Many people are afraid of public speaking even though they may be the most charming interlocutors. Public speaking is often seen as something completely or, at least, very different from having a conversation with one person. However, these are almost totally identical events, with the only difference that is associated with the number of recipients and the types of feedback. It is possible to illustrate this point with the help of the five canons.
The invention, the first canon, is the first step a public speaker or an interlocutor undertakes. The public speaker devotes more time to developing and refining arguments, but when speaking with one person, the speaker also has a set of news (arguments, funny stories) to share. The arrangement is another important stage for public speech preparation, but a person also tries to arrange news or arguments most effectively. Proper arrangement of facts makes the conversation interesting or informative, depending on the purpose of communication.
Style is the canon similar to the arrangement as it ensures the effectiveness of the appeal. The speaker, be it a speech presentation in public or a conversation with one person, tries to choose the best style to make the communication a pleasant experience. At present, public speakers memorize only some passages or quotes and tend to speak extemporaneously. In conversations, people, on the other hand, may use some memorized phrases. Finally, delivery is also the stage important for both public speech presentation and a conversation with one person. The speaker chooses the most appropriate gestures and other non-verbal cues. All in all, it is clear that people follow the five canons when delivering a speech to a large number of people or when communicating with one person.