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Subject:Re: appears vs is displayed From:"Thiessen, Christopher E" <Christopher -dot- E -dot- Thiessen -at- CDEV -dot- COM> Date:Tue, 25 Mar 1997 09:51:00 -0600
Fully cognizant of the transitive verb/lack of predicate nominative aspects,
we
also use "displays" in our documentation, some of which just won substantial
awards
(Merit and Distinguished) at the STC's international level in both hardcopy
and
online categories. Our customers seem like it, as well.
Chris Thiessen
Ceridian Employer Services
christopher -dot- e -dot- thiessen -at- cdev -dot- com
----------
From: Diane Burke
To: Technical Writers List; for al
Subject: Re: appears vs is displayed
Date: Tuesday, March 25, 1997 8:52AM
Robin M. Allen wrote:
>Hi ya'll:
>
>I'm in the middle of a raging debate among several tech writers
>about
>the use of "appears" vs "is displayed," e.g.:
>
>"Click Add and the Add Patient window is displayed."
>vs
>"Click Add and the Add Patient window appears."
>
>Even though it uses the passive voice, I personally prefer "is
>displayed." To me, "appears" sounds like it happens through
>magic. Any
>thoughts?
I agree. We are not pulling a rabbit out of a hat. Neither does
anything disappear. It closes. Why not just: "Click Add. The Add
Patient window displays."
--
Diane Burke
TYDAC Research Inc.
2 Gurdwara Road, Suite 200
Nepean, Ontario, Canada
K2E 1A2
613-226-5525, Ext. 202
dburke -at- rigel -dot- tydac -dot- com
"No bird soars too high, if he soars with his own wings."
-- William Blake
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