Editor's Corner

Please refer to these guidelines from the JHA Style Guide for Technical Communication and Training when using commas.

Thank you,

Jackie Solano

Technical Writer, Episys Technical Publications

Symitar®

8985 Balboa Avenue

San Diego, California 92123

Direct Line: 619-542-6711

Over the past 24 hours, I’ve received tons of email from y’all about a great video from Weird Al Yankovic. I’ve been debating about whether or not I should share it with you. On the plus side, it reviews some common grammar errors with a modern, adult flair—like Schoolhouse Rock for the big kids. On the downside, well, there are references to beating someone with a crowbar, some double entendres that might make the innocent blush, and some insults hurled toward mouth-breathers and droolers. (I don’t like it when people say other people are dumb because they make a mistake now and then. Don’t we all?)

All that said, this video is everywhere and it is educational, so I will provide you with the link to check it out at your discretion. Oh, and even though Weird Al says the Oxford comma is optional, it is required as part of the JHA Style Guide.

The video is called Word Crimes (a parody of Blurred Lines) and you can view it here: http://www.weirdal.com/

Kara Church

Technical Editor, Advisory

619-542-6773 | Ext: 766773

www.symitar.com

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I’m not sure if this issue is more appropriate in a grammar column or in Miss Manners, but since I’ve seen this issue come up quite often in grammar blogs and emails, I’ll pass it along to you. The latest iteration is from the “Lederer on Language” column in the San Diego Union-Tribune. (Thank you to Ron F. for hand-delivering the column to my desk each week!)

Dear Mr. Lederer: What’s happened to our society? I think that when someone says, “Thank you,” the proper response should be “You’re welcome,” But all too often we hear “No problem.” I have a problem with “No problem.” Do you?

— Jim Bried, Poway

It does appear that, after hearing a “Thank you,” hardly anyone these days responds, “You’re welcome.” What we usually hear is “Thank YOU” or “No problem.”

I can understand a “Thank YOU” following a “Thank you.” A radio or TV host concludes an interview with “Thank you,” and the guest, wanting to show appreciation, responds, “Thank YOU!”

But, like Jim Bried, I have a problem with “No problem.” [KC – I wonder how they’d feel about the response, “You betcha!”]

At a restaurant, I ask my server for extra lemon for my tea. When he delivers the lemons, I say, “Thank you” — and he says, “No problem.” I want to grab him by the collar and snarl, “Of course it’s no problem! It’s your job!”

If, on the other hand, someone goes a + b the c of d (alphabetically that stands for “above and beyond the call of duty”), I am more accepting.

I was recently in my book booth at a convention and found that I was short on small bills. A kindly women offered $1 and $5 bills for my larger ones, explaining that she always carries small bills for people who need them. To my “Thank you” she said, “No problem.” That was copacetic with me because she had gone a + b the c of d.

For the remainder of the column, about the pesky phrase “you know,” click here: http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/jul/12/tp-do-you-have-a-problem-you-know-with-no-problem/

Kara Church

Technical Editor, Advisory

619-542-6773 | Ext: 766773

www.symitar.com

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“Voice” refers to the relationship between the subject of a sentence and the verb. In a sentence written in active voice, the subject of the sentence performs the action. In a sentence written in passive voice, the subject receives the action. Use active voice whenever possible because it is generally more energetic and clear. There are, however, certain instances when passive voice is acceptable. For example:

• When the subject is unknown or unimportant

• When the action, not the doer, is the focus of the sentence

• In error messages, to avoid giving the impression that the user is to blame

To create an active sentence or to revise a passive sentence: Start the sentence with the subject.

Examples:

• Episys takes the specified payment amount rather than the standard payment amount.

• Type this field value during the Bond Redemption (BR) teller transaction.

(In the example directly above, the subject you is implied.)

Try this fun trick to identify passive voice. If you can insert “by zombies” after the verb, you have passive voice.

Original sentence:

• Changes were made to Episys in this enhancement to remain compliant with government regulations.

Zombie trick:

• Changes were made by zombies to Episys in this enhancement to remain complaint with government regulations.

Active voice:

• Symitar made changes to Episys in this enhancement to remain compliant with government regulations.

Thank you,

Jackie Solano

Technical Writer, Episys Technical Publications

Symitar®

8985 Balboa Avenue

San Diego, California 92123

Direct Line: 619-542-6711

Good morning! Today, while playing mailbox roulette (a game where I close my eyes and scroll through a hundred topics for the Editor’s Corner and go with whichever one I land on), I came across this topic: ID versus id. One of our JHA technical writers would like me to stress the difference between the two, especially when hard coding fields and values in software:

· ID is an abbreviation for identification or identity. In our business, this is the one you are looking for.

· id (or Id, at the beginning of a sentence) is a term from psychology, specifically from Dr. Sigmund Freud, which means the “part of a person’s unconscious mind that relates to basic needs and desires.” (Merriam-Webster)

Unless you want to drive financial institution employees into psychotherapy, you’ll probably want to prompt them for their user ID rather than their ids!

Enjoy your weekend.

Kara Church

Technical Editor, Advisory

619-542-6773 | Ext: 766773

www.symitar.com

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Next time you think one of us JHA editors is being snarky, try looking at some of the responses to questions in the Chicago Manual of Style Q&A column. Here is a real gem from this month. I guess it is better than actually having someone throw the book at your head! Maybe they have the heat turned up in the editors’ cave?

Q. How do you determine if it is “In the 1970s bad things happened” or “In the 1970s, bad things happened”? Comma or no comma? Why?

A. You can determine it by consulting a style manual like CMOS. You can go to the table of contents and look for the chapter on punctuation (chapter 6), then scan down the list of topics until you find a section on commas. Within that section you can look for the paragraph that addresses your issue: 6.36, “Commas with introductory adverbial phrases.” There you can read that “an introductory adverbial phrase is often set off by a comma but need not be unless misreading is likely. Shorter adverbial phrases are less likely to merit a comma than longer ones.” You can decide that your phrase does not need to be set off by a comma. Why? Because misreading without the comma is unlikely.

Kara Church

Technical Editor, Advisory

619-542-6773 | Ext: 766773

www.symitar.com

NOTICE: This electronic mail message and any files transmitted with it are intended
exclusively for the individual or entity to which it is addressed. The message,
together with any attachment, may contain confidential and/or privileged information.
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is strictly prohibited. If you have received this message in error, please
immediately advise the sender by reply email and delete all copies.

Please refer to these guidelines when writing about keyboard terms. The guidelines in black font are from the JHA Style Guide for Technical Communication and Training and the one in blue font is a Symitar standard.

Thank you,

Jackie Solano

Technical Writer, Episys Technical Publications

Symitar®

8985 Balboa Avenue

San Diego, California 92123

Direct Line: 619-542-6711

NOTICE: This electronic mail message and any files transmitted with it are intended
exclusively for the individual or entity to which it is addressed. The message,
together with any attachment, may contain confidential and/or privileged information.
Any unauthorized review, use, printing, saving, copying, disclosure or distribution
is strictly prohibited. If you have received this message in error, please
immediately advise the sender by reply email and delete all copies.

After sending out a recent Editor’s Corner about one of my pet peeves, a few of you sent me your own personal pet peeves and asked me to expound on them.

Thanks to an email from Ivonne, today I’ll address in regard to vs. in regards to (singular vs. plural).

Ivonne knew, but you may wonder, which is correct?

Lots of people get this one wrong. The correct usage is in regard to (singular). For instance, you would say, “This email is in regard to your question about correct English usage.”

But better yet, consider finding a less antiquated and wordy way to say what you mean. You can often use about in place of in regard to. Or, to be more direct, you can completely rewrite a sentence. Check out this progression of revisions:

Wordy start:In regard to your homeowner’s insurance, it was cancelled before the flood occurred.

Still too wordy: About your homeowner’s insurance, it was cancelled before the flood occurred.

Concise revision: Your homeowner’s insurance was canceled before the flood occurred.

How wordiness affects your editor:

For more information on this topic, read this article from Quick and Dirty Tips.

Donna Bradley Burcher | Technical Editor | Symitar®

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

Dear Editrix,

Can you cover the difference between ability and capability? I often see these used in technical documentation. For example:

· Our users have the ability to process transactions.

· Our users have the capability to process transactions.

Thanks!

Ready, Willing, and Able in a San Antonio Stable

Dear RWASAS,

You have raised an interesting question and I have several things to say about those examples.

1) They are overly wordy.

2) They are very typical in the technical documentation world.

3) I think there are more appropriate ways to communicate the message.

First, here are some definitions from Merriam-Webster:

· ability (noun)

1: the quality or state of being able: physical, mental, or legal power to perform: competence in doing: skill

2: natural talent or acquired proficiency especially in a particular work or activity: aptitude

· capability (noun)

1: the quality or state of being capable physically, intellectually, morally, or legally: capacity, ability

Now, let’s look back at the examples:

· Our users have the ability to process transactions.

· Our users have the capability to process transactions.

What are we telling the reader? We are telling them, as users of our product, they have the skill and aptitude (ability) to use the product. How would we know? Better to focus on the product. (See bullets below.)

The same goes for capability. Are we telling the reader that people using our products are physically or mentally able to use our products? Again, I don’t think that is the message.

Try these on for size:

· Users can process transactions with Product X. (too passive)

· Use Product X to process transactions. (direct, to the point) Yay!

Sometimes it is best to focus on the main point of the sentence and rewrite it to get your idea across.

Sincerely,

Editrix

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We’re past graduation season, but just the other day someone was telling me how annoying it is when bumper stickers misuse the terms that follow. Here is a brief lesson on alumnus, alumna, and alumni—but not aluminum or aluminium. From The Grammar Devotional, by Mignon Fogarty:

· A female graduate is an alumna, and a group of them are alumnae.

· A male graduate is an alumnus, and a group of them are alumni.

· If a graduation party includes both male and female graduates, they are collectively called alumni.

· In casual settings, people sometimes dodge the gender specificity and use the more generic terms alum and alums.

I hope you enjoyed your Fourth of July holiday!

Kara Church

Technical Editor, Advisory