Is Grammer [sic] Important?

[Hope Cascio <hope -dot- d -dot- cascio -at- US -dot- ARTHURANDERSEN -dot- COM>]

<SOAPBOX VALUE="on">Anyone who still uses "numerous" when they mean "many"
is a stuffed shirt, in my book, and that statement is utterly ludicrous.
English grammar isn't some set of rules the MLA cooked up one night, it's
the moving target of how people understand, write, speak, and read English.
Not following those rules, creating non-standard constructions, is as bad
as using non-standard navigational metaphors in a UI, yet no one would say
there's no correlation between "predictable" UI components and learning
curve.</SOAPBOX VALUE="off">

Hope Cascio
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To:     TECHWR-L @ LISTSERV.OKSTATE.EDU
cc:      (bcc: Hope D. Cascio)
From:   tonymar -at- HOTMAIL -dot- COM
Date:   05/21/98 12:09 PM
Subject:  Is Grammer Important?
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To all Technical Writers:

Is good grammar important for effective technical communications?  About
six months ago, I read a book on procedures writing that said "Numerous
studies have concluded that there is no correlation at all between
effective technical communications and grammar".

I seek responses for career planning purposes.

Tony Markatos
(tonymar -at- hotmail -dot- com)

Note:  I forgot the title and authors. Was a "how-to" book written by
three consultants out of the Battelle Laboratory (Columbus, Oh).

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