atw: Re: Symbology

My tuppence worth - as a user as opposed to a tech writer (I'm a
recruiter) - my first response to 'symbology' was WTF ? I would've
thought the main function (or at least one of the main functions) of the
tech writer was to keep it simple and easily understandable, to decipher
the jargon into plain English.

 

Surely 'key' or 'legend' would suffice ?

 

 

Steve Griffith

Resource Manager

steve.griffith@xxxxxxxxxx

________________________________

________________________________

From: austechwriter-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:austechwriter-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Rod Stuart
Sent: Tuesday, 29 August 2006 12:26 PM
To: austechwriter@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: atw: Re: Symbology

 

Oh so true.

Technical text so frequently uses words for no apparent reason than that
they have more syllables. 

 

On 29/08/06, Michael Edward Granat <megranat@xxxxxxxx > wrote: 

Hi Howard (S)

The Collins defines symbology as n. the use, study, or interpretation of
symbols.

Myself, I'd have a Glossary of Symbols, just as I would have a Glossary
of Icons and a Glossary of Words, where necessary.

But I suggest that symbology is a bit abstruse and ambiguous for
most user manual audiences.  It just seems a pretentious title for 
which something in Plain English would prove to be far more
communicative, without needing a second thought from the reader.

HTH.

Cheers,

Micky G.
Write Ideas
www.writeideas.com.au <http://www.writeideas.com.au/> 

> In a document I've been editing I came across the term 'symbology'. It
> referred to an explanation of the symbols used in a display - what I'd
> usually call a legend or key. 
>
<snip>


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-- 
Rod Stuart
1/19 Thrall Street
Innaloo, WA 6018, Australia
(08) 9204 2957 
<rod.stuart@xxxxxxxxx>
(042) 813 5605

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