[Vocabulary] Is relisten a word?

[Disco Stu]

Good Afternoon All

I am currently employed writing procedural instructions for a government department. We are very conscious of spelling, grammar, punctuation etc, and our work is carefully scrutinised by our managers.

My manager made a correction to one of my documents and I don't know if the word she used even exists. The context isn't overly important, but the instructions basically related to the procedure for listening to customers' calls that have been recorded. The relevant bits are highlighted in bold.

I wrote "If the Team Leader needs to listen to all or part of the call again they must contact the Complaints Resolution Assistant Director and ask to hear it again."

It was changed to "If the Team Leader needs to relisten to all or part of the call they must contact the Complaints Resolution Assistant Director and ask to hear it again."

I'm not saying I'm right and she's wrong. I just want some expert opinions so I can improve my own writing.

Cheers
Stu

 

[bhaisahab]

I am not familiar with the word. I assume that either your manager is either a non-native speaker or is prone to using slang words.

Plus one.

 

[Jaskin]

hi,
Please note I'm not a teacher nor a native speaker or your manager ;-)

"If the Team Leader needs to listen to all or part of the call again they must contact the Complaints Resolution Assistant Director and ask to hear it again.

I would pick on all and call ;-)

I think you can write : listen again to .......
and I would be more precise I'd use "the [record/recording] of the phone conversation" not "the call".

If the Team Leader needs to listen again to the whole or part of the record the of phone conversation they must contact the Complaints Resolution Assistant Director and ask to hear it again.

Cheers

 

[Raymott]

Good Afternoon All

I am currently employed writing procedural instructions for a government department. We are very conscious of spelling, grammar, punctuation etc, and our work is carefully scrutinised by our managers.

My manager made a correction to one of my documents and I don't know if the word she used even exists. The context isn't overly important, but the instructions basically related to the procedure for listening to customers' calls that have been recorded. The relevant bits are highlighted in bold.

I wrote "If the Team Leader needs to listen to all or part of the call again they must contact the Complaints Resolution Assistant Director and ask to hear it again."

It was changed to "If the Team Leader needs to relisten to all or part of the call they must contact the Complaints Resolution Assistant Director and ask to hear it again."

I'm not saying I'm right and she's wrong. I just want some expert opinions so I can improve my own writing.

Cheers
Stu

I wouldn't object to 'relisten'. Many re- words are not listed in most dictionaries because the meanings are obvious. I'd use a hyphen if I was unsure of whether I was making up a new word - as in some of the examples below.

Here's what OED says:

Relisten
intr. To listen to something again.
1819 My Old Cousin I. ix. 187 She relistened to his lively remarks, resaw him actively bounding across the court. 1855 TENNYSON Brook in Maud & Other Poems 102 The brook.., seems, as I re-listen to it, Prattling the primrose fancies of the boy. 1958 Amer. Jrnl. Nursing 58 828/1 He cannot re-listen if his wits wander for an instant. 1965 Selina (Kansas) Jrnl. 24 Feb. 4/2 Put yourself in their place and then re-read or re-listen to the segregation news. 1994 S. J. DOUGLAS Where Girls Are (1995) 10 We must rewatch and relisten, but with a new mission.

 

[macanudo]

I agree with raymott. Relisten (or re-listen) is a valid word. The point of an instruction manual is to be easy to understand and clear. I'm not sure if relisten is clearer, but in my opinion being a little casual is okay for these situations.
I would however add the hyphen (re-listen) to make it easier to read and easier to understand.