The Wallow Fire (which, as I write this, is now said to be 77% contained) has been a tremendous strain on the people and resources of Arizona. So I thought twice about using it to illustrate how hard it is for techies (and all of us) to speak in non-work-related language — in other words, to say what we mean without resorting to the jargon, lingo, or terms of art we use at work every day.
In the end, though, I couldn’t pass up this example, from the statement of an Arizona fire official. He was explaining, in an NPR interview, that:
Rain doesn’t necessarily help, because when the soil has been dried out by fire, you can get a lack of infiltration of water.
I understood this (most people probably did); but I also heard, in counterpoint at the back of my mind, the simpler words he might have said:
…when the soil has been dried out by fire, it can’t absorb water.
Was he “wrong” to speak like the specialist he is? Absolutely not! This guy has other things on his mind than simultaneous translation. But many of us who deal with non-life-threatening situations routinely sound just as formal (OK, geeky).
So whether you’re a techie, nerd, or geek; or a doctor, lawyer, or speaker coach — try to stick with plain English. You won’t sound less accomplished; you’ll just be easier to understand.
And your listeners will appreciate it.
simple words are the most refreshing
