Dropping the you? The Asian response to imperative voice. (was: Re: you or he/it)

Subject: Dropping the you? The Asian response to imperative voice. (was: Re: you or he/it)
From: Geoff Hart <ghart -at- videotron -dot- ca>
To: TECHWR-L <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com>, Monica Cellio <cellio -at- pobox -dot- com>
Date: Fri, 23 Jun 2006 09:36:18 -0400

Monica Cellio wondered: <<The imperative can work well for direct, procedural material. I'm having trouble imagining how it would work when writing more open-ended documentation, such as when giving advice about the alternatives available to the reader. How would you rewrite something like this (in a sys-admin or programming manual)? "If most of your users are located in one facility, we recommend using the standard client-server configuration. If most of your users are in remote locations, or if any have slow or unreliable network connections, we instead recommend using the multi-server configuration with the following modifications [...].">>

Provide your recommendation, but using wording that defines why you made that recommendation and specifies the conditions under which that recommendation is valid. For example: "The standard client-server configuration is most computationally efficient [safe? easy to administer? easy to understand?] when most users are located in a single facility."

This avoids the problem of imperative voice (too abrupt or "imperial" <G>), eliminates the "you", is very concise, and gives your recommendation in a way that gives the reader tools to decide whether your logic matches theirs. If so, they'll follow it without actually being told to do so*. If not, the text that follows should provide other clues about alternatives and when those alternatives are appropriate. For example: "In contrast, when users are geographically dispersed, the WAN configuration is..."

* "To prevent sudden death of the purchaser, we recommend installation by a less-valued co-worker." See? Rhetoric (persuasion) does have a place in technical communication! <g>

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Geoff Hart ghart -at- videotron -dot- ca
(try geoffhart -at- mac -dot- com if you don't get a reply)
www.geoff-hart.com
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References:
re: you or he/it: From: Sean Hower
Dropping the you? The Asian response to imperative voice. (was: Re: you or he/it): From: Geoff Hart
Re: Dropping the you? The Asian response to imperative voice. (was: Re: you or he/it): From: Monica Cellio

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