Words Are More Than Words: Why How We Say It Still Matters →

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Two people can say the same thing, but only one of them is heard. I’ve seen it happen in conversations, meetings, interviews—even in the quiet moments between friends. Someone speaks clearly, and yet the message doesn’t land. Meanwhile, another person uses almost the same words, and suddenly the room shifts. There’s understanding. There’s a connection.

What changed? Not the facts. The difference was in the language.

Words aren’t neutral. They’re not just carriers of data. They carry tone, emotion, intention—and history. Even the simplest phrase comes wrapped in personal experience, shaped by culture and context.

That’s why I believe terminology isn’t just about technical accuracy—it’s about how we connect. It’s not academic. It’s human.

Take a look at the difference between these two questions:

“Can I help you?”
“How can I support you?”

Or these two responses:

“I don’t care.”
“It’s up to you.”

Same surface-level meaning. Totally different emotional effect. One leaves room for agency. The other shuts it down.

We often underestimate how much power these subtle shifts in language hold—not just to express ourselves, but to shape how others feel, respond, and remember what we said.

In relationships, this matters deeply. I’ve had conversations where miscommunication didn’t come from disagreement—it came from different interpretations of the same words. Tone wasn’t the issue. It was terminology.

It turns out that how we speak to others is often how we make space for them. It’s how we say: I see you. I want to understand.

Professionally, the impact is just as real. The way we describe ourselves on LinkedIn, in a résumé, or in a job interview doesn’t just reflect our skills—it signals how we think, what we value, and how clearly we can communicate.

A poorly chosen phrase can diminish a strength. A well-placed word can reframe a whole story.

In a world where attention is fragmented and conversations happen fast, it’s easy to reach for what’s familiar. But slowing down—to think about not just what we’re saying, but how we’re saying it—is a small act of care.

Care for the listener. Care for the relationship. And care for the story we’re telling about who we are.

Because when we speak more intentionally, we’re not just choosing better words.
We’re choosing to be seen.
We’re choosing to be understood.
We’re choosing to connect.

And that still matters.

If this reflection resonates with you, I explore more of these ideas in my book, Terminology Is More Than Words—but this stands on its own as a simple reminder: language isn't just a tool. It’s a bridge.