This week's assignment, we were assigned to read a chapter about writing improvement. There were a lot of good articles in this chapter that provided good information on how to improve your writing. I've learned a lot from each essay but I will share my favorite.
I want to confess something to all of you. And I bet I'm not the only one who does this “thing” that I am about to share. I will illustrate that; I guess I'm a
Just kidding. We're not cheaters. We just want to look for a better word to use. The word cheater is too strong so I wanted to tone it down a bit. The problem is, the synonym my program provides are no good either. If I choose one of those, I will sound like I'm trying to hard to sound "academic." And if I decide to say, "I guess I'm a wrongdoer," it just sounds so weird and unnatural.
This is what I want to share with all of you. According to writer Richard Lederer, "short words are as good as long ones" (122). When we are assigned to write reports, we try to sound "intelligent" as much as we can. And the best way to do that is either look up a thesaurus or do what I illustrated above. Because we stress this so much, we do not realize that "small words . . . can meet your needs with a strength, grace and charm that large words do not have" (122).
Every report I wrote I try to sound smart as I can. I type down a word we use everyday, then look up a synonym that sounds more “intelligent.” I thought the use of simple words were weak. And all I want is to impress the teachers. There are times when I constantly switch small words to bigger ones, and as a result I can't even understand my own paper. On top of that, it won't sound like me. It's not my real voice.
After reading Richard Lederer's essay The Case for Short Words, he made me understand how simple short words can actually be more powerful than using big words. He supported his argument by introducing William Shakespeare's work; “And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good.” A lot of his work contains small words with only one syllable.
It's just now that I realized that by using one syllable words, you can actually create something that sounds creative and easy to read. You won't have to worry about twisted tongues trying to pronounce big words.
I would like to attempt to write a short paragraph by using only one syllable words. Hope it turns out okay (lol).
Tests are soon to come. So he works night and day. “Boy I sure do see stress in him,” I say. He scratched his head, he stretched his neck, he reads all texts and writes all day. I give make him food, I rub his back, I give him hugs and cheer all day. “I hope you feel great now,” I say. I wished him luck and prayed for the best that he will pass those tests. One week from now, he has the grades. All I can say is, “I am proud for the hard work you have done through all those days.”
I tired my best (lol). It's interesting how it came out like a poem. I like how it made me sound so sincere and caring. Just like Lederer's point, I don't think that by using long big words can achieve the sincerity I portrayed in that paragraph. It was actually kind of fun writing that paragraph. You should try it too. c[;
Wished is a one syllable word these days. I think prayed falls into the same category. I see your point though. I was thinking of trying to respond with all one syllable words and got to sounding like a retarded HAIKU. I do a synonym thing these days, but more to pull the the starter cord on this ½ Horse power weed eater of a brain I have just overhauled. (No its real petroleum oil not hemp oil…)
ReplyDeleteI like my 50 cent words . I some time s run out of steam and smioke to blow and find myself just going back to Simp-Speak, sometimes in mid sentence…I’m sure its nothing that couldn’t be cured by a revision or another day to write. The deadlines on our essays would have more impact in my scheduling if the teachers graded by a specific time, like 3 days late or you start “getting” points instead of losing them like we do…Oh well mabey the teacher “HAS” to train us to be on time for our jobs in the corporate dollar driven economy… But…I digress…
I use every resource I can in writing. I think my biggest fear with cheating is using someone elses research. I think that reading someone else’s research and thinking critically about it then making a comment or sentence is valid. And as for words….they are for everyone, so far…..
I am guilty as well of being swindler, and I just found synonym for the word cheater as well. I think all students do the same thing and use words that they think sound smarter and more educated than the simple words that they usually rely on in their speech. When we have to write an essay to be turned in to our teachers we want to sound like we know what we are talking about and really are smart students that are totally going to pass this class with an A. Bigger words just make students think that the whole paper will be better because they have so many three syllable words scattered throughout their paper. When smaller words do the trick as well, and sometimes better than all these big smart-sounding words.
ReplyDeleteI had the same response when I read Richard Lederer's essay “The Case for Short Words” and your paragraph of only one syllable words. The paragraphs sound like poetry almost and reading them was soothing and relaxing. Richard Lederer and your paragraph really made me appreciate small words for all the power that they do have and why we use them so much in our everyday conversation.
Marlene, I confess, I too used to ‘cheat’ by using the thesaurus. My vocabulary is not filled with large and impressive words and it is true that in finding large ‘intelligent’ words, my papers did not sound like me. I would find the ’common’ words in my paper and write down all the synonyms that I liked, I would then insert them into my paper; the result was not impressive because it did not sound natural. I used the thesaurus not only to find words that sounded more impressive, but I was also paranoid about using the same word to many times. If I noticed that I used a word more than twice, I would frantically try to find replacements and they made my paper choppy. I found this advice from Patricia T. O’Conner helpful and relieving, “It’s better to repeat a word that fits than to stick in a clumsy substitute that doesn’t” (126). There was some helpful writing advice in this chapter!
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading your paragraph of short words. There is something so refreshing and natural about simple things, short words included. Your paragraph was quaint and caring, it was sincere! It is amazing what short words can express. Good job!
Fourth Comment! Why are you so popular?!
ReplyDeleteHey Marlene. I think everyone, at least one point in their writing career, have been guilty of using the thesaurus incorrectly. Yeah, I agree that short words deliver the same strong meaning as the "un-naturally" long words. New writers tend to fall into the hole, when their mind set is, "Bigger words, bigger results." But this obviously isn't the way to go. I like the approach you took in this blog. Your short, concluding paragraph exemplifies what short words can do. It was sincere, loving, and it was written the way it it was meant to sound. I enjoyed reading your blog this week, and I have to say, you're getting better and better at writing. You spend a lot of time I can tell making your blog sound like you and your. The personality in this page is awesome!
Personally, I don't think big words are "evil". And they shouldn't be completely disregarded. It has uses, if a big word takes the place of smaller ones, why not use the big word that is rich in meaning? But using big words becomes a problem, when the flow goes completely unorthodox. Consistency is important, and overall, I agree, smaller words that are rich and full of meaning should be used. Sometimes, it's good idea, sometimes it's not. Just know when to use it.
Overall, clever usage of examples, and great observations. I think your blog was well written for the audience, and you combined it with personality.
keep it up!