I don't understand
I get comments from time to time saying that the way I write is too hard, the words too difficult and structure too complex for them to understand. Yes, I know, it can be but, I don't mind that. It is not that I am trying to exclude anyone from the conversation but, if I have to limit my writing to the lowest language skills, I am going to lose my interest in writing at all. I enjoy my writing and since no one is forced to read it or upvote it, what I think of my writing matters.
It does change though depending on subject matter of course and some is in much simpler form than others but, even then most basic English speakers are not going to be able to understand it. So, why read it and comment at all?
I read a lot of complex posts I do not understand because of their technical language but, I generally get something out of them still. Too many numbers and my brain shuts off and says, 'skip ahead'. Should I ask the writers to simplify their jargon? Maybe. Should they? That is up to them.
Now, I have been an English as a second language trainer for 15 years already, I have no problems simplifying structure but, I write for enjoyment also, not just so people can understand or for upvotes. When I write for my business, I have to simplify it down and in my opinion, it loses a lot of the feeling and even though it can convey all points clearly, it bores me no end.
It also loses the nuance and subtlety that is vital for people to not only understand but, act upon the information. Behaviour isn't driven solely by knowledge, it is also driven by feeling and if information isn't felt, it rarely changes into action. This is why some advertising is so successful as they hack the emotional responses to purchase, not the logical. Market sentiment so to speak. For those who struggle to understand my texts, there are plenty of other writers here with simpler texts, plenty with much more complexity than mine.
Mine are largely written in the way that I speak, not directly of course, but to a large degree. The reason I do this is because I want it to be somewhat conversational so I speak to the audience and hope that it will evoke responses in some percentage and I will get a dialogue of sorts going. Dialogue with interesting minds is an important source of my inspiration but if I dumb down the conversation too far, I don't even want to read it.
Is this exclusionary? Yes, all language is. I can also speak in very basic Finnish, does that help? The problem with most language is that it will always exclude those who cannot speak it and even with translate tools, loss happens. I can't be a stand up member of the Korean community nor, write for the German community. At least not yet.
One day perhaps the translation software will be lossless in meaning and a person can write however they want and an artificial intelligence will translate it clearly into the best language for each individual audience member. We are not there yet though are we?
So for, now, I welcome everyone to read my content but, I cannot guarantee that you are going to get every word nor understand what may lay between the lines. You may not be happy with this, you may want me to change my ways to include your level but, where does it end, how much must I change to include everyone?
For me, it is all of the difference that makes this world interesting and tailoring myself to maximise audience may get me more support but, it loses my voice. Is that what is valuable in this world?
Taraz
[ a Steemit original ]
@tarazkp i try to get some thing from you blog either if it is easy to understand or difficult for me .and i think its good if you are enjoying its fine and should be.keep sharing i love yours and @doctorjohn blog really <3 <3
I'm not discombobulated in the least bit.
I was trying to write an introduction to an epic story I had thought to write. I shared it with a couple of my friends. I used the word "precipice" and was quite pleased with my word choice. I was very disappointed to be told that I needed to dumb down my vocabulary or else nobody would connect with or get my story.
I thought... if this is just the introduction, why bother to write the rest of the story?! Then I thought to myself, what would John Milton have done if someone told him to dumb down Paradise Lost? Would Charles Dickens have dumbed down A Tale of Two Cities... just for the audience's sake? There is a time and a place to "simply simplify" and there is a time to NOT simplify! I think creative expression should be expressive and creative... not stifled for mass adoption or consumption! Make them read and do a little work on their end!
I am no Dickens or Milton by any stretch. I could only begin to imagine how the literary giants would literally be rolling over in their graves if they could see and hear the world we live in today with all of it's sentiment.
Yo, I have no idea what you just wrote, but, in most cases, I like to learn. Reading has to be educational for me to enjoy it. Whenever I feel confused, I read the same line over and over again, Google copy/paste the meaning out of it, hardcore. It doesnt only speed up my reading process, but also teaches me different ways to build up a paragraph. Im not even going to mention the content-value itself of your topics and hidden teachings. Keep writing "hard-to-read" stuff and let it be a challenge, dont go too loco though. Xxx
I hold this idea too, it also has to be educational for me to write it :D
And with those mindsets combined we all benefit twice as much. :D
I really don't see your writing style as complex or overusing elaborate words. I think this is the case of you not lovering the bar to the common denominator and asking the reader to "get on the average english reader level".
I don't either as I think I write in a very basic form but, it depends on experience and skill.
Its not just you,those who have the English as their native language write 'Tough to understand to others' level of English..I'm the only person in our locality to buy English newspaper 'The New Indian Express'..After reading the kind of posts such as your 's,I feel like those journalists working in that newspaper have still a long way to go!
The language can be twisted to whatever way we like if we are adept at it.I know two languages veey well- Malayalam and Tamil.Yet,I can't understand many writings in those languages.
Atleast your way of writing is in prose..We will get the meaning if we have the time to read..Many people in steemit write 'Poems'. For example d-pend.I don't even understand their 'Title'!
Hahahahaha, yea poetry is losing it's value. These days we just write them as plain stories when so the fans can let us sleep. I remember my one of my first poem on Steemit, I had lots of complains even my friends called that it was difficult to grasp, that was when I knew good poetry is losing it's value. So I started writing my poems in simple style and that's when I lost my mojo for it. Just like @tarazkp mentioned, I wasn't flowing anymore, so I simply lost all interest in poetry.
Do your own thing as there is room for many facets of a person here
The way the world is going you may have to dumb everything down. Even the president can't understand big words
Oh well, I don't know why this complains still hold around your blog. I read your articles, all of them but when I feel like I am not part of the audience, I simply read through, shrug my shoulders as a continue down the lane to explore the community.
It's not everything posted on Steemit that is for everyone of us. I read quite a lot from diverse range of authors even from those outside the English language, if I don't understand it, I assumed am not the intended or target audience and I don't have to shout to the author to ask why I was excluded from the conversation. I rarely comment on issues of cryptocurrency and market analysis. It doesn't mean I don't read them, it just means am not set to be part of the conversation (you can listen but don't speak). So to everyone who feels you are left out of a conversation, I think you have to do something about your FOMO attitude. And to the author, if you believe you are on the right path, remember this photo
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You just can't please us all.
Haha..I really enjoyed your cartoon(I don't know it's 'Native speaker's word')..Right perspective!
Thank you. Not really mine. It's a popular cartoon online. I couldn't find the original to source it.
I said to you before write how and what that makes you happy .
I say this for two reasons . I can't write like you and I'll write the so called dumb down stuff . lol If you change what you write to please people , what does that make you . and thats not who you are . 1st be true to yourself all else will follow my friend
When true to yourself, one attracts people who are actually there based on what is true, not the facade.
Not only for what is true but for who that is truth .
people search for those who speak true words even if they don't agree with it . Over time one gains that respect . The honor , privilege and responsibility .
want to see a long post see my friend's post @imaginedragon . and I read the whole thing .
:) yeah, she can write....
People opinions would generally differs and it's also very difficult if not impossible to please everyone. I enjoyed good write-ups, that's one of my purpose of being here, I'll be sitting for English language proficiency test at the later end of the year so quality piece would surely go a long way in refining my language skills. It would be impossible to satisfy my thirst for perfect write-up, if people start writing in basic English. I need to up my vocabulary, keep it up tarabz.
Many don't want to learn anymore, they want to be fed