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awkward and stiff. Be precise in meaning and proper in grammar where clarity is concerned, but less formal in matters of style. |
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Tip 133: Use your speaking voice, not your writing voice. |
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As a rule, talkers include the people; writers remove the people. After conducting business and technical writing courses for the past 14 years for corporate clients, I've discovered that people have two voices: a writing voice and a talking voice. They'll say to you, "I suggest that we terminate the project." You say, "Why don't you put that in a memo for me." A week later you receive the memo, which says, "It is recommended that this project be terminated." Who suggested it? |
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Another difference: writers also use a stiffer vocabulary than talkers. A salesperson will say on the telephone, "I'll check to see if we have that rocker in stock and call you back next week," then write, "Your preference for item #AG349 has been received. After verification of the availability of that merchandise, you will be notified no later than September 12 as to whether your order can be processed immediately." You'll notice that the salesperson used the coldest, longest, vaguest word possible for each concept. |
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If you want a helpful technique for testing the proper voice, read your own documents aloud. If they sound stilted to your own ear, they will sound the same way to someone else's. If you want to know if your talking voice sounds stilted at a cocktail party, see if people "tighten up" around you. Do they check their own slang, colloquialisms, and lively banter and slink off as if they'd been chastened? |
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Tip 134: Speak with the appropriate formality or informality. |
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After some introductions, "Hello, how are you?" is appropriate. Others call for a "Hi. Nice to meet you folks." Colloquialisms like "we've been fightin' this tooth and nail" are in order in some groups, not so with other groups. To be unduly stiff in your word choice can be as inappropriate as showing up at McDonald's in a tux or arriving at the symphony in cutoffs. |
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Tip 135: Take cues about first-name/last-name preference from how the other person answers the telephone. |
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Assuming that everyone welcomes being called by first name is arrogance to the powerful and a put-down to the lower-level employee. Using their last |
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