Words have power.

Spoken words or written words can be easily misconstrued as in this example.

Italy and Ethiopia were fighting over Ethiopia's right to be an independent nation.

This war cost around 14,000 lives and Ethiopia won but it could have been avoided.

One word caused the whole conflict.

The two countries had negotiated an agreement that allowed Ethiopia to remain independent rather than be colonised as was happening all over Africa at the time.

The agreement was written in two languages, which was part of the problem but an agreement was reached for all of it except this one word.

In Article 17 the Ethiopian copy stated that "His Majesty the King of Kings of Ethiopia can use the Government of His Majesty the King of Italy for all treatments that did business with other powers or governments. "

Whereas the Italian version stated that "His Majesty the King of Kings of Ethiopia must use the Government of His Majesty the King of Italy for all treatments that did business with other powers or governments. "

Very different meanings there.

Italy wanted to control all transactions between Ethiopia and everybody else.

Words matter.

When did this happen?

From December 1894 to October 1896, a long and costly battle because someone translated or wrote a single word down incorrectly.

When you write for your readers it helps to remember that, even though they may all be able to read the language you write in, their phraseology and word use may differ from yours.

We all use words differently, some have different meanings depending on your cultural background.

To make your writing clearer it helps to write to a middle-high school level of understanding.

Sometimes I use bigger words but that is because it's the right word for me to use.

It isn't to show off or anything.

Nothing we write online or in emails is an academic paper going for peer review.

It is simply communication and you should write how you speak.

Regards,

Brent.

P.S.  I don't remember where I got this from but it will help you write better.

Writing better will improve your communication and your income if you use it that way.

Print this out and put it where you can see it whenever you sit down to write anything.

This is a direct download PDF.

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