Advertising and Correspondence; Part I: Advertising

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1913 edition. Excerpt: ...specialized knowledge. As a rule, however, the writer should avoid obscurity by making sure that the words and sentences he uses are common to his reader. If he does not he will find himself writing, Collect and all charges, or e. and o. e. to persons to whom these phrases are Greek. 16. Vagueness.--Some letters are vague. The ideas conveyed by them are indefinite. We get a meaning, but it is not the writer's entire and exact meaning. For instance, he says that the typewriter he sells is strongly built, is a visible writer and can be delivered promptly. Another man tells us that his machine has a drop forged frame, that the writing is always in sight, and that he can make delivery in three days. The vagueness of the former is avoided in the latter by making the statements exact and specific. The difficulties caused by vagueness are innumerable. We all know what trouble resulted to a certain President of the United States by his use of the vague phrase, You and I are practical men, in his letter, to a great capitalist. The desire for brevity often leads to the use of language so vague that a second or third letter is needed to explain the thought intended. 17. Ambiguity.--Obscurity in letters is not frequent if the writer knows what he wants to say and has a fair working knowledge of the language, but ambiguities are a danger to even the experienced writer. Ambiguity means that a statement may be interpreted in more than one way. You recall the assertion of the side-show barker: Come in and see the show; yon will be glad when you come out. A Turkish bath proprietor, in. his desire to write a brief advertisement, produced this sentence: Ladies' department separate, except on Sundays and...