I’ll be at Main Street Books during the Farmer’s Market tomorrow. MSB is a small charming independent bookstore with equally charming folk working there. I’m looking forward to meeting more readers tomorrow!
A few weeks back I was talking to a Chatbot about a script I had ordered but never received. The bot asked me: “Can you confirm that you have not received the script.” Hmm. At first glance it sounds like a yes or no question about receiving the script. But is it? Or is it a yes or no question about my ability to confirm? If I were talking to another human being, my expression or my tone of voice would help with my reply. But not with a chat bot. I thought about it very carefully and wrote back: “I have not received the script.” That worked.
A few days ago, someone posted this on Nextdoor: “Amy cut my hair as well as my son…” Excuse me? Amy cut your son?! The rest of the post was in praise of Amy and her skills, but the beginning of that sentence doesn’t seem to be going that direction.
Why am I telling you this about the Chatbot and the Nextdoor post? Well, I’d promised to share the contributions from people who wrote ideas and put them in my “Most Amazing” book. The examples above are relevant to what one adult wrote:
Museum of communication with semantics, common misunderstandings, various languages, expressions, tone, voice, diction, and ways to communicate.
Granted it sounds like the summary of a master’s degree in communication, but she makes a good point. If only people were more skilled at expressing themselves clearly whether with words, like my examples, or with awareness of tone, expression, and so much more.
I’m making a case for the arts and humanities here. They are the disciplines in which we develop empathy and insight into the human condition. As a director I can tell you that actors spend a lot of time parsing out the nitty gritty of words and phrases to find just the right vocal inflections, body language, and even pauses. It’s not just “playing pretend” although we like doing that, too.
A recent article in our local newspaper reported on the lack of available driver’s training in our state. One mother described talking to someone at the BMV: ‘well, where do we go for the driver’s part of it? I need my kids to be able to get their license,’ and they said ‘we don’t know there’s a shortage.’” The last six words might be read two ways, either the person at the BMV doesn’t know the answer because there is a shortage, or they are denying any knowledge of a shortage.
Good writing, as my friend Woody points out, should not have these tripping points for the reader. It should just flow. That takes practice, awareness, sensitivity, and communication skills. Something everyone has the ability to develop.
Would’t that be amazing?
TTFN
P.S. This PBS NewsHour segment about National History Day popped up in my podcast feed after I wrote the words above. It’s a perfect illustration of my point.
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/competition-inspires-students-to-explore-history-through-art
Eric Margerum 