Chapter 12: Language and Style

Understandable Language

Understandable language consists of words your listeners find recognizable. In most situations, the best way to ensure that you’re using understandable language is to choose words that reflect your audience’s language skills, avoiding technical terms beyond their comprehension. For example, if a cell biologist gave a talk to a roomful of English majors, she would quickly confuse her listeners with terms such as ribosomal DNA and anaerobic cellular metabolism. Yet those terms could be appropriate in a speech delivered to a group of experts or insiders—for example, when presenting a paper to scientists at a biology conference.

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Thus, you need to analyze your audience to determine what language your listeners will recognize. Audience members’ educational background can suggest their general vocabulary level. Meanwhile, demographic information and stories about listeners’ life experiences can help you predict what language the audience will understand.

Also take care in using jargon—specialized or technical words or phrases that are familiar only to people in a specific field or group. Jargon includes technical terms as well as abbreviations, acronyms, slang, and other esoteric expressions. For example, people in the field of telecommunications use jargon extensively—including expressions such as 7G (seventh-generation telecom networks), CapEx (capital expenditures), first-tier ops (telecom operators with the largest market share), and the cloud (servers available over the Internet). The jargon can be even trickier to use if its definition is still in a state of evolution. The word cloud is one such case.2

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Here are two simple guidelines for deciding whether to include a particular instance of jargon in a speech:

If you can say something in plain language, do so. Unless you see a pressing reason to use jargon—such as to clarify an important point or to bolster your credibility—use widely accessible words.
If you do use jargon, explain it. By clarifying your use of jargon, you can gain whatever advantages it offers and still ensure that your audience understands you.

For example, a student named Patrick was making a presentation about safe horseback-riding practices in his public speaking class. Most of his fellow students had grown up in the city and had little experience with horses. In explaining the steps required to prepare a horse for a trail ride, Patrick said, “Be very careful about how you tack up your horse—that is, how you put the bridle and saddle on.” He guessed (correctly) that many of his listeners wouldn’t understand the phrase tack up. By using the term—which is common among people who ride horses—he gained credibility as someone familiar with his topic, and by explaining it, he helped his audience understand the information.