How well do you know words?

We use words all the time to express what we feel, think, and want. But have you ever wondered whether you are using the appropriate word? The right word to express your thoughts and emotions? Are you thoughtfully using words to convey shades of meaning? Or are you using boiler-plate templates of phrases and words which ‘fit’ into a current situation?

man dictionary         

Words are like people. It takes time to get to know them. You have to meet them in different contexts. And just like people, they may be multi-layered and at times, misunderstood. You have to spend a lot of time with a person to become a good friend: someone whom you really understand. The same goes for words.

So, what does it mean to know a word?

  • Well, to know a word means to be aware of its dictionary meaning.
  • It also means to be aware of the other words that usually go with it. It’s called collocation.
  • It means to know whether it has a positive or negative connotation. So, you will have to be aware of the context when a word is generally used.
  • And to know a word means to know how it is pronounced.

Well, this is actually quite a list, if you think about it. And the list is expandable. To know a word also means to know the origin of the word, and the prefixes, or suffixes used. But, we’ll stay with the basics: dictionary meaning and pronunciation.

Let’s take an example. In India, people use this word a lot: improvise. At a meeting I attended, someone was giving a task. His colleague said, “Well, you’ll have to improvise!” What did he mean by that? Did he mean that there was a need to be creative? Or that there is a need to improve the current product? Or did he mean something else? I wish I asked him, because it was not clear to me at the time.

Let’s look at what the dictionary can unearth for us. Go ahead and click on this link. Read about the word improvise. Then return to this page.

 
 
 
Welcome back! When I clicked on this link, I learned a lot about the word, improvise. Here is what I found interesting:
 
1. There are three syllables in the word, and the first one is stressed. The other two are unstressed. So immediately, I had a good idea as to how the word is pronounced.
 
2.  The definition is what I expected it to be. Although, I would have not thought about including inventing devices in the meaning of the word.
 
3. I didn’t know that we could use the word from with improvise. The example sentence from the Cambridge Dictionary page is helpful: We improvised a mattress from a pile of blankets.
 
What were your thoughts when you read the dictionary entry for the word? And do you use this word accurately?
 
Words, like people, may not always be what you think they are. So, question yourself when you use a word. You may think you know its meaning or how it is pronounced, but in reality, you may be using the word inaccurately.
 
Doubt yourself. Check the dictionary. You may be in for a few surprises.
 
 
 

Three tips for PowerPoint slides

How did business ever get done without a PowerPoint presentation?

It is hard to imagine making a presentation nowadays without clicking from slide to slide. Whoever you are and whatever you may be doing, there is a high probability that your presentations consist of a series of slides containing words, graphs, and images.

When preparing slides, here are my tips:

  1. Make sure there is lots of white (or blank) space on your slide. Do not crowd the slide with text. I have seen slides which are covered, top to bottom, with sentences. When that happens, the audience spends more time trying to decipher the text, and less time listening to you. Cut, cut, cut. Be ruthless. Place only what is essential on the slide. Yes, less is truly more.
  2. There needs to be coherence between the text and the image/graph. The words and image need to support each other. If the image is self-explanatory or conveys meaning by itself, text may not be necessary. The text and elaboration can come from you, when you speak. When it comes to a slide with text, perhaps one word would suffice. It may have more impact than a full sentence. Remember the first point: be partial to blank space.
  3. Sequencing is important. Make sure there is a logical flow when it comes to structuring your presentation. Decide which slide needs to come where in the overall sequence. Also, for every slide, decide on the sequence of points. You may choose to sequence points based on their order of relevance for a particular message you are trying to convey. And, think about the sequencing of information within a point. Should it be x,y,z or z,y,x? Perhaps, for a certain client you want to highlight z, then in that case, z should come first.

It actually takes strong clarity of purpose to make a ‘simple’ and elegant slide. You need to know what to include and what to exclude. And you need to know how to present material in an appealing way, that makes your audience interested and engaged.

Well-prepared, thoughtful slides make a positive impact on the viewer. She will better remember your presentation after it is over. So, it would be well worth your time to take a step back and critically evaluate your slides with a fresh pair of eyes.