We in the technical documentation community are skilled writers and speakers. True. And we never need to revisit basic principles, and never ever get contentious over language. Not so true. This makes life fun.
At our August 2010 meeting, Arlene Miller, author of The Best Little Grammar Book Ever!, came with a short list of grammar questions, and not surprisingly there was a spirited discussion about the answers. Despite what we have learned in school and over the years, there is always room for analyzing the best way to say something — and sometimes for deciding whether to say it at all.
In keeping with the spirit of the evening, Arlene will be monitoring our new Grammar forum. Try this resource when you bump into a language challenge you would like to resolve, or just want to add expertise to the conversation.
I really enjoyed this presentation. Indeed, as there were senior writers and an editor in the audience, some good discussion ensued.
I would be interested in a follow up workshop on this subject.