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Subject:USAGE: "Therefore" and "thus" From:Emru Townsend <emru -at- CORECO -dot- COM> Date:Mon, 27 Oct 1997 12:07:44 -0400
I'm running into a stylistic problem here. Most of the documentation I've
worked on in the last year are revised versions of the stuff that's been
floating around here for months or years before I started working here.
Often, they were originally created by engineers, programmers, or the guys
in tech support. In some cases, English is the second (or third!) language
of the original author.
Depending on the amount of time I have, I give each document a linguistic
overhaul. In some cases, it has to be done in successive layers, as I
gradually impose my style and structure on the documentation. What fun!
Anyway, my question: in many of the documents, I see gleeful overuse of
"therefore" and "thus." Nine times out of ten, I find this grating on my
ear when I mentally "listen" to the document. I'm currently looking for
ways around these terms, but most of the time, I'm stumped. The words
accurately convey the intended meaning, but they just seem wrong.
Is it just me? Or is there a better way of doing this that hasn't occured
to me as yet?
Emru "I wish Lotus Notes had a signature feature" Townsend
emru -at- coreco -dot- com
