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Subject:Re: no-smoking or non-smoking From:Len Olszewski <saslpo -at- UNX -dot- SAS -dot- COM> Date:Fri, 4 Mar 1994 12:50:32 -0500
Matthew Wong asks:
> I'm writing a manual that requires me to address a hotel room in which the
> guest is not permitted to smoke. Now, should I address this room as:
> (a) non-smoking room or (b) no-smoking room.
[...]
Actually, either modifier describes the required behavior of the room's
occupants, and not any intrinsic quality of the room itself. I prefer
the modifier "smoke-free", which *does* describe the room.
However, if you can only choose between the two you've mentioned, use
"non-smoking". IMHO, the idea of "smoking" vs. "non-smoking" areas in
general is part of regular usage these days, the appropriateness of the
modifiers notwithstanding.
|Len Olszewski, Technical Writer | "The fish." |
|saslpo -at- unx -dot- sas -dot- com|Cary, NC, USA| -Salvador Dali |
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| Opinions this ludicrous are mine. Reasonable opinions will cost you.|
