atw: Re: Microsoft Manual of Style
- From: Ken Randall <kenneth_james_randall@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: austechwriter@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Thu, 9 Feb 2012 01:57:55 -0800 (PST)
Just because the original (biological) mouse has an irregular plural does not
mean that an object named after it must have the same plural. The word "mouse"
is applied to the piece of computer equipment as a metaphor. There is no
suggestion that it is literally the same as a biological mouse. Given that
they are
understood as being completely different, having different plurals prevents
ambiguity
e.g. between "there are mouses next to my PC" and "there are mice next to my
PC".
The use of English is outside Microsoft's area of expertise.
--- On Thu, 9/2/12, Howard Silcock <howard.silcock@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
From: Howard Silcock <howard.silcock@xxxxxxxxx>
Subject: atw: Microsoft Manual of Style
To: austechwriter@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Received: Thursday, 9 February, 2012, 10:39 AM
To anyone still reading this list ... Some of you may know that the most recent
version of the Microsoft® Manual of Style was recently published. I bought
myself a Kindle version for $9.99. Some people would probably have nothing to
do with a Microsoft publication, but I've always found their advice very
sensible and they've made a serious attempt to standardise terminology relating
to user interfaces, which was badly needed.
I was interested to read what they said about mouse terminology. We had a
protracted discussion about the plural of 'mouse' on this list some years ago,
in which I railed against the word 'mouses'. Microsoft always advocated using
'mouse devices', which I thought was a bit silly, but still better than
'mouses'. Well, now they appear to have shifted a little bit, as the new Manual
of Style says 'use mouse devices if you can. Otherwise, use mice.'
As they say, a small step for Man. Or Mouse?
Howard
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