The Basic Need for Adaptation
• For writing to be clear, it must be adapted to the reader.
Visualizing the Reader
• Adaptation begins with visualizing the reader-imagining what he or she knows, feels, thinks, and such.
Technique of Adapting
• Often you will need to write at levels lower than your own.
• In writing to less-educated workers, for example, you may need to simplify. You may write differently for highly educated people.
Adapting to Multiple Readers
• Writing to multiple readers can be a challenge.
• Accommodating non experts usually does not impair your communication with experts.
• Write in the reader’s language, and don’t sacrifice effectiveness for brevity.
Suggestion for Selecting Words
• Selecting the right words is a part of adaptation. Following are some suggestions to help you select such words.
• These suggestions stress simplicity for three reasons:
• (1) Many people tend to write at a difficult level.
• (2) the writer usually knows the subject better than the reader; and
• (3) The results of research support simplicity.
Use Familiar Words
• Familiar words communicate. Use them. Use your judgment in determining what words are familiar.
• Difficult words are not all bad. Use them when they fit your needs and understood.
• Unfamiliar words: This machine has a tendency to develop excessive and unpleasant audio symptoms when operating at elevated temperatures.
• Familiar words: This machine tends to get noisy when it runs hot.
Choose Short Words
• Generally, short words communicate better.
• Some exceptions exist.
• Generally, short words communicate better.
• Some exceptions exist.
Long Words:
• The decision was predicated on the assumption that an abundance of monetary funds was forthcoming.
• They acceded to the proposition to terminate business.
Short Words:
• The decision was based on the belief that there would be more money.
• They agreed to quit business.
Use Technical Words and Acronyms with Caution:
• All fields have technical words.
• These words are useful when you communicate with people in your field.
• Some examples are covered employment, cerebral vascular accident, annuity, and bobtail. These words are well known to people in special fields, but not to most outsiders.
• Use initials cautiously. Spell out and define as needed.
• Legal language has worked its way into business writing.
• Words like thereto, herewith, are examples.
• Replace legal language with plain words.
Use Concrete Language:
• Use concrete words.
• Concrete words are specific words.
• They stand for things that exist in the real world: deck, chair, road.
• Abstract nouns have general meanings: administration negotiation.
• Concreteness also means exactness: a 53 percent loss the odor of decaying fish.
Abstract:
• A significant loss
• Good attendance record.
Concrete:
• A 53 percent loss
• 100 percent attendance record
Use the active Voice
• Prefer the active voice to the passive voice.
• In active voice, the subject does the action. In passive voice, it receives the action.
• Active voice is stronger and shorter.
Passive:
• The results were reported in our July 9 letter.
• This policy has been supported by our union.
Active:
• We reported the results in our July 9 letter.
• Our union supports this policy.
Caution:
• Passive voice has a place. It is not incorrect.
• Passive is better when the doer of the action is not important.
• Passive helps avoid accusing the reader.
• Passive is better when the performer is not known.
• It is also better when the writer prefers not to name the performer.
Avoid Overuse of Camouflaged Words
• Avoid camouflaged verbs. You camouflage a verb by changing it to a noun form and then adding action words.
• For example, if cancel becomes cancellation, you must add “to effect a” to have action.
| Action Verb | Noun Form | Wording of Camouflaged Verb |
| Acquire | Acquisition | Make an Acquisition |
| Appear | Appearance | Make an Appearance |
| Apply | Application | Make an Application |
Camouflaged Verb:
• An arrangement was made to meet for breakfast.
Clear Verb Form:
• We arranged to meet for breakfast.
Avoid camouflaged verbs by
• (1) writing concretely and
• (2) Preferring active voice.
To comply with these suggestions
(1) Make subjects persons or things
(2) Write sentences in normal order
Select Words for Precise Meanings
• Writing requires knowledge of language.
• You should study language and learn the shades of difference in the meanings of similar words.
• Select words with the right strength and vigor. Words have personalities. Select the stronger ones.
• Use correct idiom. Idiom is the way ideas are expressed in a language.
There is little reason to some idioms, but violations offend the reader.
Faulty Idiom: Correct Idiom:
Authority about Authority on
Comply to Comply with
Different than Different from
Suggestions for nondiscriminatory writing
• Avoid words that discriminate against sex, race, nationality, age, sexual orientation, or disability.
• We often use discriminatory words without bad intent.
Use Gender-Neutral Words
Masculine Pronouns for both sexes:
• Avoid using the masculine pronouns for (he, him, his) for both sexes.
You can do this
• (1) by rewording the sentence;
Sexist:
• If a customer pays promptly, he is placed on our preferred list.
Gender-Neutral:
•
A customer who pays promptly is placed on our preferred list
(2) By making the reference plural.
If customers pay promptly, they are placed on our preferred list.
• Or (3) by substituting neutral expressions.
If a customer pays promptly, he or she is placed on our preferred list.
• Neutral expressions can be awkward; so use them with caution.
Avoid words suggesting male dominance, such as these examples;
Man-made Manufactured, of human origin
Manpower Personnel, workers
• But not all man-sounding words are sexist.
Words that Lower Status by Gender:
• Do not use words that lower one’s status.
Avoid Words That Stereotype by Race, Nationality:
• Words depicting minorities in a stereotyped way are unfair and untrue.
• Words that present members of minorities as exceptions to stereotypes are also unfair
• Eliminate such references to minorities by treating all people equally and by being sensitive to the effects of your words.
Avoid Words that Typecast those with Disabilities
• Disabled people are sensitive to words that describe their disabilities.
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