Writing 2101F/G Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Grammar, Gender-Neutral Language, Doublespeak
27 Feb 2017
School
Department
Course
Professor
WEEK 6
PLAIN LANGUAGE VS WORDINESS
Clear, concise writing using plain language is preferred over convoluted language
When too many words are used to say something that can be expressed more economically
o That leads to wordiness
Common wordiness offenders
o Ready-made phrases
Due to the fact that
o Redundancies (pleonasms)
Completely necessary
Difficult because they are so common and feed concern of making sure that
the writer get across an idea by overemphasizing
WHY WORDINESS EXISTS
IT FILLS SPACE
Adding more words enables the writer to fill space
o Helps to meet a word or page count
o Adding filler can be easier than providing meaningful content, but similar to adding
empty calories
What is easier for the writer is not easier or more satisfying for the reader
IT SOUNDS SMART
Desire to add an air of importance to a message
o More about appearance than real depth
Often people feel expected to write this way
Objections that people have to conciseness
o Stifles writer’s personality
o Makes all writing sound the same
It is possible to be personal and to have style without wordiness
o Also, wordiness often comes across as pretentious
IT’S JARGON
JargonTechnical language within a field that seems incomprehensible to outsiders
o Shows no concern for outside readers
Can be designed purposefully to exclude outsiders
Jargon can also be a matter of convenience
o Makes internal communication easier
Use of jargon essentially boils down to who the intended audience is
IT’S DOUBLESPEAK
Doublespeak
o Used to confuse readers or evade responsibility
Most commonly associated with bureaucratic language
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Clear, concise writing using (cid:498)plain language(cid:499) is preferred over convoluted language. When too many words are used to say something that can be expressed more economically: that leads to wordiness. Common wordiness offenders: ready-made phrases, redundancies (pleonasms) (cid:498)due to the fact that(cid:499) (cid:498)completely necessary(cid:499) Difficult because they are so common and feed concern of making sure that the writer get across an idea by overemphasizing. Adding more words enables the writer to fill space: helps to meet a word or page count, adding filler can be easier than providing meaningful content, but similar to adding empty calories. What is easier for the writer is not easier or more satisfying for the reader. Desire to add an air of importance to a message: more about appearance than real depth. Often people feel expected to write this way. Objections that people have to conciseness: stifles writer"s personality, makes all writing sound the same.
