1. Chapter 12
Language and Style

2. Language and Style: Introduction
Word choice (diction) requires consideration of audience, occasion, and nature of message.
Well-chosen words can make a speech clear and memorable.
Speakers can confuse some listeners through unconsidered word choice.

3. Language and Style: An Overview
This chapter examines:
The importance of language and word choice
Differences between oral and written language
Denotative and connotative meaning
Presenting your message clearly
Expressing your ideas effectively
Choosing respectful and unbiased language

4. The Importance of Language and Word Choice
Words convey ethos to listeners.
Using language appropriately can give your credibility a boost.
Choosing the right words clarifies your message.

5. The Importance of Language and Word Choice

6. The Importance of Language and Word Choice

7. Differences Between Oral and Written Language
Oral language is more adaptive.
Writers do not get immediate feedback from a live audience.
Speakers can respond as they receive feedback.

8. Differences Between Oral and Written Language
Oral language tends to be less formal.
Written language lends itself to precise word choice and formal grammar.
Spoken language lends itself to a simpler, more conversational tone.

9. Differences Between Oral and Written Language
Oral language incorporates repetition.
Writing teachers advise students to avoid redundancy.
Listeners can’t go back and revisit points in a speech, therefore, repetition is a useful tool.

10. Denotative and Connotative Meaning
Denotative meaning is an exact, literal dictionary definition.

11. Denotative and Connotative Meaning
Connotative meanings are the various associations that come to mind when we hear or read a word.

12. Tips for Denotative and Connotative Meaning
Tip: Using a word without considering its multiple meanings can backfire and confuse.
Tip: Be sure to consider your audience’s connotations for important words.

13. Presenting Your Message Clearly: Understandable Language
Use language your listeners recognize.
Analyze your audience to determine appropriate word choice.
Avoid technical terms and specialized jargon.
If you can say something in plain language, do so.
If you do use jargon, explain it.

14. Presenting Your Message Clearly: Understandable Language

15. Presenting Your Message Clearly: Concrete Words
Choose words that are concrete, or specific.
Abstract words that are general can confuse.
Use abstract words to give the big picture.
Use a mix of concrete and abstract words as needed.

16. Concrete Words vs. Abstract Words

17. Presenting Your Message Clearly: Proper Use of Words
Using incorrect terms:
Undermines clarity and credibility
Can create unintended humorous consequences
Example: “recession” instead of “depression”

18. Presenting Your Message Clearly: Proper Use of Words

19. Presenting Your Message Clearly: Concise Language
Each sentence should express one thought.
Remember: Long sentences may be clear in print, but listeners only get one chance to hear spoken words.

20. Presenting Your Message Clearly: Concise Language
Avoid verbal clutter, extraneous words that confuse your audience.
Example:
Cluttered: “Regardless of the fact that you disagree with the government’s position, you cannot dispute the FCC’s ruling.”
Uncluttered: “Although you disagree with the government’s position, you cannot dispute the FCC’s ruling.”

21. Expressing Your Ideas Effectively: Repetition
Repeating a word or phrase can draw listeners’ attention and leave lasting memories.
Repeating words later in speech can remind the audience of previous points.
Rewording potentially confusing passages is a form of repetition.

22. Expressing Your Ideas Effectively: Repetition

23. Expressing Your Ideas Effectively: Hypothetical Examples
Imagined scenarios that help listeners follow complicated points such as policy statements.

24. Expressing Your Ideas Effectively: Personal Anecdotes
Personal stories build credibility and reassure listeners you are not judging them.
Show that you take a subject seriously
Can help avoid causing offense on sensitive subjects

25. Expressing Your Ideas Effectively: Vivid Language
Vivid language grabs attention by appealing to the five senses.
Stronger imagery creates deeper impressions on an audience.
Overuse of vivid language may diminish effectiveness.

26. Expressing Your Ideas Effectively: Figurative Language
Similes and metaphors both suggest similarities between objects that are not alike.
Similes make explicit comparisons with like or as.
Example: After bumping her head, she fell like a tree.
Metaphors make implicit comparisons.
Example: Her life was a journey along a path filled with obstacles.

27. Tips for Using Similes and Metaphors
Tip: Be sure the comparison makes sense.
Tip: Avoid mixing comparisons.

28. Choosing Respectful and Unbiased Language
Biased language: Suggests prejudice or preconceptions about other people
Erodes speaker’s credibility
Distracts audience from listening to your message

29. Choosing Respectful and Unbiased Language: Avoid Stereotypes
Stereotypes: Generalizations based on the false assumption that characteristics displayed by some members of a group are shared by all members of that group.
May be based on ethnicity, race, gender, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, socioeconomic background, and so on
Represent biased language
Stereotyping also occurs when speakers make claims beyond the facts that their evidence proves.

30. Choosing Respectful and Unbiased Language: Use Gender-Neutral References
Some word choices reinforce gender-based stereotypes.
Examples: cleaning lady, fireman
Select gender-neutral terms, where possible.
Use plural forms of words (presidents, employees).
Choose words that do not indicate gender (firefighter, chair, poet).

31. Choosing Respectful and Unbiased Language: Make Appropriate References to Ethnic Groups
Use the noun preferred by a particular ethnic group when referring to that group.
African American instead of black
Refer to ethnic groups correctly.
A person form Nigeria is not African American.
Use masculine and feminine forms of words correctly.
Ana Castillo is a Chicana, not a Chicano.

32. Choosing Respectful and Unbiased Language: Steer Clear of Unnecessary References to Ethnicity, Religion, Gender, or Sexuality
Do not mention a person’s ethnicity, religion, gender, or sexuality if it’s irrelevant to your point.
Doing so will hurt your credibility.

33. Choosing Respectful and Unbiased Language: A Note on Appropriate Language and Political Correctness
Words have tremendous power.
Avoid words that could cause harm or pain to others, when possible.
Guidelines on word choice may restrict rights to freedom of expression.
Enforced “political correctness”
Avoid the “PC debate” by supporting your position with credible evidence and logical reasoning.