sexta-feira, 31 de outubro de 2008

K.I.S.S. - Keep It Short and Simple

... ou a estupidificação da linguagem - "o endeusamento da «imagem» e da «mensagem»"...
... ou será que é a utilização pragmática da linguagem (que por sinal até gosto e dou primazia)...

deixo a nota: desconhecia este facto

"There is no shortage of helpful advice to authors. My book, The Plain English Guide (OUP, 1995) distils it into 20 guidelines. To summarise them:

· Use appropriate language - not too pompous, not too colloquial.

· Write sentences of reasonable length - 15-20 words on average.

· Favour active-voice verbs.

· Don't smother verbs beneath noun phrases: so 'We prepared...' not 'The preparation was undertaken by us...'

· Use personal reference words.

· Use a main heading. In long letters, use subheadings too.

· Use vertical lists to split up complex information.

· Use a top-heavy triangle structure, giving the big news early in each section. Alternatively, use chronological order if this will help the reader.

· Use tables, charts and graphs to help the reader understand.

· Reread your letter before it goes out. Revise it. Then revise it again. You don't have time, but you have to make it.

· If you've an important writing job to do, arrange your environment to suit you. This might mean booking a writing room in the office, or working at home.

Finally, remember the words of Lord Denning, the leading judge, in the 1980s: "It is better to be clear and brief than to go drivelling on."

· Martin Cutts is research director of Plain Language Commission"

in http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2002/mar/27/2

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