The argument of language purists and masters is, one should speak and write in a manner that the audience would understand the message one is passing across, or at least, to douse ambiguity in order not to keep the reader or listener guessing. Just as we have observed, ten different people reading a piece of information, as mine here, nine or less of that number may come out with various interpretations and form their own opinions. Emphasis, as a writer who wants to communicate his ideas to the audience, should be on accuracy, simplicity, clarity, conciseness and consideration. Verbosity is said to be the number one enemy of clear thinking.
Verbosity and jargons are seen, often, as exclusive, not inclusive grammar. In other words, they are meant for a class of people; the academics, for example, and those engaged in professional trade or occupation such as medicine, pharmacy, engineering, accountancy, name them. The task before the writer, journalist and the reporter is to carefully analyse these bombastic and monopolistic vocabularies; break them down to their simplest forms for easy comprehension. Using words or sentences in context, is as good as simplifying an otherwise complex expressions, considering that one is addressing multitudes of people made up of the learned and the not too sophisticated who must be carried along and be convinced that, for instance, certain measures are taken and policies put in place by the government to promote the welfare of the ordinary citizens.
Here it would take the energy of Public Information Officers (PIOs) to preach the message. Clear thinking demands, therefore, that vocabularies are sorted and defined to send the right message, and avoid confusing the publics, even if one is writing exclusively for a select audience. Technical and scientific writing falls into this category. Still, since it behooves on the journalist or reporter to remove any iota of doubt or ambiguity, he or she must, as a matter of duty, simply the pompous sentence to the level the kindergarten or primary school pupil would understand it. The nouns, “ratification” and “rectification,” at a glance, sound alike, and perhaps, could be taken as synonym. But far from it, one may think, yet, on face value, the interpretation we could likely get from the reference books, proves that, “ratification” and “rectification” mean the same thing. English is all about choosing the right word in the context of usage to make your point clearer, concise and straightforward.
Follow what the dictionary says here about the nouns, “ratification” and “rectification.” Chambers 21st Century Dictionary, insists, “ratification” is the act of ratifying or being ratified; to confirm or sanction. Taken from the verb, “ratify” (ratifies, ratified, ratifying); to give formal consent to a treaty, agreement etc., especially by signature, derived from the Latin word, “ratificare” (English language, some experts argued, would not have been without borrowing extensively from languages of the world). How true? Watch out. Now compare with this; “rectification,” from the verb, “rectify,” is to adjust, amend, better, correct, mend, improve, redress, reform, regulate, straighten etc. What readily comes to mind as a Catholic, is the marriage vocation, even as the Church warns or asks the lay faithful whose union is often regarded as illegitimate to rectify or straighten such unapproved co-habitation through the sacrament of Holy matrimony.
Scrutinising the verbs and three-syllable words deeper, “ratify” and “rectify” are assumed not far apart in contexts. One could deploy the two, maybe as synonyms to refer to the marriage institution without harm. Yet, the language purists, may leave it there hanging; again, it is up to you to decide where the dividing line should be drawn. Some other school of thought may just spring a surprise. Contextually, the noun, “ratification” may be suitable to signing of agreement, say between nations, unilateral, bilateral or tripartite, as the case may be. Conversely, the noun, “rectification” could be expressly useful, and applicable to the sacrament of Holy matrimony. You decide, because there are no hard or fast rules about the context of usage so long as it concerns the nouns, “ratification” and “rectification.” Follow your mind, but let the message be understood.