There are many differences .between communicating in written and spoken words—one to one or one to many. Because speaking is face to face and personal, it is much more direct than writing.. Hand and body gestures, facial expressions, and vocal variety help greatly to support face-to-face communication. It is also reinforced by instant feedback from listeners in the form of smiles, frowns, applause, catcalls, clenched fists, and so on. An alert speaker who is sensitive to feedback can "shift gears" and adapt to changing circumstances.
41. The differences between talking and writing
Writing, however, depends solely on words and punctuation to deliver the message. There are no gestures and no voice, and if there is any feedback, it takes time to reach the writer.
42. Why long sentences can be used in writing?
Effective talking is aimed at people's minds and hearts through their ears, and ears prefer short, direct, conversational sentences.
There are three standards that apply equally to talking and writing—clarity, accuracy, and appropriateness.
43. Clarity.
If the audience doesn't understand the message instantly, then the speaker has, to some extent, failed. Thus, every possible measure must be taken to ensure that all your words and thoughts are perfectly clear to the audience.
44. Accuracy.
As a conscientious speaker, you must see to it that your information is as current and as accurate as research can make it.
45. Appropriateness.
In addition to being precise, your language should also be suitable to the subject, audience, and occasion.
[A] For instance, a speaker can vary his/her pitch or tone to change the meaning expressed. A writer, on the other hand, has to rely solely on the words and context or even explanations in braces to achieve that.
[B] Good talking is wordy, repetitive, and far less structured than efficient writing. A good speech, reproduced word for word on paper, usually does not read well because it rambles and repeats words and thoughts. It is not nearly as disciplined and organized as good writing.
[C] Throughout your talk, words are your prime means for helping your audience understand your message. And to harness the profound power of words, you should develop a lifelong habit of using a dictionary and a thesaurus. If you do not exploit these resources, you will fail to achieve your full potential as a speaker and conversationalist. Another device that will help you achieve clarity in your talk is a summary. If your talk consists of three willresearched major points, lit those points in your introduction so your audience will know at once what ground you will cover. Discuss them in depth, summarize them at the end of your talk, and emphasize any conclusions hat they lead to.
[D] For example, a speaker who's addressing a Parent-Teacher Association should avoid the statistical and psychological jargon of advanced educational researchers. By the same token, she should not indulge in teenage slang. Any speaker worth her salt will analyze her audience first and adapt her language accordingly.
[E] The surest way for you to damage your credibility is to spew forth misinformation or outdated information. How many times have you seen a story, a name, an important fact, or a charge against someone retracted in newspapers? Unfortunately, the damage was done when the misinformation first appeared in print. Such unwarranted embarrassment and mental anguish could have been avoided ff someone had taken the time to recheck the information. If your talk is on a current or crucial topic, do your homework and arm yourself with quotations and sources to fortify your facts.
[F] Long, involved sentences are acceptable in writing for two reasons: (1) The eye can absorb many more words in an instant than the ear can hear. (2) If a reader stumbles on a marathon sentence, she can read it again. Not so with spoken words— once uttered they're gone, especially in speech. If a listener misses a sentence, both she and the speaker have lost part of the message; there is no going back, except perhaps during the question-and-answer period. In a conversation, of course, the listener can ask the speaker to repeat.