How to Identify and Use Better English

Language matters. The more one knows a language, the better s/he chooses his/her words from it. A person’s level of learning is often defined by the level of language s/he uses. Refined language is admired and sought by people who value good education, culture, manners, reputation and sophistication. There are ways of identifying refined language that various academic institutions and reputed organizations know and bring into use, while selecting candidates for themselves. Let us know some of those ways, to enhance our knowledge and chances for progress.

Note how the words are chosen

Through the words selected to describe a person or matter, his/her/its gravity can be determined.

It is common knowledge that we do not speak to and about everyone the same way. For example, when a king or royal personality is referred to, the term used is either ‘His Highness’ or ‘His Majesty’. Did people in the olden days announce a royal person’s entry thus: ‘The king is now coming here’? Never. It was always something like ‘His Royal Majesty is now entering his Court’. The level of language employed to speak of a peer (‘My friend is heading this way’) and a parent/teacher/senior (‘I can see Mummy/Mr. Roberts coming towards us’) is different.

We need to show a person and situation due respect through the language that we employ for them.

It might hurt the taste, sensibilities and also image of people if they do not find words being used as per the dignity of the person or situation concerned. That is not to say or mean that dignity should vary from person to person or situation to situation. With due respect to everyone, we still need to use different words to express different matters.

For example, while speaking of a huge calamity, it sounds more respectful to say ‘Many people have lost their lives due to this immensely unfortunate adversity’ than ‘A lot of people have died because of this terrible thing that has happened.’ Both sentences could be seen as correct – but the former sounds more mature and sensitive.

This is refined language.

To use Refined English

In order to use refined English, one needs to know English well, first.

Imagine: If we do not know very well the difference between ‘aap’, ‘tum’, ‘tu’ or ‘aapni’, ‘tumi’ ‘tui’ – we can use any of these for any person, senior or junior to us; and that could cause situations not so amusing, always.

It would sound strange to say, ‘train padhaar rahi hai’ and it would sound rude to say, ‘kal mere dost ka chacha mar gaya’. A more refined way of saying the same thing would be, ‘kal mere dost ke chacha-ji ki mrutyu ho gayi’. Likewise, instead of saying, ‘the uncle of my friend died last night’ a better way of saying it would be, ‘my friend’s uncle has expired last night’.

Replace a word with a better, more formal one

To use refined English, one needs to use words that are more refined; and expressions that match refined words.

Let us look at a few examples, here:

Instead of a straightforward question ‘What is your name?’ we can use, ‘May I know your name, please?’ That sounds more polite and can be used when we need to be more formal and respectful towards people.

Instead of a ‘Follow me!’ to your guests while you show them your house, it would sound much better to ask, politely, ‘Would you mind coming this way, please?’

A ‘How much does this cost?’ to a shopkeeper can be replaced with ‘May I know the price of this?’

‘I work in this office’ can be changed to ‘I have been working for (the name of the organization) since (number of years/months)’. This sounds more cultured and confident and complete.

‘I go to ______school/college/university’ can be altered to ‘I am a student of _______school/college/university’.

There could be endless such examples; but let us teach you an easy way to use more or better words: use the thesaurus.

You can always check their meanings and learn how to use them, with the help of the dictionary.

You could also take the help of a teacher or tutor to brush your English up; or use an App that can help you learn and practise better English.

In today’s Internet world, learning anything at any age has become most easy and enjoyable.

Do let us know your views about the importance of knowing and using refined English; and please share any story that you have regarding this matter with us. We would love to hear from you.