atw: Re: AND, BUT, or OR as the first word of a sentence

  • From: "Petra Liverani" <petsky@xxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: <austechwriter@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Fri, 17 Oct 2003 11:13:10 +1000

> We follow conventions because it assists us in technical communication.
> We wear a suit and tie to certain functions not because it is a rule but
> because, by doing so, we convey a certain formality, stability and
> dignity to our attendance which opens the door to further forms of
> communication. In the same way, we use formal English in technical
> documents to relax the viewer, to assure them that the documentation
> they are reading will not shock them, confront them or task them. This
> is why technical writers are encouraged to be conservative in their use
> of English. Their readership is not arty farty or highly literate. Use
> of simple, elegant English allows the content to shine through rather
> than the personality of the writer. The opposite is often true for
> creative writing. And the earth moved. And the sun rose. And most
> novelists have fragile egos.
>
> John Murphy
> Documentation
> Dilithium Networks

John,

I'm afraid I totally disagree. I have been working on insurance documents
for the past few months and with only one exception have found them all
pretty deadly - not that I expect them not to be. The one that wasn't deadly
was written in a chatty style, with the occasional corny joke and yet it was
extremely informative, provided historical examples which helped me
understand terms I'd seen explained several times already in "technical
language" but hadn't quite got a handle on and was generally very readable.
The writer's personality came through and as far as I'm concerned that was
not an unwelcome thing. I'm not suggesting that all technical documents be
written like this and most people (including myself) wouldn't have the
aptitude for it. However, apart from providing the information required in a
well-structured way, when you're writing a long document surely readability
is what you aim for - people have to get through the thing. In the hands of
a good writer a certain "style" enhances the reader's understanding rather
than reduces it.

Petra

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