Speaker Roles in Asian Parliamentary Debate

[Edit]

Government:
Prime Minister (PM)

Define context and parameters of debate. For example, in an open motion

like "This House Would Support Musicians", the debate could be
contextualized into whether music should be a commodity for trade, or it
should be available gratis (i.e. free music download and transfer)

Provide concise background or history leading to the issue

Give framework of government bench's case. I.e. mechanisms (if any),

argumentation flow (what the government's first argument is and what the
Deputy Prime Minister will talk about)

Introduce 1st argument

Assert Government stand

Deputy Prime Minister (DPM)

Rebut first argument from Leader of Opposition

Rebut rebuttals to PM's argument

Introduce 2nd and 3rd argument

Reassert Government stand and case

Government Whip

Rebut Deputy Leader of Opposition, and Leader of Opposition

Rebut rebuttals to DPM and PM arguments

Provide a deeper level of analysis for previous arguments and rebuttals

No new arguments, but new angles of arguments should be given

Brief summary of entire case of Government

Reassert Government stand and case

[Edit]

Opposition:
Leader of Opposition

Agree or disagree with context/ parameters of debate (any definitional

challenges, accusations of squirreling, or unfair set up should be made
from the LO speech and no later)

Rebut Prime Minister's argument

Give framework for Opposition case (if Opp agrees to problem, then their
case should provide solution, or at least effectively highlight how
Government proposal will worsen the situation)

Introduce first Opposition argument

Assert Opposition stand

Deputy Leader of Opposition

Rebut DPM and PM arguments

Rebut rebuttals to LO arguments

Introduce 1st and 2nd (if any) argument

Reassert Opposition stand and case

Opposition Whip

Rebut DPM and PM arguments

Rebut rebuttals to LO & DLO arguments

Provide a deeper level of analysis for previous arguments and rebuttals

No new arguments, but new angles of arguments should be given

Reassert Opposition stand and case

[Edit]

Reply Speech:

Can only be done by either 1st or 2nd speaker from each bench

Provide a biased 'oral adjudication' of why the debate should go to own

bench

Highlight issues you think your side won, carefully tiptoe around issues
you think you lost

New examples to expand on discussed examples is usually allowed and

makes the reply speech sound fresh as opposed to verbal regurgitation

Reassert stand

--Most importantly, try to have fun while you're doing all this. ;)

Strategies & Tips for Limited Preparation

Debating
Read Widely
Even just skimming a few international news websites, like BBC news, Al Jazeera
or The New York Times will help keep you abreast of international issues. If you
have a computer, set one of these sites as your homepage so that global issues
"sink in" each time you open your browser. A great weekly read for sheer breadth
is the The Economist.

Research Timely Issues

If there is an issue that is dominating the news and you have a debate tournament
coming up, you can be sure that there will be a motion on that topic. Split tasks
with your partners and teammates and create briefs on these issues before the
tournament so that everyone can be up to speed. Keep these briefs throughout the
year so that you can update them as events change.

Research Key Countries and Organizations

Some countries are global players and will enter nearly any international debate in
which you find yourself. Being even passingly familiar with the political
structures and current situations of these countries - or groups of countries - can
help you win debates. Some good places to start are: China, the US, Russia, the
EU and Japan. International organizations, especially the UN, feature prominently
in many debates as well. Knowing the decision-making machinery of these
organizations, their jurisdiction and their activities will help you immensely. In
addition to the UN, you may want to look into NATO, ASEAN, the WTO and the
G8.

Use IDEA's Free Resources

Debatepedia (the wiki you are on right now) is a free resource open to anyone
with internet access. It is a great place to get a sense of an issue and begin
constructing arguments. You may want to dig deeper into important events and
controversies, but with thousands of articles, Debatepedia is a good place to start.

(1) When you start saying something / contributing to a conversation

First of all, I would like to say/state that
To begin with, I
In the first line, I
(2) What can you say instead of "I think"
I would say/think
In my opinion
To my mind
I am of the opinion that
I hold the opinion that
(3) When you want to stress your "personal opinion":
Personally I think
As far as I am concerned
As for me
As I take it
As far as I can see
(4) When you "agree" or when you "don't agree":
I entirely/quite agree with you.
I agree to (with) her plan.
I am of the same opinion.
I differ from/with you entirely.
I disagree with you: I am sure you're mistaken.

I stick to my opinion.
Let's agree to differ!
(5) When you want to say the "opposite" of what someone else said:
on the contrary! quite the contrary! just the opposite!
That is the very opposite of what I said.
That is quite the contrary to what I said.
I maintain the contrary.
In contrast to what you said, I maintain that...........
(6) When you are "quite sure" of something:
of course!
That goes without saying
It goes without saying that
I contend/maintain that................
It's my conviction that..................
(7) When you want to "ask a question":
May I interrupt you?
There arises the question/point whether/if
This question raises the whole issue
(8) When you "haven't understood":
I beg your pardon. / Pardon?
Could you repeat what you've just said? But slower, please./
Could you slow down a bit?
(9) If you should want to "correct a mistake":
Excuse me (for interrupting) you should have said:"....."
(10)When you want to distinguish one aspect from the other:
on the one hand - on the other hand
in general - in particular
generally speaking
on the whole
taken as a whole
at first sight - on second thoughts
(11)When you want to "add" something:
In addition
Moreover
Furthermore
Finally
(12)When you want to "emphasize" something:
I would like to lay (put) emphasis (stress) on the fact that..
I just want to point out that

(13)When you want to "say the truth":

To be frank (with you)
Frankly (speaking)
To say the truth
(14)And if you are "not sure":
I don't know exactly.
I don't know for certain.
(A) General phrases:
in other words
in this respect
to a certain degree/extent
It depends on your point of view
in brief/short
To be brief
To cut a long story short,......
Let me put it this
way:....
I don't know. - I don't know either. Nor/Neither do I.

Add the following expressions to the given categories I agree with / disagree with
you; I see/understand your point but ; Youve got a point / a case there but; Im
not sure. whether ; I have doubts / reservations about ; I dont see that working
in practice. ; It may work in the short-term / in the long-term. ; I think thats
debatable. ; Prove it! ; Your argument is flawed because... ; Whats that got to do
with the issue? ; Youre missing the point. ; Its ridiculous to suggest that.... ; My
feeling is.. ; If you ask me... ; As for me.... ; Bear in mind that ; Youd better do
... ; Lets face it.... ; In general... ; On the whole... ; As a rule.... ; It goes without
saying that... ; Whats more / in addition / furthermore ; What Im getting at is... /
What Im trying to say is.. / My point is... ; What is your point? What are you
driving at? ; Youre not serious, are you? ;You must be joking! Thats nonsense /
rubbish / ridiculous.
Ten Ethics of Debate
The following are some guidelines I believe are helpful to any debate in which the
participants are seeking truth, rather than trying to defend a position for its own
sake.
1)

would

call

these

guidelines
HAVE

of

Freethought

for

debaters...
EMPATHY

By far, the majority of people, in general, mean well. If you really believe that
they are intentionally being evil - don't waste time in debate with them. However,
if you really think about it, most people, no matter how deranged their position or
how harmful such a position may be to you, hold it because they actually believe

it is the right position to take. It is easy to hate a stranger but try to imagine how
you might respond if a loved one were to take the same position. Hate positions,
beliefs,

policies,

and

actions

2)

but

love

people.

BE

CLEAR

It is possible to argue with someone for an hour before realizing that you actually
agree

but

are

using

different

semantics.

Even

if

you

don't

agree,

miscommunication about definitions can lead to huge blocks of unproductive time

in argument. Be clear with your definitions and be sure you are clear of theirs.
Think of your first few rounds of discussion as strictly information gathering don't make judgments at the beginning and don't jump to conclusions. Ask
questions - especially about words such as love, religion, government, spiritual,
moral,

better,

believe,

3)

wrong,

STAY

etc.
FOCUSED

Often, as emotions rise, it is easy to turn debate into a vendetta. The purpose of
debate, in the freethought spirit, is not to demoralize your opponent, to make
yourself look or feel good, or to enact revenge for other statements. There is only
one proper purpose for such discussion, and that is to find truth - no matter what
the

consequences

4)

DON'T

or

implications

WASTE

TIME

of

such
IN

conclusions.
COMBAT

Most people are not open-minded and merely want to win the argument. Identify
victory-seekers early. If there's little chance of them listening to anything you
have to say, or if they refuse to listen to obvious reason, then it is best not to waste
your time. If you must converse on such topics, be passive - listen, ask questions,
and
5)

let

them

reach

conclusions
KEEP

on

their

own.
COOL

Often, because they are feeling insecure of their position, threatened by yours, or
simply unaware, people will use wording which you may find insulting. If these
are raw insults by themselves, then it is best to end the conversation. If the insults

are part of the argument itself, there are a few things to keep in mind. For one, he
or she may not realize how offensive the remarks are to you. Secondly, this may
only be an exaggerated word used to over stress a concept. Most importantly,
focus on their intentions - not how you perceive them. If the words are offensive
to you but you have every reason to believe the person wasn't intending to offend,
then don't worry about it. In the end, remember that words are just words - get
tougher

skin

6)

and

REVENGE

move
IS

on.
POINTLESS

If offended in any case, simply tell them their words are offensive and why but do
not answer with equal offense - there's no point to it. When you engage in revenge
talk, you ensure that you will not be listened to, your position will not be spread,
and you will likely hurt the cause for which you fight. What is worse is that you
are hurting a good cause for your own emotional gratification. What is sometimes
confused with enthusiastic support for a cause is actually selfish betrayal of it.
7)

CRITICIZE

POSITIONS

&

ACTIONS

NOT

PEOPLE

Sometimes you may feel lulled into ad homonym yourself. Don't do it - even a
little. That includes using sarcasm, humor at the other's expense, or even wording
that merely suggests something insulting without stating it overtly. Insulting
people is a completely separate task from debating. Insults never make your point
better than plain facts. It is best to stick to the issues at hand.
8)

DON'T

MARRY

YOUR

POSITION

To be fair, you yourself must be open-minded enough to listen and really consider
what the other person is saying. Put yourself in their shoes and imagine yourself
believing what they believe - much like an actor. Not only does this help you to
listen, it helps you to understand why they believe what they do. This will mean
that you can both spend your time focusing on the key points of difference, rather
than squabbling over fringe elements of the issue. Don't feel threatened or hurt if
you are "loosing" the argument. You know you are not perfect. This means that
you absolutely must be wrong about some things - you just don't know which.

This might be one of them. You don't have to concede in one sitting but you can at
least say, "That's a good point. I'm not sure about that but give me some time to
look into it and think about it and I'll get back to you." If you look into it and, after
careful consideration, find that you are wrong, then change. Your position is not
you. It is a good idea to admit this openly to the other person to affirm them in
their correct stance as well. This can also be an opportunity to show them that you
yourself are not merely a victory seeker in debate. Letting others know when they
are right is a way to "cash in" on your open mindedness and not only improve
relations but set a good example, which will encourage open mindedness in others
too.
9)

DON'T

USE

DECEPTION

It is better to lose the debate than to win it with deception. If you had to distract
your opponent with logical fallacy, ad homonym attacks, or irrelevant data, then
you have intentionally spread what might be falsehood for your own personal
gain. If you need shifty tactics, then you are probably wrong and should concede
defeat. If you "know" you're right, then you should be able to back it up with facts
and logic. If you can't, then you're either wrong or you need to learn more. Put the
argument on hold to study the other's points further if you must but do not attempt
to
10)

win
FORGET

by

illegitimate
ABOUT

means.
WINNING

Regardless of what much of the world, including debate clubs, encourage and
promote - for the ethical and thinking person, the point of a debate is not to win.
When two people disagree, either one of them is wrong, or both of them are. This
presents a good opportunity for learning and improvement - maybe for him or her
but also maybe for you. If you win the argument you have helped to enlighten
someone else, but if you lose then you are the most fortunate of the two, for you
have learned something new today. Pride is irrelevant, and a vice when it leads
one to be unethical or to care more for one's image or position than for truth.
Finding or spreading the truth is more important than you.