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Eric L. Dunn wrote:
>Perhaps if the document was being localized "Figure" may need to be used.
>Granted I write mostly for a US audience, but if I was talking to my
friends
>(I'm in Montreal) and asked them to write a figure, I'd get blank stares in
>response. Ask any preschooler what the characters 0 through 9 are and
you'll get
>one quick response: "Numbers!". Perhaps the Brits would reply figures, but
it's
>been a long time since I've been there.
FWIW, I'd use "numbers" for the characters 0 through 9, too... and though I
recognise "figure" can mean "number" I'd avoid using it in any document in
which I was likely to use "Figure" to refer to an illustration of the text.
True, it would take a mind of surpassing literalness to get confused by "See
Figure 1.5 for further information on the Dunn field" with "Enter a figure
from 1 to 5 in the Dunn field" but minds can go surpassingly literal with
alarming frequency. (Me when I have a heavy cold, for example: I think it
must lower my IQ <stitch> by 20 points <sneeze> - or by 20 pints, if it's
the Keithotest involving beer flavours. <yuk>)
Jane Carnall
Apologies for the long additional sig: it is added automatically and outwith
my control.
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