Business communication building critical skill 3rd by locker module 15

PPT
PPT

Module
Module 15
15
Choosing
Choosingthe
the
Right
RightWord
Word

McGraw-Hill/Irwin

©2007, The McGraw-Hill Companies, All Rights


15-2

Choosing
Choosing the
the Right
Right Word
Word
♦To learn how to
 Choose words precisely.
 Choose words ethically.
 Choose words with appropriate
connotations.
 Think critically and solve problems.

15-3

Choosing
Choosing the
the Right
Right Word
Word
Start by answering these questions:
 Does using the right word really
matter?
 How do words get their meanings?
 Is it OK to use jargon?
 What words confuse some writers?


15-4

Types
Types of
of Words
Words

♦Accurate Words
♦Appropriate
Words
♦Familiar Words
♦Technical Jargon

15-5

Understanding
Understanding Words
Words
♦Denotation
 A word’s literal or dictionary meaning.

♦Connotation
 The emotional colorings or associations
that accompany a word.

♦Bypassing
 When two people use the same word to
mean different things.


15-6

Negative
Negative Words
Words
♦Avoid negative words—choose
positive alternatives.
 Not guess, argue or stubborn but assume,
debate or firm.

♦Avoid stuffy words.
 Not commence or utilize, but begin or use.

15-7

Types
Types of
of Jargon
Jargon
♦Technical Jargon
 Specialized terms of a technical field.

♦Business Slang

 Terms, sometimes borrowed from a
technical field, but used in a more general
sense in business.

♦Businessese

 Out-of-date terms or phrases you should
avoid.


15-8

Commonly
Commonly Confused
Confused Words
Words
♦ Accept/Except

♦ Fewer/Less

♦ Affect/Effect

♦ It’s/Its

♦ A lot/Allot
♦ Among/Between
♦ Compose/ Comprise

♦ Stationary/
Stationery
♦ To/Two/Too
♦ Your/You’re