Use your thesaurus carefully

When I write in plain language, I use the thesaurus carefully. I like to pull up the thesaurus to brainstorm different words. Looking at alternatives sometimes prompts me to think of other words not listed. But I caution anyone against swapping long words for short words and calling it plain language.

Why? Because all words have meaning. And even synonyms can have different meanings or connotations. Unfortunately, I’ve seen the thesaurus used to a point where the initial meaning is completely lost. Does anyone remember the Friends episode when Joey writes a letter to the adoption agency on behalf of Monica and Chandler? He used the thesaurus throughout the letter and even signed his name “Baby Kangaroo” instead of “Joey.” That is a funny example of losing a document’s meaning when using a thesaurus. But think of the dangers of using a thesaurus in a healthcare setting—the results can be dangerous!

My tips:

·      Use the thesaurus to help brainstorm word choice. Sometimes, seeing an alternative word allows your mind to think of options beyond the initial word.

·      If you use the thesaurus, ensure the alternative word keeps the same meaning.

·      Check out healthcare-specific thesauruses such as the HHS and CDC’s Plain Language Thesaurus for Health Communications.

·      Define the initial word if you can’t think of an alternative word. Sometimes, the best thing you can do is teach your audience what the word means.