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.
Subject:British English in _tech writing_ From:Melissa Hunter-Kilmer <mhunterk -at- BNA -dot- COM> Date:Fri, 29 Mar 1996 09:35:22 EST
On Thu, 28 Mar 1996, I wrote:
> If you think of some examples, could you post them?
> Things like "bonnet" for "hood" have no relevance here,
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> and that's all I can think of.
That same day, Tim Altom <taltom -at- IQUEST -dot- NET> responded twice:
> There are actually a lot of small-scale opportunities for
> misunderstanding the Brits. A flashlight, for example, is
> an "electric torch," and "endorsements" are motoring
> violations. And remember that while software accounts for
> most documentation, most misunderstandings probably occur
> over mechanicals. A "wrench" in Brit English is usually a
> sharp jerk on an item, while a "spanner" is the tool you
> use to wrench it with.
Well, that's almost relevant, I guess.
<snipped story about an American making a long-distance --
or "trunk" -- call in England>
<snipped story about bangers, or sausage>
<snipped story in which Tim quotes a friend telling us about
being knocked up and having one's door knocked on>
Just in case anybody else wants to respond to this, please,
please, please read what I asked for and consider that this
*is* the technical writing list, not the OffTopic list. I
said that the hood/bonnet stuff was _irrelevant_ to tech
writing. Could somebody think of some examples that *are*
relevant to tech writing? Other stuff is amusing, but it
should go on private notes to friends or on some other list,
not here.
When my original message is quoted, I kind of expect the
response to respond to it. Go figure. I mean, if we can't
read and respond to directions, what kind of tech writers
are we?
Melissa Hunter-Kilmer
mhunterk -at- bna -dot- com
(standard disclaimer)
