---
title: "Incorporating Elements of Speech into Writing"
date: 2012-09-18
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canonical_url: https://idratherbewriting.com/2012/09/18/incorporating-elements-of-speech-into-writing/
---
# Incorporating Elements of Speech into Writing
In Part 1, chapter 4, Elbow identifies about nine qualities of speech that, if applied to writing, will improve writing. More to my purposes, the speech elements will help scripts sound more like one is speaking rather than reading copy.

## 1. Interpersonal involvement

Speech tends to focus on "interpersonal involvement" rather than "information conveyed," says Elbow, quoting Deborah Tannen. In other words, when we speak, we're more aware of our audience. We use language that involves ourselves with the audience.

This may be the single largest factor accounting for the differences between speech and the written word. When speaking, you take cues from the listener; you read the listener's face and adjust your message. You ask questions, and pause when the listener looks confused. If you write with a specific person in mind, it can help you naturally incorporate interpersonal involvement into your writing.

## 2. Flexible syntax

When we speak, we don't know the structure of our sentences beforehand, so we tend to have more sophisticated, dynamic, and complex sentence structures. Sometimes the structures are chaotic and uncouth, but this wild variety can make your writing more accurately imitate patterns of speech.

## 3. Fewer nominalizations

Any time you can turn a verb into a noun, that's a nominalization. For example, "Columbus *discovered* the new world and ushered in a new era" becomes a nominalization when changed to, "Columbus' *discovery* of the new world marked a new era." Rather than using an active form of the verb (discovered), we convert it into a noun (discovery).

In writing, look for active verbs over nominalizations. We don't speak in nominalizations.

## 4. More right branching than left branching

Right branching refers to cumulative sentence structures, or adding clauses to the right of your main clause that continue to modify and add to the main clause. In contrast, left branching uses a periodic structure, putting the main clause last after introductory clauses. Speech uses more cumulative structures than periodic, so if you want to sound more natural, you should jettison the periodic sentence structures.

Cumulative example: "I read the book carefully, examining each page, and often underlining, writing in the margins, and reflecting on key concepts, knowing that this book would change my life, erratic as it was, forever."

Periodic example: "Examining each page, with a careful methodology for underlining, annotating, and questioning the content, so as to know what new paths my life would take, I read the book carefully."

## 5. Parataxis rather than hypotaxis

Parataxis juxtaposes two main clauses together without a relationship connector, whereas hypotaxis supplies a relationship between the two clauses.

Parataxis: "He lost his wallet. He didn't have any money for food."