The Hindu Business Line : <I>Think clear to write clear </I>

What do you do when you don't understand what you read? Curse your vocabulary and give up reading? Or vow to improve your language skills? Wait, the problem may lie elsewhere: In the writer.

Clarity of thought leads to clarity of writing, and only such writing can be readily understood, says The Economist Style Guide, from Viva (www.vivagroupindia.com).

Intro lays down six rules for writers, who want to be read. First, `Do not be stuffy.' Means, "Use the language of everyday speech, not that of spokesmen, lawyers or bureaucrats." Meaning gets lost when you are pompous or long-winded. Second rule, `Do not be arrogant.' Avoid, therefore, assertions, which are not backed by arguments or reasoning. "The aim is not just to tell readers what you think, but to persuade them."

Third, `Do not be too pleased with yourself.' For instance, "Don't boast of your own cleverness by telling readers that you correctly predicted something or that you have a scoop." Next rule, `Do not be too chatty,' because this can be `more irritating than informative.' Example, `Ho, ho.'

Rule five, `Do not be too didactic.' Don't lapse into starting too many sentences with `compare, consider, expect, imagine, look at, note, prepare for, remember or take.' Readers will think they are reading a textbook, alerts the guide. Sixth rule reads, `Do your best to be lucid.' Use simple sentences.

The book is divided into three parts, viz. the essence of style, American and British English, and useful reference. Entries are arranged A to Z, making the guide a handy reference. Be warned, though, that it can question many a thing that you always thought was right.

Thus, `avoid affordable,' is one advice, because it is `advertising lingo' without saying affordable `by whom.' Also stay away from `nouning adjectives.' Warning is, therefore, preferable to advisory, meeting instead of meet, and spending rather than spend. Similarly, avoid `verbing nouns.' Do not: `Access files. Author books. Gun someone down. Loan money. Source inputs.'

You may be interested to know that `disinterested means impartial,' while `uninterested means bored.' Won't it make an earthshaking sentence were you to write, `Mrs X was at the epicentre of the dispute'? No, it would suggest that the argument `took place underground,' because "epicentre means that point on the earth's surface above the centre of an earthquake."

Key is an overused word, points out the guide. It frowns upon the use of the word as `a free-standing adjective,' as in `The choice of running-mate is key.' Use key with care! "Do not use key to make the subject of your sentence more important than he, she or it really is. The words key players are a sure sign of puffed-up story and a lazy mind."

How is rebut different from refute? "Rebut means repel or meet in argument. Refute, which is stronger, means disprove. Neither should be used as a synonym for deny." U has an entry captioned `unnecessary words', which add `nothing but length to your prose.' Here is guidance about a common culprit, very: "If it occurs in a sentence you have written, try leaving it out and see whether the meaning has changed. `The omens were good' may have more force than `The omens were very good.'" Essential addition to your language gear.

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