This insight comes from my business partner. Many of us speak using superlatives, myself included. Examples:
- That was the best/worst movie I’ve ever seen.
- He/She was the friendliest person I’ve ever met.
- I’ve never tasted anything this good in my life.
Superlatives can be helpful at times for telling a story. However, if you want to develop a reputation for truthful communication then ditch the superlatives. Note to self.
Me too – guilty as charged!!
I can overemphasize words in my writing. I try to use the “superlative filter” now when I write – b/c ya know – like – when I write using all those adjectives – it can – like you know – dilute the message!
Short and sweet. My favorite kind of post by one of my favorite new writers. Great as always Ben.
Dave Lopez – Mixing and Mastering Specialist / Emerging Music Producer
Cr@zyEye Music Services
A wise engineer friend of mine taught me that, if you want to develop a reputation for truthful communication, then one should ditch the adjectives and the superlatives.
Ok, I’ll be the one to say it:
This is the best post ever!
Michael, you’re right, it does dilute the message. Or at least the potency of its truth.
Dave, mighty kind of you!
Jose, good to hear from you again! Thanks for the thought. I agree that adjectives can get out of hand. I still like the ones that are beautifully descriptive.
Brigid, that get the big HA!! I hadn’t even thought of it.
Dear Ben,
Thank you for drawing attention to this.
This is an example of linguistic laziness which has pervaded our culture.
We say things like “Great” and “Amazing” and “Wonderful” and “The best (blank)” because we think we can’t have a pause while we think of the right word.
We think that we need to make dramatic exclamations because commercials and tv shows model these behaviors for us.
We are so depleted culturally by a habit of constantly communicating that we aren’t allowed to think of better words to say.
Go and read a foreign language thesaurus, and see how the words juxtapose. You’ll find there are thousands of words you haven’t been using, because of laziness or because you feel like you have to fill each available space with words.
Mazarine
http://wildwomanfundraising.com