Re: Definitely Defiant

[James Mathewson <math0038 -at- GOLD -dot- TC -dot- UMN -dot- EDU>]

My two cents on the thread that tech writers have to undo 12+ years of poor=
=20
English instruction...

In my experience grading thousands of engineering co-op reports (it's a=20
living, though not a pleasant one), I've also found a general tendency=20
for excessive formality of language. This is manifest in passive voice, an=
=20
inability to use anything other than third person, lots of modal verbs,=20
etc...

Many engineers consider themselves scientists.  Scientific language is=20
overtly formal.  This attitude has sneaked into the workplace and become=20
part of engineering culture. In order to be an active participant in this=
=20
culture, engineers must learn to write formally.  Managers send reports=20
back that are too colloquial. Young engineers quickly learn to write=20
formally since they are evaluated on the basis of their reports.=20
The audience of engineering reports consists in other=20
engineers. These engineers expect formal language. One's credibility as=20
an engineer depends on language formality.  Fort these reasons, in this=20
context, it is perfectly appropriate to write this way.

Engineers run into problems problems when they try to write this way for=20
other audiences (marketers, users, etc.).  Some can make the transition=20
from engineer speak to these other audiences,=20
most cannot (or their time is too valuable to translate their documents). =
=20
Hence the need for technical writers =D1 people who have been=20
trained to find out who the audience is and how to best write for them.=20

I don't think it is a matter of poor English instruction that plagues=20
engineers.  Their writing tends to be very good in the appropriate=20
context. But given the culture of engineering and its linguistic=20
formality, they become too narrow in their conception of good writing. =20
This is more an occupational hazard than the result of poor schooling.

Ok, four cents (at one cent per graph)


james {:>l3