Re: Technical Grammar Peeves

[High Plains Drifter <magna1@jps.net>]

Falo Gerald A CHPPM wrote:

> 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;

Gerald, evidently you have a hard time reading technical reports being so anal.
Here is what the American Heritage Dictionary says about the use of
"referenced":

 ref·er·ence (rµf“…r-…ns, rµf“r…ns) n. Abbr. ref. 1. An act of referring: My
careful writing results from many references to a dictionary. 2.a. Significance
in a specified context: Her speeches have special reference to the African
situation. b. Meaning or denotation. 3. The state of being related or referred:
with reference to; in reference to. 4. A mention of an occurrence or a
situation: She made frequent references to her promotion. 5.a. A note in a
publication referring the reader to another passage or source. b. The passage or
source so referred to. c. A work frequently used as a source. d. A mark or
footnote used to direct a reader elsewhere for additional information. 6. Law.
a. Submission of a case to a referee. b. Legal actions conducted before or by a
referee. 7.a. A person who is in a position to recommend another or to vouch for
his or her fitness, as for a job. b. A statement about a person's
qualifications, character, and dependability. --ref·er·ence tr.v. ref·er·enced,
ref·er·enc·ing, ref·er·ences. 1. To supply references to: “Our memories are
addressed and referenced . . . by significant fragments of their own content”
(Frederick Turner). 2. To mention in a reference; refer to: He referenced her
book in his speech. See Usage Note at  allude. --ref“er·enc·er n.
--ref”er·en“tial (-…-rµn“sh…l) adj. --ref”er·en“tial·ly adv.

Evidently it can be used as a verb if you desire to.

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