Effective Radio Communication and Language Techniques

Active and Passive Language

The words we use when we talk on the radio have to be simple. We can classify words into three types:

• Active language: Words that are used in daily life.
• Passive language: Words that people understand but do not frequently use.
• Language dominance: Words that people neither use nor understand.

Radio language should be active. A person's vocabulary also includes a range of words that are understood even if they are not used often. It would be a mistake to abandon active language in favor of passive or limited vocabulary. Radio talk should sound like how people speak; that is what enables better communication with listeners.

Understanding Bad Words

Bad words are not just a moral issue or a matter of good or bad manners. What lies in the background are social classes. Bad words vary from place to place; what is an innocent word in one area might be considered rude elsewhere.

The Impact of Exaggerations

We all exaggerate. While nuances are good, they should not be overused. Excessive exaggeration weakens the meaning, causes confusion, and leaves the listener in a "cloud" of uncertainty.

Using Images in Radio

What we generally translate into poetic language are abstract concepts turned into images. For instance, many national anthems speak of "breaking the chains" as a figure of speech for no longer tolerating slavery. We ascribe colors to feelings; for example, hope is green.

This arises from the need to imagine things and to "see" what we hear. Also, our everyday language is filled with images that make conversation more enjoyable. Teasing is teasing, or "putting your foot in it."

Comparisons and Metaphors

We can create more showy comparisons. To make a comparison more energetic, the "bridge" (words like as or more) is removed, passing directly to the second meaning. This can work with all feelings, from the most romantic sentiments to insults.

The Power of Proverbs

A large majority of proverbs, due to their popular origin, are built with concrete images and effective comparisons. Proverbs concentrate the wisdom and experience accumulated through the years.

Narrative and Stories

In recounting facts and events through a narrative form, we tell what happened. In discourse, we discuss ideas. The narrator moves from one fact to another, while the speaker moves from one idea to another. Narrative is essentially chronological.