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Results 21 to 30 of 146 (page 3 of 15)
Gender-inclusive writing: Omit the pronoun
On this page Introduction Guidelines for omitting the pronoun Additional information Introduction Sometimes, you can avoid introducing gender into your sentence by simply leaving out the pronoun altogether. This is most often the case if the sentence is short and simple. Examples of gendered sentences and their inclusive solutions Gendered sentence Inclusive solution An employee may submit his or her allotted vacation days at any time. An employee may submit allotted vacation days at any time. The clerk should file the documents once they are forwarded to him by the client. The clerk should file the documents once they are forwarded by the client. A manager must create a positive environment if she wants to win her employees’ trust. A manager must create a positive environment to win employee trust. An added benefit is that the inclusive sentence is also more concise and direct than the original. Guidelines for omitting the pronoun When you use this technique, make sure the sentence retains its clarity. Pronouns help us be specific in our writing, and removing them without putting anything in their place can result in ambiguous sentences. Example of a gendered sentence and an inclusive but ambiguous solution Gendered sentence Inclusive but ambiguous solution Inclusive and clear solution Once a trainee has finished an assignment, make sure to provide her with a performance assessment. Once a trainee has finished an assignment, make sure to provide a performance assessment. Once a trainee has finished an assignment, make sure to provide the trainee with a performance assessment. In the case above, omitting the gendered pronoun makes the sentence inclusive but also introduces ambiguity. Who should be receiving the performance assessment? The trainee? A manager? Repeating the noun eliminates the ambiguity. Omitting the pronoun can also make your sentences sound more impersonal or unnatural. In that case, you may find that you need to make more significant changes to sentence structure (that is, rewrite the sentence) to avoid using the gendered pronoun. Additional information Inclusive writing – Guidelines and resources Gender-inclusive writing: Rewrite the sentence Inclusive writing: GlossarySource: Writing Tips Plus (English language problems and rules)
Number of views: 1,886
Gender-inclusive writing: Use an article
On this page Introduction Guidelines for using an article Additional information Introduction Sometimes you can easily make a sentence gender-inclusive by using an article instead of a pronoun. Try replacing the personal pronoun with a definite article (“the”) or an indefinite article (“a” or “an”). Examples of gendered sentences and inclusive solutions Gendered sentence Inclusive solution If a self-employed individual makes a claim for special benefits, his benefit level will be based on eligible earnings from self-employment and employment as an employee. If a self-employed individual makes a claim for special benefits, the benefit level will be based on eligible earnings from self-employment and employment as an employee. A passport can be refused if an applicant is found to have made false statements on his or her passport application. A passport can be refused if an applicant is found to have made false statements on the passport application. A band chief must submit his or her governance improvement plan for band council review A band chief must submit a governance improvement plan for band council review. Guidelines for using an article You can’t use articles to replace the words “he” or “she,” but you can often use them to replace the words “his” or “her.” If your sentence is short and simple, you may not need to use gendered pronouns to communicate your intended meaning; you can try using “a” or “the.” But read the sentence back carefully to make sure it doesn’t sound ambiguous or unnatural. Additional information Inclusive writing – Guidelines and resources Inclusive writing: GlossarySource: Writing Tips Plus (English language problems and rules)
Number of views: 1,878
Inclusive writing: Tailoring your message
On this page General information about tailoring your message Tailoring to recipients Additional information General information about tailoring your message Tailoring a message consists in adapting a piece of writing to the characteristics of the target audience. To this end, you need to know a little about the people you’re speaking to or about (for example, their gender, ethnic origin or age). The decision to tailor a message to a particular person or group is sometimes up to the individual who is drafting the text. In other cases, this choice is made by the organization, which may need to prepare web pages, forms or email templates customized for different audiences. Tailoring to recipients When you’re speaking to a specific person or a homogenous group, you can show respect by adopting inclusive language and tailoring the message to the characteristics and needs of the recipients. For example: In a letter to a non-binary person, you would use the person’s specified courtesy title (for example, Mx.), if you knew it In a text for young people, you could opt to use a more informal or conversational tone than you would use in a message for adults When a text is intended for a diverse group of people, you can produce several different versions tailored to different subgroups. For example, an organization that works with an immigrant population could provide its website content in several different languages. Additional information Inclusive writing – Guidelines and resources Inclusive writing: GlossarySource: Writing Tips Plus (English language problems and rules)
Number of views: 1,714
Gender-inclusive writing: Use the passive voice
On this page Introduction Guidelines for using the passive voice A word of caution about using the passive voice Additional information Introduction You’ve likely been told that you should avoid passive constructions in your writing. However, the passive voice can sometimes be a practical tool for any writer. And if it’s used sparingly, the passive can also be a useful technique for gender-inclusive writing. Turning an active sentence into a passive one is fairly simple. As a general rule, you flip your sentence around so that the object in the active sentence becomes the subject in the passive sentence. This way, you can often eliminate a gender-specific pronoun and make your sentence inclusive. Example of a gendered sentence and an inclusive solution Gendered sentence Inclusive solution If a worker needs to leave early, he should warn his supervisor beforehand. The supervisor should be warned beforehand if a worker needs to leave early. Similarly, you can make a clause within your sentence passive in order to eliminate a gender-specific pronoun. Example of a gendered sentence and an inclusive solution Gendered sentence Inclusive solution The scientist who is drafting a report must use fact-based evidence of the hypothesis (that) she is investigating. The scientist who is drafting a report must use fact-based evidence of the hypothesis (that is) being investigated. Guidelines for using the passive voice The passive voice can come in handy when you want to avoid over-using other gender-inclusive writing techniques. It also lends itself especially well to simple sentences. Examples of gendered sentences and inclusive solutions Gendered sentence Inclusive solution Every new employee must complete her compulsory training. Compulsory training must be completed by every new employee. Each participant should submit his feedback at the end of the day. Feedback should be submitted by each participant at the end of the day. One partner in a couple may claim all of the couple’s donations on his or her income tax return. All of a couple’s donations may be claimed on one partner’s income tax return. In sentences containing a dependent clause, sometimes you can even eliminate both the subject of the clause and a gender-specific pronoun without changing the meaning of the sentence: Examples of gendered sentences and inclusive solutions Gendered sentence Inclusive solution The game begins when the player places his token on the board. The game begins when the token is placed on the board. A session is opened after the user enters her login credentials. A session is opened after login credentials are entered. A word of caution about using the passive voice Remember that the passive shifts the reader’s focus. When you convert an active sentence into a passive one, the emphasis that was initially on the subject is now transferred to the object. Since you’re omitting the original subject, your message may not be as clear. You should therefore ask yourself if your new passive sentence still conveys your message accurately. Also remember that passive sentences can sometimes make your writing less impactful and elegant. You should therefore think carefully about using the passive and consider whether other techniques might be more suitable. Example of a gendered sentence, a passive but awkward solution and a preferable inclusive solution Gendered sentence Passive but awkward solution Preferable inclusive solution The doctoral candidate must defend her dissertation virtually by the end of the semester. The dissertation must be defended virtually by the doctoral candidate by the end of the semester. Doctoral candidates must defend their dissertation virtually by the end of the semester. Additional information Inclusive writing – Guidelines and resources Inclusive writing: Glossary Active voice, passive voice, voice Complex sentenceSource: Writing Tips Plus (English language problems and rules)
Number of views: 1,573
English then and now
Note: This article was written in 2008 to mark the fortieth anniversary of the Translation Bureau publication Language Update. In 1968, when Language Update made its debut, I was not yet a writer and editor. I was three. According to my mother, I ran endless laps inside the house and devised new schemes for parting my brother from his candy. Otherwise, not much was happening in my world. I didn’t pose for digital photos in an era when digital conjured up images of thumb-sucking. There were no compact discs to listen to. No one ate pizza pockets or drank soft drinks sweetened with aspartame. There was no googling or faxing, no bungee jumping or break dancing. No one worried about global warming or saved up for a time-share. Lives were arguably simpler, vocabularies indisputably smaller. There’s no question—the English language has changed tremendously in the past four decades. New words, and new uses of old words, have sprung up to match developments in technology, science, economics and culture. But the fundamentals of the language—the rules of grammar and punctuation, the principles of clear style—have changed surprisingly little. Changes in grammar What’s striking about grammar rules from forty years ago is how similar they are to today’s. The guidelines for subject-verb agreement, pronoun case, modifier placement and verb tense are virtually unchanged. Many of the old rules that we now see as outdated (and that persist as grammar myths) had already toppled by 1968. Take none, for instance. Once considered singular, none was accepted forty years ago as a plural when used in a plural sense ("None of the applicants are qualified"). The second edition of Fowler’s Modern English Usage (1965) pulled no punches: "It is a mistake to suppose that the pronoun is singular only and must at all costs be followed by singular verbs, etc.; the Oxford English Dictionary explicitly states that plural construction is commoner." Similarly, rules drummed into earlier generations of pupils, like "don’t split an infinitive" and "don’t end a sentence with a preposition," had gone by the wayside. Eric Partridge, in the sixth edition of Usage and Abusage (1965), noted that we should avoid the split infinitive wherever possible, "but if it is the clearest and the most natural construction, use it boldly. The angels are on our side." (A different celestial phenomenon has been on our side since 1966, when the original Star Trek series aired with its now-famous "to boldly go." Interestingly, Partridge’s choice of boldly in rallying for the split infinitive predated Star Trek by one year.) Grammarians of the day were also pooh-poohing the old prohibition against ending a sentence with a preposition. G. F. Lamb, in his textbook English for General Certificate (1964), brushed it off entirely: "The so-called ‘rule’ that we must not end a sentence with a preposition cannot be justified in English, and is not observed by any good writer." Fowler’s, in a virtual novella on the subject, concluded that the rule had become "a cherished superstition." The only real change in grammar since the late 1960s comes in an area that overlaps with usage and that, like usage, has been influenced by larger forces of society and culture. I’m referring to agreement between a pronoun and a singular antecedent like "everyone" or "each person." The rule back then was simple: use the masculine singular pronoun ("Everyone must bring his own wine to the party"). Since then feminism has outed the sexism implicit in that choice and has put the old practice to rest. But we’ve been left with a void, one that has produced lots of rewriting ("People must bring their own wine") and lots of debate about the ungainly his or her versus the (to some) ungrammatical their. This last option is gaining ground fast and will likely win the day, though for the moment authorities are still bickering. Changes in punctuation There was a time when English writing was scattered (some might say infested) with commas, but that time was not forty years ago. The trend toward cleaner, streamlined sentences was already afoot. Said G. F. Lamb: "The modern tendency is to omit the comma in many instances where earlier generations would have used it." The comma rules in his 1964 grammar book are indistinguishable from ours today. Likewise, what we think of as the new practice of adding "-’s" to names that end with "s" (Keats’s poetry, Charles’s hot tub) was already well established. In fact, it was the very first rule listed in the first and second editions (1959 and 1972) of The Elements of Style, Strunk and White’s now famous little book. Our desire for clean prose is undoubtedly behind the one change that has affected punctuation. Four decades ago periods were used with all abbreviations. Today they have disappeared from acronyms and initialisms (e.g., NATO, DVD, RRSP), perhaps because in our time these forms are so commonplace that we regard them more as words than as true abbreviations. Changes in style When I was three, I knew a thing or two about plain language, though in 1968 what that meant was stern lectures laced with the few mild swear words our Catholic household would allow. Plain language as a stylistic movement took off only in the 1980s. It gathered steam through the 1990s and is now a well-established force in the communications world. Yet the principles of composition listed in Strunk and White’s first and second editions of The Elements of Style read like the contents of a plain language primer: Choose a suitable design and hold to it Use the active voice Put statements in positive form Use definite, specific, concrete language Omit needless words Keep related words together Clear, concise, accessible style was as much an objective in 1968 as in 2008. The techniques for producing that style were just as simple to list . . . and just as difficult to execute. Changes in usage That leaves usage as the only hotbed of change in the past forty years. This isn’t surprising. As John Steinbeck put it, "A writer lives in awe of words for they can be cruel or kind, and they can change their meanings right in front of you. They pick up flavors and odors like butter in a refrigerator." It’s impossible to sum up the usage changes of the past four decades; to do so would require a book—no, books. Instead, here’s a random sampling of usages that were argued, shot down and trampled forty years ago but that have since become accepted, some with little fanfare, others with the kind of muttering acceptance that follows a battle reluctantly conceded. Who today would argue with the following sentence? We hope to contact a high-calibre translator, someone who can be trusted to finalize the translation with speed and hopefully with care. Four decades ago the italicized words were all under siege. Contact as a verb was inching its way toward acceptance, a point the 1965 Fowler’s haltingly conceded. But in 1972 Strunk and White still condemned the word as "vague and self-important. Do not contact anybody; get in touch with him, or look him up, or phone him . . . ." (Notice the outdated use of the masculine him to refer to anybody.) Calibre, in the sense of "order of merit or quality," riled up Eric Partridge, who wrote (no doubt with pursed lips) that expressions like high-calibre and low-calibre "are not absolutely wrong: they are merely ludicrous." Verbs ending in "-ize," the handiest suffix for verbifying, stir up their fair share of rancour—understandably, since most are neologisms for a time. Finalize was slammed in the 1960s, especially in British English, and has met with only slow acceptance, perhaps because it first appeared in Australia and the United States, those upstart colonies. Today, however, the New Fowler’s Modern English Usage (3rd ed., 1996) notes that "only elderly eyebrows are now raised when the word is used . . . ." That brings us to hopefully. Its use as a sentence adverb, as in the sample sentence above—unlike its fully accepted role as a run-of-the-mill adverb, to describe doing something in a hopeful manner (to gaze hopefully at someone)—was one of the most widely disputed, ardently fought usage points in the past four decades. In the entry for "sentence adverb," the New Fowler’s gives a juicy account of hopefully, calling it "one of the most bitterly contested of all the linguistic battles fought out in the last decades of the 20c." The carnage came in the late 1960s. Oddly, up to then sentence adverbs (like oddly here, plus frankly, actually, thankfully, strictly and the like) had proliferated without much criticism, but for some reason hopefully drew attack. It was as if every suspicion of change during that turbulent decade, every fear of the masses taking over power and culture and language, was concentrated in one annihilating beam trained on this harmless, optimistic word. The war over hopefully is done, say current authorities, and the sentence adverb is here to stay. But this word’s journey is only a slightly exaggerated version of what happens every time a point of language shifts. Condemnation, then debate, then tolerance, then acceptance—these are the stages that flow from our paradoxical need to keep language on the leash of standards while allowing it the freedom to roam.Source: Peck’s English Pointers (articles and exercises on the English language)
Number of views: 1,540
Gender-inclusive writing: Use the pronoun “who”
On this page Introduction Guidelines for using the pronoun “who” Additional information Introduction Occasionally, using the relative pronoun “who” (or its forms “whom” and “whose”) can make your writing gender-inclusive. Example of a gendered sentence and an inclusive solution Gendered sentence Inclusive solution If an applicant disagrees with the tribunal’s decision, he may appeal to a higher court. An applicant who disagrees with the tribunal’s decision may appeal to a higher court. Guidelines for using the pronoun “who” This technique applies to a very specific situation: it can be used when the sentence contains a clause beginning with “when” or “if” (or a synonym such as “provided that,” “on condition that” or “as long as”). If this is the case, removing the gendered pronoun and restructuring your sentence with “who,” “whom” or “whose” will make your sentence inclusive. Examples of gendered sentences and their inclusive solutions Gendered sentence Inclusive solution When a child comes to school with flu symptoms, he or she will be sent home. A child who comes to school with flu symptoms will be sent home. A firefighter is qualified to inspect your home for fire safety if she has taken the required training. A firefighter who has taken the required training is qualified to inspect your home for fire safety. A client is entitled to a refund from a defaulting contractor, on condition that the client has entered into a valid contract with him. A client is entitled to a refund from a defaulting contractor with whom the client has entered into a valid contract. This tax-saving measure will benefit any single parent, provided her children are eligible under the program. This tax-saving measure will benefit any single parent whose children are eligible under the program. Additional information Inclusive writing – Guidelines and resources Inclusive writing: GlossarySource: Writing Tips Plus (English language problems and rules)
Number of views: 1,535
Gender-inclusive writing: Use the imperative
On this page Introduction Guidelines for using the imperative Additional information Introduction An imperative verb is a verb that tells someone to do something. You use it to make a request or give an instruction, an order or a warning. If your sentence falls into one of these categories, the imperative can be a good way to make your writing both gender-inclusive and more direct. Examples of gendered sentences and inclusive solutions Gendered sentence Inclusive solution The careful writer should work to develop her own techniques for avoiding bias in writing. Work to develop your own techniques for avoiding bias in writing. The user must complete this step before he moves on to the next level. Complete this step before moving on to the next level. Guidelines for using the imperative The imperative allows you to avoid using a gender-specific pronoun, but it does so in a very specific way: it changes the point of view of the sentence from the third person to the second person and uses an explicit or implicit “you.” Note that this shift changes the meaning of the sentence. You’re no longer speaking about a role or expectation in general. Instead, you’re addressing yourself specifically to the person reading your document. Consider these examples: Examples of gendered sentences and inclusive solutions Gendered sentence Inclusive solution The applicant must include a cover letter with his job application. Please include a cover letter with your job application. The language analyst will (a) send her report to the team leader; and (b) copy her colleagues. (a) Send your report to the team leader. (b) Copy your colleagues. Notice how instead of describing something that all applicants or all language analysts in general have to do, you’re now speaking directly to the reader and giving them an instruction. Before using this solution, ask yourself this: are you specifically trying to give your reader instructions? If so, the imperative may be the right technique to use. But if you’re trying to convey an expectation or a requirement more generally, you might want to consider a different technique. Additional information Inclusive writing – Guidelines and resources Inclusive writing: GlossarySource: Writing Tips Plus (English language problems and rules)
Number of views: 1,440
Gender-inclusive writing: Rewrite the sentence
On this page Introduction Guidelines for rewriting the sentence Additional information Introduction There’s always more than one way to express the same idea. Gender-inclusive writing techniques can help you omit or replace gendered pronouns in your sentences, but sometimes no single technique fits the bill. However, there are still creative ways to modify a sentence without losing your essential meaning. Guidelines for rewriting the sentence When no single technique quite fits, you may have to step back, think carefully about your intended meaning and make bigger changes to your wording or sentence structure. The amount of revision will vary from sentence to sentence: Two sentences can become a single sentence with two verbs. A dependent clause can be replaced with a phrase. One verb can be replaced with another that doesn’t require a structure containing a pronoun. The possibilities are endless. However, keep in mind that rewriting your sentence may alter its meaning. Before you do any rewriting that could introduce even the subtlest of changes, consider the purpose of the document and its intended audience. Is it a legal or quasi-legal document like a contract, a collective agreement or a court document? If so, then it would be advisable to consider a different inclusive-writing technique that doesn’t risk altering the intended meaning. The examples in the table below show a variety of approaches you can use when rewriting a sentence. Examples of gendered sentences and inclusive solutions Gendered sentence Inclusive solution After the server escorts the guests to their table, he can take their drink orders. The server escorts the guests to their table and then takes their drink orders. When he spots a bug, the computer technician can pause the batch job and investigate further. Upon spotting a bug, the computer technician can pause the batch job and investigate further. Before the manager reaches a decision, she must consult with the director. The manager must consult with the director before reaching a decision. No eyewitness could recall everything he or she had seen. No eyewitness could recall the incident completely. A witness who is evasive in his testimony on the stand may be treated as a hostile witness by the cross-examiner. A witness who provides evasive testimony on the stand may be treated as hostile by the cross-examiner. In a sea of language tools, which one should he choose? In a sea of language tools, which one is the best choice? The Minister may appoint a person to the commission if she determines that the applicant has met the requirements. The Minister may appoint a person to the commission after determining that the applicant has met the requirements. Additional information Inclusive writing – Guidelines and resources Inclusive writing: GlossarySource: Writing Tips Plus (English language problems and rules)
Number of views: 1,376
Test yourself—Gender-neutral writing: Questions of usage
Is the sentence correct or does it contain a gender neutrality problem? Read the article Gender-neutral writing: Questions of usage to help you out.1. We offer free delivery within a 25-kilometre radius of the store. Our friendly, professional delivery men will unload your new furniture items and place them where you want them.is correcthas a problem2. The fickle heiress spent money lavishly on whoever was her best friend in a given week.is correcthas a problem3. The president of the parent-teacher association tried to manoeuvre her way into every meeting of the school board trustees, even the in camera sessions.is correcthas a problem4. Considered for over a decade to be the model of an English gentleman, Edgar Smythe-Jones saw his reputation crumble when he got drunk aboard a trans-Atlantic flight and made a pass at a stewardess.is correcthas a problem5. Our patented lawn blower reduces the personpower involved in clearing yards and driveways, and consumes a fraction of the electricity of other leading models.is correcthas a problem6. Though she has been widowed for over a decade, Mrs. Boronski can be spotted on her porch each morning with two cups of tea, one for herself and one for her long-mourned husband.is correcthas a problem7. Whenever he visits the Weeping Willow Inn, Marc orders the house ale and the ploughman’s lunch.is correcthas a problemSource: Peck’s English Pointers (articles and exercises on the English language)
Number of views: 1,387
Test yourself—Gender-neutral writing: The pronoun problem
Is the sentence correct or does it contain a gender neutrality problem? (Assume formal writing.) Read the article Gender-neutral writing: The pronoun problem to help you out.1. Earl and Jeffrey decided to rent tuxes, since each wanted to look his best for the prom.is correcthas a problem2. Every first-year student entering the polytechnic university must write the mathematics aptitude test before choosing his science courses.is correcthas a problem3. If you are thinking of hiring a teenager to babysit, we recommend that you check whether she has completed our babysitter training course.is correcthas a problem4. All first-year students entering the polytechnic university must write the mathematics aptitude test before choosing their science courses.is correcthas a problem5. To save on rental fees, the company is asking everyone to bring their own lawn chair and wineglass to the staff picnic.is correcthas a problem6. Settling into her chair, the storyteller began to recount the horrifying tale of the 1917 Halifax explosion.is correcthas a problemSource: Peck’s English Pointers (articles and exercises on the English language)
Number of views: 1,305