TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
Subject:Re: and/or? From:"nosnivel -at- netvision -dot- net -dot- il" <nosnivel -at- netvision -dot- net -dot- il> To:neilson -at- windstream -dot- net, techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com Date:Mon, 25 Jun 2007 07:50:34 -0400
My mailtool keeps reporting errors.
I hope this isn't a duplicate message...
----------------------------------------
Peter writes:
> Does anyone have a counter-example, in which and/or serves
> as a paragon of clarity?
In the case of and/or (and, you may have noticed
from time to time, in many other cases that come
up on e-mail lists like this), the problem with
posting a simple example is that workarounds
spring to mind that are not necessarily so
available in real life.
Take, for example, "The alleycat had suffered
from disease and/or malnourishment." I think
it's a clear sentence, but anyone (including me)
would be tempted to write "The alleycat had
suffered from disease, malnourishment, or both"
instead. It's in the complicated contexts of
the workplace that the options sometimes diminish
to the point where an "and/or" becomes preferable
to the others.
--------------------------------------------------
Mark L. Levinson - nosnivel -at- netvision -dot- net -dot- il
who wrote a whole megillah about and/or in
the STC Intercom decades ago... wonder if
I still have that issue anywhere...
--------------------------------------------------------------------
mail2web.com - Microsoft® Exchange solutions from a leading provider - http://link.mail2web.com/Business/Exchange
Create HTML or Microsoft Word content and convert to Help file formats or
printed documentation. Features include support for Windows Vista & 2007
Microsoft Office, team authoring, plus more. http://www.DocToHelp.com/TechwrlList
True single source, conditional content, PDF export, modular help.
Help & Manual is the most powerful authoring tool for technical
documentation. Boost your productivity! http://www.helpandmanual.com
---
You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as archive -at- web -dot- techwr-l -dot- com -dot-
