Re: Is grammar fair game?

Subject: Re: Is grammar fair game?
From: Nancy Hayes <nancyh -at- PMAFIRE -dot- INEL -dot- GOV>
Date: Tue, 13 Feb 1996 16:14:12 GMT

In article <9602121608 -dot- AA06341 -at- sd -dot- co -dot- il>, Mark Levinson <mark -at- sd -dot- co -dot- il> wrote:

>There are plenty of occasions when the grammatical implications
>of the technology we're writing about are too fresh to be
>properly reflected in our reference books. And the techwr-l
>community may understand better what we're talking about than
>the copyediting-l community would.

I'm really not flaming you, Mark, but I find this comment extremely
amusing (and just a touch condescending). The copyediting-l community is
extremely familiar with the problems of the "new" grammar necessary for
computer-related writing, online documentation, etc. Check out their
FAQ, if you doubt me. They've already had the discussion on whether the
end puctuation goes inside or outside, what's a decent alternative to the
"generic he", and even what to call the next decade. Even though the
group is "copyediting-l" most of the editors I've met are not just
copyeditors. Besides, do you really want to say something this
condescending to your fellow techwhirlers? I know I'm not the only
editor on this list that belongs to both groups.

Nancy Lynn Hayes (nancyh -at- pmafire -dot- inel -dot- gov) Carpe Diem
Seize the Day!


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