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Well, sometimes its actually harmful to work under the (false) presumption
that all readers know the minute rules of grammar and of writing.
I write documents for people that work in 9-1-1 call centers... people who
tend not to have any education past high school, who may feel intimidated
and put off by more formal language...and who probably wouldn't notice...
and certainly wouldn't give a damn... whether i'm violating strict rules of
grammar. They are also working under stressful conditions in which they need
to think and react fast. So for this audience, I take out the "and" simply
because its one less word for their brains to process, and BECAUSE leaving
it out is more colloquial. But that doesn't mean that what I write sounds
like a pair of English class drop-outs jawing away at the mall. Its just as
simple and clean as possible.
As Gene pointed out, sometimes you've got to use a style that works best for
the user... and to me, a good tech writer is one who uses their professional
skills and knowledge to take all relevant factors into consideration when
determining language usage issues, to come up with the solution that suits
the context best.
Don't misjudge me... I hate to see the standards of written English sliding
into the toilet (the liberties that journalists take drive me nuts), but you
CAN bend the rules and still communicate effectively and... professionally.
-----Original Message-----
From: Bonnie Granat
Sent: Wednesday, September 01, 2004 4:33 PM
To: TECHWR-L
Cc: TECHWR-L
Subject: Re: and then
Dick Margulis wrote:
> Bonnie Granat wrote:
>
> [big snip]
>
>>
>> Professional writers and editors need to either use professional
>> standards or give up the right to call themselves "professionals."
>>
>>
>
> I'm not sure where you're going with that, Bonnie.
To TECHWR-L Hell in a handbasket?
Choosing informal
> diction when it is appropriate to the audience and situation is
> something professional writers and editors do all the time. If you are
> suggesting that only formal diction is worthy of being called
> professional, we'll have to agree to disagree.
>
People who read instructions and notice incorrect grammar often conclude
that the instructions cannot be trusted -- because the writer hasn't
even mastered how to write a proper English sentence. That's the way it
is. When one uses English in a nonstandard way, that is the risk one
takes.
Bonnie Granat
Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
Mobile: 617-319-7461
Office: 617-354-7084
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