RE: Six elementary rules for writing good english

["Bonnie Granat" <bgranat -at- granatedit -dot- com>]

There are several errors in the paragraph that introduces the list; I find
it hard to believe that came from The Economist.

They include:

- "Thought I will share..." (should be "Thought I would share..." (It's okay
to drop the subject "I" in e-mail, but only in e-mail.)
- "as I found them" (should be "because" I found them)
- "..want to say, then say..." (should be "...want to say, and then say..."
("then" is not a conjunction)
- No comma should come after "mind" in "Keep in mind George...")


Bonnie Granat
http://www.GranatEdit.com
 

> -----Original Message-----
> From: 
> techwr-l-bounces+bgranat=granatedit -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com 
> [mailto:techwr-l-bounces+bgranat=granatedit -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l
> .com] On Behalf Of Raj Machhan
> Sent: Monday, August 06, 2007 7:46 AM
> To: techwr-l
> Subject: Six elementary rules for writing good english
> 
> Hi all,
> 
> 
> George Orwell has captured the essence of good English 
> writing in these six
> rules. These are as relevant today as they were during 
> Orwell's time.Thought
> I will share these with you as I found them especially applicable to
> technical documentation:
> Clarity of writing usually follows clarity of thought. So 
> think what you
> want to say, then say it as simply as possible. Keep in mind, George
> Orwell's six elementary rules ("Politics and the English 
> Language", 1946):
> 
>    1. Never use a metaphor, simile, or other figure of 
> speech, which you
>    are used to seeing in print.
>    2. Never use a long word where a short one will do.
>    3. If it is possible to cut out a word, always cut it out.
>    4. Never use the passive where you can use the active.
>    5. Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word or a 
> jargon word if
>    you can think of an everyday English equivalent.
>    6. Break any of these rules sooner than say anything outright
>    barbarous.
> 
> Best
> 
> Raj
> 
> Courtesy: The Economist


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