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Subject:Re: Inventing words unnecess From:"Cheverie, Paul [Cont]" <paul -dot- cheverie -at- GPO -dot- CANADA -dot- CDEV -dot- COM> Date:Thu, 6 Jun 1996 18:34:00 EDT
As writers it is our responsibility to ensure that the readers of our
words understand what it is we are trying to say. If we know what it is we
want to say, even if we can't bring to mind a word that expresses what we
wish to express, we have the ability as professional writers to find the
word or construct the phrase that exactly expresses our meaning. I
understand that those who live in glass houses should not be the first to
throw stones and that I may soon be surrounded by the shards of mine (I am
as guilty as anyone of unnecessary linguistic invention when tired or just
being lazy), but I think this is something that we shouldn't do.
As for the honourableness (it's in the Oxford dictionary, honest!) of
this action, I think it neither is, nor is not honourable behaviour. Where
no one is harmed, honour has more to do with intent than action. I can't see
how anyone was harmed by this.
Regards
Paul C.
paul -dot- cheverie -at- gpo -dot- canada -dot- cdev -dot- com
----------
From: TECHWR-L
To: Multiple recipients of list TECHWR-L
Subject: Re: Inventing words unnecess
Date: Thursday, June 06, 1996 3:10PM
RE>Inventing words unnecessarily and... 6/6/96
Sometimes, when one doesn't know the right word, one makes up a word that
sounds right (to the person making it up). I don't know if that's honorable
or not, but it does dishonor to the intelligability of the things people are
trying to say.
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