Tip of the Month:  Get Rid of Weasel Words!

 

“Check oil level regularly.”

“Do not let air pressure get too high.”

“Replace hoses showing excessive wear.”

 

Have you seen instructions such as these in manuals?  Of course you have!  And you have probably said to yourself, “How often is regularly?” “What’s too high?”  “How much wear is excessive?”  Words like these are called “weasel words” because their meanings are as hard to catch as a weasel in a chicken house. 

 

Check your instructions and warnings for weasel words.  Remember:  you know what “too high” means, but your customer may not.  Replace weasel words with more precise expressions: 

 

“Check oil level weekly.”

“Do not let air pressure exceed 120 psi.”

“Replace hoses that are cracked or damaged.”

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