Style notes: Difference between revisions
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<div><font color="#010100" face="Verdana">These rules are normally attributed to William Safire, "the most widely read writer on the English language". In reality, these "Fumble Rules" have a long history and there are many, many variants of these lists. Some may have descended from the "xeroxlore" that circulated throughout campuses and offices in the 1970s. </font></div><br> | <div><font color="#010100" face="Verdana"><br> | ||
These rules are normally attributed to William Safire, "the most widely read writer on the English language". In reality, these "Fumble Rules" have a long history and there are many, many variants of these lists. Some may have descended from the "xeroxlore" that circulated throughout campuses and offices in the 1970s. </font></div><br> | |||
<div><font color="#010100" face="Verdana">01. Remember to never split an infinitive.</font></div><br> | <div><font color="#010100" face="Verdana">01. Remember to never split an infinitive.</font></div><br> | ||
<div><font color="#010100" face="Verdana">02. The passive voice should never be used.</font></div><br> | <div><font color="#010100" face="Verdana">02. The passive voice should never be used.</font></div><br> | ||
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<div><font color="#010100" face="Verdana">Unfortunately, life and writing are seldom simple, and despite its obvious brilliance, (7,12,17 in particular) Safire's list has attracted some criticism. </font></div> | <div><font color="#010100" face="Verdana"><br> | ||
Unfortunately, life and writing are seldom simple, and despite its obvious brilliance, (7,12,17 in particular) Safire's list has attracted some criticism. </font></div> | |||
<div><font color="#010100" face="Verdana">4 is particularly controversial, 5 & 6 might be combined, 9 could be "improved" by putting the period outside the bracket, etc.</font></div> | <div><font color="#010100" face="Verdana">4 is particularly controversial, 5 & 6 might be combined, 9 could be "improved" by putting the period outside the bracket, etc.</font></div> | ||
<div><font color="#010100" face="Verdana">Never use a preposition to end a sentence with.</font></div> | <div><font color="#010100" face="Verdana"><br> | ||
The following list may also be useful.<br> | |||
Never use a preposition to end a sentence with.</font></div> | |||
<div><font color="#010100" face="Verdana">*</font></div> | <div><font color="#010100" face="Verdana">*</font></div> | ||
<div><font color="#010100" face="Verdana"> </font><font color="#010100" face="Verdana">Avoid anoying alliteration.</font></div> | <div><font color="#010100" face="Verdana"> </font><font color="#010100" face="Verdana">Avoid anoying alliteration.</font></div> | ||
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<div><font color="#010100" face="Verdana">George Orwell 1946 reckoned that writers "need rules to rely on when instinct fails". He proposed the following rules. (Slightly modernized here.)</font></div> | <div><font color="#010100" face="Verdana"><br> | ||
George Orwell 1946 reckoned that writers "need rules to rely on when instinct fails". He proposed the following rules. (Slightly modernized here.)</font></div><br> | |||
<div><font color="#010100" face="Verdana">1. Never use a long word where a short one will do.</font></div> | <div><font color="#010100" face="Verdana">1. Never use a long word where a short one will do.</font></div> | ||
<div><font color="#010100" face="Verdana">2. If you can cut a word out, always cut it out.</font></div> | <div><font color="#010100" face="Verdana">2. If you can cut a word out, always cut it out.</font></div> | ||
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<div><font color="#010100" face="Verdana">Mark Twain wrote (in a letter):</font></div> | <div><font color="#010100" face="Verdana"><br> | ||
Mark Twain wrote (in a letter):</font></div> | |||
<div><font color="#010100" face="Verdana">"I notice you use plain simple, language, short words, and brief sentences. That is the way to write English."</font></div> | <div><font color="#010100" face="Verdana">"I notice you use plain simple, language, short words, and brief sentences. That is the way to write English."</font></div> |
Revision as of 11:17, 27 October 2006
In general terms, we follow Microsoft guidelines for terminology, as detailed in:
Microsoft® Computer Dictionary, Fifth Edition (Microsoft Press, 05/01/2002).
This establishes basic meanings, spellings and wordforms.
Unfortunately, this has not been updated for more than five years although MicroSoft (MS) terminology changes almost as often as they issue software patches.
More recent glossaries can be accessed through http://www.microsoft.com/resources/glossary/default.mspx.
Some exceptions are noted below:
We use ie. (NOT i.e.) for "that is", and eg. (NOT e.g.) "for example". This violates Microsoft documentation standards, but we like to live dangerously.
We also use etc. as an abbreviation for "et cetera" (it means "and so on"). Curiously, this also violates MS standards, but you'll find many examples of this in their software and documentation.
Like MS, we use both "System tray" and "Notification area" as the name of the right-hand section of the Taskbar that normally includes the clock. (If anyone's actually interested, there's a whole debate about it [here].)
For Your Amusement
Writer's Rules, OK ?
|
These rules are normally attributed to William Safire, "the most widely read writer on the English language". In reality, these "Fumble Rules" have a long history and there are many, many variants of these lists. Some may have descended from the "xeroxlore" that circulated throughout campuses and offices in the 1970s.
Life
|
Unfortunately, life and writing are seldom simple, and despite its obvious brilliance, (7,12,17 in particular) Safire's list has attracted some criticism.
The following list may also be useful.
George Orwell
|
George Orwell 1946 reckoned that writers "need rules to rely on when instinct fails". He proposed the following rules. (Slightly modernized here.)
Mark Twain
|
Mark Twain wrote (in a letter):