Newsroom With A View

Journalists need reminders now and then to pay closer attention to the lazy language they pick up from official sources – especially police, bureaucrats and businesspeople, to name three very large groups that like words that are not perhaps what you would call conversational English. Let this from Bob Ingrassia at The Fast Horse Blog be your reminder for this month that when it comes to the language in your stories, in the words of Eddie Murphy’s Axel Foley (in the clip above), “It should be more natural, brother, it should flow out.” If you wouldn’t say it in normal conversation with a friend, you might need to rethink what you’re writing or saying. Bob’s list of words or phrases to be banished and their conversational equivalents (and more are offered in the comments on his post):

fled on foot = ran away
high rate of speed = speeding
physical altercation = fight
verbal altercation = argument
reduce expenditures = cut costs
terminate employment = fire
reduction in service = layoff
blunt force trauma = injury
discharged the weapon = shot
transport the victim = take him/her
lower extremities = legs
officers observed = police saw
at this point in time = now
express concerns = complain
incendiary device = bomb
obtain information = ask or interview
deceased = dead
sexual relations = sex
roadway = road
fail to negotiate a curve = missed a curve
determine a course of action = consider options
vehicle = car or truck
citizen = person
individual = man or woman
commence = begin
emergency personnel = police, firefighters
utilize = use
complainant = victim
fatally injured = killed
motorist = driver
juvenile male/female = teen boy or girl
respond to the scene = arrive
precipitation = rain, snow
purchase = buy
intoxicated = drunk
controlled substances = drugs
appendages = arms, legs
contusion = bruise
head trauma = head injury
laceration = cut
provide leadership = lead
obstruct = block, get in the way
came to the conclusion that = decided, figured out
arrived at a decision = decided
reside = live