One thing about the English language is that it gets richer with time. The vocabulary we choose to express our opinions becomes diverse. Colloquialism is the main element of writing. Also, authors enjoy it to make their reports genuine and impressive. It is easy to recognize a character in a story as it outshines a specific community or a geographic region. For a writer, it provides a sense of expressing something instead of explaining it.
Yet, Colloquialism is inappropriate at times, and you shouldn’t fall victim to its tricks. Let’s get a detailed overview of the other side of Colloquialism.
What are Inappropriate Colloquialisms?
It refers to the improper use of colloquial language. In this way, readers cannot understand the meaning behind the words. Colloquialisms with blurry meanings often confuse the readers. It is because they don’t belong to the same geographic areas. There’s a difference in slang words in every state.
Using colloquialisms helps distract a reader from a serious tone to a lighter one. Misusing them is referred to as unprofessional behavior. It can take harmful a productive career of a good writer. Using informal language makes you appear irresponsible at work. Also, it will leave a poor impression on the audience.
Since colloquialisms refer to phrases of a specific location, in the case of external readers, it is likely to be misunderstood by them.
The purpose of Colloquialism in Writing:
Informal languages work well while communicating with friends and family. Yet, it doesn’t suit written content. When making academic writing, or a business proposal, your tone should be formal. There’re many ways of converting informal writing to formal. You have to be selective on vocabulary. Choose your words wisely and avoid unfamiliar phrases. In the end, you can organize your paper and convey a clear concept to the readers.
Usually, colloquial expressions make a report more casual and cordial. Some of the other purposes include.
Settings:Â
Colloquialisms help the writer choose the settings of a story and strengthen its elements.
Dialogue:
Casual writers use discussions for storytelling. So, informal conversations with Colloquialism add relaxation and make the story relatable.
Characters:
Colloquialism also defines a character’s background. It helps readers know details about the character’s age, social circle, and family heritage.
Ways to avoid Colloquialism in writing- Our Top Picks:
As writers, we can’t resist pouring out emotions for long. Yet, when writing for a specific audience, we’ve to get picky on texts. In this regard, we’ve listed the top 6 ways of avoiding Colloquialism while writing a formal report.
Fining better words and phrases:
The best way to start writing is by gathering an impressive set of vocabulary. If you get familiar with newer words, you’ll leave the common ones behind. For instance, words like “good” and “bad” don’t appeal to the audience. So, opt for more formal alternatives like “positive” and “negative.” It will avoid the repetition of phrases and formalize your report.
For this purpose, read the upper-level publications. Not only it’ll enhance your vocabulary, but it introduces you to phrases that you’ve never heard before. Consider signing up for the latest writing tools or apps, and they’ll help you learn new words every day.
Use spellings instead of Contractions:
Contractions are a mixture of two words. For instance, “don’t” is a shorter form of “do not.” Writers use contractions in their reports. It’s because they save time and make the content concise. But, formal reports shouldn’t have contractions at all. In this regard, you must spell out the complete form of words and phrases instead of shortening them. Proofread your content and look for areas where you’ve used contractions. Later, make revisions.
Discard ordinary fillers:
Formal writing looks engaging with clear and concise words. Extra fillers make you appear as an unprofessional writer after the readers. To avoid fillers, go through the content again, and look for general and common phrases. Either replace them with other authentic words or omit them altogether. A perfect example of fillers is adverbs. Words like “clearly” or “really” are the fillers that don’t add much value to your report. Reduce the use of adverbs and discard unnecessary words.
Replace phrasal verbs with short words:
A phrasal verb contains verbs and prepositions, creating a unique word. These phrases are less formal than common ones. So, try to replace them with shorter alternatives that convey the same message. It is the moment where strong vocabulary comes in handy. With a diverse language, a writer returns phrasal verbs. You can even use a dictionary for this purpose.
Opt for a Professional Tone:
Colloquialism is all about using slang words of a specific geographic location. While you can’t use them for readership, it’s vital to appear as a professional communicator. Slang words don’t suit writing at all, regardless of whether it’s formal or casual.
With that said, always begin with a clear statement in the first paragraph. Ensure it supports the report from the beginning and eliminates any irrelevant sentences. Revise the essay and wrap it up with a decent conclusion while following all the above fixes.
Reduce Clichés from reports:
ClichĂ©s are the sentences that are over-used. They’re too general for a piece of writing. To avoid Colloquialism, replace clichĂ©s with specific and relevant information. Also, never make assumptions about the reader’s race, gender, or personal life. While referring to the people’s identity, opt for a neutral approach. Writing is a universal process. So, it should always relate to every reader’s life instead of prioritizing one over the other.
Conclusion:
Colloquialisms aren’t always harmful to writers. Many of them have used it for their benefit. Writers still use colloquial expressions to add authenticity to their work. They assume that everyday language reflects their lives and culture. It provides surroundings to their story. Also, it helps create a versatile appearance for the lead character. It shows where they belong and what their social identity is. But, it doesn’t suit formal writings as much as casual ones. So, authors have to be careful with this cause. Remember that Colloquialism only looks unwanted when used out of context.
