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: That and Which--is it worth it? From:Paula R Berger <pberger -at- WORLD -dot- STD -dot- COM> Date:Fri, 16 Dec 1994 15:00:31 +0001
Your posting on that/which had a familiar ring to it, since the examples
you used are the same as the ones we used on the SOLUTIONS Writer's
Reference Card. We put the distinction between that and which on the
front because we learned, after 10 years of teaching tech writing
seminars, how often people are confused by them.
I do think that there's an important distinction between them, but I
also agree that you have a good point about the subtlety of that
example. I usually use the following example in classes and I always see
the proverbial light bulb go on with this one.
The font files that can be customized are in the main directory.
The font files, which can be customized, are in the main directory.
The change to "which" and the addition of commas combine to change the
technical meaning of the sentence. In the first example, only some font
files can be customized and those are in the main directory. In the
second example, all the font files can be customized and they are all in
the main directory.
Sometimes it's crystal clear how the meaning changes from "that" to
"which," but other times it really is extremely subtle. Nonetheless, I
agree with the other techwhirlers who said they think it's a worthwhile
distinction to make.
