Word order schmoder, break the chains

I have three links to share with you on the topic of word order of adjectives before nouns. As I came across each of these postings, I thought they were very helpful. But, as usual, the brain keeps working on the concept and now I have a different opinion: they are useful to those dedicated to verbosity. Do you love noun strings, then remember the rules for their use. These posts are certainly worth reading:

1. From the excellent Triangle Grammar Guide, Rules for word order: OPSHACOM for opinion, shape, age, color, origin and material.

2. Pam Nelson, of the blog above, refers us to Professor Grammar. He gives a lesson online at http://www.professorgrammar.com/opshacom2.shtml
There is also an entertaining video.

3. Then the very nice Ray Ward at the (new) legal writer shares some links and offers this line chart:
opinion :: size :: age :: shape :: color :: origin :: material :: purpose

Here is what the University of Victoria's Writer's Guide says about noun strings:

...But the ability of English to link nouns in this way can lead to ambiguous and turgid writing. For example, a headline that reads "Woman Killer At Large" could refer to either a killer of women or a woman who kills.

English even allows a whole group of nouns to be strung together, but the longer the string, the longer it takes a reader unfamiliar with the term to figure it out. Noun strings are often found in newspaper headlines where space is at a premium ("Car Insurance Firm Secret Sale Shock Probe") and technical manuals ("put the wing sprocket flange grommet over the side frame angle bracket lever").

Noun strings or noun chains are a major component of jargon: "computer systems analyst," "human resource development project newsletter deadline," "health information science" (until you know what it is about, it is unclear whether it deals with "the health of information-science" or "the science of health-information"). The simple way to avoid noun strings is to separate the nouns by appropriate prepositions.

And here is some standard advice from SFU Style Exercises

1. Break up noun strings with prepositional phrases.

2. If possible, turn some nouns into verbs.

3. Use hyphens to indicate closely related words.

4. Use acronyms when feasible.

5. Eliminate words that are not needed in the noun string.

6. Three nouns in a string is hard to understand; four or more nouns in a string is excessive.

And Ray Ward tackles the subject from this perspective here.

From the perspective of a writer committed to plain language, the rules are:

Avoid noun strings.
Simplify.
Get to the point.

Reading the reader's mind

A busy week of business travel behind me, I will resume posts soon.

This cartoon is an apt representation of my work as a plain language consultant: http://www.comics.com/comics/fminus/index.html.

Creative inspiration is a basic need!

Having talked with a few left-brain types in my day, I know we all crave inspiration and creativity, when we stop to think about it! I think we need a creative outlet or source of stimulation in order to avoid left-brain burn-out.

But many people hesitate to take up a creative activity because they "won't be any good at it". They are perfectionists, or recovering perfectionists like me.

Nobody is good at anything when they first start; anything takes practice to improve. So the deal is: just start! Besides, being good is not actually the point. The point is to stimulate our right brain hemispheres.

This painting is my fourth--the third is underneath the paint of it. The inspiration was to use up some leftover wall paint so I would not have to figure out how to dispose of it in compliance with environmental regulations.

You see it in situ; it is one of 3 paintings in my house in various shades of blue, purple, white and brown. That was the end of the left-over wall paint!

Midge at Lipstick and Legalese is also a fan of creative activities. See her post on shrinkies today.

Props for Plain Language

If you find it difficult to write in plain language because of long-established habits, try writing with one of these pens from IWOOT. Dare you to write jargon with one of these!

A new logo for information literacy

A new, international, logo has been developed to represent information literacy.

The sponsor, Information Literacy Section of IFLA, for UNESCO, says:

The aim of creating this Logo is to make communication easier between those who carry out information literacy projects, their communities, and society in general. The Logo will be available free of charge and promoted as an international symbol of information literacy.

The American Library Association describes information literacy this way:

“To be information literate, a person must be able to recognize when information is needed and have the ability to locate, evaluate, and use effectively the needed information. The information literate individuals are those who have learned how to learn”

(ALA, 1998)

I prefer the perspective adopted by Sheila Webber at the Information Literacy Weblog:

"Information Literacy--
the adoption of appropriate information behaviour to identify, through whatever channel or medium, information well fitted to information needs, leading to wise and ethical use of information in society"

Edgar Luy Pérez, the artist, says of the design:

"The book, open and next to the circle [representing study], comprises with it a visual metaphor representing those people who have the cognitive tools to reach information in a nimble way, as well as the desire to share this ability."

Creativity is a need

I have been meaning to write about creativity. I have also bewen meaning to do a regular week-end post about creativity....

Any person engaged in a profession that draws heavily on left-brain activity, will come to appreciate the need for some counter-balancing right-brain activity. In fact, the right-brain activity actually assists the left-brain hemisphere in its work.

People in problem-solving professions will start to feel in a rut and stymied, if they do not take conscious steps to activate their right hemisphere regularly. Some people seem to know this intuitively, others like me need to have the red flag waved in front of them.

I coached lawyers for 5 years and the felt need for creativity was commonly mentioned--as creativity was missing in their lives and the absence limited their thinking. And this blah feeling was undermining their confidence that they had chosen the right profession.

I first expressed this need to myself in 1991. It took me another 10 years to start actively seeking creative stimulus. A few years ago this led me to a blog about folk art that spawned a group calling itself the Glitter Power Sisters. We held our first retreat in Sedona this spring.

A recent review of studies on happiness discovered that enjoyment of our work is key to life satisfaction. And creativity figures in this.

Rhonda Muir of the LawPeople blog has a post today called Working Toward Happiness. she discusses the contribution that creativity makes to happiness. And the recent review of studies on happiness. Do read her post.

More stories from the public speaking wars

Continuing my comments on Lisa's post.

You're afraid the audience will see how nervous you are

First of all, they won't. You are 100 times more aware of your own body and physical condition than your audience is. Remember this quote:

"I stopped worrying about what people would think about me, when I realized how seldom people think about anyone but themselves." ~Stephen Eggleston

Beyond that, go ahead and do some deep breathing and relaxation exercises before you begin, and consciously tell yourself to breathe during the presentation.

And take the time necessary to prepare. Do not wing it. The more prepared you are and the better you know your topic, the less likely you are to feel anxiety.

Lisa is so right. People come to the presentation because they are interested in the topic or because they are your fans. In either the case, they are not there to criticize you. Think about what the audience wants from you and not about your sweaty palms.

Oftentimes, people who are speaking think they are scared when their bodies are just preparing them for the "confrontation" with the audience.Take 3 deep breathes, and jiggle your body a bit to clear some of the physical tension building.

The benefit of the human condition known as "fight or flight" is that the adrenaline rush will get you to the podium and power your first statement. The problem is that most of us misinterpret the heightened senses as fear or nervousness. Think of it as POWER!

You are going to comedown fast from the adrenaline surge, so be ready.

Memorize what you are going to say in the first 60 seconds. While you are saying whatever that is, your boost of adrenaline will dissipate and you can regain control of yourself.

Strange days in Canada

Today is a holiday of some sort across most of Canada.


Saskatchewan (Saskatchewan Day)
Ontario (Simcoe Day + others)
British Columbia (British Columbia Day)
Alberta (Heritage Day)
New Brunswick (New Brunswick Day)
Manitoba (Civic Holiday)
Nunavut (Civic Holiday)
Nova Scotia (Natal Day)
Northwest Territories (Civic Holiday)
Prince Edward Island (Natal Day)


At my house it is this kind of holiday:
Boys will be boys on planes, trains, and automobiles

Public speaking and me and you and Lisa

I found out about Lisa Braithwaite's Speak Schmeak blog and this post:
What if your worst public speaking fear comes true? through Business Communication Headline News.

Preparing to share some of it with you, I discovered I have not addressed public speaking on this blog. so it is definitely time to break the ice.

Lisa has allowed me to share her remarks with you in order to provide my added comments. The headings below are Lisa's. The block-quotes are hers also. My thoughts are added after her comments.

Lisa titled her post: What if your worst public speaking fear comes true?

I used to teach public speaking skills to people who would become interpretors in courtrooms and elsewhere. I posed that question to them at the beginning of the course. Someone would always say, I am afraid I will have a heart attack and die.

So I would tell them that very rarely this does happen--to experienced speakers whose time has come. I ask how realistic this fear is: "Not very likely." So we are able to put this aside and move on.

You're afraid of losing your place

Bring notes! Put them to the side so you don't use them as a crutch. If you forget what you were going to say, take a moment to look at the notes and move on.

You are not reading from a typed speech, are you? Use notes only, as Lisa suggests.

Or make a key-word outline of your remarks on a 3x5 card. Keep it in your hand, then you can step away from the podium and speak extemporaneously* without going to far off base. A quick glance at a card in your palm draws no special attention.

I prepare I set of cards and number them in the upper right corner. I can carry them with me around the room, or just pick them up a couple at a time.

You're afraid your computer will freeze up or your PowerPoint will fail

Have a plan B. Have a backup laptop, a backup disk of your presentation, a flip chart, or be prepared to present without technology (this is how we all did it back in the day). Read this interview for an example of how plan B (and almost plan C) was put into action.

It is always wise to plan for how you will manage without computer aid.

I once turned up for a presentation where the hosts had promised a laptop would be there, but they forgot they might need an extension cord. While the host ran off to an office supply store at 7 p.m., I gave my presentation without the technology.

I also collect physical objects that will serve to make my point. I have a small triangular board that I use whenever talking about the communication triad: Audience-Purpose-Message.

I'll post more on this tomorrow...

* Dictionary.com - extemporaneous
...2. previously planned but delivered with the help of few or no notes: extemporaneous lectures.