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The Right Words

Friends,

The English language has over 170 thousand words, not counting obsolete and derivative words. With so many words to choose from, selecting the right one can be challenging. The choice between a ten-cent and a fifty-cent word often comes down to the writer’s intent. Informing (or disinforming) the reader vs. amusing (or aggrandizing) the writer. Striking the right balance between clarity and elegance is hard enough without the allure of highfalutin, unnecessary words tempting us to literary lechery (apologies for succumbing to temptation). While the writer’s word choice can hint at their motivation, whether a word is right or not comes down to legibility. If the reader enjoys an article, who cares how much the writer paid for their words. Kind of like a good donut: if it tastes great, who cares about the ingredients.

Happy New Year!


     The wrong photo ;-)

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