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Re: Use Of Punctuation In A Post And What Is Annoying or Confusing
Jane -
Thank you for creating this thread, and spotlighting a topic that can never receive too much attention. Clarity in communication is as important now, in the age of text messages, tweets, blogs, chats and Facebook posts, as it has ever been.
Engineers (and many, many others) still live in a world that is dominated by the written word. If you hope to be successful in that community, then you must be able to write clearly and effectively. Your audience will frequently span the entire spectrum of age groups, ethnic backgrounds, socio-economic strata, and academic disciplines. They will not all be conversant in the latest HaXoR translation of "7|-|i$ i$ n07 /-\ hin7." Such shortcuts - along with poor grammar, bad punctuation, and spelling errors - are to be avoided like the plague.
Remember, you are the one trying to communicate your idea to your audience. It is your responsibility to make your message as clear and understandable as possible. It is not their responsibility to translate your garble into something intelligible. If you try to make it so, your audience will simply walk away in frustration, and your ultimate goal - communicating your idea - will be lost.
And yes, you will definitely want to bump this thread as the build season starts.
-dave
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__________________
"I know what you're thinking, punk," hissed Wordy Harry to his new editor, "you're thinking, 'Did he use six superfluous adjectives or only five?' - and to tell the truth, I forgot myself in all this excitement; but being as this is English, the most powerful language in the world, whose subtle nuances will blow your head clean off, you've got to ask yourself one question: 'Do I feel loquacious?' - well do you, punk?"
- Stuart Vasepuru, 2006 Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest
My OTHER CAR is still on Mars!!!
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