And I tend to write even more directly. I'd say "To aggravate the fintoozler, do this..."., :) ...sue
On Mon, Nov 24, 2008 at 10:14 AM, Chris Vickery <[EMAIL PROTECTED] > wrote: > I am trying to think of an instance where I've used "might", and I think > I've avoided it precisely because it trips me up, making me question > whether it's the right choice of words. > > I tend to use this construction: "If you wish to aggravate the > fintoozler, you can..." instead of "You might wish to aggravate the > fintoozler..." The latter seems kind of flabby and weak to me. > > Chris > > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > On Behalf Of Charles Beck > Sent: Monday, November 24, 2008 7:19 AM > To: TCP@techcommpros.com > Subject: Re: [TCP] Word choice: Might or May? > > Kevin actually makes the point I was about to. I was not talking about a > situation in which "something 'might' happen". Even if I'm not sure that > things are going to work the way they're supposed to in reality, I > always say "something happens". [And note that I also do not say "will > happen"-more or less personal preference, but I almost never use future > tense either, if I can possibly avoid it.] > > I use the word "might" to tell the user that it is something optional, > usually. The user might or might NOT want to do whatever it is. IOW, > we're exploring options. This is often content that is included in a > Tip. > > I use the word "can" to tell the user that it is something they can do. > Again, usually something optional, though the emphasis in this kind of > case is to let the user know that it is *possible* to do something. > > And I will risk arousing ire by reiterating that I cannot think of a > single instance in which one of these two words, in telling a user that > something can be done, is not preferable to the word "may". > > Good discussion here. > Chuck > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > On Behalf Of McLauchlan, Kevin > Sent: Monday, November 24, 2008 09:50 > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; Sharon Burton; John Bell; TCP@techcommpros.com > Subject: Re: [TCP] Word choice: Might or May? > > I disagree with Sharon and Paula completely... > > OK, no I don't. I just wanted to say that. > > Unless I was being sarcastic, which is rarely good in a technical > document, I would not tell the reader that if s/he performed some action > then some result "might" happen. In the past, I actually have > threatened to do that in internal discussions with developers and their > managers when they were being too "iffy" about this or that issue... but > I've never gone through with it. (Yes, I'm a big chicken, but it happens > that the offenders saw the error of their ways and didn't call me on it. > :-) > > However, in situations where there are several optional choices that the > reader can make, and various scenarios - perhaps some known and others > not necessarily known - I choose "might". > > "Depending on your organization's security policies and regulatory > environment, you might <need | wish> to invoke function X." That's the > situation about which John B was asking in his original post. > > I wouldn't use "may", because the reader is being given non-binding > suggestions or told of possibilities that they might like to explore... > not being given permission. Once they own our product, they don't need > permission. > > Now, may I please leave the room? > > Cheers, > > - Kevin > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > On Behalf Of Paula R. Stern (WritePoint) > > Sent: Saturday, November 22, 2008 1:32 PM > > To: 'Sharon Burton'; 'John Bell'; TCP@techcommpros.com > > Subject: Re: [TCP] Word choice: Might or May? > > > > I agree with Sharon completely. > > > > Might makes me wonder if it is going to happen as expected or not. > Click > > on > > the window and it might open...gee, that doesn't work for me at all. > > > > May is acceptable, though I prefer can whenever/wherever possible. > > > > My absolute favorite came from an Israeli engineer who gave me a > document > > and asked me to "edit" it. He wrote "the user shall." > > > > I wrote him back and said - God shall...the rest of us can... > > > > Paula > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > On > > Behalf Of Sharon Burton > > Sent: Friday, November 21, 2008 6:15 PM > > To: John Bell; TCP@techcommpros.com > > Subject: Re: [TCP] Word choice: Might or May? > > > > How about "You can also..." > > > > I avoid may or might, as "may" can imply permission. "Might" can imply > it > > could happen but we really aren't sure. Call us if it does because we > > never actually got it to work reliably. We'd love to know what you did > > > to > make > > it > > work. > > > > ;-) > > > > sharon > > > > Sharon Burton > > Product Manager > > MadCap Software > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > Cell: 951-202-0813 > > Home Office: 951-369-8590 > > http://madcapsoftware.wordpress.com/ > > <http://madcapsoftware.wordpress.com/> > > > > ________________________________ > > > > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] on behalf of John Bell > > Sent: Fri 11/21/2008 8:05 AM > > To: TCP@techcommpros.com > > Subject: [TCP] Word choice: Might or May? > > > > > > > > I'm trying to determine which is the best word to use: Might or May. > > > > I am writing about determining which records get displayed based on > > start and end dates. At the end I want to offer the following > > suggestion: > > > > You may/might want to set the date range to your current month, > > quarter, or sales quota period. > > > > What's your choice (or complete re-write)? > > > > Thanks! > > --- John B. > > > > The information contained in this electronic mail transmission may be > privileged and confidential, and therefore, protected from disclosure. > If you have received this communication in error, please notify us > immediately by replying to this message and deleting it from your > computer without copying or disclosing it. > > > > ______________________________________________ > ComponentOne Doc-To-Help 2009 is your all-in-one authoring and > publishing solution. 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Author in Doc-To-Help's XML-based editor, Microsoft Word or HTML and publish to the Web, Help systems or printed manuals. Download Free Trial. www.doctohelp.comhttp://www.techcommpros.com/componentone/ Interactive 3D Documentation Parts catalogs, animated instructions, and more. www.i3deverywhere.com _______________________________________________ Technical Communication Professionals Post a message to the list: email [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, unsubscribe, archives, account options, list info: http://techcommpros.com/mailman/listinfo/tcp_techcommpros.com Subscribe (email): send a blank message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe (email): send a blank message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Need help? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED] Get the TCP whole experience! http://www.techcommpros.com
