Speak With Distinction (Textbook and CD)

This is a great book for the speech student, although I would not rely on it for vocal production. That was never the intension of this text. Skinner has made the understanding of the International Phonetic Alphabet accessable to the average speaker and the experienced actor alike. The text consists of a very,very basic breakdown for the creation of each phonome and some great practice sentences, but very little is said or done about creation of sound, connection of voice to breath, resonation and everything else which helps to create proper phonation and pitch range and the portions on the difference between broad, narrow, and very narrow transcription are not put together well and difficult to understand. The above are mentioned in passing and never delved into, so the student has little to go on. It is not that she says anything "wrong" about phonation, it's just passed over very quickly. A good text for the academic linguistic or accent and dialect teacher but not for the actor without the guidence of an instructor.

This book item is not only improperly titled but also has the incorrect image. It is so misguiding that one might think they are purchasing the actual paperback version of the real book together with the cassette. But NO! It turns out to be a tiny booklet of like 40 pages. I would have purchased some other item if this is not so misguiding.

There is no other book like this. For actors, teachers, public speakers, or anyone who wants to work on an accent or remove one, this is a one-of-a-kind, vital resource.

I was thrilled to discover that "Speak with Distinction" had been reprinted and was available. My copy, acquired when I was a student of Edith's at Carnegie Tech, and is little more than bound together mimeographed pages, was barely useable. At Elocution Solution we find it an invaluable resourse when working on voice and speech improvement with actors and other professional voice users. Edith was a master at providing detailed decriptions for the production of speech sounds, with extensive practice materials. Although it focuses on speech for classical theater, e.g. lack of postvocalic r's, it is also useful for acquiring general American speech.

I feel that voice and diction is the missing link in many people's arsenal of skills. You may have a college education, but who really looks at your resume? But everytime you open your mouth, you are being judged unconsciously by those you are speaking to. If you have read "Pygmillion," or seen "My Fair Lady," you get the idea. But changing your vocal image is very difficult, and takes tremendous effort. I personally believe it can be quite rewarding. For proof of this, look at how many successful professional actors have worked on their voice and diction. And the source they seem to refer to most often is Edith Skinner's classic, "Speak with Distinction".

This work goes into great depth and detail on proper the proper pronounciation of Standard American English. If you are looking to develop you speaking skills to a high level of sophistication for either the stage, acting, business, or personal development, this is the best book I have found so far in my 3 year search... Endorsed by many great actors, this work emphasizes practice through drills. It is not a quick read, although you could use it for spot improvement in more abbreviated form. Highly recommended for those who are serious about diction improvement and willing to put in many hours of practice.

The only thing that could be improved is the audio portion is currently only available on cassette, it would be nice if it was offered on CD.