Re: Use of first, second, and third person in technical writing?

Subject: Re: Use of first, second, and third person in technical writing?
From: sankaraR <ss_rajanala -at- yahoo -dot- com>
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com>
Date: Fri, 19 Aug 2005 00:41:02 -0700 (PDT)


Why not write engaging
> for all
> audiences?
>

There is a trade-off between being engaging style
(a good copy) and a dry (I'd say neutral) tone.
It is not always the case, but when you tend
toward an informal tone - chances of ambiguity
creeping in (unbeknownst to you) are higher. But
then, I am paranoid about a lot of things anyway
other than ambiguity so it could just be me.

Like when you say "you" in a guide for the
retailer round the corner, there is only one guy
in all (SOHO). In an admin guide, 'you' could be
likely the primary admin (but he or she may
wonder if it can be delegated to a secondary
admin: spelling it out makes it kind of dry, or
like I said, neutral and clear.)



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References:
Re: Use of first, second, and third person in technical writing?: From: Jens Reineking

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