TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
eric -dot- dunn -at- ca -dot- transport -dot- bombardier -dot- com wrote:
> Bonnie Granat wrote on 09/01/2004 04:02:31 PM:
>> Professional writers and editors need to either use professional
>> standards or give up the right to call themselves "professionals."
>
> I realise you're heavily into editing, but honestly. "Professionals"
> that have "professional" standards are governed by standards bodies.
>
Technical writers need to use accepted grammar or risk having their text
judged accordingly.
> It's a long way off before we have a professional code of conduct that
> covers commas, gerunds, and prescriptive grammar.
>
I'm talking about standard usage of English.
> Was Shakespeare a "professional" writer? Wasn't much of his grammar
> questionable by many measures?
>
> Bandying about the term "professional" as an argument is just a hollow
> shell and a reactionary excuse for a justification.
>
I don't think so. Standard English grammar is particularly necessary for
technical communication.
> Much of what I write is telegraphic (and thus often of questionable
> grammar). But I can assure you it is all highly professional.
>
It isn't if your grammar is nonstandard.
Bonnie Granat
www.GranatEdit.com
Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
Mobile: 617-319-7461
Office: 617-354-7084
ROBOHELP X5: Featuring Word 2003 support, Content Management, Multi-Author
support, PDF and XML support and much more!
TRY IT TODAY at http://www.macromedia.com/go/techwrl
WEBWORKS FINALDRAFT: New! Document review system for Word and FrameMaker
authors. Automatic browser-based drafts with unlimited reviewers. Full
online discussions -- no Web server needed! http://www.webworks.com/techwr-l
---
You are currently subscribed to techwr-l as:
archiver -at- techwr-l -dot- com
To unsubscribe send a blank email to leave-techwr-l-obscured -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com
Send administrative questions to ejray -at- raycomm -dot- com -dot- Visit http://www.raycomm.com/techwhirl/ for more resources and info.
