Verbosity, or excessive talking or writing, is not only annoying but also counterproductive as it often turns off the recipient of the message and obscures information. It can stem from psychological impulses such as a desire for control or attention, or even demagoguery to manipulate beliefs.
Some people love words, while others love hearing themselves spoken. Nothing is more annoying to members of the first group than being forced to listen to or read something written by a member of the second group. Verbosity is the catchphrase for people who just don’t know when to stop talking and therefore never do.
Verbosity isn’t just annoying; it’s counterproductive. If speaking and writing share their primary goals for communicating a message or idea, an overly talkative communicator more often than not manages to turn the recipient of the message off. If escape is not possible, the only refuge for these poor fellows is to shut down and make mental shopping lists rather than listen to another moment of babbling.
Worse, in trying to clarify information, a too verbose communicator too often obscures it. This may be because the author of the message is not entirely sure what he means or because he is not sure that the intended recipient will be able to absorb it. As a result, the communicator overloads the statement with excessive verbiage, repeats key words or phrases, and otherwise turns what could have been clear communication into garbage.
Here’s a perfect example: “When considering which career to make a career, it’s just as important to carefully consider your wardrobe or the type of dress or clothing you prefer and want to be seen in.” The speaker is simply suggesting that job hunters should dress for success, but trying to get him out of small talk is enough to make recipients of the message want to take a lifelong vow of silence.
Darker, more psychological impulses can be the source of verbiage. Someone who isn’t willing to share control or is desperate to remain the center of attention has probably mastered the art of circular breathing so no one can jump in. Grandiloquent speakers are so full of pomp and circumstance that they will use the loudest words they can find, even if they don’t use them correctly, to impress.
The darkest of all kinds of verbiage is the orator who resorts to demagoguery. This is someone who intentionally manipulates language to exploit beliefs, which are often misleading or prejudicial, or a group of people he wants to control. A demagogue coolly employs any rhetorical device to create a discourse that appears to be driven by passion, when the goal is to inflame the listeners’ passions to the point where logic is out of control.
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