Language Issues

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Language Issues

• COMP 312
• June 2007

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1. Write for Your Readers not for Yourself

• People have little time, be economical with words
• Use appropriate language levels
• Group information logically
• Be mindful of the reader how much energy and
  effort is needed to understand what you say?
• Use Gunning Fog Index (10 14)

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2. Speak Your Writing

• Words should flow easily
• Read your writing aloud to test your text
• It has come to my attention that it was
  requested in previous correspondence that a
  change be made with regard to your mailing
  address
• We need your correct address

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3. Trust Your Ear

• A bore is a person who talks when you wish him or
  her to listen - Ambrose Bierce
• Dont be pompous, wordy, abstract
• Communication involves
• You as a writer
• You as listener
• Your reader listening to what you wrote

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Listening to Your Writing contd

• I sent the letter to her
• I sent her the letter
• That is something the CEO is interested in
• The CEO is interested in that product
• Distributed herewith is a survey of some 24
  Kenyan firms with experience and/or interest in
  S. E. Asian business opportunities

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4. Be Clear and Brief

• Everything that can be thought at all can be
  thought clearly
• Everything that can be said can be said clearly
  Ludwig Wittgenstein
• Virtues of writing
• Clarity
• Brevity
• Clarity often requires brevity

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Example

• In nominating employees for this course, it is
  especially important that concentration be placed
  on those employees in four-through-seven-year
  experience levels.
• Select employees with four to seven years of
  experience four this course.

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5. Use Plain English

• Last will and testament
• will English
• testament French
• It is a tricky problem to find the particular
  calibration in timing that would be appropriate
  to stem the acceleration in risk premiums created
  by falling incomes without prematurely aborting
  the decline in the inflation-generated risk
  premiums

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Plain English contd

• Chose a shorter alternative word
• Prefer concrete to abstract words
• Prefer familiar to esoteric, pretentious or
  obscure words
• Prefer Anglo-Saxon to the Norman word
• Idea is better than conception
• Use better than utilize
• Copy rather than duplicate
• Try rather than endeavour

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A few sample alternatives

• Remuneration Pay, Wages, Salary
• Proficiency Skill
• Visualize See
• Disproportional unequal
• Aforementioned these, this
• Accordingly then, thus, therefore

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Sample Phrases

• At this point in time now
• If and when if
• From the point of view of for
• In the event that if
• On the basis of by
• Take cognizance of the fact that see, be aware
• With regard to about
• Within the course of within, during

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Systematic Buzz Phrase Projector Philip
Broughton
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6. Follow Guidelines for Readability

• Avoid long sentences
• Avoid long paragraphs
• Use simple, direct sentences, subjects close to
  verbs
• Punctuate properly
• Use lists when appropriate
• Use headings to create structure
• Use plain English as much as possible

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7. Avoid Verbs in Passive Voice When Possible

• Passive Voice
• I am pleased by your gift
• She is seen by every visitor
• It was needed by the organization
• They were transferred by the boss
• She has been sent by the director

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• Active Voice
• Your gift pleases me
• Every visitor sees her
• The organization needs it.
• The boss transferred them
• The director sent her

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8. Avoid Nominals

• Nominals are verbs turned into nouns
• To procure -gt Procurement
• To submit -gt Submission
• To remove -gt Removal
• To bury -gt Burial
• To fail -gt Failure
• To conclude -gt Conclusion
• To attendance -gt Attendance
• To provide -gt Provision
• To comply -gt Compliance

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Example

• We would like to encourage your submission of a
  bid for a new contract. Compliance with bidding
  guidelines is required
• Re-write without nominals
• Submit a valid bid for the new contract
• Submit a valid bid for a new contract

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9. Find a Format and Make it Visible

• We typically retain
• 10 of what we READ
• 20 of what we HEAR
• 30 of what we SEE
• 50 of what we SEE and HEAR
• Dont reinvent the wheel, use established models

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Common Documents

• Progress Report
• Strategic Plan
• Business Plan
• Feasibility Report
• Research Report
• Job Description
• Memo

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10. Avoid Logic Errors

• Hasty Generalization
• Either/Or Error or False Dilema
• Unknowable Statistic
• Inconsistencies and Contradictions
• The Loaded Question
• The False Analogy
• False Cause
• The Slippery Slope (Domino Theory)
• Misapplied Generalization
• Begging the Question
• Errors of Ambiguity, Euphemism and Equivocation
• Covert Persuasion
• The Red Herring