Write for Business - Blog

In our increasingly interconnected world, English plays a dramatic role in business. Consequently, it pays to recognize that many English words can serve as different parts of speech, often with very different meanings. One such example is the word counter.

As a noun…
counter is commonly used in the following ways (among others):

• a flat marker used in games
• a long, level surface where transactions are conducted (e.g., a display counter) or where food and drink are prepared or served (as opposed to a table, which is generally lower and not as long)
• a person or device that counts
• a stiffener around or within the heel area of the upper part of a shoe

As a verb…
counter is typically used in one of the following ways:

• to oppose (as in working against a current trend)
• to defend or react (as in a debate or in the game of chess)

As an adjective, adverb, or prefix…
counter conveys negation, opposition, or reverse action, as in these examples:

• The results were counter to expectations. (predicate adjective)
• Jeeves acted counter to my express wishes. (adverb)
• We added a counterbalance to even the scales. (prefix)

In idioms…
counter can be used to indicate the sale of nonprescription drugs (over-the-counter medications) or a secret, perhaps illegal transaction (payment under the counter).

Conclusion
For both native English speakers and for those who use English as a second language, being aware that a single word can convey many meanings is helpful—especially as we strive for clear communication within a global business community.

—Joyce Lee

Photo by Thomas Bresson

Take a look at the Beatles in 1964, arriving in New York for their first U.S. television appearance (on the Ed Sullivan Show). Note those skinny ties and narrow jacket lapels. Now skip over the broad sweep of the 70s, 80s, 90s, and 00s to today: Thin is back in style.

That's as true of business writing as of haberdashery. Text messaging, Twitter, and Facebook have driven us to write leaner copy. People just don't have time for lengthy messages. With its PLAIN Writing Act, even the U.S. government is driving this push for succinctness.

Happily, the shift to leanness is also making information presentation increasingly visual. Graphic elements like headings and bullet lists have become commonly accepted for highlighting key points, of course. But well-designed infographics are used more and more to make complex data digestible. Further, with increased bandwidth available, online audio and video are replacing text for quick consumption of information. (I recently repaired my washing machine, for example, after watching a home-appliance store's YouTube video.)

Given the rise of smartphones and tablet computers, this trend toward "thin" is only going to continue, especially online. Short text is helpful text. Multimedia options that help viewers quickly find what they need (as opposed to multimedia dress-up) will be rewarded with more visitors.

For a further glimpse of this slim-lined future, take a look at HTML5. It's a match made for mobile computing. The days of Flash-heavy or (heaven forbid) Flash-only sites are numbered.

If you're writing for the Web, or anyhow influencing your company's Web presence, and you're not already browsing with a mobile device, it's high time to start. It's the only way to really understand how well your site works for your visitors, or doesn't. You may also want to begin chanting this mantra: "Thin is in."

—Lester Smith

Photo by JonoMueller

"Like" is a frequently misused word nowadays. Basically, there are just two correct uses: as a preposition when presenting a comparison…

"Time creeps like a turtle."

and as a verb meaning "to have positive feelings for"…

"Bears like honey."

Often, however, "like" is misused as a conjunction, when "as" should be used instead. Consider the old cigarette advertisement that erroneously declared, "Winston tastes good like a cigarette should." While the ad campaign was memorable, the grammar was wrong. So wrong, in fact, that you can use it as a memory aid for how not to use "like."

In recent decades, "like" has also become used as a casual "filler" word in popular vernacular, especially among the young: "So we were, like, going to meet, like, at the park. But then it, like, started to rain." It is also often coupled with a form of "be" for use in place of "said": "So I was like, 'I don't believe it,' and he was like, 'It's totally true.'" Neither of these uses is acceptable for business.

That casual employment has, however, led to one possible permanent addition to "like's" repertoire. In a Vanity Fair article a couple of years ago, Christopher Hitchens quoted novelist Ian McEwan as suggesting that as an interjection, "like" creates hyperbole and emphasis, as in the statement, "It was, like, the worst movie ever." Still, we would not suggest this usage for business communication.

So why bother discussing these casual usages of "like" at all? Well, language does slowly shift and change, especially spoken language. (See our blog entry, "Not Just One but Four Grammars—And Why That's Good.") So what might be unthinkable in one context (such as a report or a formal speech) might be more acceptable in another (a casual brainstorming session, for example). Only by understanding the difference between formal rules and casual usage can we be certain to communicate effectively.

—Joyce Lee

P.S. As a fun exercise, count how many times a construction with "as" appears above. In which of them might someone mistakenly use "like"? J.L.

Photo by Paolo Camera

English is a language of synonyms, multiple words with similar meanings. At first, that might seem wasteful. But it allows for nuance, subtle differences that convey added meaning. And it allows for concision.

As an example, let's consider that word concision in comparison with its sibling conciseness. They're both noun forms of the adjective concise, meaning "short and to the point." But concision carries the added sound of precision. In some contexts, it might even echo incision—being direct or "cutting to the heart of the matter."

In addition, at just nine letters, concision is a better model of terseness than the eleven-lettered conciseness. What's more, concision's final syllable simply "sounds" more to the point than its sibling's.

Of course, conciseness is the more common word, which means it gets the idea across without drawing attention to itself. Most often, then, you're likely best served by conciseness. If you want to emphasize terseness, however, concision does the trick.

—Lester Smith

Photo by Creative Tools

How often do you see the abbreviation ASAP? How does it make you feel? How often do you use it yourself?

ASAP (As Soon As Possible) has been with us since 1955, originating as U.S. Army slang. Over the intervening years it has become cliché, losing what impact it might have once had. Here's a short list of why ASAP is ineffective nowadays.

1. It doesn't specify a delivery date. "As soon as possible" is actually a vague statement, leaving delivery to the listener's judgment. What seems a "possible" date to one person might seem very different to someone facing other circumstances.
2. It doesn't identify priorities. ASAP doesn't specifically mean "Do this first" or "Do this now." It could legitimately be interpreted as "Fit this into your schedule." If my other tasks seem more pressing, "as soon as possible" might actually mean "tack it onto the end."
3. It sets unrealistic expectations. ASAP creates a general sense of tension and unease. Even when an "ASAP" project is finished, people can't tell whether they met a milestone or missed it. And while an "ASAP" project remains uncompleted, they can only worry.
4. It sets a negative tone. Using ASAP is basically like saying "I need this in a hurry but can't be bothered to tell you when." It devalues the receiver and his or her time, treating that person as a servant rather than a colleague or team member.
5. If everything is needed ASAP, nothing is. Let's assume you have multiple tasks assigned at the same time. If they're all "top priority," that puts them all on the same level. Even if your tasks come one at a time, if every one is "ASAP," the situation becomes like "The Boy Who Cried 'Wolf.'"

So avoid using the term ASAP. Take time to actually set priorities and target dates, to praise people for meeting those goals, and to devote more resources to a task that is falling behind. That's a much more effective strategy for getting things done quickly than just demanding them "ASAP."

—Lester Smith

Photo by AfroDad