Re: Use of the word "the" in figure captions

[Tracy Boyington <tracy_boyington -at- OKVOTECH -dot- ORG>]

> I also feel that the definite article should stay.
> I always use it. I feel that it is proper, more formal, and more polite.
> Otherwise the user feels that you are throwing something at him,=20
> or figuratively "beating him over the head" with the diagram.
> Besides, you sound like Rocky if you don't use it.
> (Yo, you! "Alert" dialog box.)

Perhaps this is a cultural thing? (Reuven, for some reason I'm under the
impression you're not from the U.S. -- if I'm wrong, I apologize). To
me, saying "Figure 1: The Dialog Box" is no more proper or polite than
saying "Figure 1: Dialog Box." To me, the "the" is unnecessary. In fact,
it reminds me think of old-timey newspapers that used periods in the
headlines ("Titanic Sinks, Hundreds Killed."). Of course, it also
reminds me of the Monty Python sketch with the tree slides ("Number
one... the larch").

Tracy
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Tracy Boyington         mailto:tracy_boyington -at- okvotech -dot- org
Oklahoma Dept. of Vocational & Technical Education
Curriculum & Instructional Materials Center
Stillwater, Oklahoma    http://www.okvotech.org/cimc/
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