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New Book Contributes to the World of Contemporary Wordsby: Sandra Pianin
It's all too easy for someone who is linguistically facile to make something sound different from the original intent. In today's technological world, news is fed to us via quick sound bytes. But, language itself is a fragile, flexible and sometimes beautiful way that humans communicate. In media, however, it is the "spin" on something that really should alarm us. This is where Dr. Frank Luntz's contribution to current linguistics is important. His new book Words That Work: It's Not What You Say, It's What People Hear has been widely discussed in both positive and negative ways. These comments are not critical. What is important is that this book contributes something to the world of contemporary words and modern society. If Dr. Luntz's intended audience is policymakers, business leaders or those who aspire to these positions, he has more than achieved his goal. If this book is intended for a general reading audience, it somehow slips off the radar. Dr. Luntz's opinions about people not being interested in reading or having the ability to construct coherent sentences are just not true. He underestimates the power of people and their capacity for knowledge. However, Dr. Luntz makes several points well worth noting through his years of studying the public. His lists like "Ten Rules of Effective Speaking" could lead someone seeking more information in this area to just what they want. The chapter on how focus groups work is fascinating and well worth reading. Dr. Luntz's book might not be everyone's cup of tea. But, it certainly might be helpful to someone interested in modern politics, communications or sociology. Sandra Pianin is a freelance writer and reviewer who lives in New York City. She is a frequent contributor to ladies-room.net. |
