From Rules to the RidiculousFrom Rules to the Ridiculous

understanding audience when considering matters of correctness, style, and choice

What would you What would you do if the person do if the person you were you were talking to talking to looked like this?looked like this?

In oral In oral communication, we communication, we have the benefit of have the benefit of immediate feedback immediate feedback from our audience.from our audience.

A smile…A smile…A nod…A nod…A furrowed brow…A furrowed brow…

We can make We can make adjustments on the adjustments on the fly.fly.

When we speak to people we are constantly assessing their reactions. We can read their non-verbal cues—their facial expressions, body language, and so forth. Sometimes they will even stop us to tell us what they think about what we are saying, or if they don’t understand.This feedback allows us to make adjustments.But how does this work in writing?

It’s easy to lose sight of our audience when writing…

After all, isn’t writing a After all, isn’t writing a lone activity? Something lone activity? Something done in quiet solitude? done in quiet solitude? You know the image—the You know the image—the writer alone in his cabin writer alone in his cabin in the woods where no in the woods where no one else matters.one else matters.Is this an accurate view Is this an accurate view of writing? of writing?

When talking about writing…When talking about writing…

• There’s no right or wrong writing BUT…

• There is writing that is effective and writing that is not so effective

• Who decides if your writing is effective?

Writing is about making Writing is about making choices…choices…• How do you know what choices to

make as a writer?• Every choice you make as a writer

should be based on your absolute understanding of just two things…

1. AUDIENCE 2. PURPOSE1. AUDIENCE 2. PURPOSE

Audience AnalysisAudience Analysis

• As writers, we need to make a deliberate effort to understand our audience

• We need to do some analysis by asking questions about our audience

• And then keep the resulting image of who our audience is foremost in our minds as we make our choices

• Know your audience, know how you want to affect your audience (i.e. know your purpose), and then make choices

PRACTICE:PRACTICE:recognizing the target audiencerecognizing the target audience

Choose the right audience…Choose the right audience…

Dear Sir,I am sorry to bother you with this, but I just wanted to verify with you an e-mail that I received from Mr. Johnson yesterday afternoon…

• Your co-worker• The CEO• Your cousin in

Cleveland

Choose the right audience…Choose the right audience…

Mike,Johnson sent this to me yesterday afternoon and I have no idea what he is talking about. Does it make sense to you…

• Your co-worker• The CEO• Your cousin in

Cleveland

Choose the right audience…Choose the right audience…

Hey man,Wonder if you can help me out. My boss sent this to me yesterday afternoon and I just can’t figure out what he means. What’s your take on it…

• Your co-worker• The CEO• Your cousin in

Cleveland

So what about all the rules of So what about all the rules of English?English?

Any fool can make a ruleand every fool will mind it.

–HENRY DAVID THOREAU

Choices versus ObedienceChoices versus Obedience

• In some matters of language we have no choice: “up the street” vs. “the street up”

• But for other matters choice is at the forefront of a good writer’s mind.

• Which is clearest and most direct?– There was a lack of evidence in support for their

claim.– Their claim suffered from a lack of evidence in its

support.– They could not support their claim because they

lacked evidence.

Choice vs. ObedienceChoice vs. Obedience

• Sometimes what is choice and what is not is contested…– Can I split an infinitive?– Can I start a sentence with and?– Can I end a sentence with up?

The fact of the matter…The fact of the matter…

• We must write English correctly, but we also must realize that some points of “correctness” are less important than we think (or not important at all).

• “Correct” writing is a not necessarily clear, direct, or effective.

Unlike matters of style, correctness seems not to offer choices but to require obedience.

Three kinds of rulesThree kinds of rules

1. Rules that govern the fundamental structure of English– the book, not book the

2. Rules that define standard written form– you were, not you was– I don’t know anything, not I don’t know nothing

3. Rules invented by grammarians about trivial points of usage– Don’t split infinitives, as in to quickly leave.– Don’t use than after different, use from.– Don’t use between with three or more.

Observing rules thoughtfullyObserving rules thoughtfully

• The worst (i.e., safest) case policy– Follow all the rules all the time because somewhere

sometime, some reader might criticize you for something.

– But if you follow all the rules all the time you surrender a measure of stylistic choice.

• A more thoughtful (i.e., riskier) approach– The alternative to blind obedience is selective

observance – As always, be mindful of your audience.

How conservative are they? What will they accept or not accept? Put clarity and directness before “correctness.”

If vast numbers of careful writers choose to ignore a rule and the vast majority of educated, careful readers don’t notice, then the deviation from the rule can be neither an error in good grammar nor a violation of “good” usage.

–JOSEPH WILLIAMS

Observing rules thoughtfullyObserving rules thoughtfully

PRACTICE:PRACTICE:making choices as you writemaking choices as you write

your family your family priestpriest

best friendbest friend

4-year old 4-year old sistersister

neighborhood neighborhood pimppimp

someone who someone who doesn’t speak doesn’t speak English very wellEnglish very well

the chief of the chief of policepolice

someone someone you’re talking you’re talking to at a barto at a bar

Guess the audience…Guess the audience…

If you wish to persuade me, you must think my thoughts, feel my feelings, and speak my words.

–MARCUS TULLIUS CICERO