Speech - Enzetsu

A method of expressing one's opinions or arguments in front of a large audience. It developed in the ancient Greek and Roman eras. Great masters of rhetoric include the Greek philosopher Gorgias, his student Isocrates, an Athenian court orator, Isaias, Demosthenes, who studied rhetoric under Isaias, and his opponent Aeschines. In Rome, there are Cicero (whose speech uncovering Catiline's conspiracy is particularly famous), and Marc Antony, who gained popularity for his eloquent funeral speech for Caesar. This type of rhetoric was born out of the freedom of ancient citizens in the polis (city-state), and Athens produced the most orators, but with the establishment of the Empire, this type of speech ceased, and in the Middle Ages it was replaced by sermons. With the rise of the parliamentary system, political speeches in parliament became popular, and in England, well-known speeches include those by Pitt, who rose to prominence for his eloquence, E. Burke, C. Fox, and R. Sheridan, who denounced Hastings's policy of governing India. More recently, William Churchill was praised for "his fine writings and speeches which will remain with the English language."

Public speaking began in Japan in the Meiji period. Fukuzawa Yukichi, who gave the translation of "speech" to "oratoru," wrote in his book "Encouragement of Learning" that "I have not heard of such a law having existed in our country since ancient times, and sermons in temples should be of this kind first." Around the summer of 1873 (Meiji 6), he began practicing public speaking and debate with volunteers at Keio University, and in the following year, he founded the Mita Public Speaking Society, holding its first debate on July 1st. This was the beginning of public speaking in Japan, and after the Mita Public Speaking Hall was completed in May 1875, regular public public speaking events were held. Public speaking also began at the Meirokusha Society meetings of Mori Arinori and others in the winter of 1874.

In the 1870s, with the rise of petitions for the establishment of a national Diet and the Freedom and People's Rights Movement, various associations were formed, including the Mita group, the Kyozon Doshu group led by Ono Azusa, and the Oumeisha group led by Numa Morikazu, and held public speeches. However, the government issued an order to control public speeches in July 1878, banned speeches by government officials in May 1879, and promulgated an assembly ordinance in April 1880, suppressing political speeches. As a result, after the establishment of the National Diet, politicians began to deliver eloquent speeches on the podium, and culture and current affairs speeches changed into lectures to enlighten the masses. Famous public speakers include Shimada Saburo, Inukai Tsuyoshi, Ozaki Yukio, Nagai Ryutaro, and Tsurumi Yusuke. Saito Takao's military purge speech (shortly after the February 26 Incident in 1936) and anti-military speech (1940) are also famous.

[Akihiko Sunohara]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

多数の人の前で自分の意見や主張を述べる方法。古代ギリシア・ローマ時代に発達した。弁論術の大家としては、ギリシアの哲学者ゴルギアス、その弟子でアテネの法廷演説家イソクラテス、イサイオス、イサイオスに修辞を学んだデモステネス、その論敵のアイスキネスなどがあげられる。ローマではキケロ（そのカティリナの陰謀を摘発した演説はとくに有名）、カエサルの追悼演説に雄弁を振るって人望を集めたマルクス・アントニウスなどがいる。このような雄弁術は、ポリス（都市国家）における古代市民の自由から生まれたもので、アテネにもっとも多くの演説家が出たが、帝政の成立とともにこのような演説はとだえ、中世では説教がそれにかわった。議会制度がおこると議会の政治演説が盛んになり、イギリスでは、雄弁で頭角を現したピット、ヘースティングズのインド統治政策を弾劾したE・バーク、C・フォックス、R・シェリダンらの演説が知られている。最近ではW・チャーチルが「その優れた文章と演説は英語とともに残る」と賞賛された。

　日本で演説が始まったのは明治になってからである。スピーチspeechに演説の訳語を与えた福沢諭吉(ふくざわゆきち)は『学問のすゝめ』のなかで「我国には古(いにしへ)よりその法あるを聞かず　寺院の説法などは先(ま)づ此類(このたぐひ)なる可(べ)し」と説いているが、1873年（明治6）夏ごろから慶応義塾のなかで有志の者と演説討論の練磨を始め、翌74年三田(みた)演説会を創設、7月1日第1回弁論会を開いた。これが日本における演説の創始で、75年5月三田演説館が竣工(しゅんこう)すると、定期的に公開演説会を開催した。また森有礼(ありのり)らの明六社(めいろくしゃ)の会合でも74年冬から演説が始まっている。

　明治10年代に入ると国会開設請願や自由民権運動の高まりとともに、三田系や小野梓(あずさ)の共存同衆、沼間守一(ぬまもりかず)の嚶鳴社(おうめいしゃ)のほか種々の結社が結成され、演説会を開催した。しかし、政府は1878年7月演説取締令を布告、79年5月には官吏の演説を禁止、80年4月には集会条例を公布して政談演説に弾圧を加えた。そのため議会開設後、政治家は議政壇上で雄弁を振るうことになり、文化・時局演説は大衆啓蒙(けいもう)の講演会に形を変えていった。名演説家としては、島田三郎、犬養毅(いぬかいつよし)、尾崎行雄(ゆきお)、永井柳太郎、鶴見祐輔(つるみゆうすけ)などがいる。斎藤隆夫(たかお)の粛軍演説（1936年の二・二六事件の直後）、反軍演説（1940）も有名である。

［春原昭彦］

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