Develop an Extensive Vocabulary
Tis what I feel, but can’t define, tis what I know, but can’t express.
—Beilby Porteus
A person’s vocabulary is the sum and variety of words he or she has available to use when speaking or writing.
The bigger your vocabulary, the better. By having an extensive vocabulary you are able to choose the exact words that best say what you want to say about something. The use of precise language is required for a person to get understood optimally.
Generally, use short, simple words and plain, easy-to-understand language rather than long words and fancy language. However, it is permissible to use long words when they most precisely express what you are thinking and feeling. The fact is that sometimes there are no satisfactory substitute or alternate words to select from—for example, when speaking about specialized fields such as science and medicine.
Standard or commonly used words generally communicate best. Your listeners must be able to understand the words you use or there will be a communications breakdown. Therefore, refrain from using slang, idioms, and foreign words, as well as long, unfamiliar words and phrases.
The backgrounds, educational level, and intellectual abilities of your listeners limit the level of vocabulary you can use. If you use high-level vocabulary, your uneducated listeners won’t understand you. Conversely, if you use low-level vocabulary, you are likely to offend your educated listeners. In these instances you will be either talking over the heads of people or talking down to them. In either case, you risk being misunderstood and may even antagonize people.
Use words familiar to your listeners. Also, be sure that the words you use have the same basic meaning for both you and your listeners. Beware of assuming you are being understood as this is naive. If you are uncertain about whether your words are being understood, define them.
To use words correctly, you need to know precisely what they mean. If you have any doubts about the meaning of words, get into the habit of looking them up in a reputable and up-to-date dictionary. Dictionaries list words and phrases compiled from a survey of many sources. Unabridged dictionaries contain over five hundred thousand entries whereas the average adult knows only about ten thousand words. Be sure to check that the dictionary you are consulting is current as dictionary listings are always influx with words being added and deleted as times change.
In addition to using a good abridged dictionary, you would profit from using a thesaurus, or dictionary of synonyms. These aids contain words having the same or similar meanings to the word you are looking up. Your vocabulary says a lot about you. An extensive vocabulary properly employed impresses people and creates a favorable image.
You are capable of building your vocabulary if you really want to by making a reasonable effort to do so. The following tips will help you to increase your vocabulary:
• Develop an attitude of intellectual inquiry (have an urge to know and grow).
• Read widely on a variety of subjects or look up new words as you encounter them.
• Listen to what people say and analyze the context in which they used a word to figure out its meaning. If you can’t determine the meaning, ask the person who used it to define it for you (even presidents have been known to interrupt a speaker to ask the person to explain what a word they said meant).
• Write down a new word soon after you hear it so you can remember it. Next, look up the new word. Notice how it is spelled and pronounced as well as what it means.
• Add the new word to your vocabulary by practicing using it frequently in sentences (both verbally and in writing).
• Feel the sense of accomplishment from having expanded your vocabulary.
The important thing about any word is how you understand it.
—Publilius Syrus
A word is a speech sound, or series of sounds, that communicates meaning. Words are symbols that stand for an idea, event, or object. Words are not the same as the idea, event, or object itself. Words are not real things and should not be confused with reality.
You have the freedom to choose what you want to say and how you want to say it. The test for whether to use a word or note is to ask yourself this question: Does the word fill a real need? If it does, use it; if it doesn’t, don’t use it.
Your constant goal should be to select just the right word for getting your message across as clearly as possible. Even a slight difference in words can make a tremendous difference in their interpretation. Mark Twain once made this perceptive observation about word differences: “The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and the lightning bug.”
There are no right words for all situations. Selecting the exact right word to describe your thoughts and feelings is not easy; in fact, it can be extremely hard. The choice is easier to make when you possess an extensive vocabulary that allows you to pick the word that contains the fine shade of meaning that you want to convey.
This statement about language use makes an astute though humorous point: “Some people use language like underwear—merely to cover the subject with anything, while others use language like lingerie to show the subject off at its best.”
Your attitude about life, people, and yourself strongly influences your choice of words. The following suggestions will assist you to make the right word choices:
• Be other person centered rather than self-centered.
• Recognize that words are only words and not reality and that they have only the meaning people give them (e.g., “Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me”).
• Be willing to work hard to choose only the best words to express yourself.
• Desire to be candid and forthright.
• Choose to use simple words and plain language.
• Be willing to learn important information about your listeners so you can learn which words are best to use with them.
• Predict the ways your words could be understood so you can try to avoid using the wrong words.
These tips on word use should be helpful:
• Be aware that words and language are constantly changing.
• Know the regional differences in word use. For example, hot cakes, pancakes, and johnnycakes are all similar.
• Use few words rather than many words to say things.
• Use short words and sentences as a rule.
• Use simple words and familiar language.
• Use active instead of passive words.
• Say things in a positive rather than negative way.
• Be explicit and precise.
• Use picture words; for example, brave as a lion, thundering waterfall.
• State things in a concrete or tangible rather than in an abstract manner.
• Use gender-neutral words.
• Select words that are lively and contain punch.
• Use specific rather than vague words and avoid generalities.
• Use clear and definite words maximally and minimize the use of ambiguous words.
• Expect to be misunderstood at times so that you will be ready to explain and clarify what you’ve said.
Be Cautions About Word Meanings
When I use a word it means just what I choose it to mean, nothing more or less.
—Humpty Dumpty
Meaning is the sense of something that is conveyed by language. It is that which is signified by words. Meaning is what a speaker intends for a listener to understand from what is said and it is what a listener understands from what a speaker says.
The meaning of a word depends on the person saying it and the person hearing it, along with the context in which the word is used. For example, the word “holocaust” has a special meaning to a Jewish survivor of the concentration camps. The word “rape” has a unique meaning to a rape survivor. The meaning of heart attack has a much more intense personal meaning for a person who has suffered one. A word means only what the person saying it intends for it to mean at the certain time and under the particular circumstances, though the audience may not perceive the same meaning. There never has been nor will there ever be one right or absolute meaning to a word.
People give similar meaning to words only to the extent they have similar experiences. Therefore, since no two people have ever had exactly the same experiences, they cannot possibly derive exactly the same meaning for a word they say or hear. It is helpful to view words as a map of a territory and not the actual territory itself. Like a map, words are only an approximation of what they represent.
It is impossible to predict accurately the affect a word will have in any given situation since the same word can evoke positive, neutral, and negative reactions from different people; for example, the words “conservative” and “liberal.”
To minimize confusion over words, constantly ask yourself when speaking, “What do I really want to say and how can I say it best?” Conversely, when listening, ask yourself, “What did the speaker mean when he or she said so-and-so?” Both speakers and listeners need to be sensitive to the many shades and subtleties of word use. It is best not to react to a word you hear until you are sure of the speaker’s intended meaning. For example, what does a person mean who says, “I’m anxious to go to the Super Bowl game”? Is the speaker worried or eager about going? Or, what does a woman mean when she says, “Let’s do lunch soon”? Does she sincerely want to have lunch with you or is she merely saying this to be polite without any intent to follow up and have lunch together?
Let’s look at some causes of words being misunderstood:
• Sloppy, imprecise use of language; for example, “as soon as possible,” “you know,” or “and stuff like that.”
• Changing meaning of words based on the changes in the words themselves or in the people speaking and listening differing experiences in life. For example, the word “gay” used to mean a happy state of mind and had nothing to do with sexuality. And the word “partner” was once used in referring to a business relationship, whereas today it could refer to a person who is cohabiting. Remember, meaning does not have a permanently fixed meaning.
• Ambiguity caused by the multiple meanings of words (rarely does a word have only one meaning). For example, the word cat has dozens of meanings as does the word run. How can a person know how the speaker is using a word until the context is known? For example, a person who is having a late supper may state, “I’m starving.” Compare this with a person who has just been rescued from being lost in the woods without any food for a week saying, “I’m starving.” The word starving is the same but the meaning is vastly different.
• Confusion resulting from a word that is pronounced the same way but that has a different meaning; for example, “The red book on the shelf is interesting” compared with the statement “I read the book on the shelf.”
• A person’s mood or feelings at the time influences how he or she interprets a word. For example, a man may say “I hate you” in anger to his wife and yet when he whispers “I hate you” in her ear during a romantic moment the word has
an entirely different meaning. Or, a woman who is feeling depressed and meets a friend who compliments her by saying “You certainly look nice today” may later reflect on this comment and ask herself, “I wonder what she meant by that? Doesn’t she think I look nice on other days?”
People speaking and listening would both profit from wearing this sign continuously in their mind: Danger, words at work.
I see one rule: to be clear. If I am not clear, all my world crumbles to nothing.
—Henri Stendhal
To be clear is to be easily understood. A clear message is free of ambiguity, haziness, and obscurity. Clarity creates no doubts or uncertainty. You have been clear when your listeners understand the thoughts and feelings you have expressed in essentially the same way you intended them to be understood.
Regrettably, there is often a significant difference between what the person speaking intends to say and what he or she actually says and also between what is said and what is actually heard.
It is essential to say things clearly. You can’t compromise on clarity if you want to get understood. It is the speaker’s responsibility to say things clearly. Don’t expect your listeners to struggle to decipher what you are really trying to tell them; they can’t and won’t do this. People can only react to what you say not what you intended to say.
Your goal when speaking is to have your listeners understand your words exactly as you intended them to be understood. Cicero hit the nail on the head when he stated, “The aim of speaking is not simply to be understood, but to make it impossible to be misunderstood.”
You can employ a multitude of methods to be clear and thus understood:
• Realize that clear expression begins with clear thinking. It is vital that you identify your purpose and keep it constantly in mind. Know exactly what you want to say and how you want to say it (always think before you speak).
• Relate everything you say to your purpose.
• Organize your ideas in an orderly and logical sequence.
• Provide complete and consistent information, including sufficient background material.
• Speak loudly enough to be heard easily. Speak at a brisk pace of 120 to 150 words a minute. Pause at appropriate times to allow your listeners time to think about what you have said.
• Pronounce your words carefully and correctly. It is best to use standard American English as your guide.
• Articulate your sounds carefully and properly.
• Give your listeners a chance to ask questions while you are speaking to secure feedback and also so that you can clarify unclear points on the spot (let people know when you begin speaking that it is okay to interrupt with questions at any time).
• Adjust your speaking style and content based on the feedback you get from your listeners.
• Use body language to support and reinforce what you are saying.
• Know these important things about word use:
1. The use of words is very personal. Words have different meanings to different people in different contexts. Humpty Dumpty made this point crystal clear when he stated, “When I use a word it means what I choose it to mean, neither more or less.”
2. Use words precisely to aid clarity. Be sure to define how you are using words, especially when they have a special meaning or are highly technical.
3. Use words that are familiar to your listeners as well as words that are connected to their experience. Refrain from using foreign words and unfamiliar acronyms.
4. Use concrete or tangible words related to your listeners’ lives.
5. Use specific words and phrases rather than talking in generalities.
6. State things as briefly, plainly, and simply as possible (and limit the amount of information you present at any one time) and use abbreviations only when they are well known.
7. Cite relevant examples and tell stories to help explain complicated ideas. Comparisons and contrasts are also helpful when explaining complex and unfamiliar information.
8. Develop an extensive vocabulary so you can select the best and most precise word to use to make a point more clearly.
9. Use correct English. Be sure to have your verb tenses agree. Be certain to make your antecedents obvious when you use pronouns. In addition, have your subjects and verbs agree in form.
• Repeat important points several times to reinforce them. For example, tell people what you are going to tell them, tell them, and then tell them what you have told them.
• Make clear transitions to help people know when you are leaving one point and proceeding to the next (numbering your points is an effective way to show transitions).
• Help your listeners visualize the objects or events you are talking about by using lively and picturesque language that conjures up word pictures (e.g., little red schoolhouse). Visual aids also create mental images to support your words.
• Appeal to both sides of your listeners’ brains. Appeal to the left side to have them apply logic, sequence, and order to what you are saying. Appeal to the right side of their brains to help them see the total picture and the spatial or artistic dimensions of your presentation.
• Avoid frequent use of the following confusing kinds of words and phrases because they disguise what you really mean or overly soften what you really intend to convey:
1. Euphemisms—for example, saying pleasantly plump for fat, passed on for died, misspoke for lied, and so on
2. Political correctness—for example, love child for bastard, disadvantaged for poor, and physically challenged for physically handicapped
3. Doublespeak—for example, open secret, deliberate speed, bitter sweet, negative growth, working vacation
Use Simple Words
Simplify, simplify, simplify.
—Henry David Thoreau
Saying something simply is saying it by using plain words and uncomplicated language. Simple speaking avoids the use of fancy words, pinpoints the key ideas, and gets straight to the heart of the matter.
There is real power in speaking simply. Important ideas do not have to be expressed in a complicated manner. People who really know what they are talking about can say things clearly and simply. They use words only to express themselves rather than to impress people (truly “big” people use “little” words).
If there are several ways of saying the same thing, elect to say it in the simplest way. The use of simple language doesn’t reflect a simple mind, and simplicity does not mean that your language must be simplistic and sound as though you are talking down to people.
Two other points need to be stressed:
1. Use of overly simple language can insult and turn off your listeners.
2. Big words are not always objectionable. They are okay if the subject requires their use (for example, something highly technical). They are also right to use if they sound natural for the speaker and are appropriate for the particular listeners.
These suggestions will assist you in speaking simply:
• Use short words, short sentences, and short paragraphs (beware of using four- and five-syllable words).
• Adapt your language to your listeners; use words only if they are suitable for your listeners.
• Use concrete and tangible words as much as you can (avoid abstractions as much as possible).
• Define all important words and phrases that are not crystal clear.
• Avoid using foreign words and phrases.
• Refrain from employing specialized and technical terms, jargon, slang, and colloquialisms.
• Speak concisely; cut out any unnecessary words.
• Limit the amount of information you share at any one time, especially if it is new and complicated.
The following quotations speak plainly, powerfully, and succinctly about the beauty of simplicity:
1. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
“In character, manner in all things the supreme excellence is simplicity.”
“Speak so that the most lowly can understand, and the rest will have no difficulty.”
3. Ralph Waldo Emerson
“An orator or writer is never successful until he has learned to make his words smaller than his ideas.”
A speaker would be well advised to keep these quotations in mind when choosing the best way to say things to people.
Use Precise Words
When you say something, make sure you have said it.
—William Strunk and E. B. White
To state something precisely is to exactly do that. It is to define it sharply and minutely.
The precise meaning of words is influenced by the speaker’s and the listener’s backgrounds, experiences, and emotional state at the time. Also, the more abstract the word, the more varied its interpretation.
Here are a few examples of abstract words that invite multiple interpretations of their meanings: freedom, justice, patriotism, truth, honesty, soon, large, and beautiful.
The more precisely you can word your message the better you will be understood. Therefore, your goal should be to express yourself as exactly as possible. You want to leave no doubts in your listeners’ minds as to what your comments mean.
Unfortunately, regardless of how precise your words are, there will be some difficulty in getting what you have said interpreted correctly. This uncertainty exists because of the differences in people, the nuances of language, and the fact that words are always only an approximation of the things and events they are describing (much like a map is only an approximation of the actual territory it represents).
Imprecise wording results from fuzzy thinking, saying the first word that pops into your mind, and the speaker’s limited vocabulary. The first step in stating something precisely is thinking clearly about what you want to say. Next, you need to select the words that most accurately express the exact shade of meaning for what you want to convey and have your listeners hear.
You can improve your use of just the right word to get your message across by:
• Enlarging your vocabulary
• Looking up various synonyms that you can use and choosing the best one
• Using words that create mental images or pictures in people’s minds of the thing or event being talked about (for example, the little red schoolhouse or the plain white church with the tall steeple on the village green)
• Thinking through exactly what you want to say before saying anything
• Knowing your listeners’ backgrounds and experiences with the subject
Here are several examples that emphasize the differences between imprecise (I) and precise wording (P):
• I-I need the report as soon as possible.
P-I need the weekly production report by noon today.
• I-I will be out of the office for several days next week.
P-I will be in Tucson on Tuesday next week and will return to the office by one o’clock on Wednesday.
• I-While you are at the market, be sure to get something for lunch as well as some fish and dessert.
P-When you go to Safeway, be sure to get one pound of provolone cheese and two pounds of hamburger for lunch, as well as two one-pound salmon steaks and a Pepperidge Farm coconut cake.
Use Specific Words
Be as specific as you possibly can when talking with people.
—Anonymous
Being specific is limiting or restricting what you are saying to a particular person, thing, or event. It is the opposite of being general or vague.
The more general and the less specific a word or phrase is, the more difficult it is to understand. Words work best when they convey specific meaning and worse when they are loaded with generalizations and ambiguities. By being specific you promote understanding and take much of the guesswork out of what you are saying. On the other hand, when you speak vaguely and in generalities, you cause confusion and create misunderstanding.
You can make your statements more specific and concrete if you do the following:
• Select your words carefully. Don’t be content to settle for the first words that pop into your head.
• Use precise wording that conveys the exact information you want to share.
• Prefer language that is specific rather than general, concrete rather than vague, and tangible instead of abstract.
• Say words that create mental images or pictures in your listeners’ minds.
• Refer to actual people, places, and events.
• Cite the names of people rather than using the pronouns he, she, and they.
• Give definite times and dates instead of approximations.
• Provide all the relevant facts and details without being excessive.
• State statistics and actual events to pin things down.
• Use several relevant examples and anecdotes.
Now let’s look at a few examples that contrast general (G) and specific (S) wordings when communicating:
1. G-The child enjoys her soft toy.
S-The two-year-old enjoys playing with her soft teddy bear.
2. G-The father and son went to the ballgame in the spring.
S-The father and his son Bill went to see a Dodger baseball game on the night of April 10th.
3. G-I need you to give this report a top priority.
S-I need you to get me the monthly financial report by noon tomorrow.
4. G-I need the project completed as soon as possible.
S-I need the Canfield project on my desk no later than 9:00 a.m. next Monday, November 1st.
5. G-Your monthly report was unsatisfactory and probably needs to be revised.
S-Section 4 of your monthly report needs to be more detailed before I can okay it.
Use Familiar Words
Every new movement or manifestation of human activity when unfamiliar in people’s minds is sure to be misrepresented and misunderstood.
—Edward Carpenter
Familiar words and language are marked by informality. They are easily recognized by people. Familiar words are frequently said, heard, and experienced.
Your goal when speaking is to make your meaning instantly understandable. Don’t force your listeners to exert a lot of effort to figure out what you are saying. It doesn’t make sense to use words your listeners don’t know. Remember, your purpose in communicating is to express not impress (people who really know a subject are able to use simple and plain words when talking about it).
Common sense dictates that you increase the possibility of being misunderstood when you use unfamiliar words and language. Also note that a word that is familiar to one person may not be familiar to other people. The sage Hippocrates once perceptively stated, “Nothing detracts from the clarity of language as much as the use of unfamiliar words.”
Here are some tips on how to use familiar words and language that will help you to get understood:
• Use everyday words and phrases that people know and are comfortable with.
• Let short, familiar words convey how you think and feel about things.
• Show how your new ideas relate to ideas already known and familiar to your listeners.
• Use technical and specialized terms cautiously.
• Provide testimony and quotations from people your listeners know and respect.
• Cite examples associated with your listeners’ backgrounds and experiences.
• Refrain from using foreign words, slang, clichés, or worn-out expressions such as
pretty as a picture |
can’t see the woods from the trees |
the writing is on the wall |
take to the woodshed |
slow as molasses |
chip off the old block |
right as rain |
sharp as a tack |
Now let’s examine how much clearer the meaning is with simple, familiar words contrasted with longer and unfamiliar words:
familiar |
unfamiliar |
familiar |
unfamiliar |
learned |
erudite |
enemy |
protagonist |
unnecessary |
superfluous |
extra |
extraneous |
neat |
fastidious |
aware |
cognizant |
small |
diminutive |
large |
gargantuan |
talkative |
loquacious |
excitable |
exuberant |
boundaries |
parameters |
generous |
magnanimous |
count |
enumerate |
benefactor |
philanthropist |
hungry |
famished |
sad |
morose |
This final thought from the Corinthians in the Bible emphasizes the importance of saying things plainly and in familiar terms:
Except ye utter by tongues
easy to be understood
how shall it be known what is spoken
for ye shall speak into the air
Use Gender-Neutral Words
The differences in focus on messages and meta messages can give man and women different points of view on almost any comment.
—Deborah Tannen
Gender refers to a person’s sex—male or female. Gender-neutral words lack bias and prejudice—they don’t favor one sex over the other.
Words can make a difference! They can create positive or negative attitudes and feelings about people, things, and events. Historically, the English language has been male oriented, favoring men and being biased against women. Gender-neutral language treats men and women fairly and as equals, whereas sexist language is biased against women. The frequent, even if inadvertent, use of sexist language can create relational problems, interfere with understanding, and even cause resentment.
Effective speakers must acknowledge the existence of sexist language and identify which words are sexist so they can avoid using them. They also need to know how to use gender-neutral language so they can build bridges rather than create barriers to understanding.
There is no denying that men and women communicate differently. They have differing communications attitudes, perspectives, and styles. Men and women could both benefit from learning how the other communicates. Knowing the similarities and differences could reduce misunderstanding. Recognizing that gender-biased language can upset people and lead to misunderstanding, your goal should be to become aware of what constitutes sexist language and to use gender-neutral (fair) words routinely.
Here is a partial list of contrasting gender-neutral and sexist words. There are many more gender-related words, but these examples should suffice to make the point:
gender neutral |
gender biased |
gender neutral |
gender biased |
flight attendant |
stewardess |
firefighter |
fireman |
mail carrier |
mailman |
police officer |
policeman |
mankind |
staffing |
manning |
|
sales rep |
salesman |
chairperson |
chairman |
engineer |
lady engineer |
woman |
girl |
executive |
manager |
women’s college |
girls’ school |
Miss Jones |
honey |
my secretary |
my girl |
nice appearance |
sexy appearance |
Mrs. Jones |
Betty |
Now let’s take a look at some important differences that are generally present in most male-female communication that you should be aware of in order to improve your communication with the opposite sex:
• Women tend to talk on a more personal and emotional level whereas men tend to emphasize facts and downplay emotion.
• Men tend to make statements and lecture whereas women tend to listen and ask questions.
• Men tend to get right to the point and focus on solving problems while women tend to focus more on the process and details.
• Men typically don’t listen as well and interrupt frequently. Women tend to listen better, interrupt less often, and provide more feedback.
• Men usually speak more directly or authoritatively and give orders. Conversely, women are more likely to make suggestions and be less direct and assertive.
• Men are commonly more competitive, disagree more often, and are more comfortable stating their opinions and arguing. Women tend to be more cooperative and more reluctant to disagree or argue.
• Men generally are concerned with maintaining their status in conversations while women are commonly more interested in connecting with others.
• Women tend to sit opposite each other in meeting settings and to look directly at each other, whereas men tend to sit at an angle and look at each other indirectly.
• Women tend to talk with some hesitation and a rising inflection in their voices, which suggests tentativeness and uncertainty to the men listening.
• Women are inclined to be more compassionate and politically correct when talking than are men.
• Men usually talk in generalities and abstractions whereas women stress tangibles and specifics (for example, women refer to their personal experiences more often than do men).
• Women tend to engage in small talk and chitchat while men are usually uncomfortable with and avoid this kind of talk.
Please note, much of this information is from Deborah Tannen’s books on male-female communication. If you are especially interested in male-female communication, you may want to read her excellent books on this subject.
Use Technical Words Cautiously
A word whose meaning is perfectly clear to one person may be totally misunderstood by someone else.
—Anonymous
Technical language has special and unusual meaning and use. It is designed or fitted for one particular purpose, use, or occupation. It pertains to a specialized field of knowledge, such as science. Technical language is specialized with limited application.
Each science, technology, and occupation has developed its own distinct language to achieve an exactness or preciseness of expression that promotes understanding and discourages multiple meanings. Technical language promotes understanding by specialists in the same field but can’t be readily understood by the average person.
Despite the potential communications barriers, there is a proper place for the use of specialized language and jargon. In many instances it is best for people in technical fields to employ highly specialized language because it offers a precision of meaning that might be lacking otherwise. When discussing especially significant matters, it is advisable to read the content of a technical subject word for word to minimize the possibility of it being misunderstood (and for the record). Try to use plain words and simple language whenever possible, and do your best to avoid using technical or specialized language with nonspecialists.
Fortunately, there are some countermeasures you can take to overcome problems caused by the use of technical language:
• Have ready access to and consult an up-to-date dictionary promptly when needed.
• Identify in advance the technical words and specialized language that you intend to use that may be new or unfamiliar to your listeners.
• Define unfamiliar technical terms at the beginning of your presentation.
• State things simply and briefly (use familiar language).
• Refrain from using acronyms and abbreviations, especially if they are not commonly known.
• Avoid using slang, colloquialisms, and foreign words.
• Watch for cues that indicate that your listeners are confused by what you are saying (e.g., facial expressions and body language).
• Stop immediately when your listeners appear lost; at this point ask for their questions or furnish additional information.
• Provide examples familiar to your listeners to make your point in a more concrete fashion.
Language is always in a state of flux. New words are constantly being introduced to the English language. Also, the meaning of existing words is changing continuously.
New words are usually associated with a new event, activity, or vocation. The following examples of the new terms being used in various fields should illustrate this point:
• Communications: fax, e-mail, the Internet, Kindle, Skype
• Computers: texting, website, Facebook, blog
• Space industry: liftoff, all systems go, mission scrubbed
• Transportation: jet lag, ground positioning system
• Medicine: body mass index, new labels and diseases (e.g., Alzheimer’s, autism)
• Social activities: chill out, rapping, hang out, hook up
• Descriptions of people: spaced out, druggie, love child, wicked awesome
In addition to new words being misunderstood, further confusion results from the changing meaning of existing words. Here are several examples of common existing words whose meaning has changed drastically:
• Gay—from happy to male homosexual
• Partner—from business associate to persons of same sex living together
• Cool—from low temperature to impressive or good
• Challenged—from questioned or disputed to handicapped
In addition to single words, many new phrases are being used, such as:
• throw under the bus
• on the same page
• at the end of the day
The list of specialized words, new words, and words with a changed meaning is endless.