Re: Are we WRITERS???

["seirvine" <seirvine -at- iprimus -dot- com -dot- au>]

> Hello Barbara,

>      Indexes = lists of contents of a book
>      
An index does not refer to the table of contents (or contents). The table
of contents appears at the front of a book and is a list of headings with
subheadings (not usually arranged alphabetically).  The listing of the page
numbers on the right side of the page is consecutive and linear.  

An index appears at the back of the book. It is a list of terms/keywords
derived from the text and is arranged alphabetically with the listing of
the page numbers on the right side of the page arranged non-consecutively
or non-linearly. An indexer, usually a librarian, indexes or retrieves the
important concepts on each page and arranges them alphabetically at the
back of the book. 

The plural of a term is preferred over the singular. 

For example: 

communication device.................. 3
communication devices................ 5

would become:

communication devices.................3, 5   

However, I think that IT people use the term 'index' in the front of a
report/proposal/specification instead of 'contents' (or table of contents).

The following is correct:

Indices = a mathematical term

Librarians do lots of indexing but cataloguing is more complex than
indexing. Both indexing and cataloguing are word games and you certainly
improve your thinking and language skills as an indexer and/or cataloguer. 
Good fun!

Sue Irvine
Sydney, Australia
seirvine -at- iprimus -dot- com -dot- au
>      

----------
> From: Barbara Hubert <barbara_hubert -at- epicdata -dot- com>
> To: TECHWR-L <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com>
> Subject: Are we WRITERS???
> Date: Tuesday, 28 March 2000 2:38
> 
> Re: indexes vs indices
> 
> I think it depends on who you talk to and what reference book you are
> referring to. According to the Oxford University Press, A Practical
> English Grammar:
> 
> 
>      Indexes = lists of contents of a book
>      Indices = a mathematical term
> 
> As far as the evolution of words because they have been used
> incorrectly, the above source was first published in 1960.
> 
> 
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