Introduction to print media

Principles of meaningful
language

Principles of meaningful language

A writers greatest strength is the ability
to share meaning and communicate so
that readers accurately understand.
Shared meaning and accurate
understanding require that the writer
and the reader apply the same meaning
to the words being used. The following
principles are reminders of how to write
in ways that are meaningful to readers:

Principles of meaningful language

Create word pictures show, dont tell. Writing
is very powerful when it demonstrates a fact
and invites the reader to draw a conclusion,
rather than when it interprets the situation for
the reader. Effective writers provide concrete
information so that the readers can properly
interpret the situation for themselves.
Use analogies a comparison that uses
imagery or familiar terms to explain unfamiliar
concepts.

Principles of meaningful language

Use the right word words that at first glance
seem alike may have significantly different
meanings. Good writers understand these
differences and they write accordingly.
Disinterested does not mean uninterested;
imply does not mean infer.
Use precise descriptions print media writers
provide concrete and specific information.
Instead of: A company lost a lot of money last
year a good writer: The company lost Sh100
million last year.

Principles of meaningful language

Use strong verbs use words, especially
verbs that forcefully make the point. Effective
writers have learnt to be particularly frugal
about using forms of is, have and make.
Replace clichs with original verbs clichs
are familiar expressions overused to the point
that they become wary and stale. When your
reader knows exactly where you are heading,
you have probably used a clich. Consider
the following:

Principles of meaningful language

Just a drop in the ---; Only time will ----; Swept
under the -----. Because clichs are predictable,
they no longer carry meaning. Many clichs
today have lost their original meaning leaving
readers both bored and uninformed.
Avoid journalese
Newswriters may not read enough of what others
have written or perhaps they just get used to
their own words. Journalists sometimes fall into a
sloppy style of generalities, clichs jargon and
overwriting, a style known as journalese.

Principles of meaningful language

In journalese, temperatures sour; costs skyrocket;
fires rage and rivers rampage. Projects are kicked
off; functions are slated for; projects get a green
light. Real people dont talk that way, so it is
important to avoid such trite/pedestrian writing.
Rewrite jargon jargon is specialised or technical
language unfamiliar to average reader. Journalists
can use jargon in specialised writing but since
audiences vary in fields of specialisation, there is
a need to rewrite or avoid it. One can explain
jargon.

Principles of meaningful language

Avoid loaded words consider this: a news source
declined to return a phone call, failed to, neglected to, or
refused to. In journalism, precision is king.
Avoid pretentious words and euphemisms pretentious
language uses words which are inflated to sound more
impressive than the facts warrant: a car dealer
advertises experienced vehicles or previously owned
vehicles; bald people are follicly impaired.
Euphemism on the other hand are words or expressions
made less precise because the more direct words may be
offensive or upsetting. That is why a friends father
passes on instead of dying. When using pretentious
words or euphemisms, a journalist needs to be careful.

Principles of meaningful language

Write honestly Talk about doublespeak which
means statements which tend to misinterpret
reality, especially those made by public officials
and organisational spokespersons. A Canadian
military report called a helicopter crash a
departure from normal flight. All journalists
and other professional communicators are called
upon to write with honesty and integrity.
Journalists get their information from sources with
doublespeak and they should be aware of this and
interpret information to their audience honestly.

Principles of Standard usage

Writers communicate clearly with their audience by
following the principles of syntax (the branch of
grammar dealing with the arrangement and
relationships of words in sentences).
Use technically accurate language The ultimate
rule is so the reader can understand the intended
meaning. Writers need to observe at least the
baseline of technical accuracy by following the
canons of grammar, punctuation and syntax. Note
that writing should not only be correct but it should
also read well. Use correct spelling. Misspelled
words signal a careless writer.

Principles of standard usage

Use the appropriate level of formality
Effective media writers use what has been
called operational English or standard
English. English has many cultural dialects
and it is the duty of the journalist to use the
dialect appropriate for his/her audience.
Avoid grammatical myths Some rules are no
rules at all. Some rules are not absolute. The
writer needs to weigh if it adds the readability
of the sentence e.g. weakly protest, quietly
fume.

Principles of standard usage

Avoid bulky sentences Journalists should strive for
simplicity. A good sentence delivers only one thought,
and its phrases and clauses work to support the main
thought rather than introduce extraneous information.
Franklin Roosevelt in 1942 said:
Tell them that the buildings where they have to keep the
work going to put something across the window.
Make sure subjects and verbs agree In its basic form,
the principle of subject-verb agreement is a singular
subject takes a singular verb and a plural noun takes a
plural verb. That is why we write: The truck hits the
pedestrian while trucks hit the pedestrian.

Principles of standard usage

Make sure nouns and pronouns agree the same
logic that says singular nouns make singular verbs
applies to nouns and their pronouns. The university
lost its bus. The students lost their book.
Keep punctuation simple use commas, periods,
question marks, hyphens and quotation marks
appropriately. Go lightly on dashes, parentheses
and be wary about using semicolons, colons and
exclamation marks.
Stick with the stylebook be familiar with your
house style.