Oct 10, 2013

In the words of the great Jedi Master Yoda, “make one smart, using big words does not.”

OK, maybe he never actually said that, but if he had been a high school English teacher, I like to think he might have.

The point I’m trying to make is that simply using a big word in your writing (or in conversation for that matter) doesn’t make you the smartest person in the room. Oftentimes when people use big words with many syllables, it has the opposite effect from what was intended. Big words used unnecessarily can clog up the conversation and interrupt the flow ending up with the key thoughts being lost.

Don’t get me wrong, there is a time and place for big words but you must make absolutely certain that it is needed. Unless you’re being graded on the size and complexity of your words, keep it simple to make sure you get your point across.

Perhaps Yoda would complete the thought with this…”Make one smart, using big words does not. When used correctly, powerful any word can become.”