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I believe that contractions, while not easy to translate, do allow for an
additional level of communication to native English speakers. For example,
there is a subtle difference between "don't" and "do not". "Do not" is more
forceful, more directive, and sometimes that is what you want to convey;
other times, "don't" is a little less rigid, a little more polite. "Don't"
is also more conversational, and there are times when that is the
appropriate tone to use.
With the proper style and tone, using contractions can make information
easier to follow, and thus more like to be read.
At 01:13 PM 1/22/99 -0600, you wrote:
>IMHO no matter how informal I want to get, I would not use contractions in
>material that I publish. Why? Personal preference. I think that they're a
>little too informal for professional writing. I can use things like active
>voice, minimalism and clean sentences to avoid sounding too much like a
>stuffed shirt.
>
>However, I do not know your audience, or the image your company is trying
>to project. The choice is yours, but I'd avoid contractions.
