So then: triads. No, we’re not talking about the infamous Asian crime gang! We’re talking about ‘groups of three’, which are otherwise known as triads in public speaking. Now, it’s very important to establish something up-front here: a triad does not have to, and doesn’t’ usually, involve repetition. Perhaps the classic triad of all time is “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”. Another classic is “sex, drugs, and rock and roll”. Both of these list three different things, rather than repeating one thing three times.
While triads don’t usually involve repetition, they aren’t just a random assortment of three things either. The idea with a triad is to deliver three qualities, activities or things in a way that either reinforces their similarity, or states that they should be regarded as going together. The idea is to make a dramatic point. So: “I have nothing to offer but blood, sweat, and tears” – this reinforces the similarities between three bodily fluids (i.e. that they’re shed in times of effort and difficulty), and makes the point that the inspirational speaker will stop at nothing and give their all.
Here’s another one: “truth, justice, and the American way”. This catch phrase, uttered by Superman, aims to say that the three things mentioned are closely related and should always go together. The point is to make a statement about what he stands for and wants to protect.
Some people speculate that the human brain is in some way better attuned to dealing with things grouped in threes than in other numbers. Certainly things grouped in threes do seem to be easily recalled. Whatever the reason, there is no doubt that triads are one of the hallmarks of a great speaker.
