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If there’s one thing I could change about current communication, it’s that AI, in all its brilliance, could be trained to use correct speech instead of reductions.?

Notice I didn’t point the finger directly at you even though you, too, have control in the way of proofreading your work. Everyone uses AI in voice-to-text and video captioning. But if you let it take over your posts, emails, and captioning without proofing them, you’ll end up with a glut of gonnas and wannas.?

It sounds like that when we speak, but gonna and wanna are not words. They’re reductions, and using them constantly in written communication is a steady dumbing down of the language. Yes, yes, we want to use natural language when writing, we want the reader to “hear” us. The funny thing is though, that the native speaker is likely already doing the reduction in their head - because that’s how they speak.?

Is it really so terrible? It hasn't escaped me that it can be used for effect. But - every time? That’s not effect anymore. It’s nothing special. It’s just dumbed down. It's more annoying like those other overused words, terminologies, and expressions people complain about. And it’s seriously gone too far when you read it in subtitles translated from another language!?

There’s a difference between writing and speaking. Text has a mountain of acronyms and reductions. But that’s text. And text IS like speaking. It’s kind of the point.

This gonna wanna stuff all started with comic books and advertising. They want people to “feel” their message, what they’re saying - and selling - by evoking our sense of hearing like they’re talking to us.?

And I do think it’s okay to use reductions in writing sometimes.

Sometimes. Not always and every time though. There are plenty of times that you do indeed say “going to” or “want to” clearly. You probably don’t only say them in reduced fashion. Well, I know it's like that for me. And really? We can reduce them even further ??

I guess it’ll all boils down to your own communication preferences.?

Language evolves; but standards remain.

Be sure to consider who you’re writing to.?You may want them to “hear” you where you are, who you are. But like titles and other formal considerations, you’ll want to reach them where they are, who they are. Will you show up to a job interview or a client meeting - bedhead, in dirty tennis shoes and sweatpants you’ve been using for days?

Like your physical appearance, language is important. Make it your own. But make it presentable for your audience. Show your best you.

I work with global professionals to help them better their business communication skills in speaking, presentations, and writing.

DM me to talk about personal coaching.