
Good Plain English: The problem with writing manuals - lermontov
http://harpers.org/archive/2017/03/good-plain-english/?single=1
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mcarden
It is at least slightly amusing that the ambiguous title led me to expect that
the article would be about the writing of manuals, rather than a discussion of
manuals explaining how to write.

~~~
dredmorbius
Likewise. I also found the title ambiguous, and the style of the piece itself
an exemplar of much it rails against. Verbose, excessivly so, and somewhat
over-endeared with itself.

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lolc
I stoppped reading mid-article. Then I decided to come here to indulge in the
metaness of criticizing the article critical of language style guides that
criticize classics.

Silly business.

~~~
j10sanders
I think it was critical of the language style guide's language style outside
of its criticisms of classics, but then somehow finds the real issue is the
meaninglessness of words in the common-folk language of Trump compared to the
eloquent (yet also straight-forward) language style Obama.

In other words, I'm confused too.

~~~
lolc
Oh if it went down that path I'm glad I didn't continue reading. Trump-style
is not common-folk style, it's rambling-folk style.

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emmelaich
Very few guides follow their own advice.

William Safire satirised it nicely in his Fumblerules.

[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fumblerules](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fumblerules)

[http://dmorgan.web.wesleyan.edu/materials/safire.htm](http://dmorgan.web.wesleyan.edu/materials/safire.htm)

~~~
jaclaz
Also, JFYI, Umberto Eco's Rules for writing (well):

[http://gioclairval.blogspot.it/2010/02/umberto-ecos-rules-
fo...](http://gioclairval.blogspot.it/2010/02/umberto-ecos-rules-for-writing-
well.html)

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m52go
> Bernoff is a Canute in an ocean of ordure. As such the gist of his advice is
> unimpeachable. Get to the point.

lolwut

much hypocritical so verbosity

but bernoff's book is brilliant.

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ValleyOfTheMtns
There is nothing more beautiful to someone than their own creations, even if
it contradicts their advice about the craft.

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Spooky23
Many manuals turn into this weird passive-aggressive ass covering exercises,
especially internal manuals.

The low for me was a 16 page manual for using an RSA token!

