American parliamentary debate

[ESAL SPIRIT]

American parliamentary debate is a formal contest of reason, wit and rhetorical skill which simulates debate in a theoretical House of Parliament. Two teams, the Government and the Opposition, of two debaters each, consider a resolution proposed to the House. The debate is moderated by a Speaker of the House, who will also serve as judge for the round. This format is used by university students all over the world.

Participants and elements of the debate round

· The Chair (Speaker of the House) will welcome the audience, will briefly introduce the speakers and the motion – the topic about which the speakers will argue. Following that s/he will invite the first speaker for the proposition to speak, and then invite each speaker in turn to give their speeches. The Chair is in charge of the debate at all times. The Chair thanks the speakers for their contributions, and closes the debate with a vote on the issue playing the part of a judge in the debate round.
· The Timekeeper makes a note of how long each speaker speaks for, and also provides signals (a bang on the table, a bell or a buzzer) during the course of the speech to enable the speaker to be aware of how much time they have remaining. Usually a signal is made after the first minute has elapsed, and at the beginning of the last minute of the speech. Finally the end of the speaker’s time is indicated by another signal (two bangs on the table, or rings of a bell/buzzer).
· The Proposition team (Government: Prime Minister and Member of the Government) have the job of persuading the audience why the motion being debated should be supported. The role of the first speaker should be to explain how the team wish to approach this job, and how they might divide up particular arguments between them. They might also clarify any terminology that is being used, or provide more information on the way in which particular words will be argued over.
· The Opposition team (Opposition: Leader of the Opposition and Member of the Opposition) have the job of persuading the audience why the motion being debated should NOT be supported. The role of the first speaker on the opposition should be to explain how the team will approach this job, and how they will divide up the arguments. The opposing team do this at the very least by showing why the arguments that the proposition have set out are wrong, but might also have their own reasons for not supporting the case.
· Members of “the floor” are usually given an opportunity to make short speeches (1 or 2 minutes in length) after the main speeches in the debate have been given. Audience members can pick which side they are on, or might “abstain” (be undecided) on the issue. These speeches might invite the main speakers to address certain points which have been left unanswered, in which case the Summary speakers will provide an answer.
· Summary speakers (Leader of the Opposition, Prime Minister) speak after the floor debate has concluded or, if there is no floor debate, after the main speeches. In American parliamentary debate it is customary that the Opposition summary speaker speaks first, as the last word is given to the Proposition. This speeches are called rebuttals. Rebuttal is the part of a speech in which the speaker explains to the audience why the arguments other people have delivered are wrong.
· Points of Information. After the first minute of a speech has elapsed, any member of the OTHER side of the debate can offer an interruption to the current speaker, with their permission. If a member of the other side wishes to offer a point of information they stand up and say “Mr/Madam Speaker, on a point of information.” The person being interrupted then has an opportunity either to allow this interruption by saying “accepted,” or “go ahead,” or “yes,” or can choose not to be interrupted by saying “declined,” or “no thank you.” The current speaker remains standing whilst the interrupter then asks a short question or a new piece of evidence which contradicts the point being developed.