Sunday, March 7, 2010

Writing style

This morning I happen to remember a very amusing
incident of my school days.
Our head master was rather old fashioned and grumpy
looking man. No one ever saw him smiling, not even our teachers. He had a room upstairs which was curtained and mostly suffocatingly obscure. He had a voice like thunder , and we know many incidents when younger lads would soil their pants if ever they were addressed by him for any inconsequential undisciplined behaviour.
The head master had a funny habit to use long and difficult words. I remember one such incident. A little un happened to be waiting for his elder brother upstairs in front of his class room.
The head master came out from his room and upon seeing this lad shouted , " Hey who are you ? and would you make it known why are you perambulating
on the vicinity of this corridor at this god forsaken hour " ? Obviously the little lad was not familiar with English language and all he could do is to perspire profusely and about to run.
It happens so with me even these days when I read some writings in any forum, and I too perspire profusely and curse my incompetence in understanding English usage which many of our poets
feel proud to use.
There is a general tendency among our poets to show their pedants like the old headmaster. They make their presentation unnecessarily complicated as there is a misconception among many off them that harder the words they use to express their ideas more appreciation would be forthcoming.
I personally think , the old headmaster could have said
" who are you and what do you want here"?
But for some of us it is difficult to express the most impressive ideas in the simplest possible language. Using the old phrase which sounds like a cliche may express the fact. " Simplicity is the highest form of sophistication in all expression".Even if we have to use metaphors, similes, images. symbols where the tools available may be insufficient,perhaps we can remember the objectivity of the writings and remember the target population for whom the writings have been presented. In my view we should consider that unencumbered ideas are joyfully enjoyed and can create the desired impact among the " Clients".

1 comment: