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Language is fascinating. The possibilities of expressing yourself in English are almost limitless. When you write, the richness of this language permits you to be as specific or vague as you wish. You can be subtle and soft or direct and firm. Through your selection and placement of words, you can express anything imaginable. Although English arms you with powerful options, many people choose to sound formal and businesslike. This often translates to stuffy and cluttered. So much of business writing today is ineffective, not to mention boring.

What does this business sentence mean:

Initially, in the lieu of other implementation, manual entry for data input will be requested to accomplish this function.

Translation: In the meantime, we’ll have to do it by hand. Is this translation too informal for business? Is it unprofessional to use plain words? Certainly not.

You can’t accomplish your goals if your reader doesn’t now what you are saying. Simple, straightforward language is the best for most occasions. Simple language communicates. Short words and sentences are easier to write and easier to read. Uncomplicated language takes less time to use and takes up less space. You save time. Your reader saves time. Simple language is never out of place. It’s not presumptuous. It fits in.

Don’t misunderstand the term simple. Simple language is not unsophisticated. It is not undramatic. Short sentences can be powerful. Short sentences attract attention. They communicate quickly, a valuable business attribute. When you write in uncomplicated language, you place the emphasis of what you’re saying on your subject, not on the words themselves. Simple language will contribute to your success for the same reason that cluttered, cloudy words can keep you from moving ahead.

Today’s business language suffers from inflation, not the monetary form, but an overabundance of words. There’re more words being used, but each carries less weight. You can’t say what you mean if one of your primary purposes is to use as many words as possible.

To avoid inflation, put your thoughts in as few words as possible. Using common, rather than ponderous, six-syllable office words will make people respond.

Some examples of when simple words work better:

terminate - end
so as to - to
in a timely manner - on time
to facilitate initiation - to help start
in view of the fact that - because
a small number of - few
in the immediate vicinity of - near

Some more examples:

We are indeed gratified you have expressed your confidence in us in this way.

Translation: We’re glad you are pleased.

Many of these common problems that frequently occur could probably be eliminated or at least reduced if more time was spent to locate qualified personnel for positions on the faculty.

Translation: These problems can be reduced if we find qualified instructors.

Congratulations:
On behalf of your loyal employees here in the engineering department may I most sincerely congratulate you on your new assignment.
-or-
Congratulations! Everyone in engineering sends you best wishes.
We’re proud of you!

Technical, complex language also has a place. But understanding is still the goal.

There’re some situations when you just want to confuse your reader. Perhaps you want to avoid committing yourself to a controversial issue. If you want to confuse, boggle , dumbfound , and otherwise deliver your reader into bewilderment intentionally, you have plenty of options. Many politicians are adept at using abundance of words to say little. You can too, but be sure that’s your intention.

Although your words may not get you what you want 100% of the time, by using words that your reader(s) understand, you can at least be sure everyone knows what you want.

Taken form:
Mark S. Bacon, Write Like The Pros, © 1988, John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Used without permission.