The word "dear" in public speech?

Question

I am a member of a Toastmaster club in the Czech republic where people work on their public speaking skills. It is a usual to open a speech by > Dear fellow Toastmasters, dear guests,... It is a direct, word-by-word translation of a typical opening in Czech. A friend who is a native English speaker noticed that word *Dear* should be used only in letters, in written form. It should not be used for the opening of a speech, but one should rather use: > Ladies and gentlemen,... What are the rules for an opening of a speech? Is "dear guests" in a speech English or Czenglish?

Answer 1

Hi!

Your friend is correct. It is not customary to address people directly by using the word dear. It is definitely reserved for something more formal like letter writing. There are so many ways to begin addressing a group in a speech or presentation. It completely depends upon the audience and the context of the speech or presentation. To begin by saying "ladies and gentlemen" is a little more formal but is typically appropriate for most scenarios.

I would recommend searching the Internet or looking for books about giving speeches or presentations and how to begin them effectively. I think there are a lot of resources out there that can help.