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RE: Technical Grammar Peeves



Here are mine:
1.  It's (note correct use) "de minimis," not "de minimus."
2.  It's "miniscule," not "minuscule."
3.  One grows plants and crops, not economies.

Also, try writing without using the verb "to be" in any form -- it will
really tighten your writing!

Clearly only my own opinion.

Ruth F. Weiner, Ph. D.
Sandia National Laboratories 
MS 0718, POB 5800
Albuquerque, NM 87185-0718
505-844-4791; fax 505-844-0244
rfweine@sandia.gov



-----Original Message-----
From: Migliore, Charles W [mailto:Charles.W.Migliore@nspco.com]
Sent: Thursday, May 27, 1999 9:17 AM
To: Multiple recipients of list
Subject: RE: Technical Grammar Peeves


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

Hey isnt that a dangling particulate?

Charles Migliore RRPT

> -----Original Message-----
> From:	High Plains Drifter [SMTP:magna1@jps.net]
> Sent:	Thursday, May 27, 1999 10:10 AM
> To:	Multiple recipients of list
> Subject:	Re: Technical Grammar Peeves
> 
> 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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