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Subject:Contractions Ain't So Bad From:Robert Plamondon <robert -at- PLAMONDON -dot- COM> Date:Sat, 8 Apr 1995 17:27:36 PDT
>I have to agree with Dave: When people are reading rapidly, it is all too
>easy to miss the meaning behind a contraction--especially with negatives
>such as "don't" and "can't". I also wonder if people are as used to
>*reading* contractions as their full word counterparts. And as the
>literature shows, reading is very much a process of recognizing the visual
>patterns of common words--e.g., "is," "will," "not," and so on.
Are you seriously trying to suggest that trashy novels are harder
to read than technical manuals, since the readers have to plow through
the novels' contraction-ridden prose? Are you seriously trying to
suggest that it's bad form to say "don't," because people don't know
what it means, but it's okay to use "e.g."? Or are you going to
shout "April Fools!"?
-- Robert
--
Robert Plamondon * Writer * robert -at- plamondon -dot- com * (408) 321-8771
4271 North First Street, #106 * San Jose * California * 95134-1215
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