"What did you say?" - many people are currently hearing this sentence again and again when they talk with the mouth-nose mask. The much-discussed Covid-19 protection will probably accompany us in everyday life for a long time to come, whether we like it or not. Speech intelligibility in particular often suffers from this unusual and sometimes often irritating accessory. What you can do to communicate in a way that is easy to understand, expressive and articulate despite the mask, you can read in this article today.

Verständlich sprechen trotz Maske - Arno Fischbacher

What are the advantages and disadvantages of the different masks?

In fact, both types of masks that we have available today have both advantages and disadvantages.

In itself, the Foil mask , which allows a clear view of the face through the protective plastic shield, is ideal for understanding. It also works well with glasses, hardly restricts breathing and facial expressions are clearly visible. It would be a good thing if it weren't for the Lombard effect .

Talk and present better with these 9 laws of rhetoric

What is the Lombard effect on plastic masks – and what are its disadvantages?

You may be familiar with this effect from Speaking in loud Environment. Involuntarily, you raise the Voice and get louder . When speaking with this curved foil in front of our face, the effect is now reversed. Since the protective shield reflects the vocal sound to our own ear, we hear the own voice suddenly louder than usual, and reduce the volume . However, our listeners or our interlocutors need full commitment from us. So when you talk to such a mask, make sure that you don't fall for the Lombard effect. Speak out loud anyway, clear and accentuated.

 

What are the disadvantages of a cloth mask?

In addition to the classic Non-woven masks , as we know them from medicine and clinics, many people today use self-sewn Fabric masks , often with original prints.

  • Masks made of fabric have the disadvantage that they high frequencies from the vocal sound, which Listeners attentive and provide orientation – in other words, show us where "the music is playing".
  • In addition, the fabric masks, as they fit tightly to the cheeks and chin, restrict our movements. This is at the expense of articulation. We "mumble" a little when we speak, and are therefore less easily understood.
  • The second negative effect is that cloth masks tend to slip a bit due to the speech movements, sometimes preparing to slip off the nose – i.e. we instinctively limit our articulation and already we are less easy to understand.

So if you wear a cloth mask, then let your eyes do the talking! Your eyebrows are allowed to move. Smile, then your eyes speak along. And exaggerate calm when articulating. Only when it seems exaggerated to you will you be easily and effortlessly understood.

Blauer strukturierter Hintergrund mit einem weißen Pfeil, der diagonal von der unteren linken zur oberen rechten Ecke nach oben zeigt und den Fortschritt und den Weg zu „besser reden“ symbolisiert.

What can you learn from sport to speak better with a mask?

As soon as it comes to Corona and the mask, we quickly feel confronted with restrictions. I recommend also seeing the positive impulses. In other words, to interpret the difficulties as an incentive, as happens in sports.

What can this mean for you if you communicate professionally? Let's take the many meetings as an example. If you are facing Audience Speak , whether on site or online, consider it like a sporting competition: Did you warm up briefly beforehand? Even a few short impulses have a big effect:

  • Shake yourself briefly, stretch and loll, circle your shoulders.
  • Make a few faces, this will stretch the fascia of your articulation muscles. It looks weird, but it's super effective.
  • Give a few weird notes boldly Innate. "Brmmmmm! Brmmmm!" – imitate a starting motorcycle imaginatively.

Energy flows where attention goes. Pay attention to the way you speak, whether with or without a mask. Your interlocutors and audience will thank you. Give your conversations and presentations that elegant kick.

All the best and stay healthy!

You

Blaue handschriftliche Unterschrift auf transparentem Hintergrund, die Bände spricht und mit Raffinesse verkauft.

 

A rno Fischbacher

 

 

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The author:

Arno Fischbacher is a business voice coach and rhetoric expert, speaker and author. He prepares executives and employees of the top companies in Germany and Austria for negotiations, presentations and media appearances. Fischbacher is the author of several books, past president of the German Speakers Association (GSA) Austria, chairman of the European Network of Voice Experts, stimme.at.

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