
Here's what I think you'll find most useful in the article:
- Insights on how we use words differently in English versus other languages, including fewer adjectives, more "suffocating" words with Latin roots and more Anglo-Saxon active verbs.
- "Simple is good," advice that gets at the core of what works well in English, is approachable for a non-native speaker and essential for any speaker who wants to be clear. Zinsser thoroughly dismisses the notion that you need complex words in order to be taken seriously.
- An emphasis on storytelling that the audience can follow, through a simple order of events, clear words, and active verbs that move the story forward.
Zinsser includes passages from clear English writing so the reader has examples of each principle. Just replace the word "writing" with "speaking," and you'll find this article an excellent path to redirect your pursuit of clear speaking in English. (A hat tip to Lisa Orange for pointing me to the article.)
No comments:
Post a Comment