TAKE THESE two sentences:
The Irish and Welsh were discriminated against by the English at that time. (1) (13 words)
At that time, the English discriminated against the Irish and Welsh. (2) (11 words)
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Why is the second sentence so much easier to understand?
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Why is it so much shorter (by 15.4%)?
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How is it that two extra words could add absolutely no extra information to the sentence?
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More importantly, why is it so much easier to memorise?
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If we switch the sentences around like this…
At that time, the English discriminated against the Irish and Welsh. (2)
The Irish and Welsh were discriminated against by the English at that time. (1)
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… why is it we could still recall the second sentence word for word even after a week, but the first sentence would almost be gone in the same time?
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Why is it that a hard-to-absorb language format is usually promoted as ‘correct’ or ‘appropriate’ for an environment where the aim is ostensibly to have people absorb information?
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All these questions lead us to the inevitable question:
Learn English or Starve 
Guus
Fri 01 Oct 2010 @ 11.14am UTC
Actually, my English teachers have always actively discouraged wordiness and the use of passive voice. They would go through an essay and cross out unneccessary words with a red pen. This has greatly helped my writing skill.
That said, the passive voice does have a place, to emphasise the object instead of the subject in certain contexts.
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thenakedlistener
Sat 02 Oct 2010 @ 5.48pm UTC
Not the English teachers in this part of the world! Certainly not in Hong Kong anyway. Anywhere else, there are teachers who are properly trained, properly motivated and Do The Right Thing.
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Kevin Beckford
Sat 14 May 2011 @ 5.39pm UTC
What the hell?
What are you trying to say?
What is the point of this post?
You seem to be validating the thing you might be opposing.
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thenakedlistener
Sat 14 May 2011 @ 5.57pm UTC
No, I’m validating the thing I’m supporting and invalidating whatever that I’m opposing. The two sentences got switched around and the bracketed numbers at the end of them indicate which “second” sentence I was referring to – in hindsight I admit it could have better just to renumber them as (3) and (4).
I have to say you run a pretty good-looking, thoughtful, active-thinking blog yourself. You are always appreciated at this blog.
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