Choosing the word

This branch covers choosing words that convey the intended meaning, divided into plain wording, specificity, easily confused words and figurative language. It leaves technical terminology, words about people and broader plain-language practice to neighbouring topics.

• Choosing the plain word over the impressive one — plain alternatives, unnecessary words, the everyday-speech test and practice with medical examples
• Saying something specific: vague, empty and loaded words — specificity, empty phrases, incomplete statements, risk wording, gap and novelty claims, legal meanings and time references
• Keeping apart words that are easily confused — look-alikes and sound-alikes, word forms, mixed expressions, medical usage pairs and distinctions worth preserving
• Metaphor and figures of speech — kinds of figures, metaphor in thought and medical vocabulary, clarifying images, suitable uses and readers’ interpretations