Words with double meanings?

[Geoff Hart <ghart -at- videotron -dot- ca>]

Michelle Vina-Baltsas wondered: <<We're trying to compile a list of  
words with double meanings for our style guide. Does anyone have any  
resources that they'd suggest to use as a starting point?>>

Speaking as a clinically diagnosed paronomasiac, the answer to your  
question is: "the dictionary". <g> No, really. There are darn few  
words that don't have multiple meanings or that can't be amusingly  
misinterpreted with a little effort.

The more important question is whether there is a preferred list of  
word choices for specific terminology related to the product you're  
documenting. For general industry-specific terminology, you need a  
subject-specific style guide, such as Read Me First and Microsoft's  
Manual of Style for computers and Scientific Style and Format for  
science. There are many other industry-specific style guides. What  
industry are you working in?

For general word usage, there's a slew of "usage" guides, such as  
Garner's Modern American Usage. For general words, a good recent  
version of an unabridged such as the American Heritage dictionary is  
still your best choice. (Equivalents exist for most other flavors of  
English, but I'm only really familiar with the American versions.)

Choose whichever of these resources is appropriate for your specific  
product. For your in-house style guide, don't try to reinvent the  
dictionary/style guide/usage guide. Instead, focus your efforts on  
identifying the concepts that are more or less unique to your  
product, and on defining the best choices for describing those  
concepts. For all other word choices, refer your writers to the  
dictionary, usage guide, and style guide you've chosen as your  
standard... and then ensure that copies are readily available. (You'd  
be surprised how often people cheap out and buy only a single library  
copy that everyone has to fight over.)


----------------------------------------------------
-- Geoff Hart
ghart -at- videotron -dot- ca / geoffhart -at- mac -dot- com
www.geoff-hart.com
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