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From: bob@nbires.UUCP (Bob Bruck)
Newsgroups: net.singles
Subject: Re: What Do You Do? (actually, hiding behind big words)
Message-ID: <443@nbires.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 22-Jul-85 17:08:51 EDT
Article-I.D.: nbires.443
Posted: Mon Jul 22 17:08:51 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 24-Jul-85 06:25:00 EDT
References: <1030@trwatf.UUCP> <33100024@ISM780.UUCP>, <3133@cornell.UUCP> <753@drume.UUCP>
Organization: NBI,Inc, Boulder CO
Lines: 27

ZehrbachT wrote:
> 
>      Instead of using such big words, try to use words common to everyone's
> vocabulary.  Short, concise, easily understood (by everyone) words.

This is one of the most sensible statements I have read here.  The purpose of
communication is to present your thoughts and ideas to another being.  Com-
munication breaks down if the person you are talking to cannot understand
your vocabulary or sentence structure.  I feel that if a person completely
understands what s/he is talking about, s/he should be able to explain her/his
ideas in a way that a layman can understand it.

Of course, this is much easier said than done (no pun intended :-).  Rhetoric
is an art, and requires a thorough understanding of your audience as well as
the ability to organize your thoughts clearly and logically.  However, it is
worth the effort to learn to express oneself clearly and simply.  I have
learned to associate intelligence in other people with their ability to present
their ideas in a way that I can easily understand.  It is a "turn off" for me
to listen to people talk about things (especially their work) using vocabulary
intended to "impress" rather than clarify.  On the other hand, I have often
felt that people use big words and complicated syntax as a nervous response to
an uncomfortable situation - such as trying to "break the ice" with a potential
SO that they just met.

					Bob Bruck
					NBI, Inc.  Boulder, Co.
					(hao | allegra | ...)!nbires!bob