Simple Writing
To gain understanding, the path from sender to receiver must be straight, clear, and concrete. If one clouds this path, the sender can state anything to the naivete of the receiver. A distrust builds between the receiver and the sender to a point at which the receiver will not believe anything that comes from the sender, or the sender puts himself above and no longer wants to be a part of the receiver's world. This happens all to frequently in the political world.The members of parliament use jargon to not offend as many people as possible. Jargon is terminology used by specially defined groups, and useless gibberish to another group. Jargon protects the government and business elite, by convincing common people that the elite know something to good for the commoners. When jargon is used, it confuses the common people, who "prefer the specific to the general, the defined to the vague, the concrete to the abstract."(Strunk & White 15) "A writer's diction should be as plain and simple as is consistent with a clear and effective treatment of his subjects."(Hoole 139) When people do not write plainly and simply, honor and trust is lost. One must also use good style to convey understanding. "Style takes its finial shape
Jonathan Swift was a man who took pleasure in the simple. He was born in 1667 and died in 1745. In his life he wrote many great proposals and prose. In 1712, Swift published A Proposal Correcting, Improving and Ascertaining the English Tongue, in which Swift trying to convince Robert, Earl of Oxford and Mortimer, Lord High Treasure of Great Britain to start a program to eliminate all the useless and vague words. Swift calls such words "enthusiastic jargon," and warns against the over simplification of modern book and pamphlets. He also noted when additives where tacked on to something simple, clarity was lost: ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The largest problem in political writing is the vagueness and the use of ready-made phrases. The ready-made phrases "are all alike in that one almost never finds in them a fresh, vivid, home-made turn of speech."(Orwell 308) When one uses this inflated speech one covers up the details and blurs the purpose. "In our time, political speech and writing are largely the defense of the indefensible"(Orwell 309) Common people are not going to trust the bureaucrats who make a living trying to make the lies seem like truth. Instead of beating around the bush authorities should guard against double speaking "if one is constantly in guard against them (referring to double speaking), and every such phrase anaesthetizes a portion of one's brain."(Orwell 310) In conclu
Some common words found in the essay are:
, Willa Cather, Treasure Britain, Language Orwell, Jonathan Swift, George Orwell, Eighty-Four Orwell, common people, Tongue Swift, sender receiver, concrete writing, start program, authorities bureaucrats, double speaking, english tongue, ready-made phrases, simple clarity, path sender,
Approximate Word count = 976
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)
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