• DocumentCode
    1480225
  • Title

    Curbing language intensity

  • Author

    Peneguy, Lynna Dunn

  • Author_Institution
    Dept. of English, Louisiana State Univ., Baton Rouge, LA, USA
  • Volume
    42
  • Issue
    1
  • fYear
    1999
  • fDate
    3/1/1999 12:00:00 AM
  • Firstpage
    52
  • Lastpage
    54
  • Abstract
    Language plays an enormous part in an audience´s perception of a writer, particularly when such language is highly intense. High-intensity language tends to be more colorful, subjective, emotionally charged and personal (e.g. “plot”, “scheme”), while low-intensity language tends to be more bland, objective, dispassionate and impersonal (e.g. “plan”). High-intensity language can be good for the professional writer since color and emotion attract interest, but this can be a damaging sort of interest if readers are offended by the level of intensity. Low-intensity language, on the other hand, is safer because it is less personal and hence less likely to offend, yet too much of it may put the reader to sleep. Thus, the challenge for professional writers is to find a median intensity, a healthy balance between subjectivity and objectivity
  • Keywords
    human factors; technical presentation; audience perception; blandness; boring language; colourful language; credibility; dispassionate language; emotionally charged language; impersonal language; language intensity; objectivity; offensive language; personal language; professional writing; reader interest; subjectivity; tone; writing style; Costs; Humans; Lips; Marine vehicles; Natural languages; Nominations and elections; Psychology; Sleep; Speech; Writing;
  • fLanguage
    English
  • Journal_Title
    Professional Communication, IEEE Transactions on
  • Publisher
    ieee
  • ISSN
    0361-1434
  • Type

    jour

  • DOI
    10.1109/47.749368
  • Filename
    749368