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:Re: forbidden to apostrophize From:"Parks, Beverly L." <parksb -at- HUACHUCA-EMH7 -dot- ARMY -dot- MIL> Date:Wed, 17 Jul 1996 08:04:00 MST
Michal Lastman <michall -at- aks -dot- com> writes:
>>
The only other technical writer at my office has joined sides with the
editor who bans apostrophes. He says that contractions are a sign of
"sloppy" writing. He insists inanimate objects can't use an apostrophe to
show possessive because objects can't possess and for clarity and
consistency, I shouldn't use possessive forms with people's names either.
<<
Maybe you could remind the other technical writer that inanimate objects
can't write either, so you better delete -all- the text, not just the
apostrophes. For goodness sakes, a person is doing the writing, not the
object.
Bev Parks
parksb -at- huachuca-emh7 -dot- army -dot- mil
TECHWR-L List Information
To send a message about technical communication to 2500+ list readers,
E-mail to TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU -dot- Send administrative commands
ALL other questions or problems concerning the list
should go to the listowner, Eric Ray, at ejray -at- ionet -dot- net -dot-