RE: Technical Grammar Peeves

[Bruce Bugg <BRUCEB@psc.state.ga.us>]

Passive verbs drive me crazy. Put the actor in the action. Very hard not
to use "is" and "are" in a bureaucracy, though....

> -----Original Message-----
> From:	Migliore, Charles W [SMTP:Charles.W.Migliore@nspco.com]
> Sent:	Thursday, May 27, 1999 10:01
> To:	Multiple recipients of list
> Subject:	RE: Technical Grammar Peeves
> 
> I gots a couple too. Hows abouts how everyone likes to say "utilize"
> in an
> attempt to sound learned and precocious? Why not just say "use"?
> Theres a
> few more that escape me at the moment.....  
> 
> Simpler is better.
> 
> Charles Migliore RRPT
> 
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From:	Falo Gerald A CHPPM
> [SMTP:Gerald.Falo@APG.AMEDD.ARMY.MIL]
> > Sent:	Thursday, May 27, 1999 9:11 AM
> > To:	Multiple recipients of list
> > Subject:	Technical Grammar Peeves
> > 
> > I've restrained myself for a while now, but I've noticed several
> annoying
> > grammatical trends cropping up in many publications., including
> technical
> > articles.
> > 
> > The first is the use of the word "reference" as a verb; as is "Not
> to be
> > referenced."  According to one dictionary I have, the verb form has
> been
> > around since 1891, but other dictionaries don't list it at all.
> Matt
> > Young's book, "The Technical Writer's Handbook, Writing with Style
> and
> > Clarity," states definitively that reference is a noun not a verb.
> > 
> > I weigh in with Matt's position.  You may "refer" to something or
> > something
> > may be "referred to' something else.  Documents and publications are
> > "cited"
> > not "referenced" in other publications.
> > 
> > Another problem I've been seeing is the capitalization of the names
> of
> > elements and units; for example, Radium instead of radium and
> Becquerel
> > instead of becquerel.  According to the SI system the abbreviations
> of
> > units
> > based on names are capitalized but the name is not.  I believe that
> the
> > same
> > rule applies to element names.
> > 
> > I know that these are not weighty matters, but I was just beginning
> to
> > read
> > the draft report of the NCRP Scientific Committee Report Number 6,
> and in
> > big bold letters across the top it says, "DRAFT FOR COMMENT, NOT TO
> BE
> > REFERENCED." In this month's HPS Newsletter, there is at least one
> > reference
> > to "Becquerel level". 
> > 
> > Thanks for letting me vent.
> > 
> > Jerry Falo
> > jer3ry@aol.com
> > 
> >
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