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Subject:Tech. writing as parables? Japanese style From:geoff-h -at- MTL -dot- FERIC -dot- CA Date:Wed, 6 Aug 1997 13:01:46 -0500
Wayne Douglass wondered <<Yeah, but try writing a technical
manual in the form of parables and see where that gets
you.>>
Actually, it gets you employed as a tech. writer in Japan
if what I've read is any indication. That's not intended as
a slap, but rather as an introduction to a question. I've
always read that Japanese technical style differs
dramatically from English style: English cuts right to the
chase and states things explicitly, whereas Japanese
circles around the issue, never confronts it directly, but
nonetheless leads you to the correct place... or so "they"
say. (Tie-in: that sounds a bit like parables to me.) Can
anyone who works in Japan confirm this, or elaborate (e.g.,
provide an example)?
--Geoff Hart @8^{)} geoff-h -at- mtl -dot- feric -dot- ca
Disclaimer: Speaking for myself, not FERIC.
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