In This Issue... SOME WORKERS GET CARRIED AWAY BY LOFTY LANGUAGE
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HR Soapbox
In regard to the imperative issue of written communications for the business setting, the following commentary will explore the infinitely exasperating usage of unnecessary grandiloquent language. Prime example: The sentence you just read. That kind of writing is dry and, often, hard to follow. So why do so many workers, who speak perfectly clear and standard English otherwise, suddenly feel the need to use lots of big words when they put pen to paper (or keyboard to monitor, these days)? And how can we discontinue this practice...I mean, how can we stop it?
Note: E-mail messages have the opposite problem of being overly-informal, so this article does not pertain to that medium.
Some employees, though many years out of school, could be channeling their college days, where highbrow language may have paid off. It's no coincidence that unnecessary loftiness often gets mocked as "25-cent college words" (those multi-syllabic words that can be easily replaced by a more common, one-syllable word). Employees may equate the need to write in a professional manner with writing in an intellectual and academic style. What they need is a wake-up call; someone telling them straight out that this type of writing is not necessary.
When
it comes to written workplace communications, what's more important than
showing off knowledge of large words is clarity. You can send any message
using big words or small, but the best way for others to actually get
your message is by your keeping it simple. Not only does keeping it simple
mean fewer syllables, but it usually also means fewer words. Multi-word
phrases are just a waste of time because one word will usually do. "In
regard to"? What's wrong with "regarding"? "As per
your request"? How about "you asked"?
In all fairness, if you would use the same words when speaking to someone, then by all means write that way, too. I don't believe one needs to "dumb down" his/her communication skills (unless others have difficulty understanding you). But if you find yourself purposely trying to increase your written word wattage (and struggling to do so), stop trying so hard. (Unless, of course, your boss or the nature of the communication actually requires it.) Focus on using conversational English, proper grammar, correct spelling, and correct punctuation. Your colleagues will be more impressed with a clear, concise message, than one filled with 25-cent college words.
Good luck,
stay legal, and keep it simple!
Gloria Ju
Senior Editor
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