A Matter of "Semantics": Dirty Word or Secret Weapon?

A Matter of "Semantics": Dirty Word or Secret Weapon?

From Small Business Casual by Emily Aborn

March 3, 2026 · 27 min

About this episode

Emily discusses the impact of word choice on perception in business communication.

Text Emily! Words aren't neutral. The specific words you choose shape how people perceive you, your business, and your message. Sometimes, it's just a word, and trying to find the exact right one is just overthinking in disguise, and sometimes... the tiniest words matter. Two words, two different ways of saying the same thing, can feel completely different and set a totally different tone. Semantics is defined as: the branch of linguistics concerned with meaning. You get into wor...

People in this episode

Host: Emily Aborn

Topics covered

  • semantics
  • language
  • communication
  • perception
  • business messaging

Keywords

  • semantics
  • word choice
  • communication
  • perception
  • business

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