Verbal risk in communicating risk
- Northern Arizona Univ., Flagstaff, AZ (United States). School of Communication
- EG and G Idaho, Inc., Idaho Falls, ID (United States). Idaho National Engineering Lab.
When persons in the waste management industry have a conversation concerning matters of the industry, thoughts being communicated are understood among those in the industry. However, when persons in waste management communicate with those outside the industry, communication may suffer simply because of poor practices such as the use of jargon, euphemisms, acronyms, abbreviations, language usage, not knowing audience, and public perception. This paper deals with ways the waste management industry can communicate risk to the public without obfuscating issues. The waste management industry should feel obligated to communicate certain meanings within specific contexts and, then, if the context changes, should not put forth a new, more appropriate meaning to the language already used. Communication of the waste management industry does not have to be provisional. The authors suggest verbal risks in communicating risk can be reduced significantly or eliminated by following a few basic communication principles. The authors make suggestions and give examples of ways to improve communication with the general public by avoiding or reducing jargon, euphemisms, and acronyms; knowing the audience; avoiding presumptive knowledge held by the audience; and understanding public perception of waste management issues.
- Research Organization:
- EG and G Idaho, Inc., Idaho Falls, ID (United States). National Low-Level Waste Management Program
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Environmental Restoration and Waste Management, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC07-76ID01570
- OSTI ID:
- 343748
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-921137--PROC.; ON: DE98050439
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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