Re: Sarbanes-Oxley - EGOS

Subject: Re: Sarbanes-Oxley - EGOS
From: "John Posada" <writer -at- tdandw -dot- com>
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com>
Date: Tue, 30 Dec 2003 12:30:13 -0500


> > To me, anybody's presence on this
> > list proves their interest and committment to
communication.
>
> Then grammar is not subservient to "message." Both
content
> and vehicle have to be accurate.

Bonnie...I know what it sounds like and I don't mean to say
that grammar is subservient. I mean to say that EVERYTHING
is subservient to the goal getting the desired result of a
piece of writing.

If I have a complex installation procedure, I'll use sign
language, pigeon English, Ebonics, Pig Latin, smoke signals,
emoticons, King's English, American English, or Wired
English as long as by the time they get through 40 steps
with no errors or questions, the server boots up, finds the
network, launches the application, and starts processing
data correctly.

The result is King. Everything else secondary.

If a specific incorrect grammar element prevents this from
happening, then that element is bad. OTOH, if because of
limited time, I must pick sending to an editor to check for
grammar, or to a network ops manager to check for IP
addresses, then singular verbs, parallel construction,
dangling participles, passive voicing, or any number of
other grammar elements are just going to have to wait until
the next review cycle.

OTOH, I don't want poor grammar in my documentation. I can
result in miscommunication. As a professional technical
writer, I need to understand grammar, and try to practice
it. However, it is only part of the whole, not standing
alone.

> Then people who say that grammar and writing is
fundamental shouldn't
> be slapped around here.

You're right...only Keith should be slapped around, but only
because he likes it.

John Posada
Documentation Manager
Isogon Corporation
http://www.isogon.com


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Follow-Ups:

References:
Re: Sarbanes-Oxley - EGOS: From: Bonnie Granat

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