Re: redundancy

["Sandy, Corinne" <CHS8 -at- CPSOD1 -dot- EM -dot- CDC -dot- GOV>]

"Always operate at speeds that allow you to have complete control of the
tractor /  and can maneuver safely or stop in case of an emergency."

My two  suggestions: 1) Make two sentences (i.e., Maintain tractor at safe
speeds. Operator should have complete control of machine at all times to
ensure ease of maneuvering or stopping in case of emergency.)  Something
like that.  2)  Your sentence would work if you edited it (e.g., Always
operate at speeds that allow you to have complete control of the tractor and
that enable you to safely maneuver or stop in case of an emergency." )  Hope
this helps.

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From: TECHWR-L
To: Multiple recipients of list TECHWR-L
Subject: redundancy
Date: Wednesday, December 07, 1994 7:19PM

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Date:         Wed, 7 Dec 1994 19:19:37 -0500
Reply-To: Peter W Praetorius <ppraeto -at- HUBCAP -dot- CLEMSON -dot- EDU>
Sender: "Technical Writers List; for all Technical Communication issues"

           <TECHWR-L -at- VM1 -dot- ucc -dot- okstate -dot- edu>
From: Peter W Praetorius <ppraeto -at- HUBCAP -dot- CLEMSON -dot- EDU>
Subject:      redundancy
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To: Multiple recipients of list TECHWR-L <TECHWR-L -at- OSUVM1 -dot- BITNET>
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I am presently working for a manufacturer of lawn mowers.  Today the boss,
while editing a manual in print, asked my opinion of a sentence that he
feels is redundant, yet he's wondering if leaving it in might be better
from a legal standpoint.  One of the main reasons for the manuals is to
protect the company from law suits.  For instance, one person sued the
company for not warning him that he should not use the machine for a hedge
trimmer -- he lost some fingers.  Now all manuals have a statement that
says that the mower is to be used solely for cutting grass.

So what do you all think of this sentence?  Should the material after the
"slash" (/) mark be deleted?  And is there ever a place for redundancy
in technical writing?

"Always operate at speeds that allow you to have complete control of the
tractor /  and can maneuver safely or stop in case of an emergency."

Probably not the  best sentence to begin with, but his feeling was that
"complete control" would imply "maneuver safely. . . ."

Pete

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Pete Praetorius                      ,--O
ppraeto -at- hubcap -dot- clemson -dot- edu          _ \<,_
ppraeto -at- clemson -dot- clemson -dot- edu        (_)/ (_)