Pet Peeves?
Jun 12th 2015 | 1:23 am
#6211
Hit 16's
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 13,109
From: Of all the gin joints, in all the towns, in all the world, she walks into mine
Re: Pet Peeves?
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
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!
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
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!
Jun 12th 2015 | 11:46 am
#6213
Account Closed
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 0
Re: Pet Peeves?
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.
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.
Just sounds very strange to me
Jun 12th 2015 | 6:53 pm
#6216
Hit 16's
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 13,109
From: Of all the gin joints, in all the towns, in all the world, she walks into mine
Jun 12th 2015 | 9:24 pm
#6217
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 2,333
From: Was Virginia, now Yorkshire.
Jun 12th 2015 | 9:27 pm
#6218
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 2,333
From: Was Virginia, now Yorkshire.
Re: Pet Peeves?
Jun 12th 2015 | 9:53 pm
#6219
Hit 16's
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 13,109
From: Of all the gin joints, in all the towns, in all the world, she walks into mine
Jun 14th 2015 | 8:48 am
#6220
Thread Starter
BE Site Lead
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 92,279
From: MA, USA
Re: Pet Peeves?
Kids and sparkly shoes....why are they, the shoes, not the kids, though them too, just so shit? The sparkles last a couple of hours if you're lucky, then make a mess everywhere and the shoes look like crap and get covered in dirt where the sparkles fall off.
Jun 14th 2015 | 8:51 am
#6221
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 975
Re: Pet Peeves?
I bought some falafels and pita pockets made by the same company which were strategically placed together at the grocery store. There are not enough falafels in the falafel bag to fill all six pita pockets. So I'm going to have to do something else with the remaining two. 
Reminds me of going to a Mexican restaurant where they give you an enormous amount of delicious sizzling fajita filling and only three small tortillas.
Reminds me of going to a Mexican restaurant where they give you an enormous amount of delicious sizzling fajita filling and only three small tortillas.
Jun 14th 2015 | 11:29 am
#6222
Account Closed
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 0
Re: Pet Peeves?
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.
Jun 14th 2015 | 11:40 am
#6223
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 10,058
From: Milwaukie, Oregon
Re: Pet Peeves?
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.
Not only is he a jerk normally but he has now demonstrated to our kids that cheating is acceptable.
Jun 14th 2015 | 11:48 am
#6224
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 8,106
From: Phoenix, AZ
Re: Pet Peeves?
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.
Not only is he a jerk normally but he has now demonstrated to our kids that cheating is acceptable.
Not quite the same but I have seen in highschool basketball games where one team is outmatched they will "run the clock" I.e. not stopping the clock every time it goes dead. There may be chanting from the sides to goad the time keeper to do so if there is a long drive back or they want to start drinking earlier
Jun 14th 2015 | 12:06 pm
#6225
Crazy Cat Lady
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 65,493
Re: Pet Peeves?
Can't you just charge them for an extra night?
