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Tip #62: Never loan your lend

3/26/2015

Written English has so many details to consider that I have lots of topics for future blog posts. But that’s not why I harp on details in written English. Attention to detail produces better writing, and better writing better conveys the professional image that all serious businesses want for their organizations and brands.

Take, for example, the words loan and lend. Both loan and lend can be verbs. In this context, lend tends to be more popular, although in some circles the reverse is true. In all circles, however, only loan can be a noun. Good writers never use lend as a noun.

Consider the sentences in the example graphic above. The first use (indicated with red underline) is correct; lend is used as a verb (in its infinitive form). As mentioned previously, the writer may elect to use loan instead of lend. Rewriting that sentence would produce

The external consulting teams agreed to loan the needed equipment.

Either sentence is fine. Neither one is more or less correct than the other. Using lend or loan as a verb is simply a matter of personal stylistic choice.

However, writers have no stylistic choices between lend and loan when using a noun. They must use loan because lend has no noun form. Thus, the second use (indicated with blue underline) is incorrect and should be rewritten as follows:

Those results vindicated the consultants for ignoring the controversy surrounding their loan.

For verbs, use either lend or loan at your pleasure. But for nouns, use only loan. You can lend your loan, but never loan your lend. That’s just nonsense. And using that will in the least lower the sense of professionalism readers associate with you, your organizations, and your brands. Paying attention to the details of your writing can pay big in the court of public perception. So lend your attention appropriately for better results!

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Tip #61: Avoid the continual misuse of continuous

3/19/2015

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I’ve posted before about details in our writing that can make a huge difference. That’s because details matter. They can make the difference between mediocre writing which may communicate a message but projects only a mediocre image of professionalism and superior writing that both clearly communicates a message and projects a superior professional image.

Today let’s examine another such detail. Although they are both adjectives, the words continual and continuous have very similar but different meanings. Those differences between the definitions can make all the difference between mediocre writing and superior writing.

Continual describes something which happens over and over or is frequently repeated. Continuous describes something which occurs without interruption or is unbroken. Again, the two words have very similar meanings. And yet the differences between them can make all the difference in your writing.

Consider the example sentence in the graphic above. The use of continuous may seem appropriate. But continuous describes something which occurs without interruption or is unbroken. Nonconformances in practice do not occur without interruption. That would mean the entire system operates only outside acceptable parameters. No realistic, modern engineering system for a production line does that.

However, nonconformances can happen over and over or be frequently repeated. Thus, continual is the word of choice here, not continuous. The rewritten sentence would then look like this:

After experiencing continual nonconformances with Line #4, management decided to cease Line #4 production and conduct a full investigation.

Of course, it goes both ways. Here’s another example to consider.

The crack then propagated along the continuous longitudinal weld.

This sentence describes the path of a crack growing along the length of a weld. Both the crack path and the weld continue without interruption along the same length. While cracking may happen over and over or be frequently repeated, crack paths practically never do. But crack paths can occur without interruption and be unbroken. Thus, continuous is the appropriate word and not continual.

Don’t be confused. Understand the differences in definition, and you can avoid the continual misuse of continuous and continual. Attending to such details in your writing communicates to your audience that you will attend to the details of their concerns. And that’s how superior writing projects the superior professional image that all successful businesses want for their organizations and brands.

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Tip #60: Rather than instead of

3/12/2015

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I’ve been posting lately about details that can elevate writing to higher standards of professionalism. I’ve continued my longstanding rant to highlight the differences between spoken English and written English. And last week the details I examined related to comparative structures were those of comparison. It seems like a good train, so I’ll stay on it for now.

Consider the example graphic above. Most of us wouldn’t have a problem hearing these words in spoken English. However, written English is a different animal.

Instead of is grammatically incorrect when using the preposition from to create a hierarchical construct. Why? Because instead of by definition implies that someone is choosing between two options. But hierarchical structures aren’t about options; they’re about order. They proclaim an arrangement between a set of elements.

That’s why rather than is the grammatically correct form. By using from to establish a hierarchy between two elements, the writer says that Element 1 belongs in this place and Element 2 belongs in that place. Rather than says, “This is the order, not the other way around.” It brooks no room for discussion. Instead of implies that the order could be the other way around if someone chose it to be so. Often when using from in a hierarchical structure, that simply isn’t the case.

The graphic above provides a great example. Welds don’t crack according to the will of people. Unless the weld is designed to fail in a particular fashion (and most welds aren’t), we don’t get to choose how cracks nucleate or propagate. The writer of an investigative report isn’t presenting options from which to choose so much as explaining why one idea matches observed evidence and another idea does not. In essence, the writer is communicating a hierarchy between two different ideas (this one is right and that one is wrong). Thus, rather than is the appropriate expression, not instead of.

The cracking resulted from incomplete weld penetration rather than from alloy mismatch.

Make sure your writing has the correct forms. When you use from to distinguish between different elements, always select rather than rather than instead of. Your writing will then portray a more professional image. And that’s what every successful business wants for its organization and its brand.

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Tip #59: Don’t compare more or less than

3/5/2015

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I’ve been posting lately about details in our writing that can make the difference in the image your writing conveys. Today I’m keeping to that theme.

I’m also keeping to the theme of the differences between written English and spoken English. Although they influence each other, these are two different animals! Treating them as such allows us to develop the higher standard of professionalism that every prosperous business wants for its image.

Often technical writers will need to compare the quantity of two items. In speech we often hear expressions like the one in the graphic above. And that use seems to make sense because the writer is making a comparison. Yet using compare with either more or less is grammatically incorrect.

It doesn’t matter whether you use compare with or compare to. Compare is simply the wrong word. Why? When you use more or less, you are starting to make a comparison. You don’t complete that construct by announcing what you are building. Rather you complete it by supplying the missing piece, the part that complements what you have already placed. That word is not compare. That word is than. Thus the writer should revise the sentence in the example graphic to read as follows:

Metal production from ore typically requires more energy in actuality than what theoretical calculations predict.

Spoken English doesn’t have the same sensitivities to structure that written English has. That’s part of why understanding the differences between spoken English and written English can put your writing ahead that of the crowd.

So don’t compare more or less than. Attend to the details that will give your writing more of the professional image that will reflect more favorably on both you and your brand.

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Tip #62: Never loan your lend

Tip #61: Avoid the continual misuse of continuous

Tip #60: Rather than instead of

Tip #59: Don’t compare more or less than

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