CONCISE DICTION

Aka, “lean prose”

Nominalize = Bad• Nominalization changes a verb into its noun form• Discuss becomes discussion, depend becomes

dependent, recognize becomes recognition.• “Noun-ing” your verbs results in stiffness,

wordiness, or awkward constructions.• I had the knowledge that my speech in English

was poor. • I knew very well that I spoke English poorly.

Showy Vocabulary• Fancier is not always better.• Felicitations on your natal day! • Or: Happy Birthday!• “Hijacking the language proves especially pernicious

when government officials deodorize their programs with near-Orwellian euphemism.” (Pernicious sounds appropriate here.)

• “We all heard the pernicious gunshots.” (Pernicious sounds laughable here…)