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Various folks have raised the issue of whether grammatical discussions are
relevant on techwr-l. For example, Erin Henderson observes: <<I don't see
how asking grammar questions is any less relevant than things like Tech
Writer
Certification discussions and conversations about where to have dinner at
the STC Conference. This is a tech writer's forum, and I feel like I should
be able to ask grammar questions when my reference books fail to give me a
straightforward answer.>>
It's not that grammar is irrelevant to our discussions; after all, grammar
describes the "best practices" rules that have evolved for the English
language and that tell us how to communicate. The problem is that other
discussion groups (e.g., copyediting-l; signup available online at http://listserv.indiana.edu/scripts/wa.exe?SUBED1=copyediting-l&A=1%20)
handle this need better, and using those lists as a resource avoids annoying
those on this list (the majority) who don't want to have to filter out
discussions of grammatical minutae.
Eric has never told us not to ask a question related to technical
communication where grammar plays a role in finding the solution; indeed,
it's hard to imagine a rewording question that doesn't involve grammar.
Rather, he's only asked us not to discuss grammar itself on this list. As
it's his list, I don't consider this unreasonable. So I guess the bottom
line is pretty simple: if you have a question about improving the wording in
a sentence, ask that question. If you want to know the grammatical
explanation, take your question to copyediting-l or elsewhere.
--Geoff Hart, FERIC, Pointe-Claire, Quebec
geoff-h -at- mtl -dot- feric -dot- ca
"User's advocate" online monthly at
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"The problem with defending the purity of the English language is that
English is about as pure as a cribhouse whore. We don't just borrow words;
on occasion, English has pursued other languages down alleyways to beat them
unconscious and rifle their pockets for new vocabulary."-- James D. Nicoll
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