all 8 comments

[–]HansafanPhD; Revisionist Egyptology and Hystorical Linguistics 3 points4 points ago

Well, the term "loudspeaker" didn't originate with electrical audio. Usually, exceptionally barrel-chested men would be chosen for the task of yelling public service announcements and the like at crowds until at least a decent portion got the gist of it. Many opera singers would also secure a second income doing announcement gigs.

Still, the system wasn't perfect, so people did tend to miss out on the finer details of things a lot. For example, it's been theorised that the reason the 100 years war ended up so long-winded was that few people really heard the broadcasts over all the ruckus, and so didn't know the war was actually over, thus they just kept at it.

[–]jmr85 2 points3 points ago

Try placing a slightly cupped hand by your mouth next time you talk. You will notice that your voice becomes considerably louder because Science

[–]CasioKnight 1 point2 points ago

By using large cards that contained the words, which were held up so people could read them.

Unfortunately, not many people could read, so those that could would take turns yelling out the contents of the cards, which in turn lead to some people charging money for this service.

Some 'speakers' attracted followers who would prefer to hear one particular announcers voice. They would literally follow them around, which is where the word follower comes from. It means to follow.

After the invention of electricity and speakers, we see the modern stereo as we know it today.

[–]jesushxAnarchivist[S] 1 point2 points ago

And the word "stereo" comes from the word the called the illiterate, who no matter how much they stared at the cards, couldn't make it out...

[–]CasioKnight 1 point2 points ago

Absolutely correct.

Hence the term 'stereo speaker' - a person who would read to people who couldn't read themselves.

[–]RealHonestJohnPhD: Federal Money Pit studies. 1 point2 points ago

The speaker swallowed a bullfrog which amplified his voice.

[–]calvindog717 1 point2 points ago

Only the people in the front few rows could actually hear what the speaker said. Their job was then to pass the message back to the rest of the crowd. the speaker would deliver a sentence, then pause for the crowd to repeat it to the people behind them. This gave rise to the common practice of pausing while orating, and also brought about the children's game known today as "telephone".

[–]jesushxAnarchivist[S] 1 point2 points ago

Yes, the practice was known as "tell of one" that is the person would tell of what the one in front of them said. This also gave us the name of the modern telephone.