Re: Need your opinions re simplified English (Can I quote you?)?

[Arlen -dot- P -dot- Walker -at- jci -dot- com]

You know, folks, there's a tremendous amount of humor (or should I write
"humour"?) in the exchanges that have been flying back and forth on this.
Can I try to inject something here? I'm sure the effort will not go
unpunished, but, given the amount of entertainment you've provided me with
on a slow Friday, I figure it's the least I can do.

First, I doubt seriously that it can be established that a single entity
exists which can be called "*the* English Language" in any meaningful way.
Is "knocked up" a euphemism for pregnancy or a wake-up call? Is "bonnet"
something a lady wears on her head, or something between a car's windshield
and headlights? Come to that, is it "car" or "automobile?" Is the following
sentence proper english?

"Microsoft are contemplating a new release of Office?"

You see what I'm getting at? (If you don't, compare notes with other
english-speakers on the list, and the light will eventually dawn.) "Proper
English" is not a term which can be realistically defined outside of the
context of its expected audience.

It's too late to try and preserve the langauge from corruption; english is
already an amazing conglomeration of words stolen, borrowed, or injected
from other languages. It's such a stew pot, in fact, that "language of
origin" is a legitimate question to ask about a word at the US National
Spelling Bee! Preserve it? Bah! Keeping up with it is hard enough, man!

The point was ventured that safety manuals should be written in the native
language of the reader. Good idea, but hardly workable. Follow:

A manufacturing plant here in the US hires qualified people as they present
themselves at the door. Anti-discrimination laws require they don't do
anything else. What happens when we try to follow the above suggestion?
Given the current mix at our plants, probably 4, 6 at the most, languages
would be required for the manuals. But that would immediately raise the
question: What if a worker from a seventh country is hired? Oh, No!!
There's no safety manual in his native tongue! Either he cannot be allowed
to work until a translation of all the applicable shop manuals into his
language can be done and brought in, or he cannot be hired at all. Since
the first would result in an inexcusable delay, the second must be
followed. So we deprive someone willing to work, and who would quite
possibly be a stellar worker, of a job, and ourselves of the benefit of his
labor. (Not to mention, quite probably leave ourselves open to a serious
lawsuit.)

Alternatively, we can be proactive, and stock a translation of all the shop
manuals (they require many linear feet of shelf space, BTW, and we're
pikers in this respect -- ask some of the military writers on the list how
many manuals an aircraft carrier has to go to sea carrying) in every known
language as a hedge against the inevitability of someone being hired who
speaks, for example, Urdu or Farsi. Of course, this effort will mean
revisions to the manuals will take years instead of weeks to complete, but
that's a small price to pay in order to have manuals in Mandarin on hand if
they are ever needed. And we'll need to eliminate a couple of production
lines in every plant, so we can store the manuals on-site for quick and
easy reference, as any conscientious employer should. But what does that
matter? What does losing 20+% of our production matter when the safety of a
prospective worker is at stake?

Of course, we *could* always write the manuals in english, all the while
keeping in mind that many of our employees are not native speakers,
choosing our words with great care to lessen the probability that they can
be misunderstood, and using small direct words to get our points across
with a minimum of confusion, in simple sentences to keep the meaning from
being lost in grammatical complexity.

But wait! Isn't that what simplified english is all about? ;{>}

The purpose of language is to communicate an idea from one sentient being
to another. Absent proof of telepathy, it's also the *only* means of
achieving this. As much as I love the awesome thundering majesty of
Shakespeare and the King James Bible (and I do) I would not write a shop
repair manual in that style. Dr Donne, I salute your ability with *both*
the written and spoken word, but I would not write a product specification
with your touch. As much as the prose of Gene Wolfe or Roger Zelazny can
reach down into me and stir me in the deep places, I wouldn't write an
operations manual with their feel.

Language -- English, French, German, or Tagalog -- is nothing but a tool,
people. Yes, it can stir the soul and enflame the heart. But it's a means
to an end. You have to ask yourself, is it my primary job to teach my
audience about language, or is it to keep them from losing a body part?

Have fun,
Arlen
Chief Managing Director In Charge, Department of Redundancy Department
DNRC 224

Arlen -dot- P -dot- Walker -at- JCI -dot- Com
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In God we trust; all others must provide data.
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Opinions expressed are mine and mine alone.
If JCI had an opinion on this, they'd hire someone else to deliver it.


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