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Results 41 to 50 of 321 (page 5 of 33)
in the absence of
To write plainly and concisely, use without instead of the roundabout phrase in the absence of. Other possibilities include having no, lacking, minus, not having and with no. Wordy: In the absence of reliable data, these figures are only estimates. Concise: Without reliable data, these figures are only estimates. Concise: Having no reliable data, we present these figures only as estimates. Concise: Lacking reliable data, we present these figures only as estimates.Source: Writing Tips Plus (English language problems and rules)
Number of views: 2,191
consensus, consensus of opinion, general consensus
Note that the second syllable in the word consensus begins with an s and not a c. Redundant expressions with consensus Because a consensus is a shared opinion, it is redundant to write a consensus of opinion. Management and staff struggled for hours to reach a consensus (not a consensus of opinion). Also, because consensus refers to general agreement among members of a group, using general in front of consensus is like saying general general agreement. Therefore, the modifier general in the familiar expression general consensus is redundant. There was a consensus (not general consensus) among seismologists that the earthquake measured 5.0 on the Richter scale.Source: Writing Tips Plus (English language problems and rules)
Number of views: 2,157
number sign, hash mark, pound sign
In UNIX and HTML programming, the number sign (#) is called a hash mark. The hash mark (#) is very useful in creating web pages. Telephone companies often call the number sign a pound sign, although this usage can lead to confusion, since the term pound sign is also used for the British pound symbol (£). On North American telephones, the pound sign (#) is found in the lower right-hand corner of the keypad. Please call this mark (#) a number sign!Source: Writing Tips Plus (English language problems and rules)
Number of views: 2,154
Putting it (even more) plainly
Before we can make the most of plain language, we need to know what it is, what it isn’t and why it’s important in certain types of writing. The article "Putting It Plainly" addresses all of these questions and introduces some reliable pointers for turning the gumbo of gobbledygook into readable English. Now we’ll put each pointer to work by applying it to real-life sentences and passages. Be concise Eliminating wordiness is like straining spaghetti: we’ve got to dump the water but keep the pasta. Meaningless words drain away when we use simple modifiers and cut redundancies and empty phrases, as in this example: BEFORE Without a doubt, the current investment climate is changing with great rapidity and unpredictability, but investors are nonetheless encouraged to remain focused on those strategies that target the long term when making investment decisions. AFTER The investment climate is changing quickly and unpredictably. Still, we encourage you to focus on long-term strategies when you invest. Notice also that the "after" version splits the ideas into two sentences and introduces we and you, concrete, personal words the reader can relate to. The next revision uses possessive forms to save words and eliminates the redundancy of aware and alert. (Our love of words in threes can lure us into a fair amount of redundancy.) BEFORE The goal of our branch is, in effect, to communicate on a regular basis with our client sector groups, with the intent of remaining aware, alert and responsive in nature to the needs and concerns identified as being significant for these groups. AFTER Our branch’s goal is to communicate regularly with our clients so that we stay alert and responsive to their needs and concerns. Use simple words Sadly, no matter where we turn, we can be ambushed by the volleys of syllables that come from inflated, bureaucratic prose. Short, familiar words are the best defence. BEFORE It is stipulated in the quarterly plan that the company is required to undertake a thorough assessment of the alterations it has initiated to methods employed for the delivery of services. AFTER The quarterly plan requires the company to thoroughly assess how it has changed service delivery. As we’ve seen already, casting a passage in the first or second person can pave the way for simpler language: BEFORE There are certain individuals who assert that insufficient knowledge exists regarding the roles of mediators or what constitutes an effective mediator to enable the establishment of standards. AFTER Some say that to set standards, we must know more about what mediators do and what makes them effective. Avoid negatives The previous revision does more than just simplify the words; it conveys the ideas using positive rather than negative language. In other words, it tells the reader what is rather than what isn’t. Steer clear of negatives whenever you can, especially when they are piled on top of one another. BEFORE Persons other than the applicant will not be entitled to receive this document package. AFTER Only the applicant can receive this document package. Use concrete words Precise, concrete words that allow readers to visualize help to convey meaning quickly and easily. General, abstract words, on the other hand, are hard to pin down. Consider this passage: Again, we should not be limited to only one scenario or adaptation strategy. We must reflect the diversity of the different sensitivities and the different adaptive capacity that exists within the natural system and also in the interface between the human and natural systems. What on earth does this mean? Between scenarios and adaptation strategies, natural systems and adaptive capacities, there are no concrete images to fasten on. Airy and ungraspable, the passage slips away from us like an untethered balloon. Often the only way to improve abstract language is to ask yourself—or the writer, if that’s not you—what the text is really trying to say. Some passages, like the one above, are so vague that we can’t translate them into plain language without more information. Here’s another example that cries out for more concrete language, not to mention an overall trim: BEFORE Public affairs officers have, as one of their chief responsibilities, the resolution of any inaccurate factual representations or misconceptions that could have an impact on public misunderstanding of the operations of the Department. AFTER Public affairs officers must correct any errors or distortions that could lead the public to see the Department’s activities in the wrong light. Avoid weak verbs The previous example also illustrates the power of a few good verbs. Weak verbs like be and have, which most writers overuse, tend to travel with wordy companions—long, abstract nouns, which interestingly are often derived from verbs. Rubbing out the weak-verb + noun combo and substituting a more precise verb is a key plain language technique. BEFORE At this time the firm is engaged in an assessment of its procedures for the development of new products. AFTER The firm is assessing its procedures for developing new products. BEFORE There was discussion among the members of senior management with regard to the ongoing persistence of difficulties of communication that managers had with the personnel who reported to them. AFTER Senior managers discussed the ongoing communication problems between managers and their staff. Remember the reader Plain language means more than just choosing words carefully; it also means writing to meet the reader’s needs. Documents that fail to take their audience into account can miss the mark no matter how clear their language. I was reminded of this axiom years ago, when an email from Air Canada turned up in my inbox. "Concerning your upcoming flight" was the subject line. I did have a flight booked, so this was a good lead-in. It caught my attention and told me why I should read on. But that was where the plain language ended. The body of the email announced that within a few days Air Canada would introduce Onboard Café, an exciting new service that would offer an array of meals and snacks for sale. If I needed more information, I was told, I could visit Air Canada’s website. Well, I did need more information. The email had overlooked a basic question—to me, the most important question. Was Onboard Café simply expanding the existing selection of for-sale food items (cheerfully hawked as "movie snacks") on long-haul flights? Or was it replacing the traditional offering of hot, and more importantly free, foil-wrapped entrees that I, like most travellers, had come to depend on? I visited Air Canada’s website hoping for clarification. Here’s what I got: Our new Onboard Café offers choice, value and greater flexibility. You decide what meal-type to purchase onboard. We are pleased to offer our Hospitality Service customers with [sic] a popular new innovative menu of reasonably priced items. Enjoy a tasty sandwich, hot pizza or simply indulge on [sic] a popular snack, the choice is all yours. This new service is now offered on all Continental North American flight [sic] of 1h30 [sic] or longer (Hawaiian and Mexican destinations excluded). The words in this passage are easy to understand (though occasionally redundant); the sentences are short (though badly punctuated); the ideas are clear (though somewhat disorganized). Yet as a communication, the document failed. My number-one question as a reader was answered nowhere. In the end it took an email to Air Canada to extract the news that, as air travellers now know, the pay-as-you-go service would replace the free meals. Why didn’t the airline’s documents say as much? I’d wager that someone decided it’s bad PR to tell people they’re losing something that once was free; it’s better to tell them they’re getting something new. Is that sound PR? Maybe. Is it plain language? Nope. Air Canada’s documents were writer-centred, serving the airline’s needs instead of the reader’s, and because of that they communicated badly. There may be no more free meals, but here’s some free advice: remember your readers and always write for them. That’s the essence of plain language.Source: Peck’s English Pointers (articles and exercises on the English language)
Number of views: 2,115
amount, number
(A similar topic is discussed in French in the article montant.) Amount refers to something considered as a total or mass, as in an “amount of money.” Note that amount is never used in reference to people. A large amount of grain is handled at Thunder Bay. The amount of time Mr. Lukumbuzia volunteers at the Boys and Girls Club is laudable. This cookie recipe calls for a tiny amount of salt. Number refers to collective units and things that can be counted exactly or approximately, such as a “number of errors.” The child laughed as a number of cantaloupes rolled down the supermarket aisle. He’s very punctual: I can count on one hand the number of times he has been late. During the ice storm of 2013, a huge number of people in Toronto had no electrical power. The Festival acadien de Caraquet showcases the work of a large number of Acadian singers, musicians and poets.Source: Writing Tips Plus (English language problems and rules)
Number of views: 2,105
herewith
To write plainly, use attached, enclosed or with this document instead of the legalistic herewith. Legalistic: I am submitting herewith two copies of the report. Plain: I have attached (or enclosed) two copies of the report. In many instances, the best solution is simply to omit the word herewith. I am submitting two copies of the report.Source: Writing Tips Plus (English language problems and rules)
Number of views: 2,065
Laplander, Lapp, Sami
The Indigenous people of northern Scandinavia now prefer to be called Sami rather than Lapps or Laplanders. Sami is both a singular and a plural noun and can be used as an adjective as well. Our guide on the reindeer-sledding trip was a Sami. The Sami live in the area once known as Lapland. Education in the Sami language is fundamental to the survival of the Sami culture.Source: Writing Tips Plus (English language problems and rules)
Number of views: 2,049
abeyance, hold in abeyance
To write plainly, use suspend instead of the needlessly legalistic hold in abeyance. Other possibilities include put on hold or set aside. Legalistic: The project was held in abeyance until the problems were resolved. Plain: The project was suspended until the problems were resolved.Source: Writing Tips Plus (English language problems and rules)
Number of views: 2,007
numbers: clarity
When communicating numerical information, make clarity your first consideration. Present the information in such a way that the reader can understand it easily. European conventions When writing for non-Canadians, make sure you are aware of the conventions used in the target country. Europeans, for example, who are steeped in the metric system, do not confine themselves as we usually do to multiples of 1000. They will more naturally write 3 dL (decilitres) than 300 mL or 0.3 L. Material written for the European market should conform to this practice. Remember, too, that in Europe—and in Quebec—1,500 means “one and a half,” and 1.500 means “fifteen hundred.” Billion and trillion The British “billion” is the equivalent of the American “trillion,” while a British “trillion” is a million million million. In certain circumstances, it may be advisable to write a thousand million or 109 or giga- instead of billion, and a million million or 1012 or tera- instead of trillion, to avoid the risk of misinterpretation. For similar reasons, the abbreviation ppb (parts per billion) should not be used. Rewrite 100 ppb as 0.1 ppm (parts per million). Currencies Dollar amounts in different currencies should be distinguished from one another by some easily understood marker. A reference to $20 will be ambiguous to a non‑Canadian reader and may be taken to refer to American dollars or to some other currency. The Translation Bureau recommends the symbol Can$ to represent the Canadian dollar: Can$20 Note: The abbreviation Can$ is sometimes written entirely in upper case: CAN$20 More information Canadian dollar (symbol) (Linguistic recommendation from the Translation Bureau) American dollar (symbol) (Linguistic recommendation from the Translation Bureau) numbers: decimal fractions.Source: Writing Tips Plus (English language problems and rules)
Number of views: 1,974
Getting to the point with bullets
There’s a natural association between language and bullets. Around 1600, in Much Ado About Nothing, Shakespeare referred to "quips and sentences and these paper bullets of the brain." In 1900 Danish critic Georg Brandes used bullet imagery to extol the power of print: "Poor is the power of the lead that becomes bullets compared to the power of the hot metal that becomes types." A while back an editing colleague raised the subject, saying: "Bullets will be the death of me." As you might have guessed, my colleague was in despair over bullet points—or more precisely bulleted lists, or vertical lists, as some guides call them because the items can be preceded by things other than bullets: numbers, letters, dashes, smiley faces (if you’re under 16) and the like. Bullets: friend or foe? The workplace has some advantages over the bad side of town, one being that in the office, bullets are usually our friend. Because bullets differentiate a list from the surrounding text, they attract the reader's eye to that list. And because they dole out ideas line by line, they make processing those ideas much easier. Bulleted lists are as much about design as they are about language. In fact, they follow all four principles outlined in The Non-Designer’s Design Book by Robin Williams. (Not that Robin Williams, the king of comedy. This Robin Williams is the queen, because she is a woman, of page design.) In Williams’ opinion, an effective design embodies the following four principles: Contrast: Differentiated elements on a page draw the reader’s attention. Repetition: Repeated visual elements give a sense of organization and unity. Alignment: Related elements should line up on the page in some deliberate way. Proximity: Related elements should be grouped together into one visual unit. (Williams apologizes for the somewhat tasteless acronym that these principles spell out.) Bullets are great for lists that are important or complex and need highlighting. But like boldface, or any other device that’s meant to highlight, bulleted lists can be overused. Readers subjected to page after page of bullets—think of it as literary buckshot—will be confused by a bunch of scattered ideas that never cohere. What’s more, some material doesn’t lend itself to bullets. Can you imagine a novel or other sustained narrative featuring bulleted lists? Not really (though there are a few novels out there based on tweets; reading them must feel like skipping through endless bullet points). Finally, think very, very hard before using sub-bullets. Then go out for a latte and think about it some more. The nested levels of information created by secondary bullets make for difficult reading and almost impossible scanning. Avoid sub-bullets wherever possible. Styling bullets I lived in the province of Quebec from 2000 to 2005. On my first visit to the local grocery store, I found myself in a section I had never seen anywhere else in Canada, had never even imagined: the gravy aisle. We’re talking not one, not two, but dozens of brands and flavours of canned gravy. And that’s not counting the envelopes of powdered mix. (Long live poutine, I guess.) Deciding on the right style for bullet points—how to punctuate and capitalize them—is like buying gravy in Quebec. The options are staggering. The idea is to settle on a style that suits your material and your audience, then apply it consistently. So which style do you choose? Here’s where we encounter an unsettling fact: there are no rules for styling bulleted lists. Because a bulleted list is a graphic aid as much as a sentence, regular language rules don’t apply. Instead, texts like The Canadian Style (2nd ed., 1997) offer guidelines for styling bulleted lists, some of which strike some writers (this one, for instance) as needlessly complicated. To keep bullets simple and consistent, I take a dual approach to styling them, based on whether the items in the list are complete sentences or partial sentences. Complete sentences A sentence is a beautiful thing, so why mess with it? I treat bulleted sentences like . . . sentences: capitalize the first word, end with a period. Bulleted lists are tricky for three reasons: It’s important to use them without overusing them. There are no hard-and-fast rules for styling them. The items in the list need to be parallel. Partial sentences When the bulleted items are not complete sentences, I gauge the material and the audience, then decide on either no punctuation or full punctuation. Material that’s meant to be reader-friendly or scannable, or that has a strong visual dimension (brochures, posters, PowerPoint slides), benefits from the clean style of no punctuation. Material that’s dense or primarily text-oriented is a good candidate for full punctuation. As for capitalizing, since there’s no rule, I think about how the list will look in relation to the other text around it. Usually (but not always), with minimal punctuation I capitalize, and with full punctuation I don’t. Bulleted lists are tricky for three reasons: Possibility of overuse Absence of hard-and-fast style rules Requirement for parallelism OR Bulleted lists are tricky for three reasons: possibility of overuse; absence of hard-and-fast style rules; and (the and is optional) requirement for parallelism. Bullet style: a modest proposal Complete sentences Cap first word, period after every bulleted item Partial sentences Option 1: Caps/no caps, no punctuation after any bulleted item Option 2: Caps/no caps, semicolons after all bulleted items except a period after the last one Balancing bullets I’m sometimes asked in workshops, "What’s the right way to punctuate a bulleted list when some items are partial sentences and some are complete?" The answer: There is no right way. The items in a bulleted list have to be parallel, both in their wording (all beginning with the same type of word) and their structure (all being partial sentences or all being complete, but not a mixture of the two). To balance a teetering list, do whatever is more feasible: either change all the partial sentences to complete ones or vice versa. Consider this unruly example: The candidate for the EEE (Eminent English Editor) position must be able to do the following: Analyze documents to determine the level of editing needed Revise documents to make them clear, consistent and logical Correct errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling, style and syntax Communicate effectively orally and in writing. The ideal candidate will be able to speak and write in English and French. Interpersonal skills Clearly, the last two bullets are out of synch. Turning the second-last bullet into a partial sentence, and beginning the last one with a verb, should do the trick: Communicate effectively orally and in writing, ideally in English and French (or the ideally phrase could be set in parentheses) Demonstrate interpersonal skills (or Deal well with others or other wording) The fact that there are few rules for when to create bullet points, and no rules for how to style them, can be frustrating (witness my colleague’s "death by bullets" pronouncement). But if you take the absence of rules as permission to be creative, it can instead be liberating. Use bullets when they’re helpful, style them consistently and keep them parallel, and the calibre of your document is bound to improve.Source: Peck’s English Pointers (articles and exercises on the English language)
Number of views: 1,937