It is impossible to overemphasize the importance of written communication. Good English writing allows you to communicate your thoughts and ideas with accuracy and clarity; it makes you more convincing and credible; and it will help boost your career prospects tremendously. For as long as English remains one of the official languages of the Philippines – and the preferred language for official communications – the work you put into honing your English writing skills will be worth the effort.
In the movie the Princess Bride, the villain kept saying “inconceivable,” in reaction to things that were not really inconceivable at all – like the villain being pursued by the hero. I mean, how can you not imagine or grasp the concept of the hero running after the bad-guy? Anyway, after hearing the bad guy say this several times, another character – Iñigo Montoya (played by the inimitable Mandy Patinkin, also the guy in the picture up there) – pauses and says
“You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.”
We’ve all done it. We’ve all used the wrong words before, thinking it meant one thing when in fact it meant something else. Ordinarily, there wouldn’t be too much of a problem with that. But when we do it in an official document – like a memo or a report – well, it just doesn’t look very professional, does it? Worse, there’s a very real possibility of you being misunderstood – perhaps even to disastrous effect. So, here are three common mistakes that should be avoided.
Actuation
What it means: “Actuation” means “to put into action;” usually refers to the action of making a machine or device operate. For example: “The ballot feeder of the VCM is
actuated by the insertion of the ballot into the slot.”
What it doesn’t mean: It does not mean “action.” For example: The sentence “John’s actuations led to his promotion” is wrong. It should be: “John’s actions led to his promotion.”
In lieu of
What it means: “In lieu of” means “in place of.” It indicates that something is being substituted for something else. For example: If Marcie got the assignment to attend the conference in John’s absence, you can write: “Marcie went to the conference
in lieu of John.”
What it doesn’t mean: It does not mean “in light of,” “because of,” or “in consideration of.” Seriously. I’ve actually read court pleadings making this mistake.
Complement
What it means: “Complement” means something that completes or makes up a whole. For example: A good slide presentation is an ideal
complement to any lecture,” meaning that a PowerPoint makes a lecture better by making it more complete.
What it doesn’t mean: “Complement” is not the same as “compliment,” which refers to an expression of praise or admiration. “The boss
complimented me on my discussion, which was complemented by an informative slide presentation.
Bonus Round
These are just three examples, and there are many more. Just this morning, I read a memo where the author was trying to to tell me that he would insure that the project would get off to a good start. I sent him a text asking which company he insured it with. He still hasn’t gotten back to me, so I’m assuming he’s thinking I was stupid for asking such a pointless question. LOL.
