This thesis on a study of the improvement of oral verbal skills in terms of standard speech. In the current climate in the performing arts, in which realism has become mainstream, there is a tendency for a psychologically based “internal approach”... This thesis on a study of the improvement of oral verbal skills in terms of standard speech. In the current climate in the performing arts, in which realism has become mainstream, there is a tendency for a psychologically based “internal approach” to be recognized as superior to an action or physically based “external approach.” The same applies to verbal skills. Problems with actors’ verbal skills tend to be regarded as issues of either “focus” or “tension,” and this belief has reduced the importance of speech, and indeed of what may be termed the “Mother Tongue Conventions.” However, within a psychological approach, actors are left helpless regarding self-consciousness or inner tension. Stanislavsky, the creator of theatrical realism, understood the limits of the psychological approach, and therefore changed the starting point of acting to one of “action.” Against this background, the question arises as to what would constitute an external approach for developing effective verbal skills among Korean actors. We conclude that the answer lies in a thorough understanding of the features of Korean speech. Natural sounding speech is considered an essential virtue in modern acting. Indeed, Stanislavski’s system emphasized an understanding of features of speech in one’s native language. In light of the fact that the use of a “word” also constitutes an “action,” an understanding of speech features can equip actors with a system upon which to build their linguistic behavior in a logical manner. However, speech research in the field of acting appears to have stagnated. The organic nature of language, as reflected by articulation, has not been sufficiently identified, and speech has in many cases received only partial and perfunctory attention. Furthermore, a focus on what is perceived to be standard language usage or precise pronunciation tends to emphasize societal acceptability, which is unhelpful in improving oral verbal skills. A typical example is the perception that clear and segmented pronunciation amounts to “correct” pronunciation. In order for the approach to speech to be less perfunctory, attention should be paid to the elements of speech that reflect the organic nature of articulation characteristics. We propose here that “standard speech,” composed of the “rhythm unit,” “accent,” “emphasis,” “pronunciation,” and other factors, forms a single system, as set out below. The rhythm unit is the basic unit of rhythm in Korean, and is closely related to accent, emphasis, long vowel pronunciation, etc. The rhythm unit is affected by the speed of articulation, meaning that these speech elements operate organically, and are affected by an actor’s personality and the context of the scene. Accent, in turn, is the feature that reflects the demarcation of rhythm units. The standard form of Korean has rules for accent, expressed naturally in terms of each syllable. Through accent, an actor’s speech may be imbued with a beautiful and natural musicality. Emphasis entails the accent on words, and contributes to the actual meaning expressed. Understanding emphasis primarily helps an actor to identify meaning in a script, and secondarily plays a key role in the accurate delivery of this meaning. A rhythm unit necessarily ends after an emphasized word, leading to articulation according to accent rules. Pronunciation entails precise oral production based on the principles of Korean articulation, which may be determined on the basis of an understanding of rhythm units and accent rules. When a rhythm unit is attached, a syllable is pronounced in a flowing manner, and when a rhythm unit is detached, accent arises to produce natural articulation. The same applies in the pronunciation of a long vowel. A long vowel attached to a rhythm unit is pronounced in a flowing manner, and one detached from a rhythm unit is pronounced long with the accent on the first syllable. For precise pronunciation, the location of consonant and vowel articulation needs to be understood, and it is important to understand economy of effort in this regard. With such knowledge and awareness, it is possible to select the appropriate pronunciation for the personality reflected by a given role. Finally, the “other elements” mentioned above involve cases in which an accent-less word occurs in front of a word that ends with a rhythm unit. This articulation pattern is one that imbues spoken Korean with richness and rhythm. By analyzing the speech of actors in terms of the standard speech described above, we can clearly define the characteristics of their respective verbal skills. Depending on role and context, each speaker’s verbal characteristics appear different. However, as is apparent in the case of actors recognized for their great verbal skills, such as Hyunkyung Oh, Dooshim Go, and Jaeseok Yoo, we propose that verbal skills can be improved on the basis of knowledge of the conventions of Korean speech.
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