©2005 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Limited. All rights reserved. Kitty O. Locker Stephen Kyo Kaczmarek Kathryn Braun BUSINESS COMMUNICATION Building Critical Skills 2 nd Canadian Edition

©2005 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Limited. All rights reserved. Module 15 Choosing the Right Word Skills to Choose words precisely Choose words ethically Choose words with appropriate connotations Identify critical thinking skills

©2005 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Limited. All rights reserved. Module 15 Choosing the Right Word Module Outline Why does using the right word matter? How do words derive their meanings? When is it OK to use jargon? What words confuse some writers?

©2005 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Limited. All rights reserved. Best Word Guidelines To use the “best” words depends on context: the situation, your purposes, your audience, and the words you have already used. To communicate most effectively: 1.Use words that are accurate, appropriate, and familiar. 2.Use technical jargon only when it is essential and known to the reader.

©2005 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Limited. All rights reserved. Accurate wordsAccurate words Appropriate wordsAppropriate words Familiar wordsFamiliar words Technical jargonTechnical jargon Word Types

©2005 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Limited. All rights reserved. DenotationDenotation –A word’s literal or dictionary meaning. ConnotationConnotation –The emotional colourings or associations that accompany a word. BypassingBypassing –When two people use the same word to mean different things. Understanding Words

©2005 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Limited. All rights reserved. Avoid negative words—choose positive alternatives.Avoid negative words—choose positive alternatives. –Not guess, argue or stubborn but assume, debate or firm. Avoid stuffy words.Avoid stuffy words. –Not commence or utilize, but begin or use. Negative Words

©2005 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Limited. All rights reserved. Technical JargonTechnical Jargon –Specialized terms of a technical field. Business SlangBusiness Slang –Terms, sometimes borrowed from a technical field, but used in a more general sense in business. BusinesseseBusinessese –Out-of-date terms or phrases you should avoid. Jargon Types

©2005 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Limited. All rights reserved. Accept/ExceptAccept/Except Affect/EffectAffect/Effect A lot/AllotA lot/Allot Among/BetweenAmong/Between Compose/ CompriseCompose/ Comprise Fewer/Less Fewer/Less It’s/Its It’s/Its Stationary/ Stationery Stationary/ Stationery To/Two/Too To/Two/Too Your/You’re Your/You’re Commonly Confused Words