Professional Communication: The Corporate Insider’s Approach Chapter Six Language and Readability: Thinking Out Into Language

Thinking Out Into Language A man’s style is his mind’s voice. (Emerson) Style is the dress of thoughts. (Lord Chesterfield) Style is the “sound”. . . words make on paper. (E. B. White)

Five Attributes of Style Style is synonymous with who we are. Style reflects the clarity of our thoughts. Style provides the precision of our ideas. Style gives voice to both meaning and sound. Style represents a skill that can be acquired.

Fundamental Elements of Style Selecting and using words appropriately Avoiding jargon Controlling readability

Elements of Business Style Method Language Readability Discipline Rhetoric of grammar Art Stylistic tactics

Selecting Words Connotation and Denotation—Do the word’s implied and literal meanings fit your purposes and audience? Precision—Is the selected phrase a solid and specific articulation of the thought you intended to convey?

Categories of Imprecision The seemingly precise Soft diction Business jargon

Jargon We become a prisoner to jargon when we Invent new words Blunt the edges of the words we have Simply choose the wrong word for the job

First Steps to Creating Style Use simple, accurate words Use words precisely Be concise and concrete Avoid creating words using suffixes and prefixes Avoid fostering occupational protectionism

First Steps to Creating Style Avoid creating popularized technicalities Avoid redundancy of expression Avoid stacking nouns when a direct name can be used Use acronyms, initialisms, and abbreviations only when readily recognizable and accepted Recheck any sentence of more than 20 words.

Readability of Business Communication Readability/ Formulaic Considerations Vocabulary (abstractness) Idea Density (comprehension) Business Equivalents Precise Language Content Presentation

Idea Density Design Pace Idea density can be achieved through the control of Design Pace

Language & Readability—The Lessons Effective communication demands careful selection of Language Diction Pace Information design