Insider Guide.

Insider's Guide Communications

How to sound more intelligent

By Ita M. Olsen Olsen is the director of Oslic Consultants, which specializes in speech pathology in New York City. Sometimes even the smartest people don't sound that way, especially in stressful situations like job interviews or first dates. It's often not so much what you're saying -- it's how you're saying it. * Listen to yourself. The way you sound in your head is totally different from what other people hear. Tape-record yourself telling a story to a friend and then listen to it. Write down your worst mannerisms -- tone quality, excessive nasality, an accent. You may cringe, but the control you'll gain over your speech will be worth the pain. * Stop, like, saying "like." When listening to the tape, you may be shocked by your use of "like" and "um." Most people use these filler words hundreds of times a day. Try to think about when you say them the most -- when you're with friends or nervous at work. The next time you're in that situation, try to replace the filler word with a pause. An "um" sounds indecisive; a pause sounds introspective. * Slow down. Michael Caine once said, "Powerful people speak slowly, and subservient people speak quickly, because if they don't speak fast, nobody will listen." Speaking slower gives your listeners time to process what you just said -- it gives them more respect. And if Michael Caine is right, they'll give you more respect, too. * Use periods, not question marks. Ending your sentences with a rising pitch -- a questioning sound -- makes you come across as less assured, as if you need validation. Bringing your pitch down makes your message more persuasive. * Speak accurately. There are so many commonly misused words and phrases -- such as "irregardless" in place of "regardless," "intensive purposes" instead of "intents and purposes," and "cutting off your nose despite your face" rather than "cutting off your nose to spite your face." If you're not sure you're using an expression correctly, throw in a little humor. If you say, "Did I say that right?" someone ...