atw: Re: SEC: UNCLASS Frameworks


Silcock, Howard DR:
On Fri, 24 Jun 2005 14:13:27 +1000,  you wrote:
> Since I've been documenting questionable usage in
> technical writing, I've been noticing those moments in
> editing when I detect words with no real meaning, or
> words that may once have had a meaning but now just
> add a hint of something more, like a bay leaf in a
> casserole. I find myself staring at the text,
> straining to answer the question 'what on earth is
> this sentence really *about*?'. It's a bit like coming
> across a word in a foreign language that looks
> familiar but escapes my understanding.

Mmmmm.

Sometimes there are phrases that help emphasis or
introduce artificial pausing which might work in speech
when the written work otherwise can't achieve it.    
Sometimes commas and colons and semicolons do the same 
thing.  And sometimes ...

:-)

  

>
> For me, one word that provokes this reaction is
> 'framework'. I just came across a sentence in a Human
> Resources Plan that boldly declared 'A Divisional
> learning and development framework will be implemented
> to better meet the needs of our employees and to
> provide a more cost effective and efficient service.'
>

Perhaps a case where a metaphor has been extended to a point 
beyond it's usefulness ?

Nothing wrong with "framework" in building construction.  
Very handy to have, in fact.   

Stretch any metaphor far enough and you get meaningless 
jargon.

But if your plan involved learning,   5 gets you 20 if it 
doesn't have to deal with "outcomes" !

Grr

--Peter M




**************************************************
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: