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Business Communication: Adaptation and The Selection of Words

This chapter discusses the importance of adapting business communication to the specific reader. It emphasizes selecting words that are familiar, short, concrete, precise, and nondiscriminatory. The document provides suggestions for choosing words that will be clearly understood by all readers, including avoiding gender-biased, ageist, and ableist terminology. It also advises visualizing the reader to determine their knowledge and education level to best adapt the message.

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Rubayet Hasan
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454 views21 pages

Business Communication: Adaptation and The Selection of Words

This chapter discusses the importance of adapting business communication to the specific reader. It emphasizes selecting words that are familiar, short, concrete, precise, and nondiscriminatory. The document provides suggestions for choosing words that will be clearly understood by all readers, including avoiding gender-biased, ageist, and ableist terminology. It also advises visualizing the reader to determine their knowledge and education level to best adapt the message.

Uploaded by

Rubayet Hasan
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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BUSINESS COMMUNICATION

11th edition
by
Raymond V. Lesikar

CHAPTER: 2

Adaptation and the Selection of Words


Sunan Islam
Faculty-CBA
1
The Basic Need for Adaptation
 By adaptation, we mean fitting the message -
to the specific reader.

 Readers do not all have the same ability -


to understand a message.

 Readers do not-
- all have the same vocabulary,
- the same knowledge of the subject,
- the same mentality.
2
The Basic Need for Adaptation – cont……..

 Thus, to communicate clearly –


* we first should know the person
with whom we wish to communicate.

* we should form our message -


to fit that person’s mind.

 Making message easy to understand


is simply good business manners.
3
The Basic Need for Adaptation – cont……..

 In adapting our message -


we begin by visualizing the reader.

• we form a mental picture of what he or she is like.

• we imagine what the reader knows about the subject

• what his or her educational level is, and

• how he or she thinks.


4
The Basic Need for Adaptation – cont……..
 In many business situations -
adapting to the reader means
writing on a level lower than the one
we would normally use.

example:
we will sometimes need to communicate with people,
whose educational level is below your own.

5
Suggestions For Selecting Words
 A major part of adaptation is selecting the right words.

 Simplicity in choosing words must be maintained


for three (3) reasons:

• Many people tend to write at a difficult level,


which makes communication difficult.

• The writer usually knows the subject


better than the reader, and

• The results of research support simplicity.


6
The following techniques are helpful in
choosing the right words
1. Use Familiar Words:
* Use the language that -
most of us use in everyday conversation.

* We should avoid the stiff, more difficult words


that do not communicate so precisely or quickly.

For example:
- instead of using -
the more unfamiliar word endeavor, use try.
- instead of using terminate, use end.
7
Unfamiliar Words Familiar Words
This machine has a tendency This machine tends
to develop to get noisy
excessive and unpleasant when it runs hot.

audio symptoms
when operating at
elevated temperatures.
The most operative The most efficient
assembly-line assembly-line
configuration is design is
a unidirectional flow. a one-way flow. 8
2. Use Short Words
Short words generally communicate –
better than long words.

Long Words Short Words


They accessed to the proposition They agreed
to terminate the business to quit the business

During the preceding year Last year


the company operated the company
at a financial deficit. lost money.
9
3. Use Technical Words
 * All fields have technical words.
* These words are useful –
when you communicate with people in your field.
but do not communicate with outsiders.

Examples:
* To a worker in the Social Security Administration,
the words covered employment commonly mean
employment covered by social security.

- To some outsiders, -
however they could mean working under a roof.
10
Technical language
 Probably the most troublesome technical language is
that of the legal profession.

Among the legal words that may add little real meaning are:
- thereto,
- therein,
- whereas,
- herewith, and
- herein.

11
Select Words with the Right Strength and Vigor (energy)

* Words have personalities.

* Select the stronger ones.

For example:
we should recognize that –

- tycoon is stronger than eminently successful businessperson,

- boom is stronger than a period of business prosperity

12
Select Words with the Right Strength and Vigor – cont …….

 We will not always want the strongest and most vigorous words.

Sometimes for good reason, we will choose weaker ones.

Example:
The word bill is strong -
because it has a harsh meaning in some minds,
we may prefer statement in some instances.

The same goes for:


- debt and obligation,
- die and passed on,
- labor boss and union official, and
- fired and dismissed.
13
Use Concrete Language
 Good business communication is marked by word
that form sharp and clear meanings in the mind.

These are the concrete words.

* Concrete is the opposite of abstract.

* Abstract words are vague.

14
Abstract Concrete
A significant A 53 percent loss

Good attendance record 100 percent attendance


record
The leading company First among 3,212
competitors
The majority 62 percent

In the near future By noon Thursday

15
Select Words for Precise Meanings
 * We should –
study language and learn the shades of difference
in the meanings of similar words.

* We should learn the specific meanings of other words.

Example:
- Money, funds, cash, finances
- Boy, youth, young man, lad

16
Suggestions for Nondiscriminatory Writing

 *Avoid words that discriminate against:


- sex,
- race,
- nationality,
- age, or
- disability.

* We often use discriminatory words without bad intent.

17
Use Gender-Neutral Words

* Avoid using the masculine pronouns (he, him, his)


for both sexes.

* You can do this by substituting neutral expressions.

Examples: next slide

18
Suggestions For Selecting Words

Avoid words suggesting male dominance.


Examples:

Controversial Gender-Neutral
Man-made Human origin
Manpower Personnel, workers
Businessman Business executive,
businessperson

Fire man Fire fighter


19
Controversial Gender-Neutral
If a customer pays promptly, A customer who pays promptly
he is placed is placed
on our preferred list. on our preferred list.
When a customer A Customer
needs service, who needs service
it is his right to ask for it has the right to ask for it
*** If customers pay promptly,
they are placed
on our preferred list.

***If a customer pays promptly,

he or she is placed
20
 Avoid words that stereotype by Age
Words that label people as old or young
can arouse negative reactions.

Example: instead of using old, use senior citizens.

 Avoid words that typecast those with Disabilities


Disabled people are sensitive to words
that describe their disabilities.

Example: instead of using deaf, use hearing disorder.

21

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