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Subject:Shakespeare and tech writing From:"Porrello, Leonard" <leonard -dot- porrello -at- COMPAQ -dot- COM> Date:Thu, 8 Oct 1998 09:49:47 -0700
The things we, as technical writers, have in common with Shakespeare are:
Shakespeare uses words compose of letters from an essentially phonetic
alphabet.
We use words composed of letter from an essentially phonetic alphabet.
He groups words together to make meaning.
We group words together to make meaning.
He is conscious audience.
We are conscious of audience (hopefully!).
Unlike Shakespeare, as a rule, we do not use metaphor, foreshadowing, rhyme,
meter, alliteration, and fortuitous circumstance to create overarching
meanings that reveal every facet of the human condition. Wittgenstein says
of Shakespeare's monologues that they are very much like thought itself. I
would not venture to say that about any of the technical writing that I have
ever seen.
Sorry to be such a downer.
Leonard Porrello
Compaq, Telecom Network Solutions
Pubs, Omaha
402.384.7390
> I plan to "fold in" the notion of Shakespeare as a technical writer and
> all the groovy stuff about printing processes, movable type, etc.
