Prentice Hall handbook for writers by unknow

Author:unknow
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: English language, English language
ISBN: 981402466X
Publisher: Englewood Cliffs, N.J. : Prentice Hall
Published: 1991-08-05T16:00:00+00:00

DIRECT

Chances for rain in central Indiana still look good. Thesoybeans could use a soaking.

Euphemisms, words or phrases substituted for those that are,for some reason, objectionable, have their place in effective writing.They express unpleasant things in less harsh, less direct ways: perspirefor sweat, elderly for old, intoxicated for drunk. Most common euphe-misms are associated with the basic facts of existence—birth, age,death, sex, body functions—and often seem necessary for politenessor tact. We may be more comfortable describing a good friend as onewho is stout and likes to drink rather than as a fat drunk. In such contextsthese terms are harmless.

But using euphemisms to distract readers needlessly from therealities of work, unemployment, poverty, or war is at best misleadingand at worst dishonest and dangerous. Today we take for grantedterms such as “sanitation engineer” (garbage collector), “funeral direc-tor” (undertaker), and “maintenance staff” (janitors). Such terms per-haps help protect the feelings of individuals and give them status; butthe individuals themselves still have to pick up garbage, prepare bod-ies for burial, and sweep floors—in short, do work that is hard orunpleasant. And if the terms make us forget that reality, they are mis-leading. It is but a short step to language consciously intended to de-ceive. Such language gives us “peace-keeping force” (military troops),“servicing the target” (killing the enemy), “strategic redeployment”(retreat), “visual surveillance” (spying), and “inoperative statements”(lies). Such phrases are downright dishonest, created for the sole pur-pose of distracting us from realities we need to know about. Slumsand ghettos are no less slums and ghettos because a writer calls themthe “inner city.” And if you’re fired, you’re out of a job even if you’vebeen “terminated” or “de-selected.”

Keep your own writing honest and direct. Be alert to dishonestyand pretentiousness in the writing of others. Use euphemism if tactand genuine respect for the feelings of your audience warrant it, but

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resist temptations to slide into artificial diction that veils, rather thanconveys, meaning.

EXERCISE 38b(1)

Supply more direct words or phrases for the following euphemisms.

1. golden years

2. blessed event

3. interment

4. waste disposal facility

5. obsequies

6. correctional facility

7. powder room

8. indigent

9. substance abuse

10. preowned automobile

11. hairpiece

12. misspeak

EXERCISE 38b(2)

Find several examples of "gobbledygook" or pretentious, artificialdiction in newspapers and magazines. Translate these into direct,natural language.

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EXERCISE 38b(3)

Revise the following passage, substituting more direct, natural lan-guage for the wordy, artificial diction and unnecessary euphemisms.

At the commencement of business this morning, it was discoveredthat the computer system at the banking facility was in a nonopera-tional mode. As a result of this negative situation, the bank managerhad to establish a dialogue with the supervisor of the computer de-partment in order to determine the most advantageous method ofserving the bank’s customers. After the termination of this meeting,the bank manager informed the tellers that in order to effect maxi-mum efficiency of operation, they would be required to check eachcustomer's account before issuing payment for a check. When plansfor operating had been finalized, the manager said that it was herobservation that, customerwise, the bank could operate in a produc-tive posture until repair of the computer system could be imple-mented.

WRITERS REVISING: EFFECTIVE WORDS

(continued from page 299)

Ricky’s instructor asked him to go over his paper with her.

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