Why Is A Toastmaster Called A Toastmaster

By: Ken Chaproniere
Submitted: 2007-01-17 16:43:26
Print this article | Tell a friend | For publisher | Social Bookmarking
Rating:
 

Where does the verb 'to toast' come from? When did it become associated with drinking? And just how does a Toastmaster stay sober whilst toasting all the guests? Like all traditions, the story of how today's toastmasters evolved is a tale of coincidence and accident.

The master of ceremonies (MC) is often referred to as a toastmaster and vice versa. The origins of the toastmaster can be traced back over three hundred years, although the exact history of the English toastmaster is still up for debate.

The tradition of drinking to the health of guests, dignitaries, gods and goddesses has been around since ancient history and is well documented in Greek and Roman times. The term “toast” as associated with the drinking of someone’s health is believed to have come from the Middle Ages when spiced toast was added to wine to improve the flavour! The person responsible for this duty became known as the “Master of the Toast”. The first known instance of a “toast” to a person was recorded in 1649 – when the spiced toast was taken to a lady - and the Master of the Toast or Toastmaster, or latterly the Butler, thereafter took on the role of proposing the toasts.

It is generally accepted that the first notable toastmaster was Richard “Beau” Nash. In 1705 he set himself up as a master of ceremonies in Bath and later in Tunbridge Wells. One occupational hazard for a Toastmaster was getting inebriated due to the number of toasts being proposed and becoming incapable of carrying out their duties. To overcome this problem special Toastmaster glasses were made with thick bowls that held only small quantities of wine whilst looking full. This allowed the Toastmaster to propose many toasts whilst just taking a small sip thus minimising the effect of the wine.

In 1894 the noted Toastmaster, William Knight Smith became concerned about being mistaken for a butler – a role considered inferior to his position. His wife suggested he wear a coat in military red to distinguish the role and the Prince of Wales (later Edward the Seventh) formally approved of the colour. To this day the military red coat is recognised as the mark of the modern Toastmaster.

The master of ceremonies or Toastmaster is often seen at wedding receptions and at official banquets, charity event and formal corporate dinners. Often dressed in ceremonial clothes, most noticeably the traditional red tail coat, the toastmaster brings centuries of tradition to any formal occasion, dinner, wedding reception or other formal event. He brings with him experience of dealing with these sort of formal occasions, ensuring the smooth and efficient running of the event and ensures that the proceedings run according to plan and on time.

Ken Chaproniere is a professional toastmaster and officiates at many weddings and public ceremonies. One of his specialities is opening a champagne bottle with a sabre - known as sabrage. Ken brings the history and fine traditions of his craft to weddings, civil ceremonies and important family occasions. More information can be found at his website by clicking Master of Ceremonies

Article source: Expert Articles

Most Recent Articles in Public Speaking category

  • Public Intoxication - By: Stella Janci
    The Texas Penal Code defines public intoxication as follows: A person commits the offense of Public Intoxication if the person appears in a public place while intoxicated to the degree that the person may be a danger to themselves or others. The elements that the state must prove are as follows: 1. A person. 2. That was in a public place. 3. That person was intoxicated. 4. The person was intoxicated to the degree that they may be a danger to themselves or others.
  • Charismatic Communication: Triggering the "I - Me" Response in Your Audience - By: Desmond Guilfoyle
    A major step in learning how to intone the soft music of charismatic communication is to recognise that some words have greater value than others. You may realise that words backed by honest intentions are more valuable than those that are not. Further, some words have the potential to dramatically increase the value of your linguistic cash at hand.
  • Charismatic Communication: A Lesson for Erring Ummers - Kicking the Habit of Errs and Umms - By: Desmond Guilfoyle
    Humour me for a moment. Please do not think of George Bush the Younger wearing a red tutu and sitting on the Queen of England’s face while lecturing her Foreign Secretary on effective ways in which to torture Donald Rumsfeld’s wife.O.
  • What Is The Role of A Toastmaster / Master of Ceremony - By: Ken Chaproniere
    We are familiar with the terms toastmaster or Master of Ceremony and probably associate them with royal or VIP occasions. Yet this need not be the case. A Toastmaster can make your special occasion a memorable one.
  • Why Is A Toastmaster Called A Toastmaster - By: Ken Chaproniere
    Where does the verb 'to toast' come from? When did it become associated with drinking? And just how does a Toastmaster stay sober whilst toasting all the guests?
  • A Public Speaking Nightmare - By: Paul Tobey
    Recently, I attended a keynote presentation by a major radio executive in Toronto. Which, may sound interesting enough but, what happened at this event may make you think twice about how fine tuned your public speaking skills really are!It all started innocently enough when a representative from the hosting organization got up to introduce the keynote speaker.
  • Public Speaking - The Money's in the Template - By: Paul Tobey
    The best public speakers in the world all agree on one thing. You can’t get good at public speaking without practice. That’s where some public speaking training seminars fail in teaching people how to do successful presentations.
  • After Dinner Speaking, Hero or Coward? - By: Roger Bourne
    During my time as Chairman of Forum, the Public Speaking Group of the Australian Institute of Management, I have often been asked about speaking after dinner.Before I discuss this opportunity, I want you to think back to a time when you were at a dinner event and the speaker came on.How did you and your party react?
  • Using Toys and Music in Training Sessions - By: Paul Archer
    As a trainer it is vital for you to be able to identify which areas of the course will be dry and tedious for the group, so that you can find a creative way to present the information, which will then lead to enhanced learning.Try creating some fun and laughter. Some trainers dismiss games and activities as time wasters or childish.
  • MEDIC-ate Your Training Sessions - By: Paul Archer
    Occasionally you stumble across something really clever that you find yourself using time and time again. Early in my career I came across MEDIC, a really simple but ever so clever acronym that just makes every training session you ever deliver bring results.MEDIC can be used when you’re putting together a session with only a few minutes preparation so it’s great with one to one training or “Sitting with Nellie” type training.