atw: Re: Mouses??
- From: Howard.Silcock@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
- To: austechwriter@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Tue, 3 Oct 2006 10:25:02 +1000
Well, after a long weeked to recover from the pressure of work, perhaps I
can calm the waters a bit. I hope Melanie's and Michael Granat's efforts
to lighten us up have an effect too. Good on you, guys, for refusing to
take the subject too seriously! Who would think that those little devices
(whatever we call them) could be the cause of such disagreement!
Thank you, too, to Janice for responding to my earnest request for someone
to explain what it is that people dislike about 'mice'. I do agree with
you that it's a good idea to avoid distracting the reader with usage
that's going to create a 'jar', whenever we can easily do so. I'm a bit
surprised that you think using 'mice' would be an instance of that - but I
guess that's a matter for individual judgment. On the other hand, I
definitely agree with you that using 'mouses' could be jarring - it jars
like anything for me. And 'mouse devices' jars almost as much.
Bruce and I appear to be alike in having strong opinions on this issue -
perhaps stronger than the subject calls for, but others can judge that. My
strong opinions come from a dislike of pomposity and a preference for
technical language to be as close to 'normal' usage as possible. Bruce
seems to think I'm trying to fight a battle that's long ago been lost. If
you can give me some evidence of this, Bruce, I'll be happy to look at it
- what I've seen so far appears to suggest that both usages are acceptable
at present, so I thought it was a good time to bring the subject up. The
idea of having to 'defend' the plural 'mice' seems bizarre to me - as I
said before, it seems like defending the use of 'teeth' against 'tooths'
for the objects we find on gears or combs. But if you can provide evidence
that 'mouses' is not only acceptable but recognised as the standard form,
I'll retreat gracefully.
Howard
Howard Silcock
Technical Writer
ADI Limited
Electronic Systems
1 Phipps Close, Deakin, ACT 2600
Ph. +61 2 6234 6075
Fax +61 2 6234 6011
Email: howard.silcock@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Web page: www.adi-limited.com.au
DISCLAIMER:---------------------------------------------------------------------------
This Email may contain confidential and/or privileged information and is
intended
solely for the addressee(s) named. If you have received this information in
error, or
are advised that you have been posted this Email by accident, please notify the
sender by return Email, do not redistribute it, delete the Email and keep no
copies.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
**************************************************
To post a message to austechwriter, send the message to
austechwriter@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
To subscribe to austechwriter, send a message to
austechwriter-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with "subscribe" in the Subject field.
To unsubscribe, send a message to austechwriter-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with
"unsubscribe" in the Subject field.
To search the austechwriter archives, go to
www.freelists.org/archives/austechwriter
To contact the list administrator, send a message to
austechwriter-admins@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
**************************************************
Other related posts:
