University of Nigeria Virtual Library

Serial No

ISSN 1597-0027

Author 1

DIKENWADIKE, C. J.

Author 2

Author 3

Title

The Language of Written Biasness

Communication

Keywords

Description

The Language of Written Biasness Communication

Category

Social Sciences

Publisher

Nigerian Journal of Contemporary Language and

Communications Studies

Publication Date

2002

Signature

Nigeria Journal of Contemporary Ladguage and Communication Studies

(NJOLCS)

Editor: E. J. Otagburuagu, Ph.d School of General Studies, University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

General Editor: Professor T. Y. Obah Federal University of Technology Owerri.

u. , t-b:

Published by the Nigerian Association of Language and Communication Studies

. \@rim Journal of Contemporary Language .And Communication Studies (NJOLCS)

ISSN: 1597-0027 Vol. 1 Nos. 1 & 2

EDITORIAL BOARD

General Editor: Professor Tjlelrna Y Obab Federal University of Technology

I. - - Owem *

Editor-in-Chief: E J Otagburuagu Phl) University of Nigeria Nsukka .

Editors: . Rev Fr P 0 J Umechukwy PhD ,

University of Nigeria *

Nsukka .

Roseline Ijkoma Okorji PhD University of Nigeria Ns&

Emeka Onukaogu PhD Obafemi Awolowo University , ,

ITe-Ife

.Nenna Oiie :

Federal Univbity of Agriculture

- . Umudike, Umudria ' .

' .. . .' . . , . d . T . J _ ( . . ' * 1

. . . . + M ~ ~ L&J~.P~D a

obi Ernejulu PhD ~cdcral University of Tcclmology Owcrri

Skem Okoh PhD 1,. ?.. Universig of Port Harcourt '

" Port Harcourt F i

P A Anyanwu PhD I Imo State University

orrcm

j YI 0 Attah PhD I!niversity of Maiduguri Maiduguri

Corrsrr ftirtg Editors Clara Ikekeonwu PhD University of Nigeria Vsukka

Professor Benson Oluikpe University of Nigeria Nsukka - -

Professor I .A Olaofe .L\!unadu Bello University Zaria

Professor E B Ajulo University of Jos Jos

Professor Obi Mnduakor Universit? of Ni~eria Nsu Wta

Innocent Nwadike PhD University of Niseria Nsukka

Wale Adegbite PltD . Obaren~i A\volowo Universit~ Ile-Ife : .

Professor En~eka Nwabueze dean, Faculty of Arts University of Nigcrin Nsukka

0 Ohia PhD University of Ibadrrn ,

I badan

Professor J 0 J Nwachukwu-Agbada Abia State University Uturu

Professor Helen Chukwuma University of Port Harcourt Port Harcouct

Professor Ebo Ubahakwe University of Ibadan lbadan

. .

;,,iddiner for the preparation of rnmii~serlpts for the Nigerirrtt ~ ~ ~ ~ m d of C o t r t c t t ~ p r Ln t lghge m r l Cott~/r~rtnicrltion Stlctlies

Nigerian Journal (!f' Conro?rpornry Lan,om,qe nnd ~o~nmrmicnf ion s[llJies. (NJOLCS) wclcomes contributors and reconmicnds the follouing &&lines for their use. I Manuscripts sliould be t!peset on A4 paper and should be submitted

in duplicate together \\.it11 the diskette on \vhich they \yere produced. The typing must be in double spacing, The bodv .of each articlz should not contain- the author's name, - - ~

d ' addrcss &id qualifications. The author's names, -qualifications, rank and address should be typed on the cover page of the article only. Every contributor is also required to gi\,e l~isfller telephone number andfor e-mail address on the cover page. . . Eacli subniission niust be accompanied by an abstract of not less than 150 words typcd on it scparatc page. The Editorial Board \vc.lcor.ncs articles throughout the Fear but will publish only thosc artrclcs that rcccwc favourable assessment from our ;1Ssessors. Contributors are rcquikd to scnd dong with their papers, a non- rcfindablc asscssmcnt fee of N750.00 in bank draft rnadc pa!able to the Edit-or-in-Chief of thc Jomal . Matcrial nimt be original contributions of the author ivhich has not bccn published an!lvhcre clsc. The documentation style rccomrncndcd is the APA or thc triplc entn; style. T'ypc the titlc of the paper in bold fnce. - Get at Icast'2 of your colleagues to edit your nianuscript and enclose their comnicnts in your' subniission to the Board. .Contributors whose articles are accepted for publication d i l l be promptly notified and tvill be required to pay the sum of N4?500 to covcr our page charges. The Journal is published once a ycar.

hfail your &anuscripts, letters to: Dr E J Otagburungu, Editor-in-Chief . . . I

Nigerian Journal of Contemporan ~ a n ~ u i ~ e and Conmiunication Studies University of Nigeria, Nsukka - School of General Studies . George Marion Johnson ~u i ld in i ROO; 308 E-mail ?!!k!A!!~.@;1.5!!&?.~ - emekaiasal@vahoo.com

A I' ISSUE L

i

Lanyuage and business education in national development: bas assum~tions and issues 1

B r r ~ s o ~ ~ 0 Ol~llkpc.

Radio and television as an intermediate instructional technology for individualizing instruction in language and communication studies 12 -

F: I Armen~erlo

Politics and the language equation: the case of the En$ language in Nigeria 20

E J O / o g b ~ ~ r ~ r o g ~ ~

Communicative import of the structure of language in business . correspo~dence 34

I' L rVgoiw hlr

Communication strategies in indigenous Yoruba cutture: a . historical perspective 52

F' ./ Oloidi

Collocation difficulties in reading and understanding engineeri textbooks and the implications for ESP teaching 61

M A A ~ U

The language of written business communication 71

C .J Diker padike . .. -, .i i

The concept and problems of semantic universals: a critique 8 1 $ C 3

toz I'hinedn Ogeilyi 4 ... ... r. * 1

1 1

phonolo&al problems in inter-language oral a case study of Enylish and the Oka dialect of

IF

t~l<O.,t'/i)w / Okorji 8 -. lk" * I; synonymy and antonymy in Jgbo 1 13 - .d 2:: .y:L;hutmh I O j i

8 ypmadic education in Igboland: a case' for lgbo for specific' -

& purposes 127

( ' h i s I I AgheJo / ' The challenges of women academics in the new millennium: i sustaining a vibrant literary tradition 141

I ( * U Ogbwhi

Ethnic origin and the language oft he Nigerian writer 1 55

Cohesion through elliptical constructions in discursive language 177

Sentence fbnction in written 'discourse 1 89 .-. .

. . . ,

Students' competence level in English grammar: the example of tense. 222

. k:- r>spects of phonological problem in inter-language oral P k,o,llmunication: a case study of English and the Oka dialect of

education in igboland: a cases for Igbo for specificd -

('hris I I Aghedo i

8 ; The challenges of women academics in the new millennium: 1 sustainins a vibrant literary tradition . 141

(. (.I Oghwhi

Ethnic origin and the lansuage of the Nigerian writer 155

l V 01io1-iose

Cohcsion tllrough elliptical constructions in discursive language 177 - .

Sentence fbnction in written'discourse .-. . 189

h4cqherson Nkent Arrrike . . . . . - .

Students' competence level in English grammar: the example of tense. 222

Esther N Ohrikpe

c:

The role of the mass media' in encouraginy the freedon1 of speec and a- vibrant reading culture in Nigeria 243

A rgrrs/i~re-Ufrra ~trahorw

Bet tcr Et~glish pronunciation for ettective communication 26 1

.Jo.wyh lke Ogrrgucr

Languaye in the education process 270

' Parrick Chrrkivrr I ~ o h . .

The communication assessment parameter: a new perspective in the assessment of writing 28 I .

B 0 Olrrikpe E N Olrrikpe

The challenges facing the mass media in 2 I"' century Nigeria 305

Phonetics and phonoloay and language study: the Igbo language example 3 23

prof enso on 0 Oluikpe Lfnivcrsity of Nigeria . Nsukka

Dr E i Annemena D q t ofVocational Tsacher Education University of Nigeria Nsukkd ..

Dr E J Otngburuagu Usc of English Unit School of General Sh~dics University of Nigeria Nsukka

Or C L Ngonebu UW of English Unit School of Gcncrd Stt~dios Universiiy of Nigcria Nsukka

Florence J Oloidi Humanities Unit School of Gcneral Studies University of Nigeria Nsukka

Dr M A Alo University of Port Harcourt Port Harcourt

C J Dikenwndike Use of English Unit School of General Studies University of Nigeria .

-Nsukka

?'iic/rnzg~~age ~ f w r i t t t . r r ~ i r ~ e . ~ c o t n t ~ ~ / r t ~ ~ c a l i o ~ t

The language of written business : communication

C J Dikenwadike

I want to look at "The language of written business - : communication" from the point of view of organising facts and "

ideas. According to Robert Louis Stevenson (1 850-1894):.

If a man can group his ideas, he is a good writer. .

Considering this observatior. to be true; Robert ~ r o s t (1 874-1963) -*

admits with emphasis:

No tears in the writer, . .

no tears in the reader. i.' . . This paper considers the basic approach, the writing plan and final 3; review as organising facts and ideas in the language of written t o '

business communication.

Over the years many business people, lawyers, teachers and others -., . have taken a kind of sadistic delight in showing people bad : . examples -of writing they have had to read. This is the kind of:, stuff I mean. Written reports are unreadable, memoranda are just a 7 mess! Letters-only an idiot could understand this one. Three .r

- observatioins can usually be made about them. First. most ;- managers, offidiais and professionals would agree they are dreary, 'T tedious and difficult to understand, I mean letters, reportq and;:, memoranda. Second, there is no good reason that the writer, should'Lj,

P -- ? '

7 1 2

;. !, , lnade the:materials SO hard to read. Nine times out often, the . ..

.biect is interesting and the approach not highly technical. Third, ..A . .:,, failure lies not SO much in lack of cleverness with words as in ..:, poor orsanisation of facts and idias.

't;

ir,,d&tly, many of these tedious reports and letters are cluttered t,llh jarson, abstract wdrds. repetitions, phrases, and unwieldy- .,.,,~ences. The faults are usually alleged to be the cause of ,greadability. , But if all those shortcomings were corrected, id"m,rnication would still be dull and soporific. Why? The-pans

noi fit together. There is no "flow" of ideas. The ieader loses 111s or her way and finds the prose meaningless.

U'hether in a ~ n e - ~ a ~ e memorandum or SO-page report. '

,vcanization plays an extremely significant role in readability and comprehension. For it is by orsanizing facts and ideas properly :hi11 the writer establishes meaninghl relationships; and it is by 5cClrig such relationships that the reader understands the material.

\'ou should not decide on the arrangement of your material and the rlmount of. detail to be given until you consider the reader's ' \iewpoint. His or her relationships with you, attitudes towards the subject, and relationships wi:h third Put your strongest points first if you have doubts about reader concern with the subject. Do not rely on information alone; be wary of making extreme statements; emphasize fiicts and ideas pertinent to the reasons for reader beliefs, if known. For example, if sound strategy calls for putting the strongest points last, because of the Psychology of the situation. that then needs control over any suggestion to the contrary. The psychology ofpersuasion points to a different approach from the standpoint of efficient organization.

. * , - 3 . ' - .

- * r .. V - Ir '_

77 '

- - ~ - -

Basic approach I 1

Let us suppose that you know what specific message you want to put across and also have considered the strategy of approaching ybur reader effectively. In your mind and perhaps in a sheaf of

- notes you. have considerable material to use. How do you SO about deciding what facts, fi~ures and ideas to use and how to put them together on paper?

Naturally, different people approach this important task in different ways. Some work intuitively, 'and some systematically; some work by trial and krror, and some work logically; some work fast and intensely, and some work slowly. our cognitive processes vary so much that it is &tile to generalize about personal style. Your thinkiny and writing styles may be different from -any other

4 person's but in the end you must satisfy some of the exact same needs of the reader that others do.

1 Not surprisingly, therefore, good communicators in business and

. the professions find it possible to help and criticize one another's writing in valid ways, despite their differences in style, ability and experience. Given a series of written communication on the same

I topic to grade, they will make them consistently. And given the same writing problem, they will agree on the value of certain steps

. in organizing the material effectively, Almost all good business and professional writers agree that, whatever your personal style, you cannot comnlunicate with the reader unless you impart a sense of direction or movement to your .Facts and ideas. Organizing an imp.ortant letter, report or memorandum is more like making a movie than taking a photograph.

Protesting a writing plan in business communication if your communication is a very important one. it pays to go a step further and systematically outline the key ide'as. You may write

on the back of an envelope or on a sheet of paper: I t makes no ' difrerence. so long as you make the points clearly and in enough detail to reveal gaps in the thought, illogical sequences, inconsistencies and needless repetitions. An outline has the value . of enabling you to remember qui'ckly what your train of thought wig and start in again with a minimum of 'mental retooling', if you had been interrupted in the writing and diverted to a different task. Outlining is a proven tool of et'ficiency and time management'. For example H J Tichy (1966) 95:96 observes:

1 have seen.executives study their jottings, divide them into two memorandums, and then direct them to dit'ferent readers. Their readers responded better when they did not have to wade through what did not concern them to find what did. I have also seen an executive examine his outline of a letter telephone to discuss three possibilitiei and a confirmation of the action selected. That saved the energy and time involved in a long letter and a long reply. The .

most common improvement is the removal of unnecessary material. Apparently writers tend to expand a shortwork when they first think of the contents. and if they do not examine and plan, they dictate much more material than a reader needs. Outlining helps them to keep short works. to proper length.

Finill review

When you finish your draft and review i~ before final typing and sending, it is usehl to have a mental checklist of questions concerning the coveraoe and arrangement of topics. In the

3 language of written bus~ness communication, every good business and professional writer should have a checklist and use it without fail, even though he or she .may have outlined the communication carehlly before drafting i t .

Rere are some candidate questions for your checklist. .

1 Are all the points suggested in the introduction developed in .:,

the body of the write-up? y

2 Are the sequence and development of points complete? 3 Are there ideas, proposals or sections that should be combined? -:.

Lobk for items that seem to say about the same thing. The -,- distinctions may be read to you. But' from your reader's , standpoint would they appear to be duplicate ideas? If so. in' combining them you can save the reader time a well as ; improve readability. 1 -

Part I Step I, shows the topic sentences of the first halfofa report I-

to top management by a marketing manager in an appliance .- company. The year was 1996, and he wanted his company to pay more attention to "consumerism" in its marketing and :

. .5 manufacturing programmes. (I add ,the outline style here in order .;

.I to identi5 the sentences.) + ,

Step I. Topic sentence of part of a report to management , I

Our competitors approach consu'merism dishonestly ... Too many companies in our industry subscribe to "cosmetic~ consumerism". an attempt to mollify critics, not solve -7 problems.. . ?

Their brand of consumerism is gingerbread, added for effecf I; not-substance.. . . . J ,$

Bandwagons is rife. Companies hop abroad the consumerism ;& movement because: % . They are afraid not to have a consumerism programme. . : - ! Ir

They think it is a sood marketing gimmick.. . 7 3 They create consumerism positions for show - a respectable (6

F place to put worn-out executives who have many years of J;: A'?

service and shouldn't be booted out.. . $ Management may not understand the full implications of consumerism.. . 4

d 4 <'I

7 5 $ 2

,, ,., 2 Our company must take an honest approach.. . I 4 ) , consumerism is a valid movement.. .

I . 11 is the mainstay of our competitive enteiirise system.. . - 11 focuses on customer satisfaction, which is the true nexus of " business. A company can't profit and endure without makings'

its customers better off than before.. . f j b6Cosmetic consumerism" is do~med to fail 1 ~ventually it will be exposed as a ~immick and reveal a

company's low regard for consumers..:. 2 When a company puts itself on the line to produce for the

consumer, it becomes a vulnerable target when it fails to produce.

j The cosmetic brand of consumerism contributes to growing distrust of the competitive market system.. .

f'nrt 3 Consumerism could produce important bonuses for our company.. . Real benefits can be reaped from true consumerism.. . I t leads to increased sales and profits because consumers are satisfied.. . public Bttitudes towards our company would improve.. . We would get an unexpected bonus - an end to the isolated executive (the executive who is not on the consumer's wavelength) A consumerism programme would get our marketing people out of the oftice.. . It would mean they would visit consumers at their homes.. . The distance between management and consumers would evaporate . . . The evils of management isolation would be avoided ... It allows an executive to lose sight of the company's position in the total scheme of the market.. . It creates a chasm between worker and consumer ... '

I t robs the worker or "pride of authorship" - he doesn't see his product in use.. . Important operational benefits would materialize, too.. . With the,company - custonler gap closed, there should be ri

reduction of the time lag between feedback on customer complaints and corrective action in the research department. manufacturing, and so on.. . There should be a reduction of manayement reaction tikc to consumer responses to produdts.. . Consumer relations ought to itnprove.. .

Now. when this memorandum was outlined, the arrangement of ideas made good sense to the writer of business communication. As the draft was being written, some of the distinctions and patterns became blurred. They might still seem defensible to the writer, but the reader would sense overlap. repetition. and misarrangernent of sections, for instance; Part 2A deals with the two advantases of consumerism in order to demonstrate the validity of the movement. Yet part 3 asserts that bonuses and real benetits can be .reape& From consumerism. Since both parts deal with benefits, why not put them together? This would produce a stronger, more persuasive case that important advantages could be gaiwd. Part ZB, on the failure of cosmetic consumerism, seems to be out of place. The lo~ical place for it seems to be after parts 1A. B and C, which mention the dishonesty of most approaches. Also, part j'C refers to management isolation. yet parts 2 and 3 under it refer to worker isolation. Part 3A3 says that an unexpected bonus of the new approach wobld'be putting an end to the "isolated executive". Part 3% and 3C-also deal with executive isolation; in addition, part jD' 2 concerns the problem of management isolation from the marketplace, and part 3D- I . the problem of research isolatiofl.

i ,--

! . i ' It J~)j&c!t l t!-~dike

whi not put all these aspects of company isolation together? F !-

A single united point would be stronger and more eficient than ;. several partial points. ' t t . i part lof the memorandum would then state that competitors are . I approaching consumerism dishonestly would specify how they I are doing that, and assert that failure lies ahead of them. It

[ would be added that "cosmetic consumerism is'doomed to fail for three reasons (those given in part 11B of part 1) and part 2 ' would .look as follows in skeleion form:

i ' Rut 2 Consumerism could produce important bonuses for our . company . . .

A It could make for long-run strength in competition . 1 Customer satisfaction would' lead to increased sales and

profits.. . ' 2 Public attitudes towards our company would improve .

It would lead to better marketing operations. . ' 1 Executive isolation from the customer would be ended,

managers would visit consumers in their homes.. . 2 The company research ahd manufacturing departments would

be able to respond faster to customer complaints.. . C Employee satisfaction would grow.. . ' the chasm between workers and consumers decreases,

workers .would gain more "pride of aut horship" . . .

Is there a clear relationship between the facts and ideas? . ..

It ~ h o ~ l d be readily apparent to the reader how each pan of a point reinforces that point . If there is doubt about such

'"ationships, either the 'wording is at fault or the organization " 9 s to be revised. Unless your reader sees the relationship. he or

: she understand the ideas. Supporting ideas should tie in : : w''h the main through both in sense and in wording. For example.

if you state that there are three advantages of a ialue added la*. your section on that point should contain nothing but advantaSei 110 more or no less than three. and each topic sentence pointing ti one of them should use the word "advantage" or a close synonn -

. like "b&efitl' or "gain". NOT only does the thought "point back: but the'words also remind tlie'reader of the tie-in with the lead statement.

. -: - A;-e the main points clearly distingiiished from the supporting point?

If main headings and subheadings are used. then main heading should have more space, To distinguish between them use a .' nuAbering system, eS T h i s bulletin supersedes bulletin no. 30". .

Is there sefficielkt elaboration for each question issue, p r o b ~ e i . -: dealt with in the document?

If your memorandum mentions five stages i A the establishment ofa - proposed incentive system for sales representatives, do not discuss three or four in depth and leave the remainder unde.scribed. If the- others are unimportant leave them out of your scheme or mention.: then: only incidentally in a closing paragraph. The point is that if' you set your reader up to expect information on a certain sequence: of idea, you leave him or her confiised if you do not follow through ' on !hat plan.

Con'cI'usion

The overriding concern of this paper is to discuss the basic . approach in writing plan, orsanizing facts and ideas in the- language of written business communication. This paper did not . concern itself in the discussion of errors in punctuation,- capitalization, sentence construction and so on. It is on the-,

- -