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> -----Original Message-----
> From: Bruce Byfield [SMTP:bbyfield -at- progeny -dot- com]
>
> "Brierley, Sean" wrote:
> > Certainly, people are using "install" as a noun. However, I don't think
> > these folks have stopped to think whether "installation" might be a
> better
> > choice.
>
> This is a small matter in itself. However, it does bring up some general
> issues worth mentioning.
>
Very small. A part of my reply you did not quote suggested being consistent.
> George Orwell, one of my literary heroes, suggests using the smallest
> suitable word. In particular, he suggests avoiding Latinate words or
> endings whenever an alternative exists.
>
Ok. I do this, using "lets you" instead of "allows you to," for example.
However, ummm, how is the word "installation" Latinate when "install" is
not? I'm not sure George meant confusing nouns and verbs as needed to
reduce the letter count.
> To these suggestions, I'd add my own observation that, the smaller the
> word, the quicker people read it. That's certainly true of me, even
> though the vocabulary I understand is probably at least three times the
> size of the one I use in tech-writing.
>
I go for smaller words and shorter, more direct and terse sentences, too
<g>. I notice you do not remove the second, redundant "L" and write the word
as "instal." How come? Neither do I use the wrong word, tense, or voice
because it is shorter, especially when there is a commonly-used,
well-understood alternative. For example, "A" is a pretty small word. Why
not use it, if we are more worried about word length than word meaning? This
could save a lot of time when typing (remember to switch fingers
occasionally--or should that be, "remember to switch fingers occasion"?).
For example, a sentence might read: A, a a a a a a a a a, a a a a. We could
work on removing the punctuation later, to shorten things even more. <vbg>
And, if we did that, maybe this certification issue would go away. Gone
would be the tool wars, too, because, heck, how much formatting and
structure would we need?
> By these standards, I favor "install" in most circumstances. About the
> only time I would use "installation" is as an occasional variation, or
> to add a somewhat more formal tone (assuming that I would ever want to).
>
Ok. I understand. I prefer to use a legitimate noun instead of using the
verb is a noun. I use installation instead of install. In this case, as you
first state, 'tis a minor thing of little import.
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