adaptation and the selection of words , need for adaptation , how to adapt to multiple readers , prefer the short , use technical language and acronyms with caution , familiar word to the long , unfamiliar word. , unfamiliar word , select words with right strength and vigor , prefer the active to the passive. , avoid words that lower women’s status

1. Adaptation and the selection of Words
Sunday,
September
29, 2019

2. Sunday,
September
29, 2019
Adaptation and the Selection of Words
Role of adaptation in selecting words
Simplifying with short and familiar words
Appropriate use of technical words and acronyms
Selection of words with appropriate strength
Use of concrete words and active voice
Achieve clarity and precision by avoiding camouflaged
verbs, selecting the right words, and using idioms
correctly.
Use of words that do not discriminate

3. Need for Adaptation
(fitting the message to your readers)
• Disparity of status, expertise, knowledge
• Help to efficiently executing the program
Sunday,
September
29, 2019

4. How to Adapt to Multiple Readers
Write for the bottom level
Usually this means simplifying the message
Thus the following suggestions stress simplification
Sunday,
September
29, 2019

5. Prefer the short, familiar word to the long, unfamiliar word
Shorten
Do
About
Find out
Begin
Much
Decide
Harmful
• Abbreviate
• Accomplish
• Approximately
• Ascertain
• Commence
• Considerable
• Determine
• Detrimental
Sunday,
September
29, 2019
Long, Unfamiliar Words Short, Familiar Words

6. Prefer the short, familiar word to the long, unfamiliar word.
Copy
Height
Equal
Build
Give
Vague
Show
Useless
• Duplicate
• Elevation
• Equivalent
• Fabricate
• Furnish
• Indeterminate
• Indicate
• Ineffectual
Sunday,
September
29, 2019
Long, Unfamiliar Words Short, Familiar Words

7. Prefer the short, familiar word to the long, unfamiliar word.
Hinder
Smallest
Change
Go
Replace
Last
Picture
Proof
Sunday,
September
29, 2019
 Interrupt
 Minimal
 Modification
 Proceed
 Supersede
 Ultimate
 Visualize
 Verification
Long, Unfamiliar Words Short, Familiar Words

8. Prefer the short, familiar word to the long, unfamiliar word.
Long, Unfamiliar Words Short, Familiar Words
Company operations for the
preceding accounting period
terminated with a substantial
deficit
The company lost much money
last year
One monkey succumbed
unexpectedly apparently as a
result of an untoward response
to a change in feeding regimen.
One monkey died because it ate
too much.
This machine has a tendency to
develop excessive and
unpleasant audio symptoms
when operation at elevated
temperatures.
This machine tends to get noisy
when it runs out.
Sunday,
September
29, 2019

9. Use technical words and acronyms with caution
• Every field of business- accounting, information systems, finance – has it
technical language. As you work in your chosen field, you will learn its
technical words and acronyms. In time you will use these terms freely in
communicating with people in your field. A problem comes about, however,
when you use technical terms with people outside your field. Because these
words are everyday words to you. You tend to forget that not everyone knows
them. The result is miscommunication. You can avoid such miscommunication
by using technical words with extreme caution. Use them only when your
readers know them.
Sunday,
September
29, 2019

10. Use Technical Language and acronyms with Caution
.
Sunday,
September
29, 2019
Technical Language Improved Version
Has sufficient quarters of coverage to
acquire an insured status.
Has worked long enough (under Social
Security) to become insured
Survivors’ benefits Family insurance payments
Covered employment A job covered by Social Security
Deceased wage earner Worker who has died
To file a claim To apply for insurance payments
Aged workers workers past 65

11. Use initials and acronyms with caution
• VCR
• FDA
• CD
• IPO
• RV
• NATO
• IRS
Video cassette recorder
Food and Drug Administration
Certificate of Deposit/Compact Disc
Initial Public Offering
RecreationalVehicle
North AtlanticTreaty Organization
Internal Revenue Service
Sunday,
September
29, 2019
What do these letters mean?

12. Select words with right strength and vigor
• In a way, works are like people; they have personalities. Some
words are strong and vigorous. Some are weak and dull. And
some fall between these extremes. Good writers know these
differences and they consider them carefully.They use the
words that do the best job or carrying the intended meaning.
As a rule they make the stronger words stand out.
Sunday,
September
29, 2019
Stronger words Weaker words
Tycoon Eminently successful business person
Bear market Generally declining market
Boom A period of business prosperity
Mother Female parent

13. Consider the strength and vigor of words
• source of great wealth
• additional compensation
• great loss
• complete failure
• untruth
• put an end to
• upraise
bonanza
bonus
disaster
fiasco
lie
destroy
boost
Sunday,
September
29, 2019
WeakerStronger

14. Select words with right strength and vigor
• In selecting the stronger words, you should keep in mind that the verb
is the strongest part of speech,Verbs are action words and action
carries interest
• Second is the noun. Noun are the doers of action- the heroes of the
sentence.Thus they also attract attention.
• Adjectives and adverbs are weak words and may considered as
judgment word.They add length and distract (entertain) from the key
words, the nouns and the verb.
Sunday,
September
29, 2019

15. Use concrete language
Good business communication is marked by words that form sharp and
clear meanings in the mind.These are the concrete words that should
prefer in writing.
Concrete is the opposite of abstract. Abstract words are vague. In contrast,
concrete words strand for things the reader can see, feel, taste, or smell.
Concrete words hold interest, for they refer to the reader’s experience.
Sunday,
September
29, 2019
Abstract Concrete
A significant loss A 53 percent loss
Good attendance record 100 percent attendance record
The leading company First among 3000 competitors
In the near future By noon Thursday
Substantial amount Tk. 4,500,000

16. Prefer the concrete to the abstract
Sunday,
September
29, 2019
Abstract Concrete
We have found that this technique is
successful
Our research shows that 87 percent
of those using the technique are
successful.
Your department may hire some new
employees.
Your department may hire three new
stock clerks.
We will ship your order soon We will ship the Moss No. 41 desk
sets you ordered October 12 by
Arrow freight on October 15
Each of the branch managers will
receive a substantial pay raise.
Each of the branch managers will
received a 15 percent pay raise.
This procedure requires a constant
low temperature
This process requires a constant
temperature of 10 degrees
centigrade.

17. Use active voice
• It is better to prefer the active voice to the passive voice.Active voice
produces stronger, livelier writing. It emphasizes the action and it
usually saves words
• In active voice, as you will recall, the subject does the action. In passive
voice, the subject receives the action.
Sunday,
September
29, 2019

18. Prefer the active to the passive.
Sunday,
September
29, 2019
Passive Active
It is believed that the bill was
padded
I believe they padded the bill
Your report was read by the
president.
The president read your
report
The profit and loss statement
is prepared by the treasurer
each month.
water
The treasurer prepares the
profit and loss statement each
month
It is suggested that you clean
the element in warm, soapy
We suggest that you clean the
element in warm, soapy water
It is desired that every effort
be made to have this matter
brought to the attention of
the manager.
Mr.Wong wants you to bring
this matter to the attention of
the manager.

19. Avoid overuse of camouflaged verbs
• When a verb is camouflaged, the verb describing the action in a
sentence is changed into a noun.Then action words have to be added.
Sunday,
September
29, 2019
Action Verb Noun form Wording of camouflaged verb
Acquire Acquisition Make an acquisition
Appear Appearance Make an appearance
Apply Application Make an application
Assist Assistance Give assistance to
Discuss Discussion Have a discussion

20. Avoid overuse of camouflaged verbs
Camouflaged Verb Clear verb form
Control of the water was not
possible.
They could not control the water.
He made an application for the
position of HR officer
He applied for the position of HR
Officer
The president gave a
consideration to the issue.
The president considered the
issue.
Sunday,
September
29, 2019

21. Select words for precise meanings
• Obviously, writing requires some knowledge of language. In
fact, the greater your knowledge of language, the better you
are likely to write. If you want to be a good writer, you will
need to study words carefully.You will need to learn their
precise meanings, especially the shades of difference in the
meaning of similar words.
• For example, fewer and less mean the same to some people.
But fewer to mean ”smaller number of items”. And less to
mean “reduced value, degree or quantity”.
• The verbs affect and effect are often used as synonyms. But
affect means “to influence” and effect means “to bring to
pass”.
Sunday,
September
29, 2019

22. Avoid words with a masculine origin
manufactured, of human origin
personnel, workers
representative, member of Congress
business executive, businessperson
letter carrier, mail carrier
police officer
fire fighter
camera operator
server
man-made
manpower
congressman
businessman
mailman
policeman
fireman
cameraman
waiter/waitress
Sunday,
September
29, 2019
Sexist Nonsexist

23. Avoid words that lower women’s status.
• my girl
• lady doctor
• authoress
• actress
• poetess
• sculptress
• male nurse
• male secretary
my secretary
doctor
author
actor
poet
sculptor
nurse
secretary
Sunday,
September
29, 2019
Instead of Use

24. Sunday,
September
29, 2019
“Why use two words when one will do.”
--Thomas Jefferson