
How to remove condescending language from documentation - Kye
https://dev.to/meeshkan/how-to-remove-condescending-language-from-documentation-4a5p
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Bella-Xiang
The condescending language indeed makes people uncomfortable, especially for
the newbie of this field. Funny experience and a good guide that encourages me
in doing the same thing as the author: remove the condescending language from
various documentation.

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herendin2
In any learning situation, this type of language can be deeply demoralizing,
because it makes struggling students feel that their teacher is totally unable
to understand them and their challenges.

Sometimes they may even be right about that!

~~~
Kye
I hit this wall hard with every math teacher. The world seems to be divided
into three groups: people who get math easily, people who got math with some
effort, and people who can't get the other two groups to _slow down_ and let
everyone else process their explanations.

Math teacher, with a solution 60 steps in: "See? Simple!"

Me, having been unable to break them out of the zone for the last five
minutes: "Okay so back on step 1 you said..."

Fortunately YouTube came about just as I hit college remedial classes, and
some of the math channel people seem to get it. Plus, I can _make_ them stop
with the pause button while I process something.

~~~
mytailorisrich
There is a difference between being condescending, i.e. patronizing
superiority, and an expectation of a certain level of expertise/understanding
of the topic under discussion.

Sometimes lecturers assume students are more knowledgeable than they actually
are (rightly or wrongly).

~~~
Kye
Sometimes there is patronizing superiority. I've been called an idiot for not
getting someone's explanation in various subjects. I never know what kind of
person they'll turn out to be until I ask for more details. The article offers
some handy tools and tips to avoid being Schrodinger's Asshole in writing
documentation.

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Kye
Abstract:

>> _" With documentation, it's rare for terms like easy to be intentionally
condescending. Often times, writers use them to show that something isn't as
intimidating as it sounds. If this is the case, think about what the docs are
trying to communicate and replace the condescending language with word choices
that better represent the intention."_

