Some Final Writing Pitfalls to Avoid

Introduction

As one might expect, many problem areas become evident when writing an essay (or any other sort of written work). Some of these relate to a misunderstanding or ignorance of how the language works (parts of speech, grammar, and syntax). However, not all writing issues stem from these areas. There are other problematic constructions and ways of writing that should be avoided, such as hyperbole, libel, colloquialisms, slang, idioms, clichés, jargon, faddish language, euphemisms, and so forth, which can all find their way into an otherwise finely crafted essay. This lesson examines each of these pitfalls and provides suggestions for the aspiring essayist on how to avoid them.

Clichés

Similar to idioms, clichés are boilerplate, overused expressions in a culture. So overused, in fact that the reader tends to gloss over them as many have lost their original meaning long ago. Sayings like "smart as a whip," "human dynamo," "one man gang," "following a dream," "man on the street," and so forth, are extremely prevalent in the English speaking world and should be avoided by the cautious essay writer. Again, one should check to see if the phrase or expression is a cliché beforehand to avoid tired, trite, and well worn expressions. Cliché usage makes the writer appear lazy or unimaginative.

Colloquialisms and Slang

Colloquialisms are expressions or words that are "...Not used in formal speech, writing, or paralinguistics." (Wikipedia, 2008) Examples include, "gully washer" (heavy rainstorm), "y'all" (you all), "flat as a fritter" (very flat), "ain't" (is not or are not), "gonna" (going to), "wanna" (want to), and so forth. In short, it is very informal writing that mimics common conversational dialogue and should not be used for formal writing projects, such as essays, since the meanings of many colloquialisms may not have clear meanings to a broader audience or they simply may sound misplaced when read with the accompanying text.

Slang is "...The use of highly informal words and expressions that are not considered standard in the speaker's dialect or language." (Wikipedia, 2008) Often, slang is associated with regional speech or a particular subculture within society, such as gangs, musicians, computer programmers, text messengers, and so forth. In most cases, slang terminology can vary drastically from the meaning of the original words. Avoid using slang in writing essays whenever possible (unless the essay is about slang usage!).

Euphemisms

In essence, a euphemism is a nice way of saying or writing something in a mild or roundabout way that would otherwise be painful and offensive. Modern American society, in particular, is replete with euphemistic words and expressions, created in an attempt to reduce the offensiveness of language to virtually every type of person imaginable. "Vertically challenged" for "short," "differently colorful" rather than "odd" or "strange," "golden years" instead of "old age," "discomfort" not "pain," "downsize" rather than "fire," and so on. In essay writing, it is best to use tactful language, but directness and clarity will make for a better written work. (Eggenschweiler and Biggs, 2001)

Faddish Words

Occasionally, certain words from the dictionary, otherwise long forgotten, will resurface in a society and suddenly become ubiquitous. For a short time, they will dominate conversations at the water cooler, the church, the barbershop, and other social gathering places. They will be drizzled liberally throughout television and radio ads, written media, and other outlets of commonly accessed information. Using them while they are popular affords the essay writer a certain amount of cache with the reader, of that particular moment. The trouble with faddish words like, "dysfunctional," "syndrome," "diversity," "community," "sustainability," and so forth, is that they eventually go out of fashion, leaving the written essay dated or, in a worst case scenario, more difficult to understand for future readers.

Hyperbole

Hyperbole (pronounced hy-PER-boh-lee) is exaggeration. This figure of speech is a deliberate overstatement used to "...Evoke strong feelings or to create a strong impression, and is not meant to be taken literally." (Wikipedia, 2008) Generally, it is used for emphasis purposes only. Examples include, "That cat weighs a ton." (meaning, the cat is heavy) or "I could eat a horse." (meaning, I am very hungry). While a perfectly legitimate form of expression for literary purposes, hyperbole should be avoided in essays because they do not provide accurate information about the topic.

Idioms

Idioms are commonly accepted expressions or phrases that do not follow the typical patterns of language usage or that have a meaning other than the literal translation of the words themselves. (Eggenschweiler and Biggs, 2001) The use of idioms in essays is strongly discouraged because they can weaken the meaning and overall impact of the writing. Typical examples of idiomatic expressions would be, "A little learning is a dangerous thing." "A pretty penny." "Eager beaver." "Keep your nose clean." "Keep your shirt on." "Real deal." and so forth. In short, if a phrase or expression sounds too familiar, the writer should check to see if it is an idiomatic expression before putting it in the essay.

Jargon



Many different specialized academic fields of study and professional occupations have their own particular language made up of terminology relevant to that area of inquest or line of work. It could be said that, "...It is the specialized language of a particular field or profession, psychology, sociology, economics, literature, mathematics, biology, anthropology, and so forth." (Eggenschweiler and Biggs, 2001) When not writing an essay in a particular field, the writer would be well advised to avoid using jargon relative to that field. That is, the reader will most likely not be an academic expert or professional who can readily understand what is written. To be clear to the widest audience, jargon should be avoided where possible.

Libel

In a legal context, libel means an attempt to defame someone using print, pictures, film, or signage. In short, any means other than verbal remarks (in which case, it is called "slander"). Putting libelous content in an essay is extremely inappropriate and possibly illegal, depending on whether or not the work is actually published. While the United States does have some more liberal laws regarding what can and cannot be written about someone, thanks to the First Amendment, lawsuits can be filed if the content is deemed to be egregious and untruthful. In short, the writer should avoid making unsubstantiated personal attacks in his or her written works.

Other Writing Blunders

The preceding are not the only areas in which the essay writer may have trouble. Other issues that one should avoid include, misuse of compound words (spelled solid, hyphenated, or two words?), wordiness (using too many words to express a simple idea, redundancy (expressing the same or similar ideas more than once), over use of a particular word or phrase, gender insensitivity (using the pronoun "he" or "she" too often), and wrong word usage ("lead" instead of "led", "lie" when "lay" is meant, "principle" rather than "principal", and so on). While none of these issues is minor in significance, it is beyond the scope of this course to examine each of them in detail. Studying the language and learning how to write correctly will involve a great deal of time and effort on the part of the writer, but it will pay large dividends later. A mastery of the language is a tremendous asset for anyone, but particularly for the writer.