Speaking with the principle of simplicity
The world is changing. It’s not just about the changes being wrought by science and technology. The most fundamental issue, human desires themselves, are changing. People seem to be seeking more spiritual and emotional desires in the future, and not just novelists or film directors, but also leaders of companies and organizations might need to become storytellers.
The movie “Big Fish” (2003) is about the son, Will Bloom (played by Billy Crudup), a UPI reporter, and his father, Edward Bloom (played by Ewan McGregor and Albert Finney), a blustering man who captivated people with his unbelievable ‘stories’. Born with an innate curiosity, Will’s father is a natural storyteller. He tells his son about the things he experienced as he grew up and traveled, as if they were fun fairy tales.
Having grown up listening to his father’s stories, Will assesses his father as follows:
Will Bloom: In telling the story of my father’s life, it’s impossible to separate the fact from the fiction.
The third principle of English we emphasize is the principle of simplicity. To elaborate, this principle means to start with simple words and address the complex ones later. One method to do this is by using pronouns that serve as substitutes for nouns. For example, although anything functioning as a noun can become the subject, it is not advisable to use a lengthy subject at the beginning of a sentence, especially in conversation.
In such cases, it’s better to use pronouns or an expletive subject to create simpler sentences. For instance, saying “It is impossible to separate the fact from the fiction” is more natural than “To separate the fact from the fiction is impossible.” By starting the sentence with ‘it’ and explaining what ‘it’ refers to later, one can make the sentence more concise.
Abra: “It’s awful not to be loved, it’s the worst thing in the world.” (East Of Eden, 1955)
Tevye: “I realize, of course, that it’s no shame to be poor. But it’s no great honor either.” (Fiddler on the Roof, 1971)
LOUIS XVI: “It’s good to be the king!” (History of the World, 1981)
The same applies to objects. If one needs to use a lengthy object, they can create an expletive object and explain it later.
Ilsa: “Play it, Sam. Play ‘As Time Goes By.’” (Casablanca, 1942)
In the movie “Casablanca,” the protagonist, Ilsa, asks Sam, the pianist at Rick’s café, to play a song. She says “Play it” and then explains what she means by ‘it’. Sometimes, ‘it’ can refer to something vague understood by both the speaker and the listener. In these cases, ‘it’ truly becomes a pronoun indicating something indefinite.
WYATT: “You know, Billy. We blew it.” (Easy Rider, 1969)
Cody: “Made it, Ma! Top of the world!” (White Heat, 1949)
Pronouns, thus, can be used as a concise substitute for nouns when they become lengthy. Pronouns are classified based on their use into personal pronouns, demonstrative pronouns, indefinite pronouns, interrogative pronouns, and relative pronouns, serving to specify something particular in context. Words like who, whose, whom, which, and what are used in questions and are thus called interrogative pronouns; some, any, one, other, another, each, either, both, neither, etc., refer to an indefinite person or thing-quantity and are known as indefinite pronouns.
STANLEY IPKISS: “Somebody stop me!” (The Mask, 1994)
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