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Subject:Re: gender sensitivity and pronoun use From:Phillip Winn <pwinn -at- S7 -dot- COM> Date:Wed, 13 Aug 1997 11:35:36 -0500
[snip]
>In procedural material, of course, the issue becomes moot. Imperative doesn't
>usually need pronouns, and when it does the only appropriate one is second
>person "you."
Unless of course you are from Texas, in which case another appropriate
pronoun would be "y'all". This, of course, begs the question, "What method
should I use to have my manuals translated into Texan? Can I use
tranlsation software, or should I pay someone, or should I have a customer
do it for a reduced software price?"
It's amazing how many issues can be tied together in Texas.
Seriously, my vote is generally for second-person documentation (using
"you", not "y'all") if at all possible, or using the gender-neutral "one"
or "the user" if third person documentation is required.
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