Words do matter-and you might be using them all wrong | Alan Alda

Are you convincing everyone you’re smart, or accidentally alienating them? Here’s how to find out.
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While jargon has the advantage of communicating a lot of information in a short amount of time, it has deeply alienating effects on those even slightly outside the field of reference. Director, actor, and master communicator Alan Alda uses examples from film sets and hospital rooms to illustrate jargon’s impact on our interactions, and how it can exclude those we are trying to communicate with.
Now more than ever, we need to find ways to foster connections and encourage close relationships with one another. The solution, Alda explains, is to use jargon only when you are confident that it is completely understood by the person you are speaking with. Otherwise, you risk losing the opportunity to truly communicate, causing misunderstanding and even disinterest.
Approaching conversations with this level of empathy creates an environment where all listeners can feel included, encouraging them to learn, share their ideas, and continue keeping knowledge accessible.
Read the full video transcript: bigthink.com/t...
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[@The-Well]

💡Here's a challenge: Write a sentence in the niche jargon specific to your interests or field of work, and then write a layman's translation for others to understand!

[@Tennethums1]

Sign shop jargon: “I need that in a vectorized format, printed to match Pantone green 3278C, mounted on 1/8” poly”. Explained: “no, I can’t take your bitmap, stamp sized image and blow it up to billboard size without it becoming incredibly pixelated and no, ‘algae green’ is not a standard for a color”. Something like that, ha!

[@inspiringhumanpotential]

Integration of the brain leads to inner well-being, aliveness, & intimate relationships. Layman's terms: Being aware, accountable, & able to regulate thoughts & emotions consistently for harmony & neutrality to arise in the body, mind, & relationships, in one's interactions & every day.

[@user-xy8qk9gz7g]

Good advice. Thank you 🙏🏻

[@aubreyj.tennant1123]

@@inspiringhumanpotentialabsolutely! I’m curious how you know this? I’d like to learn more. 👍😊

[@inspiringhumanpotential]

@aubreyj.tennant1123 I support people with personal development and self-help, and continuously update my education. Throughout the past 2-3 years I have taken courses on trauma and attachment, and continue to do so. These (educational courses - I can share if you want the names of them) have given me the possibility to understand integration of the brain, alongside restorative embodiment, which enables me to talk about it, teach it, integrate it in personal development and self-help content, courses, consulting, ect. I also love to talk about it with anyone who cares about inner well-being & people who are interested in learning more, and with my IHP community on KZbin, podcast, and TikTok 😊

[@charlottehammond8975]

"never use a complex word when a simple one will do." - orwell as a teacher and counselor, big words have value when no better word exists. When a simpler word does exist, people learn more effectively. No one cares how much you know until they know how much you care, and alienating them through language will not establish that basis you need for support, friendship, or learning.

[@antoniovinciguerra8982]

I love your comment. I feel the exact same way and could not have put it better. Love from Germany

[@charlottehammond8975]

​@@antoniovinciguerra8982aw, thanks for considering my thoughts.

[@josh4144]

Wasn’t that George orwell

[@charlottehammond8975]

​​@@josh4144omg you're right. fixed it. sorry im old it all blura

[@ericstrahler5767]

Alan known for being an actor. Will be known as a lifelong advocate for understanding communication. One of our greatest current failings. Thank you for your efforts!

[@marmarlittlechick]

Alan Alda, you are such a good human. ❤

[@The-Well]

He's one of our favorites!

[@ruthhenry9577]

It is one of those GOLDEN timeless messages. Thank you Alan Alda. 💛

[@The-Well]

Thank you for watching, Ruth!

[@guylenner1729]

🙂

[@EcomCarl]

Alan point on the importance of using plain language is spot on! Building a personal connection and simplifying complex ideas can enhance understanding and communication effectiveness. 🔑

[@skjelm6363]

Alan, I grew up with M*A*S*H in the 90s here in Germany and you was my role-model - now I know why. If you should read this: Thank you.

[@rjung_ch]

Good to see Alan Alda again.

[@christinepark1398]

always.

[@jimkon1479]

I was reading recently "How to Win Friends and Influence People." It talks about how it's impolite to correct folks unless you really have to. Try to talk to somebody, not over them. It can be the same with jargon.

[@The-Well]

This is beautiful advice, thank you for sharing!

[@Poppa_Capinyoaz]

Technical jargon is precisely what keeps people in the dark about the corruption that is the financial sector.

[@shabudinjaver4672]

It is hid and seek in the business world sort of Ponzi scheme.

[@Rachel16657]

Alan Alda! I have loved you since the 70s. Great touching story that moved be but also in all made me smile. Thank you.

[@emilywilson696]

Always great when Alan Alda makes an appearance

[@Christina-sf4py]

Executives use this style of speech to confuse and intimidate investors, employees, media into not asking questions.

[@MikeRLloyd73]

Corporations are private dictatorships

[@chrissharkey9644]

We need more Alan! I always love what he shares!

[@Purplenpinkk]

This was amazing. So useful. Alan Alda is a National Treasure.

[@MikeRLloyd73]

Alan Alda is such a sincere speaker...I always stop to listen to what he has to say

[@The-Well]

He's so captivating, truly!

[@TranscendingPolygons]

Thanks for the info Alan.

[@justinklenk]

Perhaps the most important principle of communication - and the toughest lesson for those with a more sophisticated than average practical vocabulary. It's actually quite difficult, and a consummate struggle of attentiveness, to almost _always_ be dumbing down your verbiage to suit the INCREDIBLY poor (basic English) comprehension of the majority of people today. It means taking a single, clearly-conceived, quite reasonably constructed, straightforward and uncomplicated sentence... and dutifully, painstakingly proceeding to instead UNtruncate every last god damn word (that isn't literally in a 1980s kindergartener's vocabulary), unfolding its simple construction into a long paragraph of monosyllabic, spoonfed breast milk. But - such is the cost of business, when communication is not just the business of encoding; but also of decoding. The fact of this matter was first pointed out to a young me by a wonderful writer, C.S. Lewis, who could've dizzied me with his amazing vocabulary, if he wanted to - but instead gracefully and magnanimously demonstrated his great _command_ of the English language, by communicating his concepts with plain, simple verbiage - but very effectively so. He aspired to meet his audience as individuals with whom he was having a one-on-one conversation.

[@harrypearle9781]

YES, YES, but why can't DEMOCRATS get this, to reach average VOTERS? Will Smith was taken down in moments, after attacking Chris Rock on TV. Yet in 8 years, Democrats have been unable to take down Trumpism... TNX

[@MicahScottPnD]

I ascertain that you know what you are talking about 😉

[@myggggeneration]

"verbage" what an ugly word amongst all your pretty words..... JMO

[@justinklenk]

@@myggggeneration Haha... Why so, though? There are these little semantic differences/nuances which give almost all of our various words their own unique meaning, when we really get specific about their definitions. That's where our word choice is most ideally found, which generally succeeds in subconsciously conveying the gist that we're going for (unless the listener has no comprehension of the term!), including all that subconscious, contextual, and often _deeply_ nuanced stuff. 'Verbage' is what I was going for here - but I'm definitely open to a better suggestion... (?)

[@bhz8947]

@@justinklenk The word is “verbiage” not “verbage”, and both your posts are pretentious, verbose, and grating. *Don’t write overtly to impress* should have been the message you absorbed from this video. You might benefit from (re-)reading *The Elements of Style*.

[@zaidm1134]

"People will not know what you truly know if you show off the words you know" - Me If you are conveying a message and use big words. People will end up being aware of the big words, but will not be aware of what you know (i.e. your message)

[@lor3999]

Profound. Thank you Alan.

[@The-Well]

Thanks for watching! We're glad you're here.

[@JayBandersnatch]

It's called argument by gibberish, Jordan Peterson is great at it. If you say enough fancy words which are misunderstood by most, then you win the argument!

[@BooksForever]

Actually, you (Peterson) only think you won . And only you (Peterson) think that. Every other intelligent observer sees right through the BS.

[@charlottehammond8975]

I think most people see through the BS, which makes it more frustrating when others dont. because they vote

[@circa1890]

Unfortunately, many people who are listening to Peterson and those like him are vulnerable. They may not even be aware that they are. Many are lost (probably also lonely) and looking for answers. They're easily manipulated with rhetoric.

[@Contribute_TakeCare_Learn_Play]

One of the first things you read in a philosophy book on writing. Don't use pretentious language to cover up a bad argument. And I'm just doing it as a hobby. Peterson gets a lot of people to think he is smarter than he is though.

[@MonkeyHero]

It's true. Every year or so I give a Peterson another chance by sitting back and listening to him speak in longer form, like a lecture or podcast with one of his peers. And everytime I'm disappointed. He sounds like a parody of himself and I can't figure out why people find him valuable to the degree they do. He ultimately offers so little. Especially compared to his peers. His feels like a clown version of a modern philosopher/researcher.

[@montegrifo]

So when I start by saying: 'How can I put this simply ...' I am saying: 'I have to tune down, so you can get me?'😅

[@aubreyj.tennant1123]

Yes, not Dumb Down! Which sounds condescending. IMO.

[@kamblegaurav]

Thank you for sharing this knowledge.

[@The-Well]

And thank you for watching! You are appreciated!

[@a24396]

This is such a fantastic discussion, thanks so much for posting!

[@The-Well]

Thanks for watching! We're so happy you're here!

[@a24396]

@@The-Well For reasons completely unrelated to this video, it's really nice to have someone say this right now. Thanks for your kind words.

[@MCTooTall]

Outsiders using my field’s jargon piss me off. 😂

[@unconsciouslyconscious4415]

Needed this so much

[@The-Well]

We're glad it found you!

[@bobtarmac1828]

Well said Alan!! However, with swell robotics everywhere, Ai jobloss is the only thing I worry about anymore.

[@holdinmuhl4959]

Some people just don't want to be understood.They want to display themselves as super cute. In Germany it is almost done by words borrowed from foreign languages. In the past it was Latin, then French and now English. Almost for each of these words and expressions there are analogs in German and mostly they sound much better in German spoken speach. Nevertheless the English phrases are used even if one can assume that the counterpart won't understand each nuance. But the speaker can show his superiority. With German expressions it would be possible to explain the details of what one wants to communicate. Sometimes by the use of foreign words it is also hidden that the speaker has not much to say.

[@rob.parsnips]

Damn, that cancer story breaks my heart though 💔

[@oscarmora4919]

Very nice video!

[@The-Well]

Thanks for the visit! We appreciate you!

[@aidanthompson5053]

Neural chunking in your brain helps you to remember patterns of analysis so it takes less effort

[@MicahScottPnD]

Top notch, Well!! ❤

[@mgmartin51]

I like "the martini shot". I'm going to use that.

[@Thundr3y]

Agreed. Philosophers tend to do this. Their books are full of technical concepts that make those books really hard to read. In the end, most of it is just charlatanism.

[@bhz8947]

Regarding the charlatanism charge, that’s true of Continental (pseudo-) philosophy. It’s not true of analytic philosophy, which, done right, is the cure.

[@Thundr3y]

@bhz8947 Aaah...!!! The eternal debate between continental and analytic philosophy. I think that both are right, but there are some individuals that mess up everything. What I want to say is that, when I read Heidegger and Sartre, I understand what they say (I may not agree with them), but it takes me a lot of time to digest what they mean, do to their way of describing things and the big words that they use (I have to look those words in the dictionary, constantly and even check the etymology). In the end, I finished reading 700 pages of pure verbosity that doesn't make me more intelligent at all but leaves me with a big dissatisfaction and a sensation of having wasted my time. All with the intention of looking more "intelligent", which, sincerely, I think is pure stupidity and even morally reprehensible.

[@Vanity0666]

Do you ever attempt to use a glossary or dictionary

[@Thundr3y]

@@Vanity0666 Of course. I certainly do it.

[@ericherman5413]

Empathy can be taught

[@llnewbold]

God bless you Hawkeye

[@rmigalla]

❤

[@chaosdream21]

Hawkeye!!

[@TheMetroGnome]

Mirror mirror on the wall...

[@ToudaHell]

I had to take a PR class for my environmental post grad to learn how to explain climate change to none scientists. Language really does matter in how you get people to understand complex subjects like climate change. Its not dumbing it down. Its just another way to explain it so more people can understand it. Even hobbies have their nomenclature. Someone who don't cook would never understand what 'low and slow' means.

[@Vanity0666]

Low and slow isnt jargon it's a literal 1:1 instruction

[@ToudaHell]

@@Vanity0666 so you know what I mean by saying I cooked a rack of ribs low and slow. My mother certainly wouldn't but she can't cook very well. That's jargon for something specific that only those who have information knows what it means.

[@ThoughtsAreReal]

Wow. kzbin.info/www/bejne/h5CVaX2en9R_pKs Such a powerful story.

[@The-Well]

We're so glad you enjoyed. Thanks for watching!

[@OldBaldWookiee]

Wait isnt this the guy who tried to kill raymond reddington?

[@Vanity0666]

Other peoples stupidity is not my problem or concern.

[@mingto7753]

If and when you are called to be a legal witness, will you be hostile?

[@geoarambula139]

Can’t stand those snobs