TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
Subject:Re: Using contractions From:Shannon Ford <shannon -at- UNIFACE -dot- NL> Date:Thu, 11 Nov 1993 09:47:09 +0100
> I never use contractions in documentation unless I am quoting
> conversation (maybe not even then) because, as far as I have been
> able to discover here in Australia, contractions are NEVER taught
> in ESL classes so a significant portion of the readership would
> not understand them.
We also never use contractions for this same reason--a great number of our
readers are not native English speakers.
