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RE: Turn on / off - Switch on / off - Start up / Shut off etc
Subject:RE: Turn on / off - Switch on / off - Start up / Shut off etc From:"Broberg, Mats" <mabr -at- flir -dot- se> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com> Date:Wed, 1 Dec 2004 10:48:06 +0100
Lisa,
No need to be sarcastic. My question is as valid as when other persons
on the list ask whether to write "On the Tools menu, click Forms" or
"Click Forms on the Tools menu".
The issue is not whether the examples in my original message are
understood or not - ofcourse they are. A terribly written manual can be
understood too. I can even remove every other character in this sentence
and you will probably still understand what it says. So why bother at
all, eh?
The issue is to make technical documentation as good as possible, using
a language that is as unambigious and clear as possible. John Ogden of
Great Britain knew this in the 1930's, when developing Ogden Basic
English. Your fellow countrymen (I assume) at Caterpillar knew this
several decades ago, when they developed Caterpillar Fundamental English
/ Caterpillar Technical English. Kodak, Nortel, General Motors, IBM,
Perkins, Rank Xerox, Boeing and Case knew it too, when they developed
their controlled languages for their service departments, agents and
subsidiaries.
And, most of all, the aircraft industry knows it, which is one of many
reasons planes don't fall from the sky more often as they do.
A clear and unambigious language means the customer understands a
product quicker. This means happier customers and less technical
support. A clear and unambigious language means lower translation costs.
Together these things are two of many, many things that makes a company
sell more products and earn more money.
Best regards,
Mats Broberg
________________________________
From: Lisa Wright [mailto:liwright -at- earthlink -dot- net]
Sent: Fri 2004-11-26 20:56
To: Broberg, Mats
Cc: TECHWR-L
Subject: Re: Turn on / off - Switch on / off - Start up / Shut off etc
Are we talking Star Trek here? I think you're over analyzing a wee bit.
Pick either Turn on/off or Start/Stop and move on. Focus on current
linguistic use for current documentation meant for current audiences.
Every "yeah-but" you've cited is perfectly well understood by modern
audiences.
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