The purpose of this week’s blog entry is to elucidate the myriad ways in which one may attempt to use ostentatious speech in a misguided attempt to give the impression that one is erudite and eloquent.
Wait…what? Let me rephrase that. This week, we’ll be talking about how people make the mistake of using big words to try and improve their speech. There. That’s better.
Often people make the mistake of equating an impressive vocabulary with being articulate. While this is true to an extent, using uncommon language that few people understand doesn’t make you seem particularly intelligent. Unfortunately, it often just makes your message difficult to understand.
This mistake is commonly found with non-native speakers of a language, particularly in writing. Unsure of their grammatical or linguistic skills, many attempt to overcompensate with unnecessarily difficult words, hoping it will give the impression that they are educated and knowledgeable. However, when language is difficult to understand, many people will tune out and your message will be lost. While you certainly want to maintain professional language and avoid slang, overly lengthy or obscure words will ultimately hurt your message.
When in doubt, refer to the old saying: KISS: Keep It Short and Simple.
For more great advice on good speech, voice, and communication habits, visit us at our website, www.corporatespeechsolutions.com.