Theocratic Aid To Kingdom Publishers

Lesson 37

CHOICE OF WORDS IN COMPOSITION

Try to frame in your mind a thought or an idea without thinking of words. Even in visualizing an object or situation the mind translates the vision into a word picture. Words are more than tools or channels for expressing thought to others: they are indispensable in the innermost reasonings and thought processes of the mind itself. Hence as this discussion unfolds, bear in mind that what is said about words relative to the expressing of thoughts strikes even deeper than oral or written communication, that to enlarge one's knowledge of words is to heighten and intensify one's scope of thinking power.

Words are plentiful. There are some half a million words in the English language alone. Yet a few thousand constitute the stock of words possessed by any one individual. The reservoir is virtually untapped by any one person. But even if his imperfect mind could carry them, the Theocratic minister does not require all these thought-carriers for performance of his preaching work. Hundreds of thousands of words would be just so much excess baggage for his brain cells to carry. Nevertheless, he does need words, and not just some few hundred basic words. He should have

a large stock in mind so that he can choose the right word for the right occasion, for the need of the moment. God's Word says: "How forcible are right words!" (Job 6:25) The converse would be true, "How feeble are wrong words!"

The first requisite is for the speaker to choose words that his listeners will understand. Kingdom publishers should not clothe their speech in the pretentious, many-syllabled words of foreign derivation that mark the "vain babblings" of clergy and politicians. Such men do not speak for the purpose of imparting knowledge, but for effect, and oftentimes with intent to deceive. They 'darken counsel by words' not known by many, and traffic in "smooth words" and "fair speech" to deceive the simple, ordinary, uneducated man. (Job 38: 2; Isa. 30:10; Rom. 16:18) They dress their speech in gaudy, showy, flowery words, words that are often as artificial as mascara and rouge, or the toupee on a bald head. Excessive use of such words makes sentences overstuffed. The clergy and politicians need to use this pompous wordage to cover over the poverty of thought and logic and substance in their utterances. Leave such excesses to the pulpit and political platform. Kingdom publishers do not need them.

They will follow the pattern of Jesus, who spoke very differently from the scribes and Pharisees of his day. (Matt. 7: 28, 29) Paul expressed himself well on this point. Under inspiration he wrote: "My speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the spirit and of power: that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God." (1 Cor. 2:4,5) Again, he said: "We use great plainness of speech"; "our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward." (2 Cor. 1:12; 3:12) Follow the sterling examples of Jesus and Paul and other Bible characters. Do not attempt to "speak up" to worldlings wise in their

own conceit by using their high-sounding expressions, or by entering into vain philosophies and theories. Remain simple-hearted, and use language to match.

The effort on the part of the Kingdom publisher should be to use words that everyone in the audience will understand. There is a rich store of common words in the English language; short, powerful words that lend themselves to vigorous expression and an infinite variety of arrangements and constructions to give color and warmth. The considerate speaker will choose words understandable to the least-educated listener in his audience. If he does find it necessary to use an unfamiliar word, then he should surround it with simple expressions and phrases that will give it sense and meaning to his audience.

There are many classes of words. Like clothes, they are fitted for various occasions and uses. A class to be generally avoided is here mentioned, and that is slang. It is the lazy man's language, develops shallow thinking, and impoverishes one's power of expression quicker than any other factor. True, on occasion it is used by good speakers and writers to give to their utterances a freshness and vigor that could not be otherwise attained; but this should not be taken as license for the average speaker or writer to indulge therein. For the one time that it is effective there are a hundred times that it is unbecoming. More often than not its use will degrade and detract rather than add to. Many one-time slang words have been accepted into the field of good English. Due to their general use, their fullness of meaning, and the absence of any synonyms that so aptly express the situation, they have been elevated to the plane of reputable English. The wiser course for the Kingdom publisher is to wait until the slang expression becomes reputable, before using it. The great bulk of the slang that corrupts the speech of so many persons either continues to be speech-weakening slang or dies a death from which there is no resurrection.

With the foregoing in mind, let the Kingdom publisher choose words carefully. A few general principles are: Choose the Anglo-Saxon word instead of the many-syllabled word of foreign derivation, a familiar word instead of an unfamiliar word, a short word instead of a long word, a specific word instead of a general word. All but the last mentioned has been discussed, and an illustration will clarify it. What if Peter had said: 'The devil, as an animal, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour'? Animal is general; it might be any kind. Peter was more specific, saying, "The devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour." Force is added. To be able to choose good words the composer needs a stock from which to choose. He should increase his vocabulary. When he reads unfamiliar words (the occurrence of unfamiliar words in written material is not so objectionable as it is in speaking, because the reader can take time to look up the meaning and add the term to his vocabulary. The listener cannot take time to do this; the speaker continues on) he should determine their meaning. He should be alert to add to his mental storehouse new words from which to choose for the right occasion.