TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
I think what it comes down to is that we don't all necessarily agree
on what widows and orphans are, but I think we agree that they have
to be done away with. And now, back to something meaningful.
Bill Sullivan
bsullivan -at- deltecpower -dot- com
San Diego, California
>>> Peter Gold <pgold -at- NETCOM -dot- COM> - 9/14/96 7:29 AM >>>
The last time this thread played itself out, I recall someone pointed
out that both interpretations of "widow" and "orphan" (the line pushed
ahead, the line left behind) are "authoritatively" supported endlessly
through the history of the terms. IOW, cultural metaphors aside, the
issue is whether or not a single line of a paragraph divided by a
page break is acceptable in your style guide.
Peter Gold pgold -at- netcom -dot- com
On Fri, 13 Sep 1996, Bill Sullivan wrote:
> I don't know if anyone went to the Microsoft Press Computer
Dictionary
> (2nd ed.) but it throws gasoline on the fire with the following:
> Orphan. The first line of a paragraph printed alone at the bottom
of
> a page or column of text, or the last line of a paragraph printed
> alone at the top of a page or column.
> Widow. A single word, a portion of a word, or a few short words
left
> on a line by themselves at the end of a paragraph or column of type
on
> a page.
> The word "orphan" does not come up when I check the index or do a
> find on the online MS Manual of Style. When I did a find on
"widow,"
> I ended up in an article on indexing.
> Bill Sullivan
> bsullivan -at- deltecpower -dot- com
San
Diego,
California
message
> to 2500+ readers, e-mail to TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU -dot- Send
commands
> to LISTSERV -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU (e.g. HELP or SIGNOFF
TECHWR-L).
> Searchable archives located at http://www.documentation.com/
> ALL questions or problems concerning the list
> should go to the listowner, Eric
Ray
at
ejray -at- ionet -dot- net -dot-
message to 2500+ readers, e-mail to TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU -dot-
Send commands
Searchable archives located at http://www.documentation.com/
ALL questions or problems concerning the list
should go to the listowner, Eric Ray at ejray -at- ionet -dot- net -dot-
Searchable archives located at http://www.documentation.com/
ALL questions or problems concerning the list
should go to the listowner, Eric Ray at ejray -at- ionet -dot- net -dot-
