The field of communication is constantly evolving; however, we are observing a decline in writing skills. We are moving away from articulate styles to barely comprehensible narratives. Slack writing habits can lead to texts that are confusing and incoherent.
Many forms of written content, such as e-mails, newsletters and news articles, are increasingly being produced in a manner that resembles unstructured spoken language, often lacking objectivity. Readers may struggle to understand the intended meaning when faced with ambiguous information.
New technologies have significantly altered how we communicate, leading to diverse ways of interacting with one another. It has been quite some time since hand signals, sounds and cave paintings served as methods of communication.
Pictograms continue to be used, for instance, in road signs. Following this, there is the ideogram, and then the alphabet. Telecommunications have included Morse Code, telegraphs and phonographs. To date, letters, as alphabetic characters, are considered the most reliable communication system.
Queen Atossa of Persia is credited with initiating the use of letters for communication around 500 BC. It is thought that this contributed to the adoption of the alphabet as a method of communication.
With the emergence of social platforms and alternative systems of communication, there is a perceived decline in writing skills, mostly attributed to limited vocabulary, poor grammar and overdependence on technology.
The normalisation of poor writing can be harmful to public understanding. There is material that is often difficult to comprehend, not because of the topic, but because linguistic conventions are ignored, and probably because the writer doesn’t understand the subject.
Contracts, for example, are notoriously difficult for non-experts to understand. They contain difficult-to-process elements, such as jargon, centre-embedded clauses (which result in grammatical dependencies), and passive voice structures. Contracts, known as terms and services agreements, are usually complicated and understood by no one except lawyers.
Formal language may be appropriate for certain genres or audiences; informal language can be more engaging but can sacrifice clarity. Similarly, using a humorous tone can make a piece more appealing while undermining the seriousness of a topic.
I can understand how difficult it is to write comfortably in a second or third language. According to studies, people grow up immersed in the rhythms and grammatical structures of the idiom they were born into, which can lead to poor writing that may reflect underlying cultural or political issues, for example, ‘We never know who is reading this.’
While a straightforward style may be appropriate for a software tutorial, it does not suit the nuances of a novel or children’s book. As people are more economical with their attention, there is a need for a conscious effort to improve the writing of news articles, instructions, or announcements that require action.
Consider the challenges that may arise with the help of Artificial Intelligence in writing articles when the journalist does not have the habit of reading, speaks multiple languages, or is influenced by cultural and political contexts that shape the structure and language of narratives. A chatbot may use words with unintended connotations; being bad at writing and over-reliance on chatbots can have consequences.
In the current trade-off, we can see that we are losing important abilities as feel-good stories are becoming more popular than rigorous reporting and fact-checking. The lack of detailed research and careful writing is leading to a decline in journalistic standards.
It is possible to improve the quality of information available and to promote a more informed public. Communication is a rich and diverse area that explores language, community, culture, ethics, politics, technology and media. For the benefit of society, ideas need to be communicated clearly and objectively.
The art of writing is peculiar, and reading is half of writing.
Sonia Ambrosio
The writer is journalist, academic and researcher in media studies
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