Re: Don't say what you CANNOT do in documents

Subject: Re: Don't say what you CANNOT do in documents
From: "Richard G. Combs" <richard -dot- combs -at- polycom -dot- com>
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com>
Date: Wed, 21 Apr 2004 13:56:49 -0600


John Posada wrote:

>If a word or usage is "becoming accepted", that
>means to me that there are still some people to
>whom it's not yet acceptable

At what point do we satisfy to those who won't keep up with change at
the expense of others who find the "correct" way strange.

I'm sure there are those out there that know that datum is the correct
form. How many readers, on seeing that usage, will have a mental pause.

You make a valid point, John. Some people will find the "correct" usage odd.
But, others will find the "becoming accepted" usage objectionable. IMHO, the
best way to handle such situations is to write around them. Instead of
singular _criteria_, use parameter, as someone suggested earlier. Instead of
singular _they_ as a non-sexist pronoun, rephrase in the plural or eliminate
the pronoun.

If a proposed usage engenders a couple of dozen posts to this list that are
vehemently for or against, it might be wise to find a third alternative in
your writing. :-)

Richard


------
Richard G. Combs
Senior Technical Writer
Voyant, a division of Polycom, Inc.
richardDOTcombs AT polycomDOTcom
richardDOTcombs AT voyanttechDOTcom
303-223-5111
------
rgcombs AT freeDASHmarketDOTnet
303-777-0436
------









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