By Dana P Skopal, PhD
Depending on where you learnt English grammar, you may feel confident when using abstract nouns. However, many of our workshop participants struggle with this notion of nouns – concrete or abstract. Some people recall that nouns describe the who, the what or the where. Abstract nouns are words that describe the concepts that you cannot physically touch, see or hear (also smell or taste). Here is an example: television is a concrete noun and concept is an abstract noun.
Another way of thinking about abstract nouns is that they refer to something intangible. Our lives revolve around processes, and even education is an abstract noun. Another abstract noun is communication. Communication in workplaces – both private and government organisations – can twirl around numerous concepts, and communication of these concepts needs to be clear. Managers need to decide when clear definitions are necessary in documents, as any different interpretations by the end-user can lead to misunderstandings.
Do you and your colleagues agree on the meaning of the following terms: management, risk, scope, project, and communication? You may assume that your colleague thinks the same as you do, but if the concept is important, perhaps check that you all agree on the meaning and boundaries of the concept. A related issue is if you need to define your terms in every document that you write. If you are writing for readers who work in the same field, you may not need to give a list of definitions. If you are writing for a broader audience, such as the community, then definitions may guide a reader. If you do include a list of definitions, think about how a reader can find that list while still being able to locate your key message with minimal difficulty.
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