The Multi-Dimensional Components of They Say, I Say. AKA They Say, I Say Covers it All.

Hey Readers,

I think I got carried away with the title, eh?  Nonsense.  According to They Say, I Say, you can enhance your writing by incorporating a combination of sophisticated and colloquial language.  They suggest,“…first make your point in the language of the professional field, and then make it again in everyday language- a great trick, we think, for underscoring a point” (125).  The book supports the controversial notion that utilizing colloquial/ conversational language is acceptable practice.  Many believe, however, that inserting language that resembles conversational dialogue as opposed to formal language decreases the credibility and sophistication of the piece.  This may seem to be a legitimate concern on the surface, but deeper thought reveals that such contrast in language can actually enhance the reader’s understanding of the topic, and adds an intriguing dimension to the piece.  The mixture of professional and conversational language allows the knowledge of the professional to be expressed, while relating to a greater audience.

The situation that best illustrates this concept occurs at the doctor’s office.  As a side note, I hope to be a future chiropractor so we’ll use the chiropractor’s facility as our setting.  For those of you who have never been to a chiropractor, you’re missing out! 

Ok, back to the doctor’s office.  You’re sitting on the table waiting to be adjusted.  The chiropractor applies pressure to specific areas of your back and neck, and then the adjustments begin.  Let’s be honest, you trust the knowledge and expertise of the doctor, but you have no idea what they are actually doing and why.  It is only after they perform a series of adjustments that they explain the situation.  Compare this visit to writing.  Just as you anxiously await the rationale of the doctor, so is it with a series of sophisticated/professional literature.  You read without really understanding the unfamiliar jargon.  Wouldn’t the reading be so much easier to comprehend if the author indicated, in simple terms, what the purpose of the writing actually is?  I think so.  Thus, the inclusion of professional and colloquial language is a vital tool for writing that adds credibility to the author. 

Considering the doctor’s office, a chiropractor may begin by saying, “Well your L-4 is not in line, blah blah blah.”  You could only wonder what that means.  Is he/she talking about my neck, back, or spine?  You begin to understand the purpose of the adjustments when the chiropractor begins to point to the specific areas, or discusses why the subluxations may occur.  This idea can be related to the inclusion of colloquial language to enhance the understandability of a text.  When the author follows the complicated information with relevant terminology, the ideas begin to connect.  The readers begin to understand the significance of the issue being discussed, and can nonetheless have a bit of a clue to the topic of choice.

I guess I just really liked the point that the authors of They Say, I Say were trying to make.  It reassured me that complex thoughts can be written in a sophisticated matter, but that you don’t have to lose your voice and can include more conversational language.  It was even more fun, of course, to relate this idea to my future career J I hope this was important to you guys/gals as well and that you understand the connection I was trying to make.