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Re: "cannot" or "can not"

Subject: Re: "cannot" or "can not"
From: Peter Neilson <neilson -at- alltel -dot- net>
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com>
Date: Wed, 23 Feb 2005 16:57:55 -0500


Carol,
Tell him that in exchange for his specification of the rules of
grammar and usage, you get to specify the rules for passwords.
Like f'rinstance you want it to say, "bad user name" or "bad
password" when logging in, rather than just refusing the login.
(This antiquated method has been regarded as a design failure
since about 1974. It provides the unauthorized user too much
information. A little guessing gets a valid user name.)

Tell him you'll also allow the following words that he probably
wants anyway:

Anyways (instead of anyway)
Any way (instand of anyway)
Alright (instead of all right)
Mislead (as past tense, instead of misled, a word he probably
pronounces myzelled)

Ok, time to be serious...

Check out Strunk & White, Chapter V, item 10, "Use Orthodox
Spelling." The item in question is not there but the principle
and the reason for it are.

On Wed, 23 Feb 2005 15:54:48 -0500, C L <cll01821 -at- lycos -dot- com> wrote:


A software developer wants to use "You can not enter a blank password." instead of "You cannot enter a blank password." in the user interface. My fellow technical writer and I tried to convince him, and another development manager, that "cannot" is the preferred usage and, most often, also the grammatically correct usage.

The developer and manager contend that it is a matter of personal preference and that either spelling is acceptable, as long as the spelling is consistent. The manager also noted that Microsoft's grammar and spelling tools do not flag "can not" as incorrect.

I sent them links to various online resources indicating that "cannot" is usually more correct because "can not" often leads to a different meaning. For example, "You cannot enter a blank password." means that you are not able to enter a blank password. "You can not enter a blank password." means that you are able to not enter a blank password.

Can any of you point me to a site that would end this discussion?



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Follow-Ups:

References:
"cannot" or "can not": From: C L

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