Auction chant

Auction chant is a rhythmic repetition of numbers and "filler words" spoken by an auctioneer in the process of conducting an auction. The auction chant is a repetition of two numbers at a time which indicate the monetary amount involved with the sale of an item. The first number is the amount of money which is currently being offered by a bidder for a given item. The second number, which is the most repeated and frequently heard number in the "chant", is the bid that the auctioneer wishes to receive. This is the amount the next bidder will have to pay in order to buy the item for sale.

In between the numbers are "filler words" which are simple sayings, or rather a statement or an open-ended question, which connect the two numbers involved and help to bridge them together while also providing rhythm/smoothness to the chant. It serves as a thinking point for both the auctioneer and the bidders. Typical filler words, which are taught at schools of auctioneering, are "dollar bid", "now", and "will ya' give me?". The typically taught chant for beginning auctioneers using the following pattern: "One dollar bid, now two, now two, will ya' give me two? Two dollar bid, now three, now three, will ya' give me three?", and continues in this fashion until a winning bid is received. Slurring filler words to make multi-part filler word phrases is a key element, giving the illusion that the auctioneer is talking fast, and thus creating more excitement & bidding anxiety among the bidding crowd. Once an auctioneer becomes experienced in the auction profession, they usually develop their own style with regards to unique filler words, unique rhythm, and variable speed of delivering the chant. Typically automobile auctioneers at dealer only auctions, and livestock auctioneers are known for their high speed chants. Auctioneers also can participate in "competitions" which crown regional and world champion auctioneers based on their chants, which is common in the auto & livestock auction industry, but not limited to them. The auction chant is the focus of the 1956 hit song "Auctioneer" by Leroy Van Dyke, who is himself a professional auctioneer, as well as country music singer, journalist, and livestock raiser.

[citation|title=Real Estate Careers: 25 Growing Opportunities|author=Janik, Carolyn Janik, Ruth Rejnis|year= 1994|publisher=John Wiley and Sons|id=ISBN 047159203X |url=http://books.google.com/books?vid=ISBN047159203X&id=G3Nt32hFkPgC&pg=PA57&lpg=PA57&ots=xrkoAephID&dq=%22Auction+Chant%22&ie=ISO-8859-1&output=html&sig=cTdfFAdhfRkpjUCKThl53XcLhp8]

References