Re: Active versus passive
So the problem is: must editors also be English teachers?
Yes, often. It's part of the job, whether we like it or not.
Or have we the right to assume a basic understanding of the
rudiments of grammar and syntax?
Many people who meet those criteria don't know the conventions of technical writing in contrast to, say, academic writing (even if they do know the vocabulary), so you still have to teach them how to write "our" way.
Helping people to unlearn bad basic grammar is a much bigger problem. The "its - it's" mistake is one that many people find hard to unlearn, not because the concept is difficult (it isn't) but because the wrong spelling automatically comes to their minds when they are concentrating on content, and even when self-editing, they don't notice the error (most of us are "blind" to certain errors we make in our writing).
Another one I've seen often is the "I -me" problem, using the wrong pronoun in constructions like "John and I" vs "John and me". This error is more common in speech than in writing, but again many people don't notice the error when editing their own work.
I'm far more concerned about writers who can't organise their thoughts into coherent structures, or select and evaluate material, or solve problems (such as digging out missing information for themselves and asking relevant questions), or do a variety of other conceptual tasks. Cecilia St. John (on another thread) mentions having to work with "incompetent" colleagues, and her description of what she's doing sounds like the writers she works with are those I've just described.
Regards, Jean
Jean Hollis Weber
mailto:jean -at- wrevenge -dot- com -dot- au
The Technical Editors' Eyrie http://www.wrevenge.com.au/
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