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Subject:Re: including "and so on" in a "such as" list ... From:Lin Sims <ljsims -dot- ml -at- gmail -dot- com> To:Peter Neilson <neilson -at- windstream -dot- net> Date:Fri, 4 Dec 2015 13:34:21 -0500
Did he get that from The King and I?
On Fri, Dec 4, 2015 at 1:14 PM, Peter Neilson <neilson -at- windstream -dot- net>
wrote:
> As technical writers we should provide a complete list where one is
> needed, or a pointer to the list. Where the list istoo large, or is
> open-ended or impossible to specify fully, we should say, "for example" or
> "such as." "Etc." or "and so forth" are colloquialisms, from the strictly
> technical point of view. It's quite likely that we are to provide writing
> that is technically accurate.
>
> One could do worse, though. I see "ect" all the time where "etc." was
> intended. Those who write it that way also pronounce it ek-settera. One
> friend who fancies himself to be a writer always says, "And ek-settera and
> ek-settera and ek-settera."
>
>
> On Fri, 04 Dec 2015 11:14:14 -0500, Lesli Ritchie <
> Lesli -dot- Ritchie -at- mediware -dot- com> wrote:
>
> Hi Monique,
>>
>> I agree with you that it's not necessary to add "and so on." It's
>> redundant and (at least in my humble opinion) sounds a little hokey.
>>
>> -Lesli
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: techwr-l-bounces+lesli -dot- ritchie=mediware -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
>> [mailto:techwr-l-bounces+lesli -dot- ritchie=mediware -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com]
>> On Behalf Of Monique Semp
>> Sent: Friday, December 04, 2015 11:12 AM
>> To: TechWR-L
>> Subject: including "and so on" in a "such as" list ...
>>
>> Hello, WR-L-ers,
>>
>> I know (?) that itâs incorrect to end a list preceded by âsuch asâ with
>> âand so on.â After all, the âsuch asâ list, by definition, doesnât include
>> the complete list of possibilities. But Iâve had more than one reviewer
>> want to include âetc.â so that itâs explicitly stated and doubly-clear that
>> not everything is included in the list.
>>
>> By way of example: âBe careful when approaching wild animals, such as
>> wildebeests, unicorns, elephants, and so onâ, instead of the correct form,
>> âBe careful when approaching wild animals, such as wildebeests, unicorns,
>> and elephants.â
>>
>> How awful is it to include the âand so onâ to make sure that the sentence
>> is clear for readers who arenât likely to notice/know the rule about âsuch
>> asâ vs. âthat isâ (e.g., vs. i.e.)?
>>
>> -Monique
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--
Lin Sims
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