Business Communication Chapter 4

Prefer Active Verbs

Contain the action of the sentence. Overuse of the verb "to be" and passive voice can sap the energy from your sentence. There are two versions of verbs: Weak verbs (Passive) & Strong verbs (Active)

Manage Emphasis in Sentence Design

Design sentences that give the right emphasis to content. -Put the main ideas in the main clauses -Use corrdination and subordination deliberately -Use short sentences for emphasis

Concrete words

Opposite of abstract. Concrete words are those that stand for things that exist in the real world, such as chair, desk, computer, Bill Gates, and the Empire State Building. Stand for things the reader can see, feel, taste, smell, or count. Ex. A 53% loss Firse among 3,212 companies 62 percent By noon Thursday $3,517,000

Writing Clear Paragraphs

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Avoid Words that Typecast those with Disabilities

People with disabilities are likely to be sensitive to discriminatory words. They run the risk of having others exclude them, treat them as strange, or minimize their abilities. They are the largest minority group in the world. In the U.S. 19% of the noninstitutionalized population has a disability. We all have different levels of ability in different areas. Keep these fact in mind when choosing your words.

Dangling/misplaced modifiers

Putting modifiers in the wrong place or giving them nothing to modify in the sentence. A sentence which says something different from what is meant because words are left out or out of order.

Excessive detail

Putting too much detail into one sentence tends to hide the central thought, and it also make the sentence too long. If the detail isn't necessary, remove it.

Unnecessary repetition of words or ideas.

Repeating words obviously adds to sentence length. It sometimes serves a purpose, but all too often it is unncessary.

Redundancies

Repetitions of ideas through the use of different words that mean the same thing. They are rarely needed.

Denotation

Same basic meaning. Direct or dictionary meaning of a word, in contrast to its figurative or associated meanings. Literal meaning of a word.

Economize on Words

A second basic technique for shortening sentences. The shorter wordings save the reader time and are clearer, and more interesting.

Plain language

Communication your audience can understand the first time they read or hear it. Avoid the stiff, more difficult words that don't communicate precisely or quickly.

Weak verbs (Passive)

Am Becoming Has Does Is Go Had Doing Are Goes Can Did Was Going Could Shall Were Get Seems Should Be/to be Got Appears May Being Gets Will Must Been Getting Would Might Became Have Do

Avoid Camouflaged verbs

Avoid the camouflaged verb. The verb describing the action in a sentence take the form of a noun. Then other words have to be added.

Using Gender-Neutral Words

Avoid words implying that only one gender can be in charge or perform certain jobs. Ex. -Firefighter -Server -Representative -Chairperson Most people are offended from 3 versions of sexist pronouns. You can avoid them by the following: 1. You can reword the sentence to eliminate the offending word. 2. To make the reference plural. (their, them, they) 3. To substitute any of a number of gender-neutral expressions. (he or she, he/she, s/he, you, one, and person) 4. DO NOT MIX #2 & #3

Word Sentences Logically

Awkward arrangement. -Mixed construction -Incomplete constructions -Dangling/misplaced modifiers -Faulty parellelism

Avoid Words that Stereotype by Race, Nationality, or Sexual Orientation

Because they frequently reinforce negative stereotypes about these groups. Also unfair are words that suggest that a minority member has struggled to achieve something that is taken for granted in the majority group. You must consciously treat all people equally, and you should refer to a person's group membership only in those rare cases in which it is a vital part of the message to be communicated. You must be sensitive to the effects of your words. Specifically, you should ask yourself how those words would affect you if you were a member of the group to which they refer. You should evaluate your word choices from the viewpoints of others.

Use short sentences for emphasis

Carry more emphasis than long, involved ones. They call attention to their contents by conveying a single message without the interference of related or supportng information.

Incomplete constructions

Certain words used early in a sentence signal that the rest of the sentence will provide a certain kind of content. Be careful to fulfill your reader's expectations.

Specific words

Closely related to being concrete. Even if you are talking about something intangible, you an still make your wording as precise as possible. Ex. We've been voted one of the Business Courier's "Best Places to Work" for the last five years. Our batteries cost less and last longer. Will you let me knoe by June 1?

Use Technical Words & Acronyms Appropriately

Communicating with others in your field would be appropriate, but with others that aren't you must use lamins terms.

Avoid Words that Stereotype by Age

Discriminatory wording should be extended to include both the old and young. We shouldn't assume that getting old leads to lives that are sedentary. Or that they're feeble, forgetable, or slow people. Appropriate words are: -retired -experienced -veteran Likewise for referring to someone young. Appropriate words are: -young accountant -accomplished young woman Be careful of generational labels. (Baby Boomer, Gen-X, & Millennial). They can seem discriminatory also. Use such labels only when relevant and appropriate.

Surplus words

Eliminate words that add nothing to sentence meaning. Eliminating them sometimes requires recasting a sentence, but often they can just be left out.

Give Sentence Unity

Good sentences have unity. All parts of the sentence work together to create one clear point. Lack of unity in sentences is usually caused by one of two problems: 1. unrelated ideas 2. excessive detail

Mixed construction

Illogical sentences occur when two different kinds of sentences put together.

Faulty parellelism

In traditional grammar, a construction in which two or more parts of a sentence are equivalent in meaning but not parallel (or grammatically similar) in form. Faulty parallelism most often occurs with paired constructions and items in a series. To correct faulty parallelism, match nouns with nouns, verbs with verbs, and phrases or clauses with similarly constructed phrases or clauses.

Writing Clear Sentences

Limit Sentence Content Write short, clear sentences by limiting sentence content and economizing on words. Business audiences tend to prefer simple, efficient sentences over long, complex ones. No one wants to read writing that wastes tme. Writers try to be efficient by using as few sentences as possible. Having more sentences with less in them is often the better strategy. Preferring short sentences does not mean making all sentences equally short. You'll need some moderately long sentences to convey your more complex ideas and add flow to your writing. So many words and relationships are in the sentence that they cause confusion. The result is vague communication at best - complete miscommunication at worst.

Put the main ideas in the main clauses

Main (or independent) clauses express the main point of the sentence.

Prefer Short Words

Short words generally communicate better than long words. Short words tend to be familiar words. Long words create an impression of difficulty that hinders communication.

Connotations

Social and emotional associations. Different clothing styles, connotations project different moods and meanings.

Select Words for Appropriate Usage

The difference in certain pairs of words. Ex. Fewer vs. less (Items that can be counted vs. overall quantity of something that can't be counted) Affect vs. effect (Usually used as verb meaning "to influence" vs. used as a noun that means "a result" of something Continual vs. continuous ("repeated regularly and frequent vs. repeated without interuption)

Unrelated ideas

The ideas in a sentence must have a reason for being together and clearly convey one overall point. If they don't, you should separate them. If you believe they do go together, then make clear how they're related.

Use Slang & Popular Clichés with Caution

They come & go. Then sound dated. Business Clichés can sometimes increase your credibility. They can also add color to your language and quickly convey an idea. Clichés can begin to sound ike a replacement for thinking. Can cause cross-cultural communication problems.

Cluttering phrase

This is a phrase that can be replaced by shorter wording without loss of meaning. The little savings achieved in this way add up.

Use Precise Language

Use words that have sharp, clear meanings for their intended readers, as well as the right emotional tone. Choosing such words means being concrete, specific, and sensitive to shade of meaning.

Avoiding Discriminatory Writing

Using word that do not treat all people with equal respect. Words that refer negatively to groups of people because of their gender, race, nationality, sexual orientation, age, physical ability, or some other trait. Those types of words don't promote good business ethics or good business and thus have no place in business communication.

Abstract words

Vague. Ex. We have a great company Our batteries are better Please respond soon Abstract nouns cover broad, general meanings. The following words are difficult to visualize what they stand for: Administration, negotiation, wealth, inconsistency, loyalty, compatibility, conservation, discrimination, incompetence, and communication. Ex. A significant loss The leading company The majority In the near future Sustantial amount

Strong verbs (Active)

Verbs that describe, in better detail, the actions in the narrative. Verbs like "ran" instead of "went" and "screamed" instead of "said".

Use corrdination and subordination deliberately

When two or more pieces of information need to be included in one sentence. When coordinating ideas, you treat them as equal in importance by joining them with "and", "but", "or", "so", or "yet" (coodinate conjunctions) Subordinate ideas are treated less important than the main idea.

Idioms

Word combinations that have become standard in a language. Use word combinations that people expect. Ex. Faulty Idiom vs. Correct Idiom Authority about vs. Authority on Comply to vs. Comply with Different than vs. Different from Equally as bad vs. Equally bad Seldom or ever vs. Seldom if ever Based off of vs. Based on

Use Familiar Words

You must use words that your readers are familiar with. Because words that are familiar to some people may be unfamiliar to others, you will need to decide which ones your readers will understand.

Sensitive to shade of meaning

You need to elicit the right emotional response from your reader. Some words are forceful and some timid; some are positive and som negative; some are formal and some informal. Any given word can occupy a place on many different scales of tone and meaning. Choose words that will achieve the desired response from your intended reader.