The Technical Approach Diction and Idiom. Introduction Word choice comprises most of the work of...

The Technical Approach

Diction and Idiom

Introduction

• Word choice comprises most of the work of drafting a technical document

• The target range for word choice varies with audience and purpose

• Four variables to observe are language level, diplomacy, precision, and concision

A. Language Level and Diplomacy

Language level

Diplomacy

IDIOMATIC EXPRESSIONS

Idiomatic Expressions

• Cannot be translated literally into other languages

• Have one or more vague meanings that are nonetheless distinct from those of the simple words of which they are made– “put on”, “to have pull”

• Are too basic a level of language in most technical documents


OBSCURE VOCABULARY

Obscure Vocabulary

• Is usually limited in use to a narrow domain of study or research

• Accounts for a large part of English vocabulary even though most English speakers are not familiar with it– “putative”, “contumely”

• Should only be included (with definitions) if suited to the subject matter and readership


OBSCURE VOCABULARY

INCORRECT NUANCE

Incorrect Nuance• Beyond their literal definitions, English

words carry a nuance or connotation• Words or expressions with a correct

definition but incorrect nuance may be undiplomatic– Imagine describing an “aggressive salesperson”

to his client

• For good nuances, analyze the audience and purpose of your document or presentation

OBSCURE VOCABULARY


INCORRECT NUANCE

PRETENTIOUS VOCABULARY

Pretentious Vocabulary• Some English words in ordinary use have

almost exactly the same meaning as simpler words

• Inexperienced writers sometimes use these words to convey professionalism– “utilize” instead of “use”– “as per your request” instead of “as you asked”

• If you can, use the simpler terms in technical communication

B. Concision and Precision

Precision

Concision

OBSCURE VOCABULARY


INCORRECT NUANCE


UNDEFINED TECHNICAL TERMS

UNEXPANDED TECHNICAL ABBREVIATIONS

Undefined Technical Terms and Abbreviations

• For exactitude, many technical documents require rather specialized words and abbreviations– “fibula” = calf bone, “URL” = universal (or

uniform) resource locator

• Nevertheless, readers unfamiliar with these terms may need to understand such writing

• Include informal definitions (parenthetical, like this one), glossaries, or lists of abbreviations in these cases

OBSCURE VOCABULARY


INCORRECT NUANCE




COMMON ACADEMIC ABBREVIATIONS

CONTRACTIONS

Common Abbreviations and Contractions

• Avoid Latin abbreviations - i.e. (that is), e.g. (for example), etc., and &– Never use “etc.” or “and so on”; only use

“&” in a corporate logo or in a quote

• Use contractions only in informal letters and memos (“I’m”, “she’d”, “can’t”)– “It’s” = it is; “its” (without apostrophe) =

possessive of “it”

• Use any common abbreviation sparingly - “I recorded MTV, CFL, and the FBI show from TV to a DVD on a PC in the LAN...”

OBSCURE VOCABULARY


INCORRECT NUANCE





CONTRACTIONS

NON-ENGLISH WORDS AND PHRASES

UNSTRUCTURED REDUNDANCY

Redundancy and Preciousness

• Limited repetition of information is necessary in most documents – “Structural” redundancy, for example in

introductions

• Shorten sentences; retain the meaning– In 12-point font, never more than three lines;

usually less than two lines

• Non-English expressions are considered too “flowery” in industry– a la mode = “in fashion”; de rigueur = “mandatory”

• Edit for concision and frankness

OBSCURE VOCABULARY


INCORRECT NUANCE





CONTRACTIONS

NON-ENGLISH WORDS AND PHRASES

UNSTRUCTURED REDUNDANCY

UNSUPPORTED SUPERLATIVES

CLICHÉ AND SLANG

Superlatives, Cliché, and Slang

• Support superlatives and comparisons– Avoid “very”, “best”, and especially “great”

to mean “excellent” - let quantitative measures speak for themselves

• Clichés say nothing in technical writing– “You’re going to love this application!”

• Never use slang in technical documents - it lacks seriousness...

Conclusion

• Several revisions and significant editing are required in any technical writing

• The guidelines of level of language, diplomacy, precision, and concision are reliable in this process

• The best choice of words in any document depends on its audience and purpose

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