Questions to Help PR Pros Center Clarity and Care in Language
Words are powerful. They are the tools we use to tell stories, to stir emotions, and to change hearts and minds.
While framing theory is often used to explain how the media packages and presents information to the public, the question of how we use language to shape and position stories is as much a challenge for those of us in public relations and nonprofit work as it is for those working in news. At its core, framing is what we choose to say and how we choose to say it.
That challenge is especially present for those of us who work in mission-driven communications. Our words help elevate solutions to pressing issues including poverty, climate change, and educational inequity – issues that rightly stir strong passions and which also disproportionately affect people of color who are less likely to be in positions to control the narrative.
For example, when talking about young people without equitable access to educational opportunities, are we missing a chance to point out their inherent value and potential if we call them “underprivileged”? If we leave that word out, how do we convey the challenges they face? And from whose perspective should we be defining the issues facing such young people? What message does the phrase “financial literacy” send to someone who may be the intended recipient? Are we implying those who have money are smarter or have more knowledge than those who don’t? To answer questions like these, we can pose some questions to ourselves.
To help choose words wisely, let’s ask:
- Is it clear? Avoid jargon, academic, or overly complicated language. Keep away from acronyms whose meanings aren’t universally known. If you need to Google a phrase, then it’s probably not clear to your reader, either.
- Is it true? If a word sounds more like a judgement than a fact, consider skipping it.
- Who is defining the word or phrase? Focus on whose perspective is centered when defining a word or phrase. One person’s “peaceful protest” can be another person’s “riot.”
- Did I ask the subject directly? Avoid assumptions about how someone identifies themselves and simply ask them.
- What am I not saying? The words we leave out can be just as important as the words we use. If calling an historic insurrection a “protest”, what important context and facts are being left out of the conversation?
- Am I naming the system? Remember that issues can be systemic and not isolated. While we often lead into stories by sharing an individual’s experience, we must also note the systemic challenge they face. For example, when writing about the gender wage gap, we must keep in mind that being a woman is not the obstacle. Patriarchal systems are the obstacle.
We must consider both clarity and compassion in our language. Use people-first language that puts the subject in the driver’s seat and doesn’t define someone by what they lack. Avoid assumptions. And when in doubt, stick to the facts. As we’ve learned from writing, covering, and positioning news for years, words and phrases may evolve, shift, and change, but the truth is constant.
