atw: Re: Plain English and corporate notices [SEC=UNCLASSIFIED]

Arnold wrote:
> Another example of unclear communication: Symbols replace the words 
> "Front" and "Back" for the burner knobs on my stove. The symbols are 
> perfectly logical even to me, yet nevertheless I have turned on the 
> wrong burner several times.

This leads into another area, only marginally related to my original
post but also arousing great passion in me. Increasingly, manufacturers
are introducing "pictorial" instructions with consumer goods, presumably
to save money because they don't (at least in theory) need to get them
translated for different markets. 

I don't know about you, but I feel totally cheated when I have to rely
on these, and as soon as I see them I know I'm in for a rough time. (I
think I'd even prefer the exegetic exercise of reading instructions in
"Japlish" to making sense of those bizarre pictures.) Who puts these
"documents" together, anyway? I hope they don't call themselves
"technical writers", or even "technical communicators". 

I once made a living, for a brief time, as a (scientific) translator, so
I feel I should speak out against this practice on behalf of my former
profession too, as its members will also presumably be losers, along
with us, the tech writers, and - even more importantly - us, the poor
consumers.

Howard


===================================
       Howard L. Silcock
        Technical Writer
    Common Services SOE Program
Network Infrastructure Development
      Department of Defence         
         (02) 626 58828  
===================================

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