RE: Six elementary rules for writing good english

["Al Geist" <al -dot- geist -at- geistassociates -dot- com>]

Mark the Writer wrote: 

"RE:  George Orwell ("Politics and the English Language", 1946)

>From "The Economist"

5. Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word or a jargon word if you can
think of an everyday English equivalent.

******

Find rule 5 hard to follow for technical writing.

As an engineer myself - you use the scientific terms and jargon that all of
the engineers use in person and in documents."


You can use scientific terms, but never, ever use jargon regardless of who
is using it. If you cannot for some reason get around using jargon (because
the person who signs the paycheck tells you to or else you will have
reserved place in the unemployment line), then define it using the proper
scientific or engineering term at its first occurrence.

Al Geist
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