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Re: I had say it because I was afraid no one else would.
Subject:Re: I had say it because I was afraid no one else would. From:"Downing, David" <DavidDowning -at- users -dot- com> To:<techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com> Date:Fri, 30 Jan 2009 08:28:52 -0600
From: CL T <straylightsghost -at- gmail -dot- com>
Subject: I had say it because I was afraid no one else would.
One paragraph from this is especially true.
FROM THE DESK OF DAVID POGUE
Tech Terms to Avoid
"Why tech writers use so much jargon, I don't know. Maybe it's
self-aggrandizement; they want to lord their knowledge over everybody
else.
Maybe it's laziness; they can't be bothered to fish for a plain-English
word. Maybe it's just habit; they spend all day talking shop with other
nerds, so they slip into technospeak when they write for larger
audiences."
I try, whenever possible to translate jargon into common, everyday
English, but I've had the experience of having SMEs who are reviewing my
documents get upset with me for doing so and insisting that I use the
jargon.
I think it's a variation on a more general phenomenon I have
encountered. Some people get mad at you if you paraphrase anything they
say because they think you're trying to change their meaning, as opposed
to clarifying it.
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