The National Center for Voice and Speech - Tutorials - Just for fun. This site has many humorous and interesting quotes about the human voice and speech in the sense of public speaking and singing. Here are some examples:

Talking is like playing on the harp; there is as much in laying the hands on the strings to stop the vibrations as in twanging them to bring out their music. [Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.]

The voice is nothing but beaten air. [Seneca]

Save your breath to cool your porridge. [proverb]

The human brain is a wonderful thing. It starts working the moment you are born, and never stops until you stand up to speak in public. [Anonymous]

Mend your speech a little, Lest it may mar your fortunes. [William Shakespeare, King Lear]

That fine God-given instrument - the voice - must be capable of responding with the greatest subtlety to every shade of emotion. [Lotte Lehman]

ia video interpreter, I had asked someone close to me (who heretofore had been on the heavy side and I knew he was trying to lose weight. . . and incidentally is gay) if he were thin. The interpreter proceeded to say, "Are you gay?"

- Nancy B. Rarus

hen I was still learning in my interpreter training program, I took a course on Deaf culture with Anna Maria Rinaldi, which was interpreted into English since we were first year students. One day Anna said, "You'll have to excuse my voice today; my interpreter has a cold."

- David Bar-Tzur

ecently I had one of those appointments where I was really "hot". The situation: employee goes to boss with suggestions & feedback for production efficiency. They know each other well, like & respect each other. You know?? I felt like things were just cookin'. . . Right up to the point where I voiced for the Deaf man to a hearing employer "Yeah, that'd be lovely". LOVELY??!! Oi vay! I know better. . . but obviously I'm not paying attention to that monitor very well.

- Caroline Ashby

Return to the table of contents for "Humor and stories for interpreters".