Any experience with Toastmasters (public speaking)?

[Torsten]

Hi, has anyone of you ever attended a Toastmasters seminar? From what I have read I could imagine it's an interesting organization. As a matter of fact, the concept reminds me of our forum only that the Toastmasters meet in person rather than online.

Also, I wonder where the name Toastmasters stems from. Any ideas?

Regards
Torsten
_________________
Test Of English for International Communication
TOEIC Preparation & TOEIC Vocabulary

[Fan of Arabian horses]

Hi Torsten!

You?re always astonnishing me by coming across with such word-creations like Toastmasters. I wonder what toastmasters could be. Does it mean people who are proficient with heating white bread or are toastmasters very proficient people in using solar radiation?

I?m sure you could give an explanation, couldn?t you?

Michael

[Yankee]

Hi Michael

That is a funny name, isn't it.
But, let me ask you: Do you know any other meanings for the word "toast" ?

Hi Torsten
Sorry, I've never attended a Toastmasters seminar, so I can't give you any input in that regard.

Amy
_________________
Amy
.
ESL teacher, translator, and a native speaker of American English

[Fan of Arabian horses]

[Yankee]

Hi Michael

What a fresh little devil you are....

Regarding "toast":
Here are some additional definitions:
noun:
---> The act of raising a glass and drinking in honor of or to the health of a person or thing.

---> A proposal to drink to someone or something or a speech given before the taking of such a drink.

---> The one honored by a toast.

---> A person receiving much attention or acclaim: the toast of Broadway.

I believe "toastmaster" was actually a word in general use (in the US) at the time the Toastmasters organization was founded. But I think nowadays people only think of the organization when they hear "toastmaster".

Amy

Edit:
I forgot to mention that there is another (slang) definition for the word "toast". If I say "He's toast." that means "He's doomed."
_________________
Amy
.
ESL teacher, translator, and a native speaker of American English

[Fan of Arabian horses]

Hi Amy!

Do you know what a vacuum is? I have it in my brains but I can?t define it!

Of course, your two first definitions are well known, I think and it?s good to know the following.

I hope noone will toast me because my somtetimes appearing vacuum!

Michael

[Torsten]

Hi Jamie and Michael,

Thanks for sharing your toastmaster ideas. The interesting thing is that the Toastmaster organization was founded at the YMCA California. Now, a lot of people (at least in Germany) know the abbreviation YMCA, probably because of that Village People song.

I've checked the Toastmaster website and found a number of clubs in Germany that provide their seminars in English. At any rate, I think that there a lot of organizations that originated in the US and spread throughout the world -- be it commercial coorporations, religious organizations or clubs like the toastmaters. Come to think of it, the average German could certainly list 5 to 10 such organizations or companies...
_________________
Test Of English for International Communication
TOEIC Preparation & TOEIC Vocabulary

[Fan of Arabian horses]

Hi Torsten! Hi J?Amy!

Obviously beside of my English skills I ?m used to improve my Google skills!

Torsten, do you really think that such a meeting can help you to share your stuff to your students? I mean, as I often have been visiting further instruction courses I have some proficience as student. In this sense I?m used to say that the teaching the stuff depends more on the capabilities of the Moderator than on the Moderator?s forced lessons. It often were obvious that the Educator had been taught with his speech and gestures too, but when you asked them intrinsic questions concerning his/her theme, he/she failed with the answer because they missed specialized knowledges. So they often weren?t able to fillful their explanations with life. In this sense I?m mostly sceptical if anybody shows too much proficience with his gestures and speech. For me that is a problem with concepts like Toastmasters. They often seem trying to hide a lack of expert knowledge with a high range of moderator proficiency.

Sorry, if I come across negatively once again, but what is the matter that grandfathers often are able to tell more interesting than fathers? Proficience?

Liked to read some other opinions!

Michael

[Torsten]

Michael, how important do you think are language skills in general? And what exactly are language skills? Let's say there is a highly qualified specialist, an expert in a particular field. Does this person interact with other people? And if so, how does she communicate with others?
Think about. How often do you make decisions and how often do you try to influence the decisions of others?

Also, do you think the Toastmaster concept is about lecturing? Are there any 'teachers' and 'students' like in a state school classroom? Who attends this type of seminar and why?
_________________
Test Of English for International Communication
TOEIC Preparation & TOEIC Vocabulary

[spencer]

Hi Michael,
You're right, there are things you know by yourself, and can't be taught. But all the times I've appeared at any kind of courses, even if I knew some things better than the teacher, I always learnt something. I mean whatever you talk about with people, in certain subject all of you hear something new.
If you hear only one new idea of your interest, it's worth it.
You're right, it's still nothing, if you're not the kind of guy that meant to be a toastmaster.
By the way. in Hungary we also call that speach a toast, but the first thing that crossed my mind was a breadtoasting expert, who knows the best way to make bread as toasted as it deserves to be.
Spencer

[Conchita]

Thanks to this thread I’ve also learnt something about the Spanish word for ‘toast’ (in the sense of wishing someone success when taking a drink). The noun used here is ‘brindis’, which never struck me as odd sounding, until now. In fact, it comes from the German ‘ich bring dir's’ (I bring it to you). The verb is ‘brindar’. Toasting is also given German names in Italian (‘brindare’) and in French (‘trinquer’— to drink to someone’s health, also from the German ‘trinken’).

Did you know that:

[Jamie (K)]

Torsten, my sister-in-law was in Toastmasters for a while. The word "toast" in the name has nothing to do with heating bread. It's about when you raise your glasses and make a proclamation or wish someone good health. (Which Central Europeans to WAY too much! I don't think I should have to clink glasses and make some dedication EVERY TIME I consume alcohol within 6 feet of another person! It's annoying!)

From what I understand, my sister-in-law felt her public speaking benefitted quite a bit from those Toastmasters seminars.

By the way, many Germans call soft American white bread "toast", but Americans don't call it toast until it's been toasted.

[Torsten]

[quote="Jamie (K)"]It's about when you raise your glasses and make a proclamation or wish someone good health. (Which Central Europeans to WAY too much![/quot]
I think this is especially true with Slavic nations but I think the younger generations have a tendency to raise their glasses less frequently and you will also hear fewer toasts from them.
On top of that, I think that the younger generation also drinks less vodka and more beer now.

[Jamie (K)]

[Torsten]