Re: Use of "your"

[Beth Agnew <bagnew -at- INSYSTEMS -dot- COM>]

Ugh, when I hear blanket statements such as " it's more "reader friendly"
and the impersonal "the user" or whatever should be reserved for
scientific academia" I get very antsy. (Not picking on you Cheryle -- just
your instructors!)

The use of "your" cannot be relegated to a generality. It all depends on the
style of writing, the context, the AUDIENCE, the way in which the
information will be used, and so forth. Sometimes it's "your keyboard" and
sometimes it's "the keyboard". Technical writing is an art as well as a
science, (and a craft, and a skill...) and I want to be able to use the
entire palette of colors (words), all the many millions of 'em to shade my
writing, not be limited to a few because of policy.

Sure, I've got a style guide in my office, which I wrote, and it does
contain generalities, but it also talks about areas where the rules should
be broken.
The richness of the language allows us to express things in the way that is
most appropriate for the person receiving the communication. Writing
technical information doesn't always mean writing "technically".

(See what happens when you let people with Fine Arts degrees into technical
writing?) :-)
--Beth

Beth Agnew
Senior Technical Writer, InSystems Technologies Inc.
bagnew -at- insystems -dot- com            Tel: (905) 513-1400 ext. 280
                        Fax: (905) 513-1419
        Visit us at: http://www.insystems.com

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