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Stephanie Pierre wonders: <<Is Strunk and White ["The Elements of Style"]
considered to be a style guide? I've considered it a guide to clear writing,
but not a style guide.>>
Depends on what you consider a style guide. I tend to agree with your
definition, since it's a very minimalist book compared with more
comprehensive volumes. For example:
<<A prospective employer is asking whether I would agree with considering
Strunk and White as "the foundation of our house style" or whether I would
prefer The Chicago Manual of Style. He proposes to use S&W first, and then
CMOS for anything not covered by S&W.>>
The two make a good combination, since S&W makes generally excellent
recommendations on clear writing, whereas CMOS does a far better job of
discussing formatting rather than writing. If you're working in the computer
industry or any other techie field outside the academy, neither is likely to
provide all the guidance you need.
<<I am inclined to say to him that S&W is a guide to clear writing, not a
style guide, and that CMOS is a true style guide.>>
It's probably not a distinction worth making to anyone other than a writer
or editor, and even then, it's kinda splitting hairs. Politically, it might
be wiser to simply congratulate your boss on his choices and leave it at
that.
--Geoff Hart, FERIC, Pointe-Claire, Quebec
geoff-h -at- mtl -dot- feric -dot- ca
"User's advocate" online monthly at
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Tarzan's rule of data processing: Never let go of
one vine until you have a solid hold of the next.--Anon.
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IPCC 01, Oct. 24-27 in Santa Fe. http://ieeepcs.org/2001/
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