Re: Submitted for your Approval


Steve Hayes wrote:
On 11 Jul 2006 05:41:24 -0700, riclanders@xxxxxxxxx wrote:


Steve Hayes wrote:
On 11 Jul 2006 01:29:10 -0700, riclanders@xxxxxxxxx wrote:

Thanks for you comments, Steve. I would point out, though, that the
passive voice does have acceptable uses.

It does indeed have acceptable uses, but hiding the identity of people to whom
opinions are attributed is not one of them.

You should have quit while you were ahead, Steve. The rule you cite
refers to direct quotes not general claims made about a demographic
generally.

In other words, you know the rule but don't understand how it's
applied.

I have no idea what rule or application you are talking about.

You asked for comments on the quality of your writing. I gave you exactly what
you asked for, so what does "being ahead" have to do with it? If you don't
like the comments you get, don't ask for them.

One of the things I judge writing on is clarity of meaning, and that was one
of the criteria I used on yours. Of course if your aim is to write bull***
propaganda to bamboozle the plebs, then you won't like the kind of criticism
you get here. But if you're not going to like it, don't ask.



The rule I'm talking about is the one you accused me of breaking --
writing in the passive voice. I merely pointed out to you that the rule
doesn't apply to all prose, that there are instances where the passive
voice is approriate. I then gave you an example: when writing about a
specific demographic, generally.

In other words, there is no way to render a direct quote from, say, the
general population of America, so writing something to the effect, "It
is generally believed," is entirely appropriate.

This seems plain enough to me. And what also seems plain enough to me
is that rules such as the passive voice and writing with clarity
confuse you. For example, in your last post you say your original point
was about writing with clarity of meaning. Not so. Your original point
was the use of the passive voice. The two rules are quite different and
distinct. There is no overlap.

This is to say, the reason writers are told to eschew the passive voice
is because it renders one's prose flat and impersonal. But, in
scientific writing the passive voice is the gold standard because flat
and impersonal is the objective.

To sum up, Steve, like most fledging writers, you've heard of the rules
but don't know where one begins and the other ends.

ricland










ricland



http://people.tribe.net/hayesstw
E-mail - see web page, or parse: shayes at dunelm full stop org full stop uk

--
Steve Hayes from Tshwane, South Africa
http://people.tribe.net/hayesstw
E-mail - see web page, or parse: shayes at dunelm full stop org full stop uk

.