When I was a younger version of myself, a writing assignment often included adding words to meet minimum requirements. I was never guilty of thinking about the prose, sentence structure, or even if the reader could follow my worded logic.
There. It’s a huge relief to get that bit of news off my shoulders!
I was, and am still padding with words unneeded, and building sentences that extend the prose.
Somewhere in my past, I never conquered how to make a sentence structure say what I want it to say. Conciseness is key! Often, I assume the reader is on the same worded path as my writing, and they would know what I meant. Not true, of course. Way back then, more words meant less thinking if word count was the gauge of success. The assignment would say a “500-word essay on _____,” and immediately, I would think about the number of pages and pad each sentence with filler words. If it were a “4-page report on _____”, then more paragraphs were in order. Space is used. Words are added. Suddenly, you arrived!
Today, when I read one of my blog posts from 10 years ago, I cringe. Did I actually say it like that? Word choice! Mis-used. Misspelled. Look at all those filler words, sentences out of “tense” with each other, and my, what poor grammar choices I made!
You never get better at something if you never do it.
You will never comprehend how to make it better unless you spend time writing. Critiquing. Editing. Rephrasing. Polishing. You know! Make it better.
Test Your Ability to be Understood
It would have been about 1967, and I joined some students in an academic venture to compete against other students around the state. My skills were not in math or the sciences, but I knew I could talk and write. I registered for two contests called “Extemporaneous Speech” and “Extemporaneous Writing.” For each of these contests, you would walk into a room, take a card from a basket, prepare a speech, or write an essay on various unknown topics. As in, “…where did that come from...”, topic!
I did not do well enough to score at the top of the competition, but I did get two medals. That stuck with me through the years. There are ways to speak and write so you can be better understood and win awards! In my family are many writers who communicate without even thinking about what they are saying, and they are very good at it. Me? I agonize over each sentence! Rewording, rephrasing, re-writing time and again.
I make use of a software system called Grammarly to help me write more clearly and concisely. When it gives me hints, and I take them to heart, it rewards me with quotes of how good of a job I’m doing. For example:
To err is human, to edit divine!
Using Hidden Language
In my recent past, I turned to online books as my go-to source of reading material. There’s something about carrying thousands of books in nothing bigger than a deck of cards! Resource material, dictionaries, research tools. I can highlight sentences, words, look up definitions, copy portions to my notepad and save them!
When I find something put together really well, I attempt to modify my communication to mimic the style. Turn to my notepad and find the example I’m looking for!
Have you ever heard of “poetic license?” It’s “…the freedom to depart from the facts of a matter or the conventional rules of language when speaking or writing to create an effect.” [Google Search] You know what I mean. Using words and phrases with hidden meanings, embellishing the facts for the sake of the story, or simply changing the story’s order to flow differently. Unless the reader/listener is completely ignorant of the subject, they can read into the words and understand the message.
In 1957, Johnny Cash wrote a song titled “Big River.” He never mentions the river by name, but if you are continentally aware, then the Mississippi River is the obvious choice. His opening phrases got me thinking about how we use words.
Now I taught the weeping willow how to cry, cry, cry
And I showed the clouds how to cover up a clear blue sky
Late at night, these words and phrases got me thinking about our language—the prose. There is a poet hidden in each of us when we attempt to describe where we are in life, what we think, and where we are going. Except, the words and rules of poetry are lost because we do not think the thought through.
Communication Structure
We know how to share with an intimate number of friends. Our words can be a butchered language because we all know where we come from. When we attempt to connect with strangers the same way, baffled looks show we are communicating in a way they cannot understand.
Joke About Telling Jokes
Three older men had been telling each other jokes for years.
The same old tired jokes elicited strong laughter when shared.
After a while, they numbered the jokes.
Calling out a number, they would chuckle and laugh.
As if the entire joke was recited.
Then a stranger joined in, and he watched their humor when a number was called out.
What gives? They explained.
He attempted to join in and called out a number within the range.
The older men stared at him.
No one laughed. One of the three said,
“Some can tell jokes, and others can’t.”
What am I saying? Within our personal circle of influence, we know each other so well that a simple word can garner a commonly shared background. With others, we have to explain in full.
And that’s the rub with communication.
It’s More Than Words
It happens all the time! Recently, sharing with a friend as he was waiting for his surgery, we chuckled because we knew the same things. He is about 15 years older than I, a different skin color, from a different state replete with a different set of experiences, but we are both “from the south…”. A stranger would have marveled that we were communicating so sparsely but still in agreement with the laughable nugget!
Words between friends are different than between strangers.
That being said, word choices and sentence structure can flow the page of thoughts into the reader’s mind. The reader must paint by numbers their interpretation of the words. Try the same words and move from the eyes to the ears, then the message is adjusted to include tempo, tone, inflection, and a host of other crafted approaches. Move that to a screen setting, and suddenly the communication includes the surroundings, extraneous noise, and distractions in the background.
The story is more than words!
What a writer must say in a few sentences, the backdrop of a visual story speaks to the audience’s eyes. Communication is more than just the words being used! It includes everything encompassing the moment. Add a medium to the message. Suddenly, communication includes visual clues to the moment. Background sounds and images distract. Discordant sounds muffle. It’s like watching a video, listening to a radio, and reading words at the same time…who knows what will be the ending of this communication cycle!
Consider The Sentence
Can you craft a sentence to be structurally sound? Sure. I never remember breaking sentences apart in that traditional sentence-tree structure. It was the 6th grade when I spent a year that was a poor experience for learning anything. We pitied the fool who had a good teacher, but it’s obvious others were learning something never forced upon us.
Sentences should say what you want someone to understand. There are so many levels of understanding out there! It’s often difficult to get to the main idea, stay in proper tense, and communicate clearly if you do not understand the structure. Legalese comes to mind—wordiness over conciseness, but sometimes it takes many words to say something correctly. Regardless, sentences need a clear path to lead the thought to an obvious conclusion.
Somewhere between reading for pleasure, and deeper understanding, I determine that words are important, recitable phrases clarify, but sentences hold the power of better communication.
John Piper
A favorite theologian, author, pastor, and teacher, John Piper, teaches a series called “Look at the Book.” [Click the link to see an example.] He breaks apart the Bible’s ideas out of complex sentences in such a way where the truth of the Word flows out of the reading. Even in my advanced years, I’m learning how to understand the bedrock of Bible doctrine better. Our English Bible is not the original language of the People of God. Someone had to learn the language, times, customs, and realize how best to translate it.
That being said, communicating is not just saying something the best way possible. It’s also knowing the hearer’s perspective and adapting to their needs. We are each unique and different!
Could you take it to another level? Some writing needs to have fine print. Disclaimers. Explanations. Reasons. It’s the fine print that we need to understand! The broad scope of themes s great, but the fine print gives us a foundation.
I was making a cup of coffee in the dark morning, so I put a little water in a cup and stuck it in the microwave for 30-seconds. Snap! Crackle! Pop! Lightening! I stopped the microwave and realized the cup must have some metal in it. Gold Foil leaf was the image and the words inside the cup. What did the Fine Print say? I had never thought about it! On the bottom of the cup, and in tiny letters: “Do Not Microwave. Hand-wash only.”
Yes… Break the experience apart and learn from it! Break the words of the Bible apart and learn from it!
Consider Your Words
Morphology, syntax, philology, etymology.. The history of what a “word” is can be a fascinating study. When we read, write, or listen, the order of the words, along with the particular choice of our words, make the communication clearer. Or muddier.
Etymology is the study of the history of words. Where they come from. How they were, and are, used in conjunction with the times they existed. I’m always delving into the history of words! Since I’m a “digital” reader, for the most part, thanks to Kindle-type access, I can research to my heart’s content without turning to a library of books it would take to accomplish the task.
I’m drawn to writers (mostly old) who use old words to explain something to a reader that requires a dictionary to enjoy! Truly! I may not be like them when I write or speak, but their style enhances my experience. For that, I am very grateful.
Also, I like new words. It is said that William Shakespeare created many new words or gave new meanings to existing words. [Source] On the fly, I’ll create a new word and feel like that crafty wordsmith of over 400 years ago!
Changes Are Coming
Now, that being said, words change meanings and uses over time. Good can become bad if you use it in the correct syntax of a style of speaking. That’s B-a-a-ad…can actually mean “that’s good!”
Words are closely connected with other words that have different meanings. I’ve tried never to use those that can easily be misread and bring confusion. I think.
A recently read word, “deign,” made me think. We can add a letter, and it becomes “design.” Go ahead, pause and look it up. I’ll wait on you.
Consider that our language is imperfect. We update it often to reflect new needs of communicating in our changing world. This makes it difficult for some of us because our habits are ingrained. Sometimes with manners and styles that are centuries in the making.
As we move into a season of constructing new gender identities, we face challenges. Singular words are expunged for plural words. No longer should we assume “he, she, him, or her.” Instead, “they, them” become the generic terms until you know how they identify. I think I have this right! You are expected to identify with a specific gender so others will learn how to speak to/about you. Why? It is now Y-O-U who must state what you prefer and not assume that the other person relates to the personal pronouns you have supposed about them. Or them about you! Why? You don’t know their identity, and we have no other singular words to use for the various ways people define themselves.
Grammatically, with these word changes, a sentence may not be correct. But you can do nothing about it except to possibly offend someone.
There are times I take a break from being around people, and enjoy words!
Here’s My Thought Today
A communicator must always consider the audience if their words will make an impact. Tone it down a notch for some. Tweek it up for others. Or be the same all the time and realize you will miss reaching everyone.
When teaching, I attempt to use a three-step approach to sharing information.
- I will tell you what I’m going to tell you.
- Tell you.
- Then, tell you what I told you!
Communicating in a stepped approach may be offensive to some who can glean the information in a single pass, but not everyone is on the same page! Does this work for writing as well? Perhaps. Even then, in the midst of a subject thought, someone may need even more repeats until it sinks in.
Imagine the slow process of communicating in a time gone by era of ink, quill, paper and the slow process of sharing meticulously word by word. Today? We are rushing to get our words into every medium possible and not taking the time to ensure our communique is correctly spelled out.
Let’s take it spiritual for a moment.
Spiritual Communication
If words in the natural sense are important, how much more important are they in the spiritual sense?
At some hard sayings, Jesus replied with this thought:
It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing.
The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.
(John 6:63 NKJV)
Lot of keys here! Don’t take anything out of context. Read the complete chapter and you’ll find he was alluding to sacraments as communion, study of the Word, and living fully “physical” from the “spiritual” life lived. Possibly you have to go to an original language to get the full gist. I’ll leave that to you. Ask me for more input, or study the chapter yourself.
Think about it from Solomon’s perspective.
Death and life are in the power of the tongue:
and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.
(Proverbs 18:21 KJV)
Saying What You Mean and Doing What You Say
Jesus was in Capernaum. Teaching. His words enlightening listeners on both sides. Some liked the words; others didn’t. A man was brought to him who was affected with demonic spirits. The spirit challenged Jesus and then thrashed the man in front of the crowd. Jesus commanded the spirit to be quiet and to exit from the man. Just five words are recorded in the Greek translation of the spoken word of that day (possibly Aramaic). In English, we read:
Hold thy peace, and come out of him. (Luke 4:35)
The crowd is amazed. The demonic spirit is challenged and must leave. It was not just the words, but the power behind the words! Jesus had all power! He says so right before commissioning the church to reach the world. (Matthew 28:18-20) If we believe he had the power of words to tell us what to do, then he has the power to command the demonic to flee.
Listen, even in other situations, Jesus exercised power through his words. Then he tells us we have the same ability if we would only doubt not and have faith! Speak it! Believe! Watch it happen! (Matthew 21:21, Mark 11:23) Peter and John do this in a message I preach called, “The Day After Pentecost!” (Acts 3:1-10)
You can study how Jesus used words to communicate his message or perform his miracles. A great lesson is learned. It’s not just what we say and to whom we speak, but equally, it’s the power we speak from.
Wrap It Up
I hear it all the time, and at times I’m worried I hear it from myself. Negative speak. Downers. Slams. Barbs. Nails in the coffin, so to speak. Using language in all mediums, we often let our inner voice speak, and the venomous words pour out. They condemn us, the speaker, more than they harm others, the hearers.
In the New Testament, James writes a few words about the Power of the Tongue… In other words, our communication.
But no man can tame the tongue.
It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
With it we bless our God and Father,
and with it we curse men,
who have been made in the similitude of God.
Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing.
My brethren, these things ought not to be so.
(James 3:8-10 NKJV)
Doublespeak. Depends on the audience. Right? Perhaps. But there is another scripture that talks about the real problem of our communication. It’s not the mouth, rather, it’s the heart.
Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things?
For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.
(Matthew 12:34 NKJV)
Let Your Heart Be The Barometer
A barometer measures atmospheric pressure and can foretell approaching conditions. Not to get too geeky with this, the pressures in our heart can be the best indicator of how we communicate, just as atmospheric pressures can indicate short-term weather conditions.
From the abundance of what we have in our hearts, the mouth will speak, and words will be produced. Speak life, and you speak hope. Speak negative, and then you’ve probably hung a millstone around your neck – your true nature is known, trust is lost, and your witness destroyed.
Our true selves are revealed in the heat of the moment.
Regardless of your approach, once spoken, words are hard to take back. Once posted, especially in the online world, it is almost impossible to walk back our words!
Maybe this is where we slow down so we can communicate better. Go back to the quill, jar of ink, and parchment paper. Write out our words, thinking them through before committing nib to paper.
Let The Word Be Our Gauge
There is a way to speak negatively, but in a positive light. It’s only from the Apostle Paul we find this process engaged. Speaking the truth with love.
Instead, we will speak the truth in love,
growing in every way more and more like Christ,
who is the head of his body, the church.
(Ephesians 4:15 NLT)
One researcher defines this phrase as something almost impossible to capture in the English language. Essentially we should “speak the truth from one who follows and lives the truth” and do it in Love, continually growing to be more like Jesus.
Here’s my better thought of communication, and it comes from a song of my youth.
To be like Jesus.
To be like Jesus.
On earth, I long to be like him.
All through life’s journey,
From earth to glory,
I only want to be like him.