Speech and style

Learn the distinctions

Describe how language sounds and functions

Style is not one scale from good to bad. Laconic and loquacious describe how much someone says. Acerbic describes a sharp, biting tone. Cryptic language is hard to understand because its meaning is obscure, whereas arcane material is difficult because it belongs to specialized or little-known knowledge. An erudite explanation displays deep learning without necessarily being inaccessible.

Other terms describe deliberate choices in presentation. A meticulous writer attends closely to details; an ostentatious one displays knowledge or status conspicuously. A preamble introduces what follows, while to underscore a point is to emphasize its importance. Asking whether you mean length, tone, accessibility, precision, or emphasis will usually reveal the right word.