This sort of over-statement should be avoided. The word hits suggests something solid and immovable whereas events in recent years have demonstrated that the Bank Rate is far from fixed. Here the word ceiling is used to mean a limit, which it does not. JUST as irritating to the reader are those words used metaphorically where more direct speech would be better. It is this which leads the reporter to write of a ‘flu outbreak decimating the school population (the word means to select by lot and put to death one in ten), or of a noisy meeting being a shambles (the word means slaughterhouse).Ī knowledge of word derivation helps in selecting the right word, so if you find yourself using these strong words, look them up in the dictionary and discover what they really mean. It is this striving for effect which makes every Good Samaritan into a hero, every accident into a horror, every disturbance into a fracas, every confusion into chaos and every blaze into an inferno (in fact, a synonym for hell). MANY errors occur because the writer overstates the case in an effort to achieve impact, and this, perhaps, is the most common occupational hazard which the journalist faces. However, it may be helpful to point out common pitfalls. This is an attitude of mind that cannot be taught it can only be caught. It also involves being concerned about quality, about taking a professional pride in one’s craftsmanship as a writer. Carefulness means more than simply trying to avoid careless mistakes. It requires an inquiring mind and a careful attitude. The development of word power comes only with practice. And the writer must also be ruthless in rejecting any word or phrase which shows signs of fatigue through over-use. The writer must, therefore, learn to recognise the exact words and phrases needed to convey meaning to the reader. Words and phrases are the nuts and bolts which hold the communications bridge together. PRECISION IN WRITING DEPENDS ON WORD POWER, without this, communication is impaired. Word Power graphic by Media Helping Media released under Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0 The nuts and bolts of communication Chapter 3 from the book ‘ A journalist’s guide to the use of English’
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