The topic of an item I found today is interesting in its own right, but it was the shortened title of the material, provided by the editor of a summary newsletter, that caught my eye.
“Modern culture began earlier than thought”, reads the headline—not too far removed from the title of the linked-to item, above.
My first interpretation of this was that there was culture before people began to think.
Huh?
While fascinating in its implications, I finally settled on an interpretation that was what was meant, that human culture began earlier than was previously thought to be the case.
In all things—but particularly in nominally scientific discourse—clarity in communications is an absolute requirement. This example doesn’t rise to that standard.
Questions: Are you always sure that what you say (or write) conveys what you intended to communicate? How can you be sure that such communications will convey the information you wish transferred?