Originally Posted by yellowroom (Post 11673536)

this kind of thing really pushes my buttons!

There are various readability tests and/or clarity indexes an author can use to objectively measure how easy it is to read and understand some text. Most of them boil down to:

Use shorter words (ie less than 3 syllables) and shorter sentences = easier to read
Longer words and longer sentences = harder to read

None of them measures 'professionalism'! In real life, many of us have to write documents that must include long words, as they are technical terms. Likewise, we need to discuss relatively complex ideas that cannot be simply expressed in 5-word sentences.

What professional writers will do then, is to write 'use' not 'utilize' (3 syllables = long word) and other simpler terms in order to keep the readability of their documents to their target audience. Commence/start is another of my favourites. But use and utilise mean different things.

Sorry, this got a bit long :o but I argue a lot with people who think they have to use long fancy words, not always in the right context, in order to sound 'professional'. They don't seem to appreciate that most of the audience think you sound more professional when you communicate clearly. I've even got a copy of a paper I use to show them it's been measured scientifically!

Originally Posted by Bahtatboy (Post 11673562)

You're welcome. .....

Originally Posted by yellowroom (Post 11673536)

this kind of thing really pushes my buttons!

There are various readability tests and/or clarity indexes an author can use to objectively measure how easy it is to read and understand some text. Most of them boil down to:

Use shorter words (ie less than 3 syllables) and shorter sentences = easier to read
Longer words and longer sentences = harder to read

None of them measure 'professionalism'! In real life, many of us have to write documents that must include long words, as they are technical terms. Likewise, we need to discuss relatively complex ideas that cannot be simply expressed in 5 word sentences.

What professional writers will do then, is to write 'use' not 'utilize' (3 syllables = long word) and other simpler terms in order to keep the readability of their documents to their target audience. Commence/start is another of my favourites.

Originally Posted by Sugarmooma (Post 11673949)

Readability? ? Is that a word used often? ......

Originally Posted by Pulaski (Post 11673994)

It's better than "readableness". :nod:

Originally Posted by Pulaski (Post 11673593)

I have never seen a sentence containing the word "utilize" where "utilize" couldn't be replaced with "use" without changing the meaning one iota. :confused:

Originally Posted by Bahtatboy (Post 11673562)

You're welcome :sneaky:

Originally Posted by Sugarmooma (Post 11673949)

Readability? ? Is that a word used often?.

Just sounds very strange to me:blink:

Originally Posted by yellowroom (Post 11674111)

never said I was a professional writer.

Originally Posted by lansbury (Post 11675091)

Little League umpire calling strikes when they clearly were not, and out when they clearly were not. Who come over and berates our teams parents for heckling him about his bad calls and gets quite nasty. Then admits to our teams coaches after the game he was in fact doing just that because he felt sorry for the other team as they were not as good as us.

Not only is he a jerk normally but he has now demonstrated to our kids that cheating is acceptable.

Originally Posted by Jsmth321 (Post 11675083)

My pet peeve today is people, specifically people who think rules don't apply to them, specifically those who will not check out of their rooms on time, and still at 12:15 over an hour after check out still insisting to stay in the room, um no.