atw: Re: SEC: UNCLASS preventative, details is, team are, inferred by, ain't

infer/imply - I hate it when people use "infer" for "imply", but it is
an official, if (supposedly) secondary usage, according to my OED.

what bugs me is that people are using it incorrectly because they don't
really understand the difference between the two words, and they only
get it right by accident, not because they are deliberately using a more
obscure definition of the word.




Regards
Elizabeth Fullerton
Business Solutions Architect
Infosys Australia
Tel: +61 3 9860 2452
www.infosys.com
Powered by Intellect
             Driven by values

-----Original Message-----
From: austechwriter-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:austechwriter-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Silcock, Howard
DR
Sent: Friday, July 29, 2005 9:21 AM
To: austechwriter@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: atw: SEC: UNCLASS preventative, details is, team are, inferred
by, ain't

Proceeding, as usual, on the assumption that "everyone is entitled to my
opinion", I'll offer you my personal pronouncements:

Team are/is: I agree with Bede that each has its place.
Details ... is: no no no.
Preventative: I agree this seems unstoppable, however much Laura, I and
others may dislike it (why not 'preventive'?).
Inferred by (as used by BJA): most usage guides will tell you that
'infer' means 'draw a conclusion from', NOT 'imply' (eg 'I infer from
your expression that you didn't like my joke') - however, this is a case
where you can easily produce examples, including Shakespeare, where it
*is* used as a synonym for 'imply', so maybe the distinction will
disappear. But I think that'd be a shame.
Ain't: I suspect Bede introduced this word deliberately - and he would
probably tell you it has a long pedigree. But I can't imagine how I
could ever use it in technical writing without being accused of the sin
of introducing comedy into manuals.

Howard

----------------------------
    Howard L. Silcock
     Technical Writer
Common Services SOE Program
   Department of Defence
      (02) 626 58828 
----------------------------



**************************************************
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
**************************************************

**************** CAUTION - Disclaimer *****************
This e-mail contains PRIVILEGED AND CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION intended solely 
for the use of the addressee(s). If you are not the intended recipient, please 
notify the sender by e-mail and delete the original message. Further, you are 
not to copy, disclose, or distribute this e-mail or its contents to any other 
person and any such actions are unlawful. This e-mail may contain viruses. 
Infosys has taken every reasonable precaution to minimize this risk, but is not 
liable for any damage you may sustain as a result of any virus in this e-mail. 
You should carry out your own virus checks before opening the e-mail or 
attachment. Infosys reserves the right to monitor and review the content of all 
messages sent to or from this e-mail address. Messages sent to or from this 
e-mail address may be stored on the Infosys e-mail system.
***INFOSYS******** End of Disclaimer ********INFOSYS***
**************************************************
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: