Sunday, June 26, 2016

Trump and The FOG Index

h/t - Bocopro of Geeeez fame*  (at least on the FOG index, not on the Trump association)

The Gunning-Fog Index uses an algorithm simply stated that analyzes sentences and words and calculates a score that equates to how high of an education one must have in order to be able to read and understand what you just wrote.

Ah, the Trump connection.  Well, Trump is running for Federal office.  To win he must reach a significant percentile of the population.  Given that the average reading level of the American voter is about at the 7th grade level, Trump must keep his dialogue scoring at the 7th grade level in order to resonate with enough of the population.

clinton, by contrast has shot too low and is speaking to the 1st grade reading level.

*see right sidebar Great Reads for a link to Geeeez




27 comments :

  1. 7th grade! are you sure it is that high >>>
    C-CS

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    1. C-CS, No I'm not, but that's what I read. Well, on Average, that's probably about right, but then a 50% approval rating on obama argues defiantly against that thesis.

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  2. I just said almost the same thing to someone else. Trump speaks to the average voter. He keeps it simple and straight forward.

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    1. We are of one mind Adrienne. Ogggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhmmm.

      Heh, but yes, this is what you have to do at the national level regardless what you are selling. White house frozen pizzas, all the same. Almost comical (and annoying) how self described conservatives require Such Perfection from their candidates.

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    2. Comma between white house and frozen pizzas

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    3. I'm glad you clarified that. White House AND pizzas brings to mind some crazy Bill Clinton misadventures that I don't want to revisit.

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  3. I guess this is why George Will left the GOP - we are all just too dang stoopid.

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    1. There ya go Fredd. Another lineal 'thinker'.

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    2. I'm glad you clarified that one, too, because I thought I missed one of Will's elitist expressions.
      I'm a lineal thinker and you, the unwashed masses, are not ;)

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  4. George Will became irrelevant years ago, IMO.

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    1. This was the first I'd heard of him AOW, so he apparently wasn't big on the scene I'd say.

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    2. I've always admired Wills and totally get what's going on...he's one of Krauthammer's best friends, too. Really bright. Really good values and ethics. This doesn't surprise me at all.
      (thanks for the reference!)

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    3. I've always admired Wills and totally get what's going on...he's one of Krauthammer's best friends, too. Really bright. Really good values and ethics. This doesn't surprise me at all.
      (thanks for the reference!)

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    4. Nothing new. He's been irrelevant to me for years.

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    5. Z: "George Will has really good values and ethics?" He was often enthusiastic of his Down Syndrome son Jonathon in his columns, but divorced his wife of 22 years in 1991, remarried in 1991, and had a new child in 1992. I wonder who is dealing with the daily life of Jonathan today? I'm just saying...

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    6. Z: Correction: Will divorced his wife of 22 years in 1989.

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    7. I meant political values and ethics...a true Conservative. The only thing that bugged me about him was about six months ago when he took such umbrage at O'Reilly saying the slightest criticism of Ronald Reagan in a book. Wills got stupid on that one. I can't be rating people for lives I don't agree with! Too complicated and we'd never vote for ANYONE if we held everybody up to personal scrutiny.

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  5. It has been a long time since I ran across the FOG Index. This index is over fifty years old. Anyway I am of the opinion you should speak at a level a bit above your audience. I think it is better than appearing to talk down to them.

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    1. BW Brandy -
      1.) Who cares if the index is 50 years old. There are valuable things that are thousands of years old.
      2.) Do you know who my audience is and how would you defend saying yes to that since this is first I've seen you here.
      3.) You're welcome to change the channel, since I will continue to do what I do.

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  6. I completely understand the meaning of what you comprehend!

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    1. Ron, You got that form Tricky Dickey didn't you ? :-)

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    2. From an old buddy some 35 years ago---perhaps he got it there. Recall he had another saying when referring to something that was useless---"about as useless as tits on a boar hog"!

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    3. Ron, as far as the hog - that's the Only description of useless I've ever heard in my life fact, though less frequently.

      Maybe we can create some new ones. As useless as an obama in the white house. As useless as a clinton in a..... well anything right?

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  7. I'm more concerned about the non-Trump candidate who lies to me like I'm a five year old and expects me to believe it.

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    1. Cube, alternate universe, that's all I can think of to say about it. Unreal.

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