Use Common Words

By Avigayil • September 22, 2009 • Filed in: Learn how to write, Writing

There seems to be a misconception about how to be a good (English) writer, especially amongst non-native English speakers. More often than not, during my tenure as report editor/writer, people who tend to use sophisticated uncommon words are the native Indonesians. It seems they think that by using sophisticated words, people will automatically perceive them as being intelligent.

Although to some extent this may be true (as there must be something special going on in their brains that they know how to use those sophisticated words in a sentence), good writing is more determined on whether the average reader could actually understand what you are writing. Luckily for the readers (maybe not so lucky for the original writers), in my previous job, all reports came to me. If I find any sophisticated word, I replaced them with more common ones. Compare the below sentences, one using lesser-known words, the other using the simple and more common version.

Sophisticated: My domesticated canine derives joy from supping cheese.

Common: My dog loves to eat cheese.

Which one did you understand without having to think twice? I would bet my monthly salary that you understood the second sentence easier.

So, my fellow Indonesians, pretend that you are writing for people who don’t understand much English – please use common words!

Comments

By Irma on October 5th, 2009 at 12:21 am

heheheheh….

thanks for the tips mbak…
it reminds me, one time a friend wrote that he’s planning everything meticulously…

and I just think, wow…
is that a common word? or is it my vocabulary that’s limited? hehehe…

By Avigayil on October 5th, 2009 at 9:30 am

Well, that is the trick, it depends on who he was writing for
I would think that it’s quite common but when I look in the dictionary and thesaurus, there are more easy to understand words for it: carefully, thoroughly, in detail, diligently, etc.