Rules People Follow Off a Cliff

AnneMarble · Oct 19, 2006

Which grammar rules are the ones that you think editors sometimes follow off a cliff?

For example, I used to write computer manuals for instructors to use in classes. Sometimes I would use passive voice (gasp!) or end up with a preposition at the end of a sentence (shudder!). And the editor would jump through hoops to rewrite the sentence to avoid those things, ending up with a sentence that looked like it was breathing funny because it had been jumping through hoops.

For example, to avoid the use of the passive ("The fields are updated by Word..."), the editor might end up anthropomorphizing the software ("Wrd updates the fields..."), and our supervisor liked that less than the passive voice.

What examples can you think of?

Bufty · Oct 19, 2006

In an instruction manual I would have thought clarity took precedence over 'Rules' every time.

AnneMarble · Oct 19, 2006

Bufty said:
In an instruction manual I would have thought clarity took precedence over 'Rules' every time.

I hate "Me, too" posts, but...

Me, too!

Freckles · Oct 19, 2006

I felt liberated when I realized it's OK to end a sentence with a preposition. I'm such a rebel now!

Phouka · Oct 19, 2006

Technical manuals seem to be the target of rule-bound editing. A friend's editor (not me, I"m not that lucky yet) had many illustrations and a note that "your screen should look like the following..." -- which were replaced in all instances with "your screen should look identical to..."

Not quite the same thing, in my opinion.

pash · Oct 20, 2006

It is wrong to ever split an infinitive?

;-)))

Freckles · Oct 20, 2006

LOL, pash! I HATE that rule...

blacbird · Oct 20, 2006

Bufty said:
In an instruction manual I would have thought clarity took precedence over 'Rules' every time.

Have you ever read an instruction manual for anything remotely technical?

caw.

pash · Oct 20, 2006

Also too, never, ever use repetitive redundancies endlessly over and over again.

pash · Oct 20, 2006

The passive voice is to be ignored.

Jamesaritchie · Oct 21, 2006

AnneMarble said:
Which grammar rules are the ones that you think editors sometimes follow off a cliff?

For example, I used to write computer manuals for instructors to use in classes. Sometimes I would use passive voice (gasp!) or end up with a preposition at the end of a sentence (shudder!). And the editor would jump through hoops to rewrite the sentence to avoid those things, ending up with a sentence that looked like it was breathing funny because it had been jumping through hoops.

For example, to avoid the use of the passive ("The fields are updated by Word..."), the editor might end up anthropomorphizing the software ("Wrd updates the fields..."), and our supervisor liked that less than the passive voice.

What examples can you think of?

In the case of Word, I agree with your editor. Word does update the field, not you. Ths isn't antrhopomorphizing in any way. It's good English, and proper usage. You may tell Word to do it, but that doesn't mean Word isn't doing the work. Word is fdoing teh work, and saying it isn't is inaccurate, and poor writing. That's a horrible use of passive voice and the exact reason so many people loathe technical manuals. But it is good to know we can blame supervisors and not editors for the lack of good writing in technical manuals.

Editors may sometimes follow a rule off a cliff, but it's more often a case of writers refusing to follow a rule three inches, even if it means better writing.

As for prepositions at the end of a sentence, this rule, like the one for split infinitives, is one that should be broken at times, and should be followed at other times.

Sometimes you should end a sentence with a prepositin, and at other times it's the last thing any good writer will do. It all depends on the individual sentence.

The same is true for splitters. Sometimes you should use a splitter, and sometimes you shouldn't. The difference between a good writer and a poor writer is knowing when to do which.

Freckles · Oct 21, 2006

Is it OK to start an article with a question?

I loved breaking that one...

Cat Scratch · Oct 25, 2006

pash said:
The passive voice is to be ignored.

Totttttttttally snickered aloud at this, which helped reinforce my reminder that I am a giant nerd.

pash · Oct 26, 2006

<Totttttttttally snickered aloud at this, which helped reinforce my reminder that I am a giant nerd.>

I holiday in Nerdville occasionally.

NTG · Nov 3, 2006

pash said:
It is wrong to ever split an infinitive?

;-)))

Can anybody improve on

". . .to boldy go where no man has gone before."?

I don't think so.

But here's a rule that not only may be broken, it ought to be broken. Always!

"Thou shalt not put a comma before the 'and' at the end of a series."

The rationale for it is just plain wrong.

Nathanael

Maryn · Nov 4, 2006

Freckles said:
I felt liberated when I realized it's OK to end a sentence with a preposition. I'm such a rebel now!

Rebellion is totally in!

Maryn, who's totally out

Freckles · Nov 5, 2006

HAHAHA!!! Thanks, M!

veinglory · Nov 5, 2006

Blanket in house styles for no passive, no contractions, and no foreign expressions (regardless of fictional setting) tend to get to me. That said I also fight for my semicolons and I'm proably wrong on that one. I just like them.

a tree of night · Nov 6, 2006

With technical writing, rules are often strict to ensure the meaning is retained when the document is translated. That's not to say people don't go overboard with them, but in some cases there is a valid reason.

jpserra · Nov 6, 2006

AnneMarble said:
Which grammar rules are the ones that you think editors sometimes follow off a cliff?

For example, I used to write computer manuals for instructors to use in classes. Sometimes I would use passive voice (gasp!) or end up with a preposition at the end of a sentence (shudder!). And the editor would jump through hoops to rewrite the sentence to avoid those things, ending up with a sentence that looked like it was breathing funny because it had been jumping through hoops.

For example, to avoid the use of the passive ("The fields are updated by Word..."), the editor might end up anthropomorphizing the software ("Wrd updates the fields..."), and our supervisor liked that less than the passive voice.

What examples can you think of?

Still thinking, but you get 50 cents for the use of anthropomorphizing. Nicely done.

John

jpserra · Nov 6, 2006

pash said:
It is wrong to ever split an infinitive?

;-)))

Only if you do it twice!

John

Dave.C.Robinson · Nov 10, 2006

Shatner had to split the infinitive-- it was the only way Enterprise could get enough power for the warp drive. Forget dilithium and antimatter! It was split infinitives all the way

Rules People Follow Off a Cliff

AnneMarble

Nefarious Ghost Fan

Bufty

Where have the last ten years gone?

AnneMarble

Nefarious Ghost Fan

Freckles

Oooh, the Rainbow Connection

Phouka

pash

Freckles

Oooh, the Rainbow Connection

blacbird

pash

pash

Jamesaritchie

Freckles

Oooh, the Rainbow Connection

Cat Scratch

The Peacock Next Door

pash

NTG

Maryn

I Tried

Freckles

Oooh, the Rainbow Connection

veinglory

volitare nequeo

a tree of night

jpserra

Recovering Gumshoe

jpserra

Recovering Gumshoe

Dave.C.Robinson

... with the High Command