Precision of language has long been a theme among my writing tips for scientists and engineers. That’s because precision of language can increase the effectiveness of communicating a message. Communicating clearly and concisely is the goal for effective technical writing.
That’s why it’s important to understand the difference between words that are related in meaning and yet don’t mean quite the same thing. Take, for example, the prefixes bi- and semi-. Each has a similar meaning but with an important difference. Bi- means once in every two whereas semi- means twice in every one.
Consider the example sentence in the graphic at left. Bimonthly means once every two months. As used here it describes the rate of publication for a professional journal. Successive issues appear two months apart. Using semimonthly would also describe the rate of publication, but that rate would change to two every one month, or every two weeks. Semimonthly is therefore biweekly. Note that in all cases the prefixes appear with a hyphen only when not part of a larger word.
Precision of language doesn’t come without effort on the writer’s part, but it is well worth the effort. Communicating clearly and concisely makes for a better presentation. And a better presentation better represents you and your brands to your audience.
That’s why it’s important to understand the difference between words that are related in meaning and yet don’t mean quite the same thing. Take, for example, the prefixes bi- and semi-. Each has a similar meaning but with an important difference. Bi- means once in every two whereas semi- means twice in every one.
Consider the example sentence in the graphic at left. Bimonthly means once every two months. As used here it describes the rate of publication for a professional journal. Successive issues appear two months apart. Using semimonthly would also describe the rate of publication, but that rate would change to two every one month, or every two weeks. Semimonthly is therefore biweekly. Note that in all cases the prefixes appear with a hyphen only when not part of a larger word.
Precision of language doesn’t come without effort on the writer’s part, but it is well worth the effort. Communicating clearly and concisely makes for a better presentation. And a better presentation better represents you and your brands to your audience.
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