walks with erect posture
• Walks with purpose while looking forward
• Keeps shoulders back and down
• Stands with feet apart
• Stands too close to others
• Has a hero complex
• Talks loudly
• Wears bright red lipstick
• Wears vivid, loud colors
• Hands clasped behind head
• Cracking knuckles
• Interrupts others when passionate about the topic
• Stands out among a crowd
• Remains sober at parties

Someone who is shy and/or lacking confidence

• Looks down when walking
• Wears hats consistently
• Wears headphones or hats often
• Cannot maintain eye contact
• Stands with feet together
• Hugs arms around himself/herself
• Avoids looking at self in the mirror
• Keeps hands in pockets while walking/sitting
• Hates sitting near a stranger
• Apologizes often
• Wears sleeves long with thumb holes to cover lower part of palm
• Wears a scarf often
• Pats/fixes hair constantly
• Clears throat a lot
• Speaks softly
• Apologizes a lot
• Wears dark or muted colors
• Laughs to fill uncomfortable silences

Someone who is bored

• Yawns a lot
• Rests head in hands
• Stares in the distance
• Taps fingernails on surface
• Clasps and unclasps fingers together
• Plays with index finger
• Toys with rings
• Picks at nails
• Foot kicking slightly
• Doodles absentmindedly
• Twiddling thumbs

Someone who enjoys humor

• Wears multiple pins with odd sayings
• Laughs a lot
• Tells jokes to anyone who will listen
• Has oddball sayings
• Never dresses to fit the occasion
• Wears clothing with cartoon figures
• Wears clothing with sarcastic sayings
• Grins sideways
• Punches people in their arm (jokingly) to get them to lighten up

Someone who is narcissistic, elitist, and/or materialistic

• Looks at self in mirror often
• Refuses to eat non-gourmet food
• Always has perfectly manicured nails
• Wears expensive name-brand clothing/shoes
• Shows off expensive jewelry
• Tells everyone how much he/she paid for something
• Loudly points out faults in others
• Never says "please" or "thank you"
• Is disrespectful to waiters/waitresses
• Waits for someone else to do simple tasks instead of doing it himself/herself
• Raises eyebrow often while others are talking
• Tosses hair
• Takes a lot of selfies

Someone who is uptight and/or stern

• Wears hair in a tight bun
• Pinches lips together tightly
• Looks down nose at everyone
• Crosses legs while sitting
• Rarely smiles
• Only drinks gourmet tea for a caffeine fix
• Stands with hands on hips

Someone who is erudite

• Quotes famous people
• Quotes well-known literary works
• Over enunciates
• Smokes a pipe
• Uses phrases like "did you know that?"
• Drinks brandy out of a snifter
• Wears a cravat
• Takes glasses off and cleans them
• Speaks multiple languages
• Scoffs under breath about things taking place

Someone who is organized and/or focused

• Tilts head to the side when listening
• Is wide-eyed and intense
• Moves quickly from one task to another
• Makes multiple to-do lists
• Wears perfectly coordinated clothing
• Looks at watch often
• Steeples hands
• Rocking back and forth on heels

Someone who is disorganized and/or unfocused

• Has unkempt hair
• Is always late
• Wears mismatched clothing
• Wears clothing with stains
• Always loses track of time
• Scrambles around frantically
• Stares into the distance often

Someone who is frustrated

• Shakes head while looking upward
• Makes a "tsk" noise
• Clenches fist
• Exhales sharply
• Puts fingers to forehead while shaking head
• Draws in a deep breath and exhales slowly
• Says "ha!" in a sarcastic tone
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Manner of speaking, /ˈmænər əv ˈspikɪŋ/, /ˈmænə əv ˈspikɪŋ/.

Other forms: manners of speaking

• noun your characteristic style or manner of expressing yourself orally “his manner of speaking was quite abrupt” synonyms: delivery , speech see more see less types: show 17 types... hide 17 types... address the manner of speaking to another individual catch a break or check in the voice (usually a sign of strong emotion) tongue a manner of speaking shibboleth a manner of speaking that is distinctive of a particular group of people tone , tone of voice the quality of a person's voice elocution an expert manner of speaking involving control of voice and gesture inflection , prosody the patterns of stress and intonation in a language inflection , modulation a manner of speaking in which the loudness or pitch or tone of the voice is modified sharp tongue a bitter or critical manner of speaking note a tone of voice that shows what the speaker is feeling rotundity , roundness the fullness of a tone of voice undertone a quiet or hushed tone of voice cadence , intonation , modulation , pitch contour rise and fall of the voice pitch caesura a break or pause (usually for sense) in the middle of a verse line enjambement , enjambment the continuation of a syntactic unit from one line of verse into the next line without a pause accent , emphasis , stress the relative prominence of a syllable or musical note (especially with regard to stress or pitch) rhythm , speech rhythm the arrangement of spoken words alternating stressed and unstressed elements type of: expressive style , style a way of expressing something (in language or art or music etc.) that is characteristic of a particular person or group of people or period

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