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the ways in which meanings are exchanged ...
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Glossary entry

English term or phrase:

deliver a lesson or speech

English answer:

deliver a speech

Added to glossary by Patsy Florit
May 25, 2011 12:29
12 yrs ago
13 viewers *
English term

deliver a lesson or speech

English Other General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters
I´d like to know if it´s right to say "deliver" a speech or a lesson or it´s better to say to "give" a lesson. I need to focus on the way the person gives the lesson or speech. For example if there´s eye contact etc. I´ve got to make a comment on the way he delivered or gave the speech and not on the speech in itself.
Responses
4 +9 deliver a speech

Discussion

Patsy Florit (asker) May 25, 2011:
Is it OK if I say "You did very well in the preparation and delivery of the lesson !"?
Patsy Florit (asker) May 25, 2011:
I need to focus on the way it is said in both, the speech and the lesson and not on what is said.
Stephanie Ezrol May 25, 2011:
I think gives the lesson and delivers a speech is fine. Deliver is more formal, but there is also the added nuance of meaning about the person's "delivery" of the speech, which is about how it is presented as opposed to the content of the speech.
Arabic & More May 25, 2011:
For a student, I might say "presented" the lesson, although I think "gave" is fine, too.

Regarding the speech, I would probably say "gave a speech" or "gave a presentation" (especially if it took place in the classroom). Again, though, it depends on the exact nature of the talk/exercise. If the student was giving a speech in a large auditorium or more formal setting (like for debate club), I might use "delivered" a speech.
Patsy Florit (asker) May 25, 2011:
A student gives the lesson and delivers a speech. Is it OK like this?
Arabic & More May 25, 2011:
Is the person a teacher or professor? In that case, you would probably say "gave a lesson" or "gave a lecture." Someone can either "give" or "deliver" a speech, but it depends on the context, and it would not be used when referring to a teacher who is giving a lesson or lecture. "Lecture" is more commonly used in the university setting.

Note: I am speaking from the perspective of someone from the U.S.

Responses

+9
5 mins
Selected

deliver a speech

Delivery is what you are talking about, so that is the better word. Give is a more generic term. Delivery is the way you present the lesson or the speech.

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Note added at 8 mins (2011-05-25 12:37:48 GMT)
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HERE'S A NICE DICTIONARY DEFINITION:

delivery: Manner of utterance, as in public speaking
Funk & Wagnalls Standard College Dictionary 1966
Peer comment(s):
agree Martina Pokupec (X) : deliver a speech / give a lesson (ref. - Oxford Dict. of Collocations)
2 mins
Thanks Martina
agree Amanda Jane Lowles
19 mins
Thanks Amanda
agree Damian Hosford
30 mins
Thanks Damian
agree Sheila Wilson : I would say that they are synonyms in spoken English, but "deliver" is certainly better for a formal, written register
49 mins
Thanks Sheila
agree Liz Dexter (was Broomfield) : agree
56 mins
Thanks
agree AllegroTrans : "deliver" is more formal; "give" is more colloquial, but not wrong
1 hr
Thanks
agree Thuy-PTT (X)
13 hrs
agree Phong Le
1 day 38 mins
agree Yasutomo Kanazawa
2 days 15 hrs
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Thanks a lot."
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