It is said that when you have always had something, it is easy to take it for granted, get used to it and stop perceiving its value, and even forget its true relevance.
We never value our health as much as when we are sick, do we?
Which leads me to wonder if the same thing happens with a very basic, but at the same time very complex element of our daily life: words.
I would like to use this article to reflect a little about them. To remember together the power they have in our lives, and how, the better we learn to use them, the better communication we will have with others.
The first thing I want to make clear is that the practice of choosing and using words carefully does not apply only to us translators and interpreters. Sure, it is a very important part of our work; however, we are all social beings, and as such, communication is a fundamental part of our lives.
Thinking before communicating is a practice that we all equally benefit from. And it sounds simple, doesn’t it? Thinking before speaking. But how do I do it? What should I think about?
Here are some aspects which I personally consider very valuable:
The medium: When we are thinking about the words that we want to use to communicate a message, first we should consider the medium through which we will transmit what we want to say. For example, speaking with someone in person is not the same as communicating through written messages. When we have someone in front of us, our expressions communicate hand in hand with our words. However, when writing we do not have the support of body language, so we must be more careful with the words we choose, and even rely on the different punctuation marks so that the message is clearly transmitted.
The audience: It is of utmost importance to know who we are talking to when choosing the words to communicate a message. Take for example the pandemic we are currently experiencing because of Covid-19. The words to explain this to a child would not be the same as the words we would use to communicate it to a friend, right? The final message would probably be the same, yes, but the words should definitely be chosen depending on our audience.
The tone: The same word can have different meanings depending on how we use it. In a conversation, for example, a calmly spoken “No” doesn’t communicate the same message as a desperately shouted “NO”. Also, writing “I like it…” is not the same as “I like it!” In short, we must always accompany the words with the right tone to communicate our message properly.
The context: Oftentimes, words have cultural associations that vary according to the context in which we use them. Take for example the title of this article: “The Power of Words”. If instead of appearing in this blog it appeared in a religious blog, it would convey a completely different message. This is why context is an extremely important aspect to consider when we communicate and when we choose the words to use.
The connotation: We frequently do not think in the connotation that we give to our message. Let’s see the difference between these two questions: “Is there nothing I can do?” and “Is there something I can do?”. Although the message of the question in the end is the same, the connotation given to it changes from negative to positive. Let’s always think about the words we choose and how we phrase them every time we communicate.
Anyway, besides sharing with you some of the aspects I think about before communicating, what I want to achieve with this article is to make you think a little more about your words, how you use them, how valuable a tool they are and the great power they confer on human beings.
The Power of Words
It is said that when you have always had something, it is easy to take it for granted, get used to it and stop perceiving its value, and even forget its true relevance.
We never value our health as much as when we are sick, do we?
Which leads me to wonder if the same thing happens with a very basic, but at the same time very complex element of our daily life: words.
I would like to use this article to reflect a little about them. To remember together the power they have in our lives, and how, the better we learn to use them, the better communication we will have with others.
The first thing I want to make clear is that the practice of choosing and using words carefully does not apply only to us translators and interpreters. Sure, it is a very important part of our work; however, we are all social beings, and as such, communication is a fundamental part of our lives.
Thinking before communicating is a practice that we all equally benefit from. And it sounds simple, doesn’t it? Thinking before speaking. But how do I do it? What should I think about?
Here are some aspects which I personally consider very valuable:
Anyway, besides sharing with you some of the aspects I think about before communicating, what I want to achieve with this article is to make you think a little more about your words, how you use them, how valuable a tool they are and the great power they confer on human beings.
Let’s think, what would we do without them?
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