Writing Chronicles- Week Eleven

Unlearning

Photo Description: A small chalkboard is lying on a wooden surface. The words written on it says, “Unlearning is more difficult than learning. -English proverb”

Week Eleven

I enjoy using big words. Academic terms. Words that are combined in ways that require me to stop and reread to appreciate their full meaning.

It goes back to my NYU journalism professor who asked me if we spoke standard English in my household when she returned my first writing assignment. That flippant comment created a lot of insecurities and made me question how I speak and write.

Since then I’ve worked hard on my vocabulary. I like the challenge of reading academic articles, legislation, literary work, and anything that will keep adding to the vocabulary bank. Then I try to use it. I don’t want to give it up because you can’t understand it. I feel like I’m compromising my hard work.

After hearing too many people talk about messaging, using plain language to persuade, and how using particular words can hinder versus help, I’m on my unlearning journey, starting with my writing.

Last book the vocabulary struggle was “leaders of color” vs. “leaders of the global majority. ” For the goal of reaching a greater audience, for using plain language, I let the “global majority” term go in the book (…but use it in my newsletter).

For this book, it is the term “Political Acumen” Yep, another vocabulary word that I can barely say but I LOVE it. "Savvy" or "awareness" can be replaced for “acumen” but I continue to struggle with moving away from a word that more accurately explains what I am trying to communicate but may limit the number of people engaged. I haven’t landed on the final phrasing yet. To keep my writing going, I’m using political acumen but know I will need to revisit it sooner rather than later.

Week eleven.