What’s the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear the phrase, ‘without further ado’?
I’m sure that for most of us, it’s the redundant visual of a YouTuber saying, ‘So, without further ado, let’s get started…’
Sometimes, it perpetuates excitement, and sometimes, it perpetuates monotony. Yet over time, this phrase has grown to be the favorite one-liner of many orators.
To our surprise- speakers have been debating over the relevance of this phrase for quite some time now.
So, in this article, we shall have a look at-
A) What does ‘without further ado’ mean?
B) 5 Reasons why you should stop saying ‘without further ado‘
C) Alternatives to ‘without further ado’
D) Drawing Public Speaking Lessons from this Classic Mistake
Let’s jump into each of these pointers in more detail-
A) What does ‘without further ado’ mean?
Let us begin with discussing what the word ‘ado’ means.
First off, the word ‘ado’ signifies fuss or foolish blabber, and by joining the dots, you will notice that the phrase ‘without further ado’ literally means ‘without any more fuss’.
So, as an immediate consequence, it nullifies whatever you have said before this phrase by discarding it as a foolish blabber, something that is unimportant and not worth paying attention to.
The tone of ‘without further ado’
In the most conventional sense, ‘without further ado’ has a formal tone attached to it.
It’s usually used in formal events to kick start the event or introduce the speakers. Although, in all fairness, this phrase is best-suited for informal events rather than formal events.
You know why? In formal events, time and purpose are key elements. The use of this phrase would mark an evident digression from the core purpose and devalue the time of your audience. On the contrary, a slight digression in informal events doesn’t hurt anyone. So, the use of this phrase would be more apt in such a case.
Pronunciation of ‘ado’
The pronunciation of ‘without further ado’ is another major topic of discussion. Is it ‘without further ado’ or ‘without further adieu’? To win over this dilemma, check out this video and get yourself familiar with the correct pronunciation of the phrase.
Usage of ‘without further ado’
Before we dive into the section where we discuss why we shouldn’t say ‘without further ado’, let’s address a few prominent instances where most speakers use this phrase to identify those glaring mistakes in the first place.
Introducing a speaker
More often than not, this phrase is used to welcome a speaker. It goes like ‘without further ado, please welcome…’
But what could go wrong here? The issue is, we always begin with stating the credentials of the speaker before we actually welcome him/her. As a result, the use of this phrase here would denote that the credentials of the speaker are not worth-noticing.
If you want to know more about how you can introduce a speaker the right way, we’ve a made an extensive video on the same which you can check out here:
To reveal an important announcement
We’ve witnessed many launch events introducing their new product or service with the phrase, ‘Without further ado, let’s introduce our brand new launch in the market…’
Now, you might have given out a few important details about the product before introducing it. To our shock, the use of this phrase deemed all of that information as unimportant. You wouldn’t want that, would you?
Dive into the main topic
This is by far the most common and cliché use of this phrase. Most of the speakers jump into the core essence of their speeches with this phrase.
Please stop doing that! The point being, speeches are meant to draw the complete attention of your audience. This way, you are breaking the flow of your speech by incorporating a meaningless filler. Instead, incorporate relevant and effective transitions into your speech to make it flow like a story. (More on this in coming sections of the article.)
B) 5 Reasons why you should stop saying ‘without further ado‘
1. Is your introductory statement a foolish blabber?
Raise your hand if you are guilty of imitating your favorite YouTubers (at least I am) and more often than not- that imitation requires us to conclude our introductory statement with ‘without further ado.’
As we discussed in the previous section, ado means a confused bustle of the activity or foolish blabber. Bearing this in mind, would you like your introductory statement to be considered as a confusing activity consisting of foolish blabber? No, right?
While not many people are aware of this fact, using this word without knowing what it means can tarnish your professional image and paint your personality in the wrong way.
So, it’s always ideal for you to be completely aware of what you are speaking. Be it for this phrase or any phrase for that matter.
2. Discard the Digression
In this modern mechanized world, people have already got too much on their plates.
When you keep this in view, they don’t wish to entertain digressions in your speech and our phrase at hand marks the ending of a possible digression.
This way, you are making your audience aware of a digression and it sends out a message that you don’t value their precious time.
Thus, always keep your content concise, catchy, and relevant by avoiding falling into the trap of unnecessary fillers.
3. Herd Mentality is a hurdle
In times like this, overuse of the phrase ‘without further ado’ can’t be ignored. It might come as a shock to you but almost every other speaker includes this phrase in their content in one way or another.
Following the herd mentality restrains you from reflecting your personality through the content of your speech. Instead, consider being creative and draft your content by using the right filler words.
4. Makes You Sound Unprepared
‘Without further ado’ might be a popular phrase but it makes you sound unprepared (even when you are prepared).
It hinders your personality by sending out negative personality traits like-
- Low self-confidence
- Lack of research
- Lack of preparedness (it hints at a potential blabber on your part)
- Diminishes your credibility as an orator
- No emotional connection with the content
But why is it so essential for you to sound prepared? For one, there is a direct correlation between sounding prepared and confident. If you sound prepared then you are bound to reflect that self-confidence through your speech delivery.
Moreover, if you want the audience to trust you, you must sound confident while delivering the content of your speech. This will make the audience think that you are certain about what you have to say and as a result, they believe you.
In case you are delivering a persuasive speech, the usage of the phrase ‘without further ado’ can lower your chances at persuasion by making you sound under-confident.
5. Better and Relevant Fillers
If you’ll have a closer look, you’ll find that ‘without further ado’ is nothing but a meaningless filler. To be perfectly candid, it marks you as an amateur speaker.
Moreover, it doesn’t add any value to your content instead it just marks a transition between two already distinct parts of your content which doesn’t require a transition (say, the transition from introduction to body or body to conclusion).
To make your content a gazillion times better and relevant, use good fillers that add value to your content as well as mark a great and smooth transition.
We’ve written an article on Effective Speech Transitions, check it out to know more.
C) Alternatives to ‘without further ado’
To put your mind at ease, here’s a list of exact phrases or words that you can say instead of ‘without further ado’-
- Without any further delay
When someone says ‘without further ado’, most people interpret it as ‘without any further delay’. So, why not avoid the confusion and use the interpretation instead?
For one, it doesn’t imply fuss and thereby, comes off as an effective way to mark the transition without losing the overall feel of ‘without further ado’.
Example- ‘Without any further delay, please welcome our guest speaker…’
- This very minute
This phrase provides a much-needed emphasis on your main point.
Therefore, the next time you are about to use ‘without further ado’ to emphasize your main point, take a pause, reflect, and replace it with ‘this very minute’.
Example- ‘To put your curiosity at ease, we are going to tell you 5 effective strategies to counter stress, this very minute!’
- In no time
Are you hosting a key musical event and confused on how to introduce your lead singer? ‘In no time’ has come to your rescue!
Many a times, a possible delay can occur in key events and keeping the excitement level and adrenaline rush up can prove out to be a herculean task. In such a case, use the phrase ‘in no time’ to have that desired effect on your audience.
Example- ‘In no time, we will be commencing our flagship event for the day.’
- In a flash
It’s a perfect phrase to use when you are dealing with a slightly younger audience. Be it the introduction of your speaker or highlight of the key points in a speech, this phrase will surely offer excitement and curiosity towards the content without compromising on your previous statements.
Example- ‘In a flash, we are going to list the top three ways to control your screen time.’
D) Drawing Public Speaking Lessons from this Classic Mistake
1. Structure the speech well
Now, what do I mean by the structure of the speech? So, the structure of any given speech includes-
- the introductory remarks
- the body
- the conclusion
To move from your introductory remarks to the body or from the body to the conclusion, one doesn’t require a transitioning word or phrase.
If you’ve effectively written and structured your speech, the audience will be able to identify these three sections.
So, instead of screaming to your audience that you’ll now be jumping into the body of the speech, write a statement that marks the transition without clearly stating it.
To know more about how to draft a killer structure of your speech, check this. With the help of this article, you’ll learn the best ways to draft a killer introductory statement, the body, and a memorable conclusion. Here’s another quick video (made by yours truly!) to help you structure a speech in 30 seconds or less!
2. Use transitions at the right places
Has it ever made sense to state the obvious? No, right?
One needs to be aware of the right places to incorporate a transition. This is a basic prerequisite for the smooth flow of your speech or presentation.
But before we dive deep into learning the act of incorporating the right transitions at the right places, let us understand what the word transition really stands for-
A transition is essentially a word or a phrase that signals a separation between two distinct ideas or points in a given content to make the overall content flow in a seamless way.
Now, as promised, here are a few places that calls for a transitioning statement-
- Highlight the main points in the body
- Separate conflicting or distinctive points in nature
- Summarize a complex thought or idea in a nutshell
So far, we’ve discussed what is a transition and where to incorporate a transition, to know about how to incorporate a transition, check out this video-
The Conclusion
I’m sure that most of us related when David Rose from Schitt’s Creek said, ‘Okay, Well, Movies aren’t always right, all right. You’ll learn that later in life.’ In a similar fashion, just because SO MANY people are using the phrase ‘without further ado’ doesn’t mean they are correct.
Trends are contagious and so is the case with this overused filler.
We sincerely hope that this article enlightened you in some sense and guided you towards the best way forward to include the right fillers.
Not to forget, always remember to find out what a word or phrase really means before incorporating it in your content. In public speaking, ignorance can surely backfire!
