COMMENTS
Word choice is one of my favorite hobbies! This post is right up my alley! Or, Semantics is my life! This was right in my wheelhouse!
I do all my writing in Microsoft Word. If it is a document to be published or widely distributed, I always run the readability check. I try to be sure that the "Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level" is at or below 9. This makes it sure that my audience will be able to read comfortably, and absorb my message without having to concentrate too hard.
Great article, Rick! Word choice is absolutely important. In addition to speaking at the level of your audience, it's important to know when word choice may be unintentionally offensive too. My husband was called out by a friend of ours who pointed out his use of "you people," was often considered offensive. Another colleague of mine was called out for the term "call a spade a spade."
Especially with e-mail and blogs, we can never be too careful about the words we choose.
One of the most valuable lessons I've learned is to "watch your language". I was working with a youth group and the outgoing leader of the group offered this advice...I'v never forgotten it. Since communication is an exchange of ideas, it is important to first crystallize your thinking and then to put that idea forward in the best way possible. Today there are many options for communicating including tradional verbal and nonverbal methods as well as a plethora of electronic stylings. Now more than ever it is imperative to "watch your language."