Re: Technical writing for finance: one for the Friday files

[Ned Bedinger <doc -at- edwordsmith -dot- com>]

Geoff Hart wrote:
> Dan Goldstein noted: <<As Gene already pointed out yesterday on  
> TECHWR-L, this isn't technical writing. Not even close.>>
>
> Did Gene post it there? Sorry. I never saw the message. (I'm getting  
> the impression that not all techwr-l mail is getting past my ISP.  
> Again. <sigh>)
>   

Gene's comment was in reference to a Washington Post (WP) column linked 
by K Darges (KD) on 5/24, subject Re: Worst.Sentence.Ever

Here it is if you lost it:

http://www.techwr-l.com/archives/0705/techwhirl-0705-01144.html

Attempting to clarify, Dan was responding to your post of a link to a WP 
column that you sent on 5/25. It was the same as the WP column the list 
got on 5/24 from KD.

> In any event, I'm afraid I must dispute your point. "Technical" has  
> its roots in the Greek word "techne", which means an "art"; more  
> recently (i.e., since the 20th century?), "technical" has taken on  
> the meaning of writing in any discipline that has its own  
> standardized jargon. So yes, financial marketing prose is technical  
> communication... just not necessarily a form we're all familiar with  
> or would approve of.

The WP column does meet your test for technical communication, and 
Dilbert does too, but I'll see your disputed point and raise you an 
unequivocal one--it continues to be not technical writing. 
Pontifications are now closed.

HTH.

--Ned

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