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Subject:Re: PC words and tech writing From:Mark Magennis <markmagennis -at- YAHOO -dot- COM> Date:Mon, 14 Dec 1998 01:26:09 -0800
> I don't think the question is relevant, except in that it may create a
> heated thread about political correctness. If you are writing for the
> scientific community, use the current, standard language for the
> audience. If you are writing for a lay audience, use the current,
> standard language for the audience. (See the trend?)
I think this idea of "current, standard language" and the separation
between a scientific and a lay audience is over simplistic. Scientists
are also lay people, and not just in their spare time. In my
scientific academic background I've found that many scientists apply
the same arguments about political correctness to scientifc writing.
They do feel that it is important to replace scientific language that
has politically incorrect connotations with alternative language that
does not. Because as well as being scientists, they are also normal
people (well, most of them). Beacuse of this the "Current, standard
language" has a grey area - those terms that are still in common usage
but are increasingly thought to be unacceptable.
Mark
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