thirstythong

“But the most significant derivation from the meaning of as ‘water’ is the concept of people who have gathered near a body of water to grow rice for one another, and founding a stable community, sharing rain and drought, plenty and famine, peace and war: from ‘water,’ its basic meaning, has come to designate ‘the homeland, the country, the nation.’ It is in this ultimate exception that the monosyllable nuoc reverberates throught the deepest and farthest recesses of the Vietnamese collective unconscious and stirs there the most potent feelings. The nation’s fateful course, marked by ups and downs, is figuratively rendered as a ‘tide of water’ (van nuoc) with its ebb and flow. The highest virtue demanded of a Vietnamese is that he or she ‘love the nuoc‘ (yeu nuoc).” –Huynh Sanh Thong (no relation)

The Elements of Great Verbal Communication (refining my speech)

Like

Good writers are demonstrably clear thinkers. That’s why one should always seek and retain good writers for their team, organization, company.

The same could be said about good verbal communicators. I venture to state good is what is qualified by the ever so charming term “charisma.”

This will not be a holistic breakdown of what makes a verbal communicator good. This will be a review of the omissions I will make from my verbal communication moving forward in my quest to become a great verbal communicator.

We live in an age of excess. Period. Excess, not in the sole sense of decadence (the richer getting richest) - Excess, also in the sense of poverty (the poorer getting dead). Excess in the sense of information access, excess in the sense of options (and lack thereof). Excess in the sense of language.

To paraphrase Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, just because you are saying a lot, doesn’t necessarily mean you are having a good conversation.

I am working to eliminate the following usage (when incorrect/unnecessary) from my verbal communication:


1. Like

Not everything is alike. “Like” is not a comma, ellipsis or period.

2. Literally

Literal is not equal. Literal is literal.

3. You Know?

If my idea is clear enough, I should not have to preface or suffix my idea with a “you know” attached. My listener will reply with a verbal cue or affirmation that they do in fact understand, that they “know.” Arguably, “you know” is a demonstration of the weakness of my idea.

4. Arguably

Not everything is arguable. As Michael expresses, “Michael Jordan” is the greatest basketball player of all time: this idea can be argued and backed up with statistical evidence. When it is arguable, it is arguable.

Political correctness (PC) is detrimental to solid ideas that can improve the world, whether it be in terms of personal relations to those dear to us, or within the organizations we mold with our hands and minds.

Arguably, you, like literally are not getting me, you know. Perhaps, like, I’ll let Taylor Mali say it best, okay?

Dare to be bold, dare to be confident, dare to know and state with absolute conviction - what is right, what is just, what is truth.

  1. thirstythong posted this