transitive verbs:Summary

Subject: transitive verbs:Summary
From: Cyndy Davis <kivrin -at- ZDNETMAIL -dot- COM>
Date: Thu, 9 Jul 1998 11:13:34 -0700

I wanted to summarize some of the responses I have received.

Everyone has agreed with me that display is an intransitive verb. Even if the transitive usage has been documented, tin ears don't make it right!

Since "appear" has been contested greatly, for the magical connotation and the problem in translation, I am going to put in my bid for using "open."

We use "display" so frequently in our manuals that I hate to advocate poor grammar. (Not to mention that I can hear my college grammar professor yelling!!) I don't mind using the passive voice where appropriate, but I feel it is a disservice to users when it is used over and over.

My thanks to everyone that replied on and off list. My apoligies for not giving credit to any one person for the answers since I received multiple posts containing the same advice.

The next battle I shall overcome: criteria/criterium and data/datum!!

Cyndy Davis
Technical Writer
Lenexa, KS:1


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