This archive report was first published on 13 June 2020.
Effective communication is crucial in diplomacy, and yet, many of Kenya's diplomats lack proper training in this area. As a result, their grasp of English is weak, leading to catastrophic consequences in their diplomatic efforts.
One such example is the misuse of idioms, which can lead to misunderstandings and misinterpretations. An idiom is a group of words whose collective meaning is different from the meanings of the individual words. For instance, the phrase 'nip in the bud' means neither 'nip' nor 'bud', but rather to prevent something from happening.
However, when idioms are used incorrectly, their power is lost, and the intended meaning is distorted. This was the case with a recent headline in the Saturday Nation that read: 'Constitution nips US-style of freely defaming public officials in the bud'. The verb 'nips' had been separated from the rest of the idiom, rendering it meaningless.
Moreover, the syntax of the sentence was also flawed, with certain words occurring in the wrong places. This can lead to unintended consequences, including the goading of the audience into a socially perilous action.
As Philip Ochieng, a veteran journalist, notes, 'a wrongly placed word may mean that the communicator is not communicating what is in his mind'. This highlights the importance of respecting the integrity of idioms and proper syntax in language.
By taking the time to learn and use idioms correctly, we can avoid such syntactical mistakes and ensure that our message is conveyed effectively. As Ochieng advises, 'please respect the idiom's integrity and write: 'Constitution nips in the bud (the) US style of defaming....''
