Chapter 12 Language and Style Language and Style

Chapter 12 Language and Style

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.

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

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.

The Importance of Language and Word Choice

The Importance of Language and Word Choice

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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.

Presenting Your Message Clearly: Understandable Language

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.

Concrete Words vs. Abstract Words

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”

Presenting Your Message Clearly: Proper Use of Words

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.

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. ”

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.

Expressing Your Ideas Effectively: Repetition

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

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

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.

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.

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

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

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. �

Choosing Respectful and Unbiased Language: Use Gender-Neutral References • Some word choices reinforce genderbased 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).

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.

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.

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.