Reading: Why You Mumble (and Why You Need to Stop!)

Why You Mumble (and Why You Need to Stop!) By Lisa B. Marshall 

The Public Speaker September 13, 2013 

Mumbling. 

Most of us do it without even knowing it. Sometimes we even do it on purpose. However, mumbling is a bad habit, particularly in a professional or educational environment. As James mentions, you can instantly lose credibility when you don't speak clearly and plainly. 

Today we're going to talk about the reasons people mumble and in the second part of this mini-series I'll talk about techniques you can employ to stop mumbling and be heard. In my house, I often find myself saying to my daughters, "Can you please repeat that slowly and clearly so that I can understand you?” Although it bothers me that I have to keep reminding my children to enunciate, I can think of 5 good reasons why my girls sometimes mumble. I think you'll be able to relate to these reasons too! 

Why We Mumble 

Reason #1: "I don't really want you to hear me.” 

When I ask my daughters, "What was fun about today?” I can tell how each feels by whether she mumbles an incoherent answer or looks me in the eye and speaks clearly. 

I see this in the professional world too. A person who doesn't have a good answer to an interview question might mumble their way through a half-baked example. Someone put on the spot during a meeting might mumble something about their team's status. On the other hand, if that same person is prepared and confident, they'll deliver their information clearly. 

Reason #2: "We have our own language.” 

My girls are twins and twins really do have their own language that no one else can understand. I don't just mean made-up words and strange rhythms. Twins sometimes don't need to articulate because they can understand each other no matter how the words are spoken. 

If you find people asking you to repeat yourself frequently, you might be a mumbler. A colleague of mine can relate. She and her 3 siblings speak very quickly and softly to each other. They don't notice it, but when outsiders come around, they often comment on it. As an adult, she works hard to speak clearly and slow down, but when she's with her family, she falls right back into those patterns. It's fine to have your own form of communication with someone close to you, but leave the mumbling at home when you walk out the door. 

Reason #3: "I'm focused on something else.” 

Have you ever asked your kid a question while they're playing a game or reading a book? They don't stop playing or reading, do they? They might not even answer you the first time. But when you ask again, they'll mumble an answer without looking up. 

I have to say, "Please close your book and look at me” or something like that before I can get an articulate answer. Adults do the same thing - talking and texting at the same time, carrying on a conversation while keeping an eye on the football game. It's simple - if you aren't focused on what you're saying, you won't say it clearly.

Reason #4: "I'm nervous.” 

My girls recently attended drama camp. At the end of the 6 weeks they put on a play for the parents. During rehearsals most of the kids (with prompting) spoke clearly and loudly. But during the first performance in front of an audience, some of the kids forgot what they'd learned and began mumbling - speaking quietly and quickly. I explained to my girls that if the audience doesn't understand your words because you're mumbling, they'll get confused about the story. 

Nervous mumbling isn't just a childhood affliction. I've heard new lawyers mumble in the courtroom. I've watched PTA leaders mumble their way through requests for volunteers. And unfortunately, I've heard doctors mumble difficult test results to patients. 

Reason #5: "What do you mean I mumble? I don't mumble!” 

Have you ever told someone they snore? Most snorers flatly deny it. "I was just breathing loudly,” "You're the one who snores, not me.” The only way to convince someone they snore is to record them in their sleep and play it back to them. 

Many of us don't realize we mumble. Most kids will not admit they mumble. When I tell my kids they're mumbling, their usual response is, "No, you need to get your hearing checked” or "Of course, you think I'm mumbling, Mrs. Public Speaker.” 

If you find people asking you to repeat yourself frequently, you might be a mumbler. It's frustrating to hear "What?” all the time. You can fix this problem by speaking clearly and at the right volume. 

Mumbling Is a Credibility Killer 

Mumbling is a bigger problem than you might think. In 2008, several "top dogs” in British theater called for what was dubbed "a national centre of articulacy” to address the growing problem of inarticulate mumbling. It sounds made up, but it is a very real problem! Dr. Andrew Tucker, a professor at University College London and Birkbeck College was quoted saying: 

"...Thousands of jobs a year are not being filled easily because applicants can't communicate effectively. Large companies complain of having to spend thousands of pounds on training call centre staff in basic communication, and in a survey two months ago 91% of primary school teachers said speaking and listening skills - the twin pillars of oracy - should be the priority for schools..." 

If you think your mumbling isn't a big deal, or isn't holding you back, think again. 

If you're a mumbler, you're probably not taken seriously at work. People may have even stopped listening to you. When skills are even, and sometimes even when they aren't, the clear, articulate communicator will likely beat you out for every promotion and opportunity. 

Now that we've talked about why people mumble and how it can kill your credibility, it's time to put some work into cleaning up your communication skills. In Part 2 of this series, I'll give you some simple exercises and tips you can practice at home to curb your mumbling ways. These exercises will help you open your mouth wider and speaker more clearly and confidently. 

Mumbling happens when your conversation partner has a hard time understanding your words--when you have indistinct enunciation. How do you know if you frequently mumble? People will often ask you to repeat yourself! 

Mumbling usually happens because your mouth isn't open enough. When you've got partially closed teeth and lips, the syllables can't escape properly and all the sounds run together. Mumbling can also be caused by looking down, and speaking too quietly or too quickly. 

Today I'll cover 8 exercises you can do to get your mouth open and your lips moving and, most importantly, to have you speaking more clearly: 

Exercise #1: Enunciate. Articulate. Exaggerate. 

One way to avoid mumbling is to simply remind yourself to stop mumbling with this little phrase: enunciate, articulate, exaggerate. But say it this way... 

 E-nun-ci-ate. Ar-tic-u-late. Ex-agg-er-ate. 

Whenever you speak, it is important to enunciate or pronounce words or parts of words clearly. To do that, open your mouth very wide and pronounce each syllable separately. Try repeating these words several times this way. If you are someone who regularly mumbles, it might help you to imagine that you are outside in the wind talking on your cell phone using the speaker phone, then say the words... 

E-nun-ci-ate. Ar-tic-u-late. Ex-agg-er-ate. 

Or pretend like you're really mad at someone because they're ignoring you and you are repeating the words for the third time: 

E-NUN-CI-ATE, AR-TIC-U-LATE, EX-AGG-ER-ATE. 

Exercise #2: "The Lips, the Teeth, the Tip of the Tongue" 

Keep in mind, your mouth is an instrument, and like all instruments, the more space you allow for the sound of your voice, the more resonant and clear it will be. Think of opera singers and pop stars when they need to hit the big note--their mouth is wide open. 

My kids went to drama camp this summer. Enunciating their words was a big part of their training. They started each morning with a vocal exercise. You can try it now. Simply repeat these words quickly: 

"The lips, the teeth, the tip of the tongue.” 

If you don't open your mouth widely for this exercise, what happens? You'll fumble the words. You simply can't repeat these words quickly without opening your mouth. 

Think back to the tongue twisters you may have learned in childhood. These are all good exercises to help get your mouth wide open. Repeat each of these several times quickly: 

• Rubber baby buggy bumpers. 
• Peter Piper picked a pack of pickled peppers. 
• How much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood? 

Now, let's try the "pencil in the mouth" trick! 

Exercise #3: The "Pencil in the Mouth” Trick 

There's another vocal exercise that goes like this. 

"Mommy made me mash my M&Ms...I cried!" 

First, try singing this line several times. Each time you repeat, start one note higher. You should find yourself pronouncing each syllable more clearly and opening your mouth wider with each repetition. 

Now, repeat the same phrase, but with a twist - put a pencil in your mouth horizontally. You don't have to sing this time, but if you want to, feel free! 

Exercise #4: Read Out Loud 

For the next exercise, pick up something to read. It can be a novel, a children's picture book, a magazine, or newspaper. Now read it out loud. Enunciate each syllable, focusing on keeping your mouth open and your lips moving. Exaggerate the words a bit to really open up. If you have kids, you can practice reading out loud to them. Add some dramatic flair. Get into it! 

Exaggerate the words a bit to really open up. If you have kids, you can practice reading out loud to them. 

Exercise #5: Record Yourself 

Next, record yourself speaking on your camera phone or tablet. Listen for letters, syllables, or words you don't pronounce clearly. Look at how wide open your mouth is. Try the exercises again while recording yourself. Then review the video to see if you have at least one finger width of space. 

If recording yourself isn't an option, ask a friend to help you out. Just be careful who you pick! I made the mistake of telling my children to call attention to my enunciation problems--they caught me dropping the "g" sound in many words. (I'm from the Philadelphia area where this is very common.) 

"Mommy, you just said, 'gonna go.' It's "going to go.” "Mrs. Public Speaker, you just said, 'hootin' and hollerin', but that should be 'hooting and hollering.'” Seriously though, it's fun for them, and I've become much more aware of my enunciation. 

3 More Tips to Help You Stop Mumbling 

Here are 3 more quick tips to help you stop mumbling: 

Sing in the shower. Sing in the car. Sing with your kids. Emphasize your words. Singing helps to exercise your voice and mouth. 

Breathe with your diaphragm. Put your hand on your tummy and take a breath. If you're using your diaphragm you'll feel your tummy expand with air. 

Make eye contact and stand up straight. It's harder to mumble when you're looking someone in the eye. 

In this mini-series we started by talking about Why You Mumble (and Why you Need to Stop!). Today, I've given you some time-tested exercises to help you stop mumbling. If you frequently mumble, then do at least one each exercise each day for several weeks until speaking clearly becomes a habit. The bottom line is this: When your mouth is naturally more open, you'll have more breath support. You'll have more precise sounds. You'll have a more relaxed pace. Everyone will understand you and your credibility will increase. 

At first, speaking with a more open mouth is going to feel strange and unnatural. Mumblers are not used to having this feeling. But by regularly doing the exercises, speaking clearly will feel more natural. 

So go ahead, open up!!! 

This is Lisa B. Marshall, The Public Speaker. Helping you lead, influence, and inspire through better communication. Your success is my business. 

Reprinted from http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/business-career/communication/how-to-stop-mumbling-and-be-heard?page=1