Communication FUNdamentals

What You Ought to Know is a video show on YouTube.  This one shares some tips for speaking to locals when traveling abroad.  Too funny!

Another fun way to learn about communication skills brought to you by your friends at Art of Eloquence.com

English is a crazy language that wound up with wounds of wisdom.  Does it sound right to you that our houses don’t have mouses?  Why can we oversee what we cannot overlook?  It seems something is not “in wack”, but fat chance trying to work it out-or would that be a slim one?

If we slow down for just a minute, we will clearly see that we cannot slow up-or keep up with the strange rules which cause a wise man not to be a wise guy.  It also doesn’t follow that we talk about gooses which are really geese, but never about mooses which are definitely not meese.

If I had my way, everything would be spelled “foneticly” and punctuating a crazy man would just be Crazy, Man! I also think we have far “tu” many “leters” in the “alfabet!”  Additionally I teach my kids that, if you were to “member” correctly in the first place, you’d never have to remember in the second place.

To make a long story “much more” longer, I think I’d like to redo the entire “Inglish” language so it made a great deal more “cents.”  Don’t “yu” “agre?”

A little language levity from the folks at Art of Eloquence.com!

Last week a very popular political figure had to be rushed to the hospital.  No, he isn’t a senator or congressman.  He isn’t even a politician.  He is a conservative talk radio host.

Though I prayed for his recovery, it isn’t his illness that brings me to write about him today; it was the reaction of some of those who disagree with his political persuasion. It was the message they sent and the way in which they chose to communicate it.  But more than anything else, it was their rush to hatred and the language of hatred that I wish to discuss.

Several blogs and internet news media reported last week that Rush Limbaugh was taken to the hospital with chest pains.  He was reported to be in serious condition.  I found out about it on Twitter and went to the various links provided to try to learn more.  What I found was something that saddened me.

Among the well wishes and prayers were comments calling for his death and requests for him to suffer.  I won’t include here the actual words used as I find them horrific, but I wonder why people, these days, feel the need to spew hatred on those they disagree with.  Why they wish them harm?

I disagree with many people including those who have the power to affect my life in a very negative way.  I don’t wish ill upon them.  I disagree with most of what President Obama is trying to accomplish, yet I was appalled to hear that someone had plotted to kill him during the time he was running for office.  I was horrified to learn that there was a security breach in the White House when a couple crashed a party where they had access to the President and Vice President!

If you disagree with someone, what is the purpose in publicly wishing them harm?  Do people think words of hatred will endear the other side to their cause?  Show them the error of their ways?  Not likely!  Do they think that simply because they believe something different from what they believe that they are not human?  Have feelings with families who care about them?  Or is the idea just to inflict as much harm as possible?

If you truly believe in something, isn’t it your purpose to try to affect change so that others will come to adopt your beliefs?  I have never known a time when the language of hatred had caused someone to adopt the opposite opinion.  Ever!  Wouldn’t it be better to speak with civility and grace to appeal to those who disagree with you so that they will listen to what you have to say?  I have noticed, too, that many of those who speak out against “Hate Speech” are the very ones rushing to speak hatred of others simply because they disagree with them.

What we need is an effective way of communicating our beliefs.  Art of Eloquence believes it is far more effective to speak to others in love and with respect.  It isn’t a rush to heated words or stopping another from speaking that will gain the hearts of those who oppose you.  I think, instead, what some are trying to do is kill the others’ argument.  But you will not persuade another by cutting off his argument. You will only stifle your understanding of how to answer him.

Some thoughts on the language of hatred from the folks at Art of Eloquence.com.

Monday Q of the Wk. Here’s how it works:

Each Monday I ask a thought provoking question about life and language.  Pose the same question to your blog readers on your own blog along with your answer to the question.  Then come back here and post a comment with a link to your blog post so we can all read everyone’s answers!  It’s been a lot of fun getting to know my readers and their readers and so on and so on.  This is a great time to connect with others but it’s also a fun way to build your writing and communication skills.   Grab your teens!

This week’s question: Can you write a sentence or paragraph using all cliche’s?

I got this idea from a newsletter written by a very creative language guru, The Word Guy!  Rob Kyff is a teacher, writer and a contributor to the ArcaMax Vocabulary Newsletter.  Once a month he writes on misuse and abuse of language in a creative way and this month was no “acception”!

Here’s a quick look at the current crop of overused terms. Call them “Ponzi screams.”

– Energizing the “Basis.” Newscasters have recently been touching all the “bases.” They’re continually updating us on a “daily basis,” “a regular basis,” “an overnight basis” and even a “need-to-know basis.” Basically, I’d say we need to “No!” “basis”!

– And Speaking of “Basically” . . . Has there ever been a more overused word? It’s a common sentence starter that should be a “nonstarter” (another cliche by the way). My first car, a ‘57 Chevy, was often a nonstarter.

– In Praise of Athlete’s Feat. Alan Clem of Vermillion, S.D., notes that TV sportscasters invariably refer to the “athleticism” of top performers. Aren’t they all athletic?

Can you write a sentence or paragraph using all cliche’s?

You can post your answers here or post this question on YOUR blog and come back here to link your blog post so all of us can read about you and YOUR readers’ answers!

“More power to you!”  “Don’t delay!”  “What have you got to lose?”  It’s time to “make lemonaid out of lemons” to the “best of your ability”!  “Run like the wind” and “get it down on paper”!  “Time will tell” who is “the cat’s pajamas”!

Are you confident that you are being understood when speaking to your child’s doctor?  Are you sure that they know exactly what you need when you finally get to the right menu option at your mortgage company?  Do you know why your small business isn’t going where you feel it should?  Is it possibly because you aren’t communicating skillfully and efficiently?

If it is . . . or if it even might be, you need to join us every Thursday morning on Grace Talk Soup for I Love Language, starring Lucy Linguist and Ethel the Editor.  Laugh along with these two crazy compadres of Communication FUNdamentals, one spoken and one written, while gaining valuable knowledge and important tips on improving your business, your family and your life, simply by refining your everyday communication skills.

WHEN:     Every Thursday, 11AM Eastern, 8AM Pacific Time
WHERE:  Talk Shoe, more specifically at http://www.talkshoe.com/tc/19736
WHY?:      Because you cannot get through ONE DAY of your life without communicating something to someone!

Life is simply too precious to waste one more moment being misunderstood.  Learn how to say it and write it right the first time.  So if you are missing out because of miscommunication or not being taken seriously. . . or whether you simply love words, you will positively adore I Love Language every Thursday, same talk time, same talk channel!  Bring your kids, bring your husband, bring your friends.  Laugh and learn along with us!  We’ll be waiting for you on Grace Talk Soup.  You can join us on the phone, in the chat room or both!

Tomorrow’s topic is: Hecklers and the Lost Art of Civility
To call in during the live show:
(724) 444-7444 Call ID: 19736

Remember:  Life can get a little spicy sometimes.  Just add a generous helping of grace, a dash of humor and Enjoy the Grace Talk Soup!
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Lucy Linguist (http://www.artofeloquence.com)
Ethel the Editor (http://www.awordaptlywritten.com)
Starring in “I Love Language” on Grace Talk Soup:
http://www.talkshoe.com/tc/19736

Why are some words not words you ever hear used?  In fact, if you use them, you have a good chance of being perceived as unintelligent.

If unbelievable means NOT believable and unimaginable means NOT imaginable, then uncouth means NOT couth.  But couth isn’t a word that is ever used.  The dictionary describes “uncouth” as strange, clumsy, lacking in polish and grace, so “couth” would be the opposite of uncouth.  And if you look in the dictionary, you will find this to be the case.  But nobody ever uses it, well…almost nobody:

“You can get yus’ as couth as you wan’ as long as it doesn’ cos’ me any money!”-Ricky Ricardo, I Love Lucy

Isn’t it strange that we can be thought inarticulate by using words correctly?  I often teach my students that it is often more important to “speak good” in order to be clear than it is to speak correctly and be thought a fool.

If we speak in the tongues of men and of the learned but have confused our listeners we are as a clanging cymbal.  Often we must choose between what is correct and what will gain the desired response and it can be a tricky choice.  Sometimes I choose to reword my entire sentence in order to be grammatically correct without using the confusing word or phrase. Other times I decide to say the incorrect thing so that I will be understood by most of my audience even if it might cause apoplectic fits of indignation from a few.

“From whom did you receive that tidbit of auspicious news?”

Stay tuned for upcoming episodes of Grace Talk Soup where my co host and I will be discussing this issue in some depth.  Until then, this is Lucy Linguist signing off until our next episode of I Love Language!

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JoJo Tabares holds a degree in Speech Communication, but it is her humorous approach to communication skills which has made her a highly sought-after Christian speaker and writer.  Her articles appear in homeschool publications, such as Homeschool Enrichment Magazine and The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, which also endorses her Say What You Mean curricula.  You can also find JoJo on web sites such as Crosswalk.com and Dr.Laura.com.  For more information on communication FUNdamentals and Christian-based communication skills for the whole family, please visit http://www.ArtofEloquence.com
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