Use smaller, monosyllabic words rather than needlessly complex words for simple ideas — and also, stop reading now if you haven't watched "Severance" Season 2 Episode 9, "The After Hours."

In "The After Hours," Seth Milchick, the manager of the severed floor played by Trammell Tillman, finally cracks. While outside of Lumon Industries' severed floor, Mr. Milchick meets with his ostensible superior, Mr. Drummond (Ólafur Darri Ólafsson), and Mr. Drummond is, to put it lightly, not happy that the company's best refiner Mark (Adam Scott) is missing in action. Mark's big assignment, known only as Cold Harbor, is due today, and when Mr. Drummond tells Mr. Milchick that he's in big trouble for not corralling Mark as needed, Mr. Milchick falls back on an old habit that's already presented a problem with Mr. Drummond before: he "uses big words."

Mr. Milchick thanks Mr. Drummond for his "remonstration," and Mr. Drummond attempts to humiliate...