Language Evaluation

First time being a language evaluator? This post is specially for you.

I have volunteered to be the language evaluator for a toastmaster meeting. My first attempt was more than a year ago. 

Today, I will like share a simple structure which has worked pretty well for me. I hope it will also get you started to be a language evaluator.  There is a saying by Patrick Chang, a fellow toastmaster, "To start, you don't have to be good. To be good, you have to start."

Here it goes.

1. Greetings.

2. Explain to guests on the role of the language evaluator. There are three. One is to commend on the good use of English. Two is to recommend on the inappropriate use. And three is to help expand our vocabulary, by having a word of the day.

3. As the language evaluator, we need to listen intently to capture and classify as follows:

a. Vivid use of language. 

E.g. The dark noodle was fried to perfection and oozing with fragrant garlic.  Good quality dark and light soy sauce accentuated the noodle dish.

b. Metaphors. 

 E.g. Life is a journey. 

The goalkeeper was a rock.

c. Similes e.g. The goalkeeper was as solid as rock. As right as rain. Good coffee is like friendship: rich, warm and strong.

d. Power of three. 

E.g. "Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”

“Government of the people, by the people, for the people”

“Friends, Romans, Countrymen”

“Blood, sweat and tears”

“Location, location, location”

"Mind, body, spirit”

“Stop, Look and Listen”

"I came, I saw, I conquered”

e. Alliteration/assonance 

E.g. "She sells sea-shells down by the seashore."

"Hale and healthy"

"Wealth and health"

f. Personification - is when you assign the qualities of a person to something that isn't human or, in some cases, to something that isn't even alive.

4. Inappropriate use

a. Colloquialism e.g. "You want to eat?"

b. Grammar/ subject-verb agreement e.g. "Everyone can heard ..."

c. Pronunciation e.g. "Tree and three"

5. Comment on who use the word of the day. Thereafter, conclude the segment with an encouraging note.

All the best!