Well Said Wednesday: Listen to What They Say About "They"

Dictionaries and grammar "rules" don't have the final word on language -- and believing they do can harm more than help, especially for the trans community. Sociolinguist Archie Crowley deconstructs three common myths around language, demonstrating how it's a fluid system that naturally evolves in the direction of inclusion.

Last week, I re-ran a blog post about honoring people’s pronouns in honor of Transgender Day of Visibility.

Then later in the week, I came across this 2020 TedX talk by Sociolinguist Archie Crowley. They have a unique perspective as both a linguist and a nonbinary person. Give it a listen.

For me, it helped expand my thinking about evolving language and seeing the world from a point of view different from mine.

Well said, Archie.

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“Well Said Wednesday” is a blog by Barbara Govednik, Founder, Content Coach & Message Strategist of 4.23 Communication. It’s published every other Wednesday…ish (when not on hiatus , or faux hiatus.)

Well Said Wednesday: A Five Thousand Word Post?

One of the great things about going on vacation is the chance to take a break for your daily habits.

On my recent visit to Australia, I loosened up my daily routine of checking email regularly, getting up at a set time, posting on a regular basis for the business. Almost all of what you saw between Feb. 7 and Feb. 26 was pre-written and pre-scheduled. 

Then there are the things that "vacation me" does that "reality me" rarely manages. 

Namely: averaging well over 11k steps a day according to my FitBit (boy was it surprised!), indulging in more coffee than is probably advisable (I blame Melbourne's thriving coffee culture) and shifting to more visual forms expression (even as I journaled every day.) 

I was always pulling out my camera to try to capture a landscape, a color palette and play of light. Check out a few of my snapshots* here. And I spent a lot more time in museums, galleries and, this time, some caves for ancient rock art. 

Exercising different creative muscles and experimenting with new forms of expression is good for the soul. 

It is also good for your business writing.

It helps to crack you out of stuck patterns of thinking and writing. It may even give you a fresh crop of ideas and inspiration.

Since I've been back, I find I'm even more highly attuned to correct word choice. It's like the break helped restore my attention to detail and shades of meaning.

Maybe I'm just less distracted and worn down by endless to-dos. 

Have I convinced you to plan a vacation yet? Do it for the sake of your writing! 

*Five to be exact, thus the headline on this post.