Speak softly, and people might not hear you. Sometimes, you must raise your voice to be heard. If you are direct and succinct, there is a good chance of getting your point across.
Why use a lot of words, when just a few will do? The essence of poetry is to use the right words. So it is with what is spoken: brevity is the soul of wit.
It is essential to speak clearly. Leave too much room for interpretation, and what is heard will not even resemble what was said. Still, they will hold you to their assumptions.
Often you must lift your voice over the din of the masses. They can ignore you only if you let them. A shout will be heard, while a whisper just passes by.
One need not be obnoxious to be seen. A negative reaction can be more harmful than a total lack of response. Those who wish to make a point, must have one to make.
Wisdom is lost in the clamor of the foolish. It must be loud and clear to be heard at all. You must gain their attention, before they will hear what you will say.
Ah, yes. But brevity is the better part of speech. The trick is to say as much as you can in as few words as possible. Yes, some people won't get it, but that's why we have movies. People who care will be able to see what you mean if they have eyes to see and ears to hear.
ReplyDeleteYou mentioned poetry. Poetry that doesn't have brevity is called prose. Prose that lacks its own brevity is called long-winded. It is always very important that one must say what he means clearly and succinctly. Some of the most prominent failures in the history of communication has come from people who simply do not know when to quit it.
I love to write, and I do my very best to stay on track and get the ball moving. There is a story happening, and there is no point in explaining everything. The same can apply to verbal communication. Imagine if everyone in the world talked like Ben Stein? Know who you are and what you stand for and be prepared to tell people. If you take too long, people may wonder if you even know what you are talking about.
Yes, words are quite important, but like any tool, they must be used with precision. Excellent blog, Don.
Explain only as much as you need to make things clear. Those who have a point to make, should be able to do so in just a few words. When someone takes too long, you have to wonder whether or not they are just rambling.
ReplyDeleteI especially love the line "Leave too much room for interpretation, and what is heard will not even resemble what was said." That is so true. Brevity may be the soul of wit but "room for interpretation" is the soul of misunderstanding.
ReplyDeleteThat's why poetry is using the right words. Be clear and succinct, and the words themselves take on a whole new meaning. Most likely, the one you were trying to convey.
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