An Ear for Language Write Like You Speak FOR centuries, the best writers dedicated themselves to duplicating the sounds and rhythms of spoken language. Spoken language has long been regarded as the best model for plain writing. Although there are differences between spoken and written language, they have a great deal in common. Good writers know how to bring the benefits of speech into their writing.

Not just for hearing. The ear also governs balance, the sense of position, voice, speech, language, and thought.

Speech is more efficient and streamlined than writing. In 1880, English Professor Lucius Sherman of the University of Nebraska wrote in Analytics of Literature:

Literary English, in short, will follow the forms of the standard spoken English from which it comes. No man should talk worse than he writes, no man writes better than he should talk… The oral sentence is clearest because it is the product of millions of daily efforts to be clear and strong. It represents the work of the race for thousands of years in perfecting an effective instrument of communication.

The hearing structures in the brain govern written as well as spoken language. The written word is a symbol of a sound, which is in the domain of the ear. All language and most of thought is based on sound. All written language points to a speaker. Even an isolated reader is engaging in a conversation.

Sound advice from Rudolf Flesh Rudolf Flesch spent his whole career showing us how writing should reflect conversational English. His 1946 book, The Art of Plain Talk, was a landmark in the history of plain language. In chapters such as "Listen to Plain Talk," "The Grammar of Gossip," and "Follow the Language," he emphasizes that plain language is all about how people talk. In 1949, Flesch published The Art of Readable Writing. A chapter called "An Ear for Writing," starts with this quote from linguist E. H. Sturtevant: "Spoken language is the primary phenomenon, and writing is only a more or less imperfect reflection of it."

Rudolf Flesch: bringing the sound of speech into writing.

Flesch went on to say:

The newest thing these days in college English teaching is something called communication. The idea is that writing shouldn't be treated any longer as a poor relation of English literature but as something that has to do with the way we talk....

In short, the centuries-old struggle between literary and colloquial English is almost over and Write as You Talk has become the almost universally accepted rule.

But what does it mean to "write as you talk"? That's where the trouble starts.... You can't actually write the way you talk. You can, however put a reasonable facsimile of your ordinary talking self on paper. You can purposely put into your writing certain things that will make it sound like talk.

One of the handiest devices in English is the use of contractions such as I'm, you're, you've, it's, isn't, don't, won't, and let's. But don't use contractions carelessly, says Flesch. You have to pay attention to how they sound in the sentence.

According to Flesch, frequently referring to humans also creates and holds interest. His own writing is the best example of this. He addresses the reader directly with statements that continually bring the writer and the reader into view:

• Now that we know what to do...
• This is, in a nutshell, the best advice you can get anywhere...
• This leaves us with Fowler's second rule...
• If you want to measure word difficulty, you have to...
• Let me show you how it is done...
• I have a notion that...
• Let me add a warning...
• Just to show you how...

A number of other researchers have also investigated the characteristics of spoken language that benefit writing. They include:

1. A sense of the immediacy of the audience and its needs and interests.
2. A knowledge of the assumptions that are shared with the audience.
3. Short sentences and simple syntax that do not require the audience to decode complex clauses.
4. A personal, direct style that uses familiar language and examples.
5. Clear connections between the elements of the text.
6. Breaks that invite audience participation and interaction.

In writing, breaks can include questions, summaries, overviews, sidebars, headings, subtitles, numbered lists, captions, and illustrations. Breaks focus attention and keep the reader involved. They draw the readers into the text and give cues of how to fit new knowledge in with their existing knowledge.

Good writers often read their texts out loud or, better, ask someone else to read them out loud. For one thing, this forces writers to complete a "read-through" of the entire text, the first step in proofing documents. The ear can also spot problems that the eye cannot see.

Other benefits of reading aloud In the 1980's educators in the U.S. began noticing that children were arriving at school without the skills in spoken language (both listening and speech) needed to learn reading and writing. Support for Head Start programs greatly increased. Families were encouraged to read aloud to their children. A flood of studies showed how teenagers and adults also benefit from reading out loud.

Never too early for reading: the ear is fully formed and functioning by the fifth month of pregnancy.

Most school districts now have programs for children with listening and speech problems. Besides that, reading aloud helps all students improve language skills: reading, writing, speaking, and listening. Students are never too old for reading aloud.

Groups such as Read Aloud America promote a lifelong love for reading and better school performance by getting families to read aloud. Participants report that 71% of children spend less time watching TV and 70% report better attitudes toward school.

Reading aloud also charges the brains of adults. Some experts recommended that adults read aloud 30 minutes a day. Reading advocate Steve Leveen claims that reading to one another can transform the lives of adults, improve their love life, and cement their relationships. Libraries such as the one in Morton Grove, Illinois, offer lists of books to read to adults.

Love on a leash: a devoted listener in a Knoxville program.

Animals, both domestic and wild, respond positively to human speech. Not only do people often read to their pets, but artists and writers claim they do their best work with their pets around.. Don't be surprised if you find dogs in libraries and schools these days. Dogs trained especially for listening have a remarkable effect on children with reading problems. Many cities have programs featuring these attentive listeners. Reading to pets improves the language skills and self-confidence of children.

With the advent of radio, TV, and video, there is a much greater demand for script writers familiar with the qualities of spoken language. These new technologies have exploited the great efficiency of speech in communications. They also remind us of the importance of speech to the printed word.

Plain Language in the News

Editing Readability Consulting Plain-Language Workshops

For a free consultation, call today: William H. DuBay Impact Information 126 E. 18th Street #C204 Costa Mesa, CA 92627 Phone: (949) 631-3309 http://www.impact-information.com © 2008 William H. DuBay