Concrete terms are solid and specific, while abstractions blur meaning. Unfortunately, abstraction is often a given in media writing. We can do little, for example, about the long, pretentious and often meaningless proper nouns that title bureaucracies, departments, documents, positions, events, and so forth. If the necessary abstraction is unfortunate, the unnecessary abstraction is abominable. Short and familiar words also promote concrete expression.
Long words are bulky, weak and suited to reports.
A dozen Hamilton residents accused in a civil suit of an alleged loan fraud against the Federal Department of Housing and Urban Development might settle the case before it goes to trial, according to federal court documents. A dozen Hamilton residents charged with lying to get U.S. home loans might settle the case before trial. That's a better beginning - it's clear and conversational and gives us something to build on. We can discuss the Federal Department of Housing and Urban Development and federal court documents later - after we've won the reader's interest. It's nothing more than poor writing, a simple message made complicated by flim flam.