atw: Re: style guide --- yr expertizzz plzzz
- From: "Matthew da Silva" <mdasilva@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <austechwriter@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 12 Sep 2008 09:14:09 +1000
Language. I like to include a section explaining the basic concepts of
Plain English and that it is the preferred style of language. I include
my own pet hates in tech writing: nominalisation (turning a verb into a
noun eg "In order to perform the deletion of the redundant shifts...")
Yes, there's something pathetic (but aspirational) about over using the
nominalised verb. A need to sound 'proper'. Actually, I think the
routine bagging of the passive voice is far less heinous than this
treatment of the verb. In some cases, indeed, using the passive voice
can add authority. And, because the object comes at the start of the
sentence, it gains prominence - this can sometimes be desirable.
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