Resident.
Pedestrian.
Citizen.
On more than one occasion, a consultant or manager has told me not to use these words because they’re not relatable; viewers don’t say them in casual conversation, or only police or public officials use them. I say malarky and poppycock (Words that are actually unrelatable). Yes, there could be more precise words at your disposal, such as “neighbor,” “jogger,” or “visa holder.” They do a good job of adding depth to the person referred to in a story.
But let’s not dump words like “resident,” “pedestrian,” and “citizen” into your recycling bin without thinking about how you can use them. The words have specific meanings that allow us to say something in one word rather than three or four. Don’t tap dance around an arbitrarily banned word in an effort not to use it.
Look at the following sentence to see what’s not an effective way to communicate to your viewers:
“A driver hit and killed a person who was walking along Highway One last night.”
Compare it with:
“A driver hit and killed a pedestrian on Highway One last night.”
It says the same thing but more concisely. The first sentence is longer-winded, making it harder for viewers to hear and understand when they’re not fully paying attention.
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