The Estonian Association of the Deaf has recognized ERR journalist Astrid Kannel, actor Mait Malmsten and writer and radio host Olav Osolin with the title of clear speaker in “Ringvaate”.
The selection of a clear speaker was launched by the Estonian Association of the Deaf in 2013. The aim of the initiative is to pay more attention to pleasant oral expression in Estonian. Initially, a speaker with clear diction was selected among the television presenters, later the categories of radio hosts and theater actors were also added.
Both deaf and hard of hearing people could vote for their favorites, Külliki Bode, president of the Estonian Union of the Deaf, explained to “Ringvaate”. “Speaking clearly is important for everyone: we all want to know what is being said and we also want to be clear speakers,” he explained.
This year Olav Osolin, Astrid Kannel and Mait Malmsten received the title of clear speakers. All three admitted that the recognition came as a surprise to them.
“I am very happy. What could be nicer than the fact that your speech is understandable and reaches the listeners. In this sense, thank you very much and I am very flattered,” Osolin rejoiced.
“Sometimes I was afraid that maybe even the listeners wouldn’t understand me. Now it turns out that even deaf people can understand, and that’s great. Nice recognition,” rejoiced ERR journalist Astrid Kannel.
“I have to dedicate this award in part to my teachers, who have guided me on this path since I was in performing arts school,” Malmsten said.
To make the matter as clear as possible, Malmsten, Kannel and Osolin have a few tricks up their sleeves. For example, Malmsten recommends paying attention to the fact that the endings of words, sentences and inflections do not disappear. “In Estonian, the word that gives meaning is often at the end of the sentence,” she noted.
Kannel, however, tries to read the text once before reading the news in “Aktuales kaemare”. “In my opinion the letter R is the one that tires you first. If you haven’t read the news for four or five days, I think you should say the letter R very specifically at the beginning of the program, and it just comes from there,” he said. Kannel explained.
Osolin stressed that it is important to understand what you mean. “I made sure that what I say is clear: when I read the text, it is very logical and there are no constructions that I can’t pronounce.”
It is also important to look at the melody of the phrase. “It conveys a lot of meaning and helps you understand whether the thought is finished or not,” Malmsten noted.
2024-01-18 18:52:00
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