AH - COUNTER
Prerequisite: None.
Time: One minute.
Procedure: When called upon to explain your duties, stand in your place and say something such as: “Mr./Madam Toastmaster, Fellow Toastmasters, and Welcome Guests, I will be listening carefully at today’s/this evening’s meeting for any fill-in words such as ah, um, or what we term ‘pregnant pauses’. During a public meeting these things can ruin the gist of a speaker’s intent. It is a habit that is easy to correct. I wish to call to the speaker’s attention the source of the filler. I will remember to mark down all of them. I will report my findings at the end of the meeting.” At the end of the meeting when the General Evaluator calls on you, report all tallied fillers.
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