Editor's Corner

Good morning, to you all. Recently, while editing, I changed the word since to because, and the writer wondered why.

There are a number of situations when the word because is a better choice than the alternatives. What alternatives? Thanks for asking! Here are your answers:

· To avoid confusing your reader, use because instead of since.
The word since can mean either after that time or because. Using since in the sentence below might leave you wondering if we knew it was over because the fat lady sang or after the fat lady sang.

Instead of this:

Since the fat lady sang, we knew it was over.

Write this:

Because the fat lady sang, we knew it was over.

· To cut down on unnecessary wordiness, use the word because instead of the phrase due to the fact that.

Instead of this:

You cannot come to my party due to the fact that you always arrive too early.

Write this:

You cannot come to my party because you always arrive too early.

· To write more clearly, and to avoid sentences that sound stilted and stuffy, use because instead of as.

Instead of this:

Our manager gave us the option to work from home on stormy days as El Niño is causing so much flooding.

Write this:

Our manager gave us the option to work from home on stormy days because El Niño is causing so much flooding.

Donna Bradley Burcher | Senior Technical Editor | Symitar®

8985 Balboa Ave. | San Diego, CA 92123 | Ph. 619.278.0432 | Extension: 765432

Symitar Technical Publications Writing and Editing Requests

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On Monday, I wrote about avoiding clichés, and I asked you to send me the clichés you dislike most. I got a lot of responses—which I’ll get to in a minute. But I also received some questions from concerned readers about when it’s OK to use clichés.

So, I want to take a moment to reassure you that sometimes, as long as you’re careful about not overusing them, clichés are a convenient way to get your point across. Just be aware that people find it annoying when a specific cliché is overused or when a specific person uses clichés in nearly every conversation.

In the emails I received, one cliché was named repeatedly as the most annoying. Because of the number of people who voted it in, I know I won’t ever use it.

The most hated cliché is low hanging fruit.

And now, as promised, here’s the long list of clichés you don’t want to hear anymore:

Donna Bradley Burcher | Senior Technical Editor | Symitar®

8985 Balboa Ave. | San Diego, CA 92123 | Ph. 619.278.0432 | Extension: 765432

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Last week, I discussed perfect pangrams: sentences that use every letter of the alphabet exactly once. Here are five more examples.

Junky qoph flags vext crwd zimb.

What it means: Trashy flags with the Hebrew letter qoph annoyed (vext) an Abyssinian fly (zimb) living in a Celtic violin (crwd).

Note: Crwd is an alternate spelling of crwth. It is not found in Merriam-Webster.

Cwm fjord bank glyphs vext quiz.

What it means: Symbols (glyphs) in a mountain hollow (cwm) on the bank of an inlet (fjord) annoyed (vext) an eccentric person (quiz).

PR flacks quiz gym: TV DJ box when?

What it means: Public relations press agents (flacks) ask a gymnasium: When do television disc jockeys fight?

Note: The abbreviations PR, TV, and DJ are found in Merriam-Webster.

Jumbling vext frowzy hacks PDQ.

What it means: Moving in a disordered mass (jumbling) annoyed (vext) unkempt (frowzy) taxi drivers (hacks) pretty darn quick (PDQ).

Note: The abbreviation PDQ is found in Merriam-Webster.

Mr. Jock, TV quiz PhD, bags few lynx.

What it means: Mr. Jock, a doctor on a television quiz show, captures (bags) few wildcats (lynx).

Note: The abbreviations Mr., TV, and PhD are found in Merriam-Webster. Jock is not a common surname, but Mr. Jock is, perhaps, a reasonable nickname for an athletic guy.

Ben Ritter | Technical Editor | Symitar®
8985 Balboa Avenue | San Diego, CA 92123
619-682-3391 | or ext. 763391 | www.Symitar.com

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Whether you are a baseball fan or not, you may not realize how many baseball idioms we use in everyday speech. Here is a list of baseball idioms from Daily Writing Tips.

1. ballpark figure: a rough estimate
2. bat a thousand: a reference to a continuing series of successes, alluding to a baseball player who gets on base every time at bat
3. box score: a count or summary (from the chart on which a games statistical details are recorded; applicable to various sports but originating in reference to baseball)
4. bush league: a sports organization subordinate to the major leagues (referring to the usually rural locations of such teams; can apply to any sport but originated in reference to baseball)
5. curve ball: something unexpected (from the unpredictable trajectory of that type of baseball pitch)
6. go to bat for: support (from the notion of a batter contributing to his team)
7–8. hit a home run/hit one out of the park: be successful
9. in the ballpark: close; said of an estimate (compared to being within the confines of a stadium)
10–11. it’s a whole new ball game/different ball game: a reference to a changed situation
12. keep (one’s) eyes on the ball: maintain focus (compared to a batter concentrating on a pitch)
13. major league: significant, as in a reference to a company that is one of the leaders in its industry or line of business (from the fact that the major leagues are the pinnacle of achievement in sports)
14. off base: wrong, or on the wrong track (from the notion of a player not being in contact with one of the bases)
15. on deck: next in line (from the location designated for the next batter to await his turn)
16. out in left field: said of a person with an eccentric or unusual idea (from the idea of left field being a distant location)
17. out of (one’s) league: said of one who is trying to succeed in an area in which he or she faces superior competition or is striving to achieve too much (originally from baseball but applicable to many sports)
18. (hit it) out of the park: succeed (comparing a success to a home run)
19. pinch hitter: substitute (from the designation of a player taking another’s place at bat)
20. play ball: cooperate
21. play hardball: act aggressively (from the density of a baseball as compared to a softball)
22. rain check: a promise to make good on an offer (from tickets offered for rescheduled sporting events postponed by rain; originated in baseball but applicable to any outdoor sport or event)
23. softball: an easy, noncontroversial question
24. step up to the plate: take responsibility (compared to a player taking his turn at bat)
25. strike out: fail, especially repeatedly
26. strikes against (one): said of more than one disadvantage or mistake a person has against him or her
27. swing for the fences: perform with great effort or intensity (as compared to a baseball player trying to hit a home run)
28. three strikes and you’re out: a reference to someone being given three chances to succeed (analogous to the three strikes a hitter is allowed before being called out)
29. throw (one) a curve: surprise someone with something unexpected or not expected as presented (as compared to a curveball)
30. touch base: contact (compared to a player landing a foot on a base)

Jackie Solano | Technical Editor | Symitar®

8985 Balboa Ave. | San Diego, CA 92123 | Ph. 619.542.6711 | Extension: 766711

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Many writers confuse the words principal and principle.

I think the problem begins in elementary school, when students learn the mnemonic, "The principal is your pal." (A mnemonic is a saying that helps you remember something.)

This mnemonic helps students refer to the school principal, but it can lead to one of two wrong conclusions:

· Principal is always the correct word. Principle is just a misspelling.

· Principal refers only to a school principal. In all other cases, the correct word is principle.

After students graduate, they stop thinking about school principals and start thinking about loan principals, political principles, principal causes, and principled stands. Fortunately, there is another mnemonic that helps you determine the right word in every situation:

· Principal has an a in it, like the word main.

· Principle ends in -le, like the word rule.

When in doubt, replace principal or principle with main or rule, and see which makes the most sense:

· Smoking is a principal/principle cause of high blood pressure.
Smoking is a main cause of high blood pressure, so the correct word is principal.

· The United States was founded on the principal/principle that all men are created equal.
"All men are created equal" is a rule, so the correct word is principle.

Sometimes, you can’t just replace the word; you have to think about its meaning:

· My cousin is slowly paying off his loan principal/principle.
My cousin is paying off the main part of the loan, so the correct word is principal.

· The senator took a principaled/principled stand against corruption.
The senator’s stand was based on the rules of her moral code, so the correct word is principled.

· I met with the school principal/principle.
I met with the main person in charge of the school, so the correct word is principal.

Your pal,

Ben Ritter | Technical Editor | Symitar®
8985 Balboa Avenue | San Diego, CA 92123
619-682-3391 | or ext. 763391 | www.Symitar.com

Symitar Documentation Services

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You might think that clichés don’t come up much in professional writing, but they do. The editors don’t see them often in our electronic or release documentation, but we see them regularly in other kinds of documents intended for clients.

When you’re thinking of what to write, a cliché might be the first thing that comes to your mind, but you should almost always resist the urge to use it. Why? Because clichés are tired expressions that people have read hundreds or thousands of times. They make your writing dull, and they annoy your readers.

According to Ken O’Quinn author of the website, Writing with Clarity:

“Rather than say a program came to a screeching halt, just say it ended abruptly. Instead of going back to the drawing board, make it, We need to start over. If you feel the urge to say it was a win-win, say both sides win, or both of us will benefit.”

He provides this short list of clichés to avoid:

· ballpark estimate

· ramp up

· light at the end of the tunnel

· emotional roller coaster

· a deep dive

· step up to the plate

· an uphill battle

· pick up steam

· didn’t pan out

· worst nightmare

· team effort

· back on track

· take it to the next level

· heading into the home stretch

· sharp as a tack

And when I say it’s a short list, I mean it! This list is a drop in the bucket (gotcha!). There are more clichés out there than you can shake a stick at (somebody stop me!).

If you feel so inclined, send me the clichés you hate most (but make sure they’re work-appropriate). Send them by the end of the day on Thursday 4/28/16, and I’ll share them on Friday.

Oh, this ought to be fun!

Donna Bradley Burcher | Senior Technical Editor | Symitar®

8985 Balboa Ave. | San Diego, CA 92123 | Ph. 619.278.0432 | Extension: 765432

Symitar Technical Publications Writing and Editing Requests

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Good morning!

Ask an editor about the top 20 questions he or she is asked and I bet you’ll hear, “Why are you so mean with your red pen?” (Answer: I am not mean; I am just feisty.) I bet another item on that list is “When do I use who or whom?” (Answer: Continue reading; all will be revealed.) Today, I’ve gone back to an old favorite, Grammarbook.com, for the explanation of when to use who or whom.

You can also visit Bob Cratchit’s Editor’s Corner Past for another description. After reading the articles, test your knowledge with a bonus quiz!

Who vs. Whom

Rule. Use this he/him method to decide whether who or whom is correct:

he = who
him = whom

Examples:
Who/Whom wrote the letter?
He wrote the letter. Therefore, who is correct.

Who/Whom should I vote for?
Should I vote for him? Therefore, whom is correct.

We all know who/whom pulled that prank.
This sentence contains two clauses: we all know and who/whom pulled that prank. We are interested in the second clause because it contains the who/whom. He pulled that prank. Therefore, who is correct.

We wondered who/whom the book was about.
This sentence contains two clauses: we wondered and who/whom the book was about. Again, we are interested in the second clause because it contains the who/whom. The book was about him. Therefore, whom is correct.

Note: This rule is compromised by an odd infatuation people have with whom—and not for good reasons. At its worst, the use of whom becomes a form of one-upmanship some employ to appear sophisticated. The following is an example of the pseudo-sophisticated whom.

Incorrect: a woman whom I think is a genius

In this case whom is not the object of I think. Put I think at the end and the mistake becomes obvious: a woman whom is a genius, I think.

Correct: a woman who I think is a genius

Learn to spot and avoid this too-common pitfall.

Kara Church

Technical Editor, Advisory

619-542-6773 | Ext: 766773

Symitar Documentation Services

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A pangram is a sentence that uses every letter of the alphabet at least once. Kara previously discussed pangrams here and here.

The most well-known pangram, “The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog,” has 35 letters, including two H’s, two R’s, two T’s, two U’s, three E’s, and four O’s.

A perfect pangram is a sentence that uses every letter of the alphabet exactly once. Language aficionados have suggested several perfect pangrams. Are they valid sentences or incomprehensible gibberish? Judge for yourself from the following examples:

Squdgy fez, blank jimp crwth vox (by Claude Shannon)

What it means: Squat, pudgy (squdgy) brimless hat (fez), obstruct (blank) the voice (vox) of a slender (jimp) Celtic violin (crwth).

Note: Vox is Latin for voice. It is not found in Merriam-Webster, except as part of the phrase vox populi (voice of the people).

Bortz waqf glyphs vex muck djin (by Ed Spargo)

What it means: Symbols (glyphs) indicating an Islamic endowment (waqf) of inferior diamonds (bortz) annoy (vex) dirt genies (muck djin).

Jink cwm, zag veldt, fob qursh pyx (by Stephen Wagner)

What it means: Move quickly with sudden turns (jink and zag) across mountain hollow (cwm) and African grassland (veldt) to deceitfully obtain (fob) a box (pyx) of Saudi coins (qursh).

Ben Ritter | Technical Editor | Symitar®
8985 Balboa Avenue | San Diego, CA 92123
619-682-3391 | or ext. 763391 | www.Symitar.com

Symitar Documentation Services

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Oh my darlings,

It must be close to vacation time because I am stressed out and I have too much to do to really settle down and write you something super-fantastic before I go. I just read an article about jargon and vogue words, but I’m too low on energy to start on another rant about that! So instead, I give you this small gift of redundant adjectives to avoid, from Daily Writing Tips.

1. free gift
A gift is a thing given willingly to someone without payment. The adjective free is redundant.

2. closed fist
A fist is by definition a hand with the fingers folded inward toward the palm and held there tightly, typically in order to strike a blow or grasp something. The adjective closed is redundant.

3. verdant green
The adjective verdant derives from a Latin word meaning “green.” Verdant came into English from a French word meaning “becoming green.” The English meaning of verdant is “green” or “green with vegetation.” An enthusiastic fertilizer manufacturer advertises a product that will provide the consumer with “a verdant green lawn.” Either verdant or green will do.

4. rubicund red
The adjective rubicund derives from a Latin verb meaning, “to be red.” Something that is rubicund is red or reddish. This description from fan fiction can do without one of the adjectives: “Drawing rivulets of blood, his fingertips glowed a rubicund red.”

5. overused cliché
The blogger who wrote this sentence could have saved an adjective: “The overused cliché I hate the most is ‘off the beaten path.’” In reference to language, a cliché is an overused expression.

6. unexpected surprise
A surprise is an unexpected occurrence. The phrase is not uncommon on the Ngram Viewer, and is frequent online:

An unexpected surprise greeted us upon our arrival home.

Life is full of unexpected surprises.

A foreigner in the dining hall was an unexpected surprise.

As “unexpectedness” is part of the definition, it’s enough to say that something is a surprise.

7. universal panacea
Panacea derives from a Greek word meaning, “cure-all” and is defined in English as “a universal remedy.” Because panacea contains the meaning universal, it’s not necessary to tack universal onto it, as in this sentence written by a journalist: “When Henry Grady was inviting Northern capital South, we were much more certain that industrialization was the universal panacea for all economic and social ills.”

Panacea is sufficient.

Kara Church

Technical Editor, Advisory

619-542-6773 | Ext: 766773

Symitar Documentation Services

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The other day, I was reading something here and someone used the word either and then mentioned three things. This struck me as odd and incorrect. For example, “He told me to wear either my black hot pants, my blue Daisy Dukes, or my red capris.” How can you wear one or the other of three things?

I found this tidbit from The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (4th ed.):

The traditional rule holds that either should be used only to refer to one of two items and that any is required when more than two items are involved: Any (not either) of the three opposition candidates still in the race would make a better president than the incumbent.

Huzzah, hurrah, I thought. I love being right. But, unfortunately, either isn’t that easy. For example, you could say that Willy Wonka’s chocolate flows in either direction, and it is correct because either is being used as an adjective to mean “each” or “one and/or the other” direction.

You might recognize when it is disguised as an adverb, too, meaning “also”: “John isn’t into the circus, and I’m not either.”

Either can be a lot of things, but I will stick by my rule of removing it when you use it to talk about more than two options. If you’re still not certain if it is okay, check the dictionary before you use it. I might even give you a gold star.

Kara Church

Technical Editor, Advisory

619-542-6773 | Ext: 766773

Symitar Documentation Services

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