Glossary of Terms
A Glossary of Toastmasters Terms
The Sergeant-at-Arms - introduces the guests. He will ask you your name so that you can be mentioned at the beginning of the meeting. He will also take your address and arrange for you to be put on our mailing list, if you wish.
The Toastmaster - introduces the speakers. Like a chairman, the toastmaster has to direct the meeting, ensuring that everyone applauds in the right places, and that the audience is aware of what is happening next.
The Timer - will record the times for each of the speeches. The green light on is a warning that the time limit is approaching. The amber light reminds the speaker that there is only 30 seconds left, and the red light means the speaker should finish promptly and return to his seat.
The Table Topics Master - has prepared about ten questions in advance of the meeting which will be posed to members of the club during the first half of the meeting. These questions should be such that they give speakers the opportunity to say something worthwhile within 1½ minutes.
The Grammarian - is responsible for recording the best examples of the English language in the evening. If there are any glaring errors in pronunciation or syntax, it is the grammarian's job to bring them to the attention of the speaker.
The "Ah" Counter - will be listing the "ahs", "ums", "errs" and other verbal crutches used by speakers. At the end of the evening, he will list the "offenders", and those who were word perfect.
The General Evaluator - has to analyse the meeting as a whole, and give feedback to the speakers who made evaluations during the evening.